To kick off the NAB show in Las Vegas, GoPro is showing us how they hope to gain a stronger foothold with VR content creators, launching a new VR video platform along with finally revealing pricing for its smaller VR camera rig.
GoPro Omni
The six-camera Omni VR array can be pre-ordered starting today for $1,500, but keep in mind that this price does not include the cost of the GoPro cameras.
GoPro is however also accepting pre-orders for an all inclusive package that includes six GoPro HERO4 Black cameras and Kolor stitching software, bringing the price up to a whopping $5,000. This price tag is likely out of reach for the majority of hobbyists, for whom some may be looking for more reasonable consumer focused 360-degree cameras like the $400 Gear 360 that hits store shelves this quarter. But considering GoPro’s 16-camera Odyssey rig will set you back $15,000, this Omni rig can definitely be a more reasonable option for prosumer creators.
Pre-orders for either package begin on the company’s site starting at 8AM PT today.
GoPro VR
In addition to GoPro’s pre-order announcement to provide a camera solution for creators to capture VR content, the company has also launched a new platform for sharing 360-degree videos.
GoPro VR is now available on the web and should be available as an app for both Android and iOS. The app provides a way for users to experience original 360° video from GoPro and a “global community of artists.” The GoPro VR platform includes a variety of categories you can browse, ranging from the typical motorsports and underwater videos to even fashion and music content categories, all of which appear to be hand-selected videos from GoPro and their sponsored athletes.
Just shy of a year ago, GoPro announced the acquisition of the French VR company Kolor, in which GoPro inherited the widely used VR stitching software and content platform of the same name. It looks like we are finally starting to see the acquisition come to life, with the software being re-branded as GoPro Kolor and the content platform now re-branded as GoPro VR.
With NAB drawing in over 100,000 broadcasting industry professionals for their annual spring convention, GoPro will also be giving daily demonstrations of its newest custom solution that the company is describing as a way to “providing a live, broadcast-quality, wireless 360-degree VR viewing experience, powered by HEROCast.” GoPro is calling it the LiveVR system and will be used in the coming months by a few motocross and auto-racing brands.
