Sky UK Launches Motion-Tracking Webcam for TV Viewing Parties
Sky, the UK broadcaster, has announced the launch of Sky Live, a webcam device that can be magnetically attached to the top of Sky Glass smart TVs via USB-C and HDMI. The device offers a range of features, including watch parties with friends, fitness and gaming features, motion tracking for games and workouts, video calls, group chats, and more.
“Sky Live makes your TV so much more than just a TV by bringing new entertainment experiences to the heart of your home,” said Fraser Stirling, Sky’s global head of product, in a statement. “Be active with motion-controlled games, work out with body tracking technology, video call on the big screen and watch TV with loved ones – even from afar. Thanks to our powerful Entertainment OS ecosystem, it gets better with every update. .”
The 12-megapixel webcam looks a bit like a mini Xbox One Kinect, with a rectangular design and a lens on the right. Video is recorded in up to 4K resolution with an ultra-wide 106-degree field of view (equivalent to a 14mm lens on a 35mm camera). It has a white status LED, four microphones on top, and a privacy button to turn it off (but no privacy shutter). It has an auto-framing feature to keep you in the center of the picture, as well as background noise cancellation to ensure you can hear during noisy broadcasts.
A key feature on Sky (owned by Comcast since 2018) is called “Watch Together”, which allows you to watch the festivities with up to 11 other households remotely. Friends’ video feeds appear to the right of the main feed and it works with all live channels and Sky’s own on-demand programs – but not Netflix or other third-party streaming services. Playback is meant to be synchronized between everyone on the call, so you shouldn’t hear your friends cheering until you actually see the goal scored.
In addition to looking the same, Sky Live also works like Kinect. It comes with the Mvmnt fitness app, which offers 130 interactive exercises, motion control technology tracking as well as your form, reps and more. It also supports motion-controlled games such as Fruit Ninja and a multiplayer version of Monopoly that is controlled by the TV remote control. You can make Zoom calls where the participants appear in Full HD resolution and centered in the frame thanks to the automatic tracking function.
Sky Live requires a Sky Glass smart TV to run and costs £290 ($370) as a stand-alone purchase, £6 per month over 48 months or £12 per month with a 24-month contract. Sky also offers introductory discounts if purchased with a Smart Glass TV. The latter, released in 2021, is available in 43-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch versions and costs around £14 a month.
