Bigscreen Beta has been adding a bunch of updates over the last few months, expanding the app from its original PC screen mirroring solution to a one-stop-shop for social virtual reality (VR) interaction and content consumption. Today, the team has released another big update, with this one seeing the launch of Bigscreen TV, allowing users to watch movies, news, anime, sports, and more with friends.
Bigscreen TV arrives with over 50+ channels to choose from (some content like CBS Sports won’t be available in all countries), all free and live 24/7. Some of the free ones come with ad-supported services integrated, like YouTube, Twitch, Pluto, Comet.
These channels include:
- Movies & TV: Rifftrax, MST3K, Anime, Pokémon, Pluto Movies, Comet, Shout! Factory, and more
- Gaming & Sports: Red Bull TV, 24/7 Poker, 24/7 Trivia, CBS Sports, FOX Sports, Top Twitch (Ninja, Shroud, Sodapoppin, Timthetatman, Lirik, DrDisrespect, DrLupo, Pokimane, Summit1g), and more
- News & Finance: NBC, CNN, Bloomberg, Sky News, Newsy, Cheddar News, RT America, Weather Nation, Crypto News, and more
- Random: Monstercat, Lofi Hip Hop Beats Radio, Comedy Central, NASA, SpaceX, 24/7 Cats, and more
Just like the rest of Bigscreen, Bigscreen TV is designed to be social, with each TV channel supporting thousands of people (in groups of 8 per room). The feature is cross-platform and works on headsets including HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus Rift, Oculus Go, Oculus Quest, and Samsung GearVR.
Working in conjunction with Bigscreen TV, a new VR UI has been created so there’s no need to fiddle around trying to type in searches. Channels are only a click away with the menu highlighting channels users may like. And then there’s the new Bigscreen Home, a new modern-themed starting environment to arrive in.
The update also includes bug fixes and UX improvements to make the whole Bigscreen Beta experience smoother. Then in a couple of weeks, the Bigscreen TV events will arrive along with new TV channels, and a new cinema environment. These events are:
- July 11–14 — Overwatch League Playoffs
- July 21 — SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch
- August 25 — The DOTA 2 International Grand Finals
There’s a lot more planned for late summer as well. Bigscreen Beta is free to download, and as further announcements are made, VRFocus will keep you updated.