How to Stream Movies and TV Shows in Virtual Reality
I was attracted to virtual reality by the idea that I could actively immerse myself in other worlds. I loved the idea of slicing fruit all over in Fruit Ninja or getting in shape with boxing workouts in Supernatural . In practice, however, the most enjoyable VR experience for me has been watching Vivarium on a virtual big screen while lying on my back in bed – I had no idea that watching a movie could be even lazier ! Share the joy of virtual inactivity with this guide to streaming video on your Oculus Quest 2.
How to watch Netflix on Oculus Quest 2
Netflix has been available in the virtual world since 2015, and in that time it hasn’t expanded to offer anything more than basic features. But it’s cool; I just want to watch movies anyway. Setting up Netflix on your Oculus couldn’t be easier: download the app from the Oculus store, sign into your account, and you’ll have access to everything you can watch on Netflix on your TV. You can watch movies both in the virtual living room and in “empty” mode. I prefer the void because you can position the screen however you like, which for me means I can lie on my back with a large virtual screen on the ceiling. So good .
How to watch Amazon Prime on Oculus Quest 2
Setting up Amazon Prime on Oculus is easy: just download the app. Enter information. Watch prime content. Unfortunately, you can’t rent or buy Prime movies directly from the VR app, but you can watch already rented or purchased movies on other devices. The app itself offers a virtual viewing room as well as the ability to place the screen anywhere. You can watch 360-degree virtual reality content such as scuba diving and hot air ballooning. Amazon’s “Watch Party” was announced for VR back in June 2020, but if it’s available, I can’t figure out how to access it from Oculus.
How to watch YouTube on Oculus Quest 2
The YouTube Virtual Reality Center lets you view all the 2D content that YouTube has to offer, as well as 180 and 360 degree videos. Setting it up also includes downloading the app and entering your login details. Many YouTube channels are dedicated to creating and distributing VR content, so there’s plenty to do, frommountain climbing adventures to a fully 3D, 360-degree, immersivejourney into someone else’s closet . YouTube also allows you to rent movies directly from the VR app.
How to watch Disney+, HBO Max and other streaming services on Oculus Quest 2
If you prefer Hulu, Paramount, or another streaming service that doesn’t have a dedicated Oculus VR app, you can still watch their content. You just need to point your VR browser to the respective site, enter your information and start streaming. Obviously, these will not be 3D or VR streams. I streamed from HBO Max using the built-in Oculus browser and it worked great, but how smooth it all will depend on your internet speed.
How to watch videos from your computer with Oculus Quest 2
The easiest way to watch PC videos on Oculus is to transfer them to your headset. It’s easy to do, but you’ll need a USB-C cable like Oculus Link to connect them. Once you’ve done that, it’s easy to transfer the file to your headset and view your content on any of the many Oculus video players.
If you want to stream movies directly from your PC or Mac to your Quest 2, the Skybox VR app will do it, as will Bigscreen (more on Bigscreen below). I haven’t personally tried Skybox – it costs $9.99 and doesn’t have much time for it – but it’s a highly rated app that’s reportedly easy to use and lets you stream everything from 2D movies to 3D movies, in full. virtual reality videos.
Big Screen: How to Get the Ultimate VR Movie Streaming Experience on Oculus Quest 2
While big-name video services like Netflix and Prime Video are mostly easy ways to watch movies and TV shows on a headset, the Bigscreen app is all frills, and I’m here for it. This free app offers avatars, props, social interaction and more. It allows you to set up a remote desktop client and stream video directly from your PC to the Quest 2 (I have a Mac so I didn’t have a chance to test this feature). And, again, it’s free.
Bigscreen allows users to organize and join viewing parties where you and a few friends (or interested strangers) can rent the same movie, eat some virtual popcorn, and relax. You can watch ad-supported movies or rent them from the service, but everyone who watches must pay for the same movie.
Bigscreen also has public viewing rooms where anyone can join in to watch many different movies and TV shows, from Rick and Morty to old episodes of Doctor Who , to The Bob Ross Show and more. I went into the virtual cinema this morning to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for a bit and then had a surprisingly great time watching a rerun of Dr. Phil with a bunch of strangers in the virtual living room. We threw tomatoes at the screen, interrupted the guests and had a Tuesday morning party.