Conan O'Brien visits YouTube Space to try out virtual reality

Shawn Knight

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Late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien recently took a trip to visit YouTube Space in New York City to try out the latest in virtual reality technology. Equipped with an HTC Vive and accompanying hand controllers, O’Brien dives right into Tilt Brush before giving Job Simulator a whirl.

The late-night host causes quite a bit of ruckus in the Office Worker segment, tries out Gourmet Chef where he suggests things should be a bit more sexual then takes to the ring for a boxing match. Good stuff for sure.

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It's just a matter of time before this becomes more main stream. Think about the DVD, one of the only industries that made use of the multiple angle feature on DVD's was the porn industry.
 
It's just a matter of time before this becomes more main stream. Think about the DVD, one of the only industries that made use of the multiple angle feature on DVD's was the porn industry.

VR is not akin to DVD. DVD was a format to watch movies, which pretty much every person does. VR is a completely optional experience and unless it provides something everyone needs it is going to be a niche market. It also requires significant hardware to be done well. Half-baked attempts like Sony VR won't catch the world on fire because they are low graphic low FPS, two things that can hurt the "wow" factor it is supposed to have.
 
It's just a matter of time before this becomes more main stream. Think about the DVD, one of the only industries that made use of the multiple angle feature on DVD's was the porn industry.

VR is not akin to DVD. DVD was a format to watch movies, which pretty much every person does. VR is a completely optional experience and unless it provides something everyone needs it is going to be a niche market. It also requires significant hardware to be done well. Half-baked attempts like Sony VR won't catch the world on fire because they are low graphic low FPS, two things that can hurt the "wow" factor it is supposed to have.

The "matter of time before it becomes more main stream" comment was referring to the porn industry jumping in to making use of VR. I remember leaving the local Suncoast which had a couple hundred DVD's then seeing a sign on the roof of a Adult Video store off the freeway saying over a thousand DVD's available. Once they are on board or the demand is high enough we will see things change.
 
It's just a matter of time before this becomes more main stream. Think about the DVD, one of the only industries that made use of the multiple angle feature on DVD's was the porn industry.

VR is not akin to DVD. DVD was a format to watch movies, which pretty much every person does. VR is a completely optional experience and unless it provides something everyone needs it is going to be a niche market. It also requires significant hardware to be done well. Half-baked attempts like Sony VR won't catch the world on fire because they are low graphic low FPS, two things that can hurt the "wow" factor it is supposed to have.

The "matter of time before it becomes more main stream" comment was referring to the porn industry jumping in to making use of VR. I remember leaving the local Suncoast which had a couple hundred DVD's then seeing a sign on the roof of a Adult Video store off the freeway saying over a thousand DVD's available. Once they are on board or the demand is high enough we will see things change.

Well, if you want to go that route there are some serious problems with they direction as well. The first being that you have zero awareness of your surroundings with a VR headset on. Not only can you not hear yourself but you can't see yourself. You essentially have to live alone with no kids, wife, or pets. Oh and hopefully not live in an apartment, the neighbors don't want to hear that.

Second, the price is a huge issue. Sure you can buy a cheap headset that works off your phone but the experience is poor. Not to mention no one wants to rely on their phone's battery for yet another thing.

The third issue is that not everyone can go and pickup a VR headset and just use it. Either you have to buy a $600 phone or a $700 PC. Once again, this price is going to turn away everyone who isn't single and by themselves. I can only imagine the conversation with the girlfriend about such a large purchase for a device to substitute her.

The final issue is that the content and devices aren't there yet. Only a select few games and videos currently support VR. In addition the hardware is still too early. The headsets need to be lighter with no cords, we need to see higher quality displays in them, and someone needs to come up with a way to do full-room VR without the requirement of a full room (and not an 8k treadmill).
 
It's just a matter of time before this becomes more main stream. Think about the DVD, one of the only industries that made use of the multiple angle feature on DVD's was the porn industry.

VR is not akin to DVD. DVD was a format to watch movies, which pretty much every person does. VR is a completely optional experience and unless it provides something everyone needs it is going to be a niche market. It also requires significant hardware to be done well. Half-baked attempts like Sony VR won't catch the world on fire because they are low graphic low FPS, two things that can hurt the "wow" factor it is supposed to have.

The "matter of time before it becomes more main stream" comment was referring to the porn industry jumping in to making use of VR. I remember leaving the local Suncoast which had a couple hundred DVD's then seeing a sign on the roof of a Adult Video store off the freeway saying over a thousand DVD's available. Once they are on board or the demand is high enough we will see things change.

Well, if you want to go that route there are some serious problems with they direction as well. The first being that you have zero awareness of your surroundings with a VR headset on. Not only can you not hear yourself but you can't see yourself. You essentially have to live alone with no kids, wife, or pets. Oh and hopefully not live in an apartment, the neighbors don't want to hear that.

Second, the price is a huge issue. Sure you can buy a cheap headset that works off your phone but the experience is poor. Not to mention no one wants to rely on their phone's battery for yet another thing.

The third issue is that not everyone can go and pickup a VR headset and just use it. Either you have to buy a $600 phone or a $700 PC. Once again, this price is going to turn away everyone who isn't single and by themselves. I can only imagine the conversation with the girlfriend about such a large purchase for a device to substitute her.

The final issue is that the content and devices aren't there yet. Only a select few games and videos currently support VR. In addition the hardware is still too early. The headsets need to be lighter with no cords, we need to see higher quality displays in them, and someone needs to come up with a way to do full-room VR without the requirement of a full room (and not an 8k treadmill).

Time will tell.
 
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