While there’s no doubt xR will play an increasingly important role in how audiences consume content, services and products, what is needed, however, is more education. Ung and Jake Tolsher, Ross Video’s Business Development Manager for Sports and Live Events in Asia and Oceania elaborated on the 3 common myths of xR today:

• Myth 1 – xR is difficult to create: xR technology and expertise have evolved. Today, the ease of use and affordability have come a long way, where there are even tools now to adopt xR quickly and easily. For example, Ross has developed its own interface called LUCID for operators to easily setup and control xR productions, that are built on top of its Unreal-based Voyager Engine. 
• Myth 2 – We can afford to wait and see: Adopting a wait-and-see strategy may risk being left behind as xR takes off in a big way. “The same people who have been waiting a long time, who didn’t want to adopt IP (in broadcasting) a few years ago, are finding that they are behind the game,” Tolsher said. In Australia, for example, some production companies are trying out xR stages for hybrid conferences and possibly e-sports events. The interest is growing. It pays to be in the forefront to grab hold of opportunities with limited players in the market. 
• Myth 3 – xR is only a pandemic fad: “The current adoption of xR is no doubt helped by the travel restrictions, but we’re not going back even if the pandemic goes away. The pandemic has accelerated the greater trend where consumption habits are changing marketing budgets and customer engagement strategies. Status quo is not an option. What’s exciting is that xR experience keeps getting better and it makes more and more sense to consider xR first in a content creation scenario,” said Ung. 

Businesses ready to embrace xR today will reap the benefits of a transformed customer or audience experience, setting them apart from rivals that are slow to step into the future. Tolsher explained: “If you are in the development stages of xR now, you are going to have a better understanding when it comes the norm in four to five years.”

Ross Video also points out the importance high quality screens make in the audience experience. LED and microLED screens allow for better-quality pixels enabling higher contrast and viewing angles that is crucial for quality xR experiences.

Specifically, Samsung’s The Wall represents one of the most advanced display technologies that optimise game-changing xR experiences today. The Wall’s Black Seal Technology creates a deep black background that blankets the screen with perfect uniformity, creating a seamless canvas for deep black levels. Its Ultra chroma technology also enables colours to leap to life. Lastly, its 20-bit processing capabilities create exact colour mapping and delivers extraordinary contrast and natural tonal gradients.