How do you integrate live 360° video streams into VR?

Integrating live 360° video streams into VR involves three main components: capturing the video, processing it for streaming, and rendering it in a VR environment. First, specialized 360° cameras (like GoPro MAX or Insta360 Pro) capture omnidirectional video using multiple lenses. The raw footage is stitched into a single spherical or equirectangular format using software like Mistika VR or Adobe Premiere Pro. This stitching process aligns overlapping fields of view and corrects distortions. The video is then encoded using codecs like H.264 or H.265 to reduce file size, with spatial audio captured via ambisonic microphones for directional sound.

Next, the processed stream is transmitted using protocols optimized for real-time delivery. For low-latency streaming, WebRTC is often used because it supports peer-to-peer connections, minimizing delays. Alternatively, RTMP can send the stream to a server, which then redistributes it via HLS or MPEG-DASH for adaptive bitrate streaming. Developers must ensure the server can handle high-resolution 360° video (e.g., 4K or 8K) without excessive buffering. Tools like FFmpeg or cloud services (AWS Elemental, Google Cloud Transcoder) help transcode the stream into multiple resolutions for compatibility across devices. Spatial audio is synchronized with the video using timestamp metadata to maintain alignment as the user moves their head.

On the client side, the VR application (built with engines like Unity or Unreal) decodes the stream and maps it onto a 3D sphere or cube surrounding the user. The video player must support equirectangular projection and handle head-tracking data to update the viewport in real time. For web-based VR, frameworks like A-Frame or WebXR can render the stream in a browser using HTML5 video elements and WebGL. To reduce latency, techniques like viewport-dependent streaming (delivering higher resolution only for the user’s current field of view) or edge computing (processing closer to the user) can be implemented. Developers should also optimize performance by offloading decoding to the GPU and testing across headsets like Oculus Quest or HTC Vive to ensure smooth playback.