SPB TV unveils new tech for low-bandwidth VR

Russian technology provider SPB TV has unveiled a technology platform that it says enables the delivery of virtual reality and 360° content using much less bandwidth than has previously been possible.

The SPB TV Rosing OTT TV platform can now deliver 360° feeds in multiple resolutions so that only the content on which the user is currently focused is in high-resolution.

“We are delivering the same package in 12 different resolutions,” CEO Kirill Filippov told DTVE at the recent Mobile World Congress. “We understand how to provide the content to the end user.”

When users turn their heads using a phone or VR headset, the stream automatically changes to a high-resolution version of the content.

SPB TV demonstrated the technology with 360° video content at MWC.

“For telecom operators it is very important because to stream 360° content takes about 25Mbps,” said Filippov. He said that using SPB TV’s technology on new chipsets would enable transmission rates to go down to as low as 2.5Mbps, enabling 360° content to be delivered over 4G or even 3G networks.

At MWC, SPB TV also demonstrated the use of Ad Expert, allowing ads to be personalized in live streams. SPB TV his providing the technology for Russia’s Channel One, which controls over 80% of ad sales in Russia.

“We can change adverts for each end user, which ius unique because it’s on a live streaming channel,” said Filippov. “It’s important for broadcasting companies because they want to make money from offering their channels over OTT.”