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Relive monster dunks and other NBA finals highlights in VR
The NBA has been bolder with virtual reality than most other leagues, producing weekly VR games on its League Pass on-demand network with NextVR. If you're interested in checking it out without paying for a pass or the $7 à la carte price, NextVR is offering highlights for each game of the finals between Cleveland and Golden State. All you need is a GearVR or Google Daydream headset, plus the NextVR app, available on Google Play or Oculus Stores.
VR documentary puts you inside the 2016 NBA Finals
The National Basketball Association began experimenting with virtual reality last year, when it used the medium to stream the first game of its 2015 season. Now, the league has teamed up with Oculus on a VR documentary about last year's championship matchup, between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. Titled Follow my Lead: The Story of the 2016 NBA Finals, this 360-degree video experience aims to take you where traditional TV can't, giving you a first-person look at the action on and off the court.
Twitter's first 360-degree videos will come from the NBA finals
The likes of Facebook and YouTube have been doing 360-degree videos for some time now. During the NBA Finals that begin tonight, Twitter will also offer the more immersive views for the first time. The social network will post pre- and post-game content, but don't expect to see any in-game highlights. Samsung is sponsoring the videos, which will be shot with its Gear 360 camera.
Inside Game 5 of the 2014 NBA Finals
San Antonio is known for a few things: the Alamo, the River Walk and the Spurs. In 2014, as was the case last year, the NBA Finals saw the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs battle it out for basketball glory, though this time, the team from Texas had the benefit of home-court advantage. For Game 5, which San Antonio ultimately won, the AT&T Center was a full house (it always is, really), packed with fans and a ton of broadcasters, journalists and other members of the media from all over the world. So what's it like behind the scenes? Let's find out.
Must See HDTV (June 18th - 24th)
NBA Finals The NBA Finals rolls into week two with two more games in Miami, and Game six sunday night in Oklahoma, assuming the Thunder can score a win or two to keep the series going. So far both sides have lived up to our expectations in creating a competitive series, with any luck we'll see it extended to all seven games before it closes out next week. (Tuesday / Thursday / Sunday, ABC) Futurama After being cancelled and brought back on the air, Futurama is ready to kick off its seventh season on Comedy Central. The Planet Express crew is up to its usual misadventures, and a quick preview of the premiere episode (embedded after the break) shows Bender playing with his kid, hopefully this turns out better than the last time his mini-me's nearly destroyed the world. (June 20th, 10PM, Comedy Central) The Newsroom Aaron Sorkin is back with a new TV show as The Newsroom premieres Sunday night, taking a peek at the behind the scenes lives of employees at a fictional cable news channel. Jeff Daniels is the lead, an anchor forced to contend with a new team after his co-anchor starts a rival program and takes much of the existing staff with him. Hmm, sounds kind of ridiculous if you ask us. Check out a video trailer after the break, although we're pretty sure Sports Night, The West Wing and Studio 60 fans have already circled their calendars. (June 24th, HBO, 10PM)
ESPN 3D preps for NBA Finals, adds new Friday Night Fights to the schedule
The NBA Finals kicks off tomorrow, and while the games will air in high definition on ABC, they will also air for the first time in 3D on ESPN 3D. If you prefer your sporting events sans-glasses there's plenty to look forward to: 32 HD cameras, six Super Slo-Mo cameras, a SkyCam and additional tweaks like ESPN Axis graphics. We'd still prefer to swap Mike Breen for Marv Albert and whatever intro music they have planned for John Tesh's Roundball Rock, but that's just us. The 3D broadcast will be held down by Mark Jones and either Bruce Bowen or Tim Legler calling the action. Of course, the fantastic playoffs we've experienced will come to an end eventually, but to fill in the summer sports slate until the X Games, ESPN 3D has also plans to air five Friday Night Fights matches over the summer. Check the press releases after the break for the dates and details, we'll be hunting down our 3D specs.
ESPN 3D adds the NBA Finals to its broadcast schedule
Take that Mark Cuban. Everyone's favorite HD network owning billionaire called 3D sports DOA after deciding there weren't many people asking about a 3D Super Bowl, but now ESPN's 3D network has queued up its second championship of the year, adding the NBA Finals to its previously scheduled slate of regular season and playoff broadcasts. ESPN 3D has been broadcasting around the clock for a few days now (unless you're watching DirecTV) but while repeats make for easy demo material, if 3D is going to go from an interesting sideshow to an in-demand feature it will take more high profile events like these. If the Mavericks manage to slide past the Lakers or Spurs for a deep playoff run, we'll check back with our friend Mark to see how he'd watch the game if he didn't already have a few seats permanently staked out in the arena.
World Cup? Super Bowl? Cheap prices? What is it?
What are you waiting for? We talk about HD and you read it. Are you part of the statistic that states people take about 16 months to buy a TV? I know what it is: Sports. You simply need more stations with more high definition sports on it. That has to do it for you. 2006 is going to be loaded with sports programming. Check this out.Early February, Detroit is going to host the Super Bowl and it is of course in high definition. Later that month the Olympics are set to take place in beautiful Italy. Question: do you think they will do a fly over of Detroit as they do during the Olympics to show off the hosting city/country?
