Sky Glass TVs Add Interactivity with Motion Tracking Camera

Comcast’s UK broadcaster Sky is upping the ante on its Sky Glass smart TVs with a new camera called Sky Live designed to make content more immersive. In addition to Kinect-style games and interactive workouts, Sky Live supports Zoom calls and watch parties. Sky Live runs on the company’s proprietary Entertainment OS and requires a television that is part of that ecosystem. The camera launch comes as Xumo, the U.S. joint venture between Comcast and Charter Communications prepares to launch a new family of 4K smart TVs in partnership with Element Electronics.

Announced at CES for “later this year,” the Element Xumo TVs are likely to have their own Xumo Live-type camera variant.

“Sky Live costs £290 (about $370) upfront, but it’s also available to buy for £6 per month on a 48-month contract, or £12 per month on a 24-month contract,” The Verge writes. “Sky is also offering introductory deals that bring the cost of the camera down to £3 a month when bought alongside a TV.”

The required Sky Glass TVs start at £14 per month on a 48-month contract, but the cost rises as premium content is added to the package.

Sky Live has 12-megapixels of resolution and a 106-degree field of view, with four built-in microphones. “It supports auto-framing to keep you in the center of the shot during video calls, and there’s also background noise suppression that attempts to keep you audible even when things get noisy,” according to The Verge, which says “there’s no physical privacy shutter, instead you get a button to manually turn off the camera and microphone.”

“Sky Live makes your TV much more than just a TV, by introducing new entertainment experiences for the heart of your home,” Sky Chief Product Officer Fraser Stirling said in an announcement.

The camera comes with an exclusive fitness app called Mvmnt that offers 130 interactive workouts, from strength-training to Pilates and yoga. Built-in body tracking technology analyzes form and counts reps, providing real-time feedback.

Sky Live’s motion control system lets gamers use their bodies as controllers. Solo or remote group play is available (including, watch-party style, for board games). VideoBooth lets you capture short videos and photos on your Sky Glass and facilitates an immersive experience using AR filters for select shows. Coming soon is an app called Stingray Karaoke that lets you record and share performances.

The Sky Live camera is an part of Sky’s “attempt to cement the traditional television as the center of all home entertainment” as Comcast fends off competition from the likes of Neflix and Disney+, The Guardian reports.

No Comments Yet

You can be the first to comment!

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.