OZO Live: Elisa, Nokia offers real-time VR broadcasts in Finland

Amorphis, one of the most popular metal bands in Finland, performed the final gig of its Under the Red Cloud tour at The Circus in Helsinki on last Saturday.

Elisa, together with Nokia, broadcasted the gig live via Elisa's network using the Nokia OZO VR camera and OZO Live software. Viewers could enjoy a true 360 3D experience using a VR headset, wherever they were.

VR broadcasting raises the experience of watching different entertainment shows, such as concerts, to a whole new level. This Amorphis gig was the first real-time concert in Finland broadcast using the Nokia OZO VR technology.

"This VR broadcasting technology which we tested at the Amorphis concert offers a new all-encompassing entertainment experience where viewers can experience the concert in real time, as if they were also on the stage. This new technology can also enable realistic entertainment experiences to people who otherwise would not be able to take part in concerts or other public events,” says Sampo Raudaskoski, vice president of software services at Elisa.

"It was great to be delivering this first 360-degree live streaming of a concert in Finland together with Elisa. The unparalleled combination of 360-degree video and audio delivered with the OZO camera and OZO Live software created an authentic experience of the Helsinki gig for viewers around the world," says Jyri Huopaniemi, Head of VR Technologies at Nokia.

"We are happy to be the first band in Finland to provide our fans with a new virtual reality experience at the final gig of our world tour. We want to give our fans fuller experiences, regardless of time and place, directly to their homes," says Esa Holopainen from Amorphis.

The VR broadcast could be watched using a VR headset, of which several models are available in the market, or via the YouTube link. To allow fans to watch the final gig as a VR experience, Elisa and Amorphis handed out 1,000 cardboard Amorphis VR headsets to fans.