Many companies are investing in virtual reality (VR), with the likes of Facebook, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft being in the forefront of the technology. While much of the focus of VR-based apps has been on gaming, one company is applying the burgeoning technology to home theater. Cinera seeks to use VR to provide the most immersive personal theater experience to users.
The project was put up on Kickstarter with an initial goal of $50,000. It was able to surpass its goal, getting more than $250,000 from over 500 backers by Monday, when its campaign ended.
"Thanks to our amazing backers, we have currently funded over 500% of our original goal," the team behind Cinera said. "A project of his magnitude is never easy, but it would have been impossible without you. Now that our Kickstarter campaign has ended, the Cinera team is gearing up for mass production – and we will make sure to update you along the way!"
Cinera includes a VR headset that is designed to give users a theater-like experience while watching different content. It provides a viewing angle of nearly 66 degrees, compared to the average of 54 degrees in cinemas.
For enhanced quality, the devices uses two screens, one for each eye. Each screen is a 2.5k resolution display. Additionally, the audio of the Cinera was designed to mimic the acoustics of a movie theater.
The headset operates like a smartphone and will allow users to install apps that provide video content, like Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube. The device can also be connected to other devices and act as a display. It can be tethered to a Blu-ray player, a computer, or a gaming console.
There is also an optional hands free arm that can hold the headset as added support, so that the user does not have to bear the full weight of the device.
