Live Events in the Digital Age: How Technology Is Bringing Us Closer to Real-Time Entertainment

Tech Driven Changes

Once upon a time, sports enthusiasts who couldn’t get to the game were forced to rely on a breathless radio commentary for the “live action”. Then came live outside broadcasts in black and white followed by colour. The next upgrade was “live action replay” – allowing the viewer to second guess referee decisions. Meanwhile concerts, clubs and other live entertainment also added greater visual variety, yet always the viewer was on one side of the window, with images that that fell far short of reality – the image was never really that realistic and certainly not immersive. However, advancements in displays, live-streaming, virtual reality (AR) & augmented reality (AR), and improved internet services, are set to open a whole new world for users, whether for sports, live shows, or online gambling.

4K and Ultra High Definition (UHD)

4K or “cinema quality” is the technical term for a display that uses 4096 x 2160 pixels, while UHD is the slightly lower resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. However, as the difference is minimal, and difficult to see with the naked eye, these two terms are pretty much used interchangeably. For eager early adopters, some manufacturers are even offering 8K with a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 – but at a high cost a shortage of 8K content.

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With UHD screen quality, however, users can feel like there are actually “there” at the event. This is because these higher resolutions provide sharper images with more detailed images, more realistic motion, especially with the 60 frames per second on Ultra HD Blu-ray. 4K and UHD also provide improved contrast with enhanced vibrancy, and greater depth which all together makes images look more realistic. If the user has a computer system with sufficient processing power, UHD can also provide a more immersive and realistic gaming experience as the higher resolution allows for greater detail in game graphics, making the environments and characters look more lifelike.

All these features can be further improved with the use of curved screens that enhance immersion, provide a consistent viewing distance, reduce distortion, improved depth perception, and the potential to reduce eyestrain.

Unfortunately, we still seem to be a long way off the holy grail of the “live” experience where we can even choose our own viewing angle from a range of options – but who knows when that might arrive.

Live Streaming

Twitch and YouTube have long been the favourite platforms for live streams, where podcasters, players, and commentators can interact with their fans as events unfold on the screen – allowing real time questions and even donations – which help to provide those fans with a more interactive and immersive experience. These platforms are now increasingly integrating with sports broadcasting, overcoming the barriers that once separated fans from the action. Live chats and interactive polls further allow audiences to participate actively in the events they love – while co-streaming, where multiple viewers can broadcast overlaid commentary during a live event, can foster community engagement by enabling fans to share insights and reactions in real-time.

Virtual Reality (AR) & Augmented Reality (AR)

VR and AR have been touted as the “next best thing” for a while now, but sadly the reality has always fallen short of the hype. Issues with VR, where users wear a set of enclosed goggles with built-in headphones have included high-cost, fatigue from wearing the bulky and heavy headsets, dizziness and vertigo from the displays, and low pixel resolution undermining efforts to promote an “immersive reality”. Meanwhile, AR glasses that overlay an image or text onto “reality” have suffered from small display areas, and the obvious technology has left users looking like techno-geeks in a swimming pool (and about as welcome).

Because of these issues, year on year investment in VR and AR has been declining in recent years, with the total US$5.8 billion invested in 2022 less than half the total invested in 2021. Despite this, large companies such as Meta and Apple are still heavily invested in bringing the tech to market, with Meta’s total investment set to reach USD100 billion this year as it proclaims 2025 a “defining year” for its smart glasses.

Improved Internet

Those who subscribe to online tech magazines like TodaysNews also understand that all these improvements rely on improved internet speeds and more efficient compression algorithms to pipe this real-time entertainment into UK homes, and the good news is that the UK is on target for that. A recent UK parliament research briefing claimed, for instance, that if operators achieve their stated network deployment plans, 97% of UK premises could have gigabit-capable broadband by May 2027, including 99% of urban areas and 88% of rural areas.

iGaming and Live Dealer Tables – a Case Study

iGaming (online gambling) is a key sector that has driven technological change in the past. For example, this link to casinos that have live dealer tables offers games as diverse as blackjack and roulette, and these games would become even more immersive with improved visuals and player interactions. 4K and UHD would allow players to imagine they are actually standing at the table, watching and hearing the ball rattle round the roulette wheel. Live streaming would allow players to discuss strategies and experiences, while VR and AR would provide an even more immersive experience or additional information to improve a participant’s gameplay. Imagine playing online poker where you can see the other players face-to-face and even observe their tells as they try to bluff you and the other contestants. And all these improvements could soon be possible with the UK’s ever-improving broadband connections. These improvements could dramatically the enhance user experience, elevating online gaming to a complete entertainment experience which can be shared with friends, family, and others.

Conclusion

With all these changes, the real question is not if, but when, and the signs are they are not far off being a reality as each of the technical issues are overcome. And who knows what else is on the horizon that would make real time entertainment across the internet as commonplace as radio was 100 years ago, or how they will impact our experience of sports, live shows, and online gambling?

David Prior

David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.