Live broadcast in VR
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2025 7:02 am
I love watching live streams. They're like a little window into someone else's life. My home church does a live stream of every Mass for those who can't make it. But VR takes that to a whole new level. Your congregation can meet in a shared space that doesn't require travel time, cleanup, or reservations.
Virtual Churches: VahanaVR by Orah
VahanaVR by Orah
Software like Orah’s VahanaVR or Facebook Spaces for Oculus Rift provide real-time meeting spaces for any event, meeting, or service. Your congregation doesn’t necessarily need headsets. All you need to stream in 3D is:
software ( VahanaVR sells for $2,195 ; Facebook Spaces is free on Oculus devices)
360 degree camera (which start at around $100)
connect to livestreaming platforms such as Facebook, YouTube or Twitter
Anyone who wants to watch can simply click on a link organize your finances with mint put on a headset or look on their computer screen and be immersed in the world of what's happening.
2. Small Group VR
You can also apply virtual reality to small groups of people. Instead of meeting in a church to make departmental decisions, your employees can simply log into an online VR platform.
Virtual Churches: HyperFair
Demo at Hyperfair
Hyperfair, which is usually used for business, can be used for virtual meetings. Hyperfair prices are not available online.
Mozilla by Mozilla is a free and open-source virtual reality environment that allows you to create your own online virtual reality experience and share it with your colleagues or friends (provided you have advanced programming skills, of course).
vTime is a virtual reality social network that allows people to meet in virtual space and is available for free on Windows Mixed Reality devices .
Virtual meetings provide an opportunity to meet new people without having to meet in person. This gives your congregation a chance to talk to like-minded people about their faith without having to leave their home. For people who are new to church, a virtual reality group just for them can give them a chance to meet new people before they arrive.
3. Group trips to VR.
Retreats are expensive. There is no way around it. From finding a place to accommodate everyone in your group to arranging meals for each evening and planning the content and activities, retreats are labor intensive and expensive.
Virtual Churches: VR Group Retreat
What if you could join them from anywhere in the world using your computer?
Meeting virtually (using the same devices and apps described in the sections above) can reduce the cost of booking a building or campsite, as well as traveling to that location.
Guest speakers can give talks without even leaving their homes. People with disabilities can participate without worrying about whether the space will meet their needs.
And the possibilities are endless. In the near future, you'll be able to virtually travel around the world during a retreat without having to pay for tickets or hotels. Since the virtual environment is computer generated, the possibilities are limited only by what designers and programmers can dream up. Just be prepared for a little pushback if you try to convince your congregation that a virtual Hawaiian beach is just as good as the real thing. We're not quite there yet.
Virtual Churches: VahanaVR by Orah
VahanaVR by Orah
Software like Orah’s VahanaVR or Facebook Spaces for Oculus Rift provide real-time meeting spaces for any event, meeting, or service. Your congregation doesn’t necessarily need headsets. All you need to stream in 3D is:
software ( VahanaVR sells for $2,195 ; Facebook Spaces is free on Oculus devices)
360 degree camera (which start at around $100)
connect to livestreaming platforms such as Facebook, YouTube or Twitter
Anyone who wants to watch can simply click on a link organize your finances with mint put on a headset or look on their computer screen and be immersed in the world of what's happening.
2. Small Group VR
You can also apply virtual reality to small groups of people. Instead of meeting in a church to make departmental decisions, your employees can simply log into an online VR platform.
Virtual Churches: HyperFair
Demo at Hyperfair
Hyperfair, which is usually used for business, can be used for virtual meetings. Hyperfair prices are not available online.
Mozilla by Mozilla is a free and open-source virtual reality environment that allows you to create your own online virtual reality experience and share it with your colleagues or friends (provided you have advanced programming skills, of course).
vTime is a virtual reality social network that allows people to meet in virtual space and is available for free on Windows Mixed Reality devices .
Virtual meetings provide an opportunity to meet new people without having to meet in person. This gives your congregation a chance to talk to like-minded people about their faith without having to leave their home. For people who are new to church, a virtual reality group just for them can give them a chance to meet new people before they arrive.
3. Group trips to VR.
Retreats are expensive. There is no way around it. From finding a place to accommodate everyone in your group to arranging meals for each evening and planning the content and activities, retreats are labor intensive and expensive.
Virtual Churches: VR Group Retreat
What if you could join them from anywhere in the world using your computer?
Meeting virtually (using the same devices and apps described in the sections above) can reduce the cost of booking a building or campsite, as well as traveling to that location.
Guest speakers can give talks without even leaving their homes. People with disabilities can participate without worrying about whether the space will meet their needs.
And the possibilities are endless. In the near future, you'll be able to virtually travel around the world during a retreat without having to pay for tickets or hotels. Since the virtual environment is computer generated, the possibilities are limited only by what designers and programmers can dream up. Just be prepared for a little pushback if you try to convince your congregation that a virtual Hawaiian beach is just as good as the real thing. We're not quite there yet.