How Las Vegas' Sphere Actually Works

MegaBuilds
27 Apr 202417:41

Summary

TLDRThe Las Vegas Sphere, opened in September 2023, redefines entertainment with its cutting-edge technology. The venue features a massive Exosphere screen, haptic seats, and a sound system that delivers targeted audio tracks to each seat. The Sphere can also generate wind and scents, enhancing the immersive experience. Developed by MSG, the company behind renowned venues like Radio City Music Hall, the Sphere is a result of five years of innovation. The main screen boasts the highest resolution in the world, and the venue hosts live shows and immersive experiences. With tickets ranging from $79 to over $300, the Sphere offers a unique, albeit costly, entertainment option.

Takeaways

  • 🎥 The Las Vegas Sphere, opened in September 2023, is a revolutionary entertainment venue that offers an immersive experience with a ceiling-spanning screen, haptic seats, and a dynamic sound system.
  • 💺 The Sphere's seating includes haptic technology and wind machines that can also generate scents, enhancing the sensory experience for viewers.
  • 💰 The construction of the Sphere was a massive undertaking, costing a staggering $2.3 billion to develop this next-level cinema experience.
  • 🏙️ The Madison Square Garden company, MSG, is behind the Sphere, leveraging their experience from other iconic venues to create this new standard in live entertainment.
  • 🖥 The Exosphere is the world's largest screen, designed by SACO and featuring 1.2 million individual lights, each with a cluster of 48 separate LEDs, creating a high-resolution, immersive visual experience.
  • 📹 The Sphere's main screen is a massive 160,000 square feet, with 256 million pixels, making it the highest resolution screen globally, despite having a lower pixel density due to its size.
  • 🎬 Sphere Studios was established to produce content specifically for the Sphere, including the development of the Big Sky Camera System, capable of filming in 18k resolution at 120 frames per second.
  • 🔊 The Sphere's sound system, designed by Holoplot, includes 167,000 speakers that can deliver targeted audio to every seat, creating a personalized auditory experience.
  • 🤖 Aura, one of the most advanced humanoid robots, is present at the Sphere to interact with visitors, showcasing the integration of robotics and machine learning in modern entertainment.
  • 🌐 CyberGhost VPN is highlighted as a sponsor, offering a solution to geo-restrictions for content access, with a special offer for MegaBuilds viewers.
  • 🌍 Future plans for the Sphere include potential locations in Abu Dhabi, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia, as well as ambitious projects like filming a spacewalk on the International Space Station.

Q & A

  • When did the Las Vegas Sphere open?

    -The Las Vegas Sphere opened in September 2023.

  • What makes the Las Vegas Sphere a next-level entertainment experience?

    -The Las Vegas Sphere offers a unique experience with a screen that spans the entire ceiling, haptic seats, a sound system that sends different audio tracks to each seat, and the ability to generate wind and scents.

  • How much was spent on creating the Las Vegas Sphere experience?

    -A total of $2.3 billion was spent on creating the Las Vegas Sphere experience.

  • Who partnered with the video creators to explain the technologies behind the Las Vegas Sphere?

    -Jared Owen, who built a detailed model of the Las Vegas Sphere, partnered with the video creators.

  • What company is behind the creation of the Las Vegas Sphere?

    -The Madison Square Garden company, also known as MSG, is behind the creation of the Las Vegas Sphere.

  • What is the Exosphere in the context of the Las Vegas Sphere?

    -The Exosphere is the largest screen in the world, designed by SACO, and is part of the Las Vegas Sphere's exterior.

  • How does the Exosphere's pixel technology differ from traditional screens?

    -The Exosphere uses 1.2 million individual lights, each about the size of a hockey puck, with each light containing a cluster of 48 separate LEDs, creating a larger and more immersive pixel experience.

  • What is the Hypervsn Wall in the Atrium of the Sphere?

    -The Hypervsn Wall is a holographic display that uses hundreds of rotors with LEDs to create 3-dimensional optical illusions.

  • What is special about the humanoid robot Aura found in the Sphere's Atrium?

    -Aura is an advanced humanoid robot designed by Engineered Arts, capable of interacting with visitors, answering questions, and giving presentations on the Sphere's technology.

  • What is unique about the main screen inside the Sphere's theater?

    -The main screen inside the Sphere's theater is the highest resolution screen in the world, with 256,000,000 pixels, and is designed to curve over and around the audience.

  • How does the Sphere's sound system work to provide custom audio to different parts of the theater?

    -The sound system uses advanced audio technology by Holoplot, with 167,000 speakers behind the screen, capable of targeted sound delivery to every seat using principles of constructive and destructive interference.

  • What is the purpose of the haptic technology in the Sphere's seats?

    -The haptic technology in the seats allows them to vibrate at specific frequencies that correspond with what the audience is seeing and hearing, enhancing the overall experience.

  • What are the two types of shows currently running at the Sphere?

    -The two types of shows running at the Sphere are live shows with artists like U2 and Phish, and the Sphere Immersive Experience which includes interacting with Aura robots and watching a film called 'Postcard from Earth'.

  • What future plans does Sphere Studios have for the Big Sky Camera System?

    -Sphere Studios plans to take the Big Sky Camera System to the International Space Station to film a space walk in real dimensions.

  • What was the proposed location for another Sphere project and why was it abandoned?

    -A Sphere project was proposed in London, but it was abandoned due to concerns from local residents about light pollution, leading the Mayor of London to reject the proposal.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 Introduction to Las Vegas Sphere's Innovative Entertainment

The Las Vegas Sphere, which opened in September 2023, has revolutionized the entertainment industry with its state-of-the-art technology. The venue features an expansive ceiling screen, haptic seats, and a sound system that delivers distinct audio tracks to each seat. Additionally, it can simulate wind and scents to immerse the audience in the experience. The project cost a staggering $2.3 billion and was developed by MSG, the company behind renowned venues like Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden. The Sphere's exterior, known as the Exosphere, is the world's largest screen, designed by SACO and featuring 1.2 million individual lights, each containing 48 separate LEDs, to create a high-resolution, immersive visual experience.

05:07

🤖 Advanced Technologies and Features of the Sphere

Inside the Sphere, visitors are greeted by the Atrium, which houses a Hypervsn Wall that uses an optical illusion to create 3D images with spinning rotors and LEDs. Five advanced humanoid robots, including Aura, designed by Engineered Arts, interact with guests using a combination of robotics, machine learning, and various software like ChatGPT, Whisper, and Google's MediaPipe. The main attraction is the Sphere's theater, which boasts the world's highest-resolution screen at 256 million pixels, despite having a lower pixel density due to its massive size. The screen's curvature and the optimal viewing distance ensure a clear image for the audience. Sphere Studios was established to create content specifically for the Sphere, developing the Big Sky Camera System, a 316-megapixel camera capable of filming in 18k at 120 frames per second, resulting in extremely high-quality footage that requires significant data storage and a specialized team to operate.

10:13

🎶 The Sphere's Cutting-Edge Audio and Haptic Experience

The Sphere's sound system, designed by Holoplot, is one of the world's most advanced, featuring 167,000 speakers that can deliver targeted audio to every seat. This is achieved through the use of constructive and destructive interference patterns, allowing for custom audio experiences. The system works in tandem with the thin LED screens, which enable sound to pass through without disruption, a technology known as Audio Transparency. The seats in the theater are equipped with haptic technology, moving in sync with the performance, and are complemented by wind machines and sensory effects like smells and fog to enhance the immersive experience. The Sphere offers two types of shows: live performances with artists and the Sphere Immersive Experience, which includes an interactive Atrium visit and a viewing of 'Postcard from Earth,' a film shot using the Big Sky System.

15:17

🌏 Future Prospects and Accessibility of the Sphere

The Sphere offers a range of ticket prices, sparking debates on its value. It is set to host various events, including sports like UFC 306, and other films are in development. MSG has plans for additional Spheres in different locations, although the London project was canceled due to local concerns. The company is in talks with Abu Dhabi, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia for potential projects. Sphere Studios has ambitious plans to film a spacewalk on the International Space Station using the Big Sky technology to provide an out-of-this-world experience. The video concludes by inviting viewers to share their thoughts on the Sphere and promoting CyberGhostVPN as a sponsor, offering a secure and unrestricted browsing experience.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Las Vegas Sphere

The Las Vegas Sphere is a state-of-the-art entertainment venue that opened in September 2023. It is a central theme of the video as it sets a new benchmark in the entertainment industry with its innovative technologies and immersive experiences. The Sphere is known for its massive screen, haptic seats, and advanced sound system, which together create a next-level cinema experience.

💡Exosphere

The Exosphere is described as the biggest screen in the world, located at the Las Vegas Sphere. It is a key feature of the venue, designed by SACO, and is 3 and a half times bigger than any traditional screen. The Exosphere is covered in 1.2 million individual lights, each the size of a hockey puck, which when viewed from a distance, blend together to create a sharp and cohesive image.

💡Pixels and Subpixels

Pixels and subpixels are the building blocks of digital displays, as explained in the script. A pixel is made up of three subpixels, each emitting red, green, or blue light. These subpixels are combined in various intensities to produce millions of colors. The Exosphere screen, like other displays, is composed of pixels, but on a much larger scale, each pixel is represented by a cluster of 48 LEDs.

💡CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN is introduced as the sponsor of the video. It is a virtual private network service that allows users to encrypt their data, hide their IP address, and access geo-restricted content. The script mentions CyberGhost VPN as a solution for content that is blocked due to geographical restrictions, highlighting its utility for accessing a wide range of streaming services.

💡Hypervsn Wall

The Hypervsn Wall is an advanced visual technology featured in the Atrium of the Las Vegas Sphere. It creates a 3-dimensional optical illusion by using hundreds of rotors with LEDs attached to them. These rotors spin at high speeds, creating sequences that appear holographic, much like the handheld fans with lights on the blades.

💡Aura

Aura is one of the most advanced humanoid robots showcased in the Sphere's Atrium. Designed by Engineered Arts, Aura combines robotics and machine learning to interact with visitors. The robot's upper body moves as it speaks, answers questions, and provides information about the Sphere's technology. Aura is described as 'artificially intelligent' rather than an 'artificial intelligence,' indicating its advanced capabilities.

💡Big Sky Camera System

The Big Sky Camera System is a custom-built camera system by Sphere Studios for capturing content specifically designed for the Sphere's main screen. It is a 316-megapixel camera capable of shooting 18k film at 120 frames per second, resulting in extremely high-resolution and smooth footage. The camera system is so advanced that it requires 12 people to operate and has led to the filing of 10 patents.

💡Audio Transparency

Audio Transparency is a technology that allows sound to pass through the thin LED screens of the Sphere without disruption. This was a crucial requirement for the Sphere's sound system, as it enables the speakers to be hidden behind the screen, creating an immersive audio experience without compromising the visual display.

💡Holoplot

Holoplot is the company behind the Sphere's advanced sound system. Their technology enables the creation of targeted sound for every seat in the audience, providing a custom audio experience. The system uses principles of constructive and destructive interference to control the direction and focus of sound waves, akin to a laser beam, which is a significant departure from traditional speaker systems.

💡Haptic Technology

Haptic Technology is utilized in 10,000 of the 18,600 seats in the Sphere's theater. These seats are equipped to move and vibrate at specific frequencies that correspond with the visuals and audio during performances. This technology enhances the immersive experience by engaging the audience's sense of touch, making them feel more connected to the on-screen action.

💡Sphere Studios

Sphere Studios is a company set up by MSG to produce content specifically for the Sphere. They built a quarter-sized replica, known as the Big Dome, in California to edit films for the Sphere's unique screen. Sphere Studios is also responsible for the development of the Big Sky Camera System, showcasing their commitment to creating groundbreaking content for the Sphere.

Highlights

The Las Vegas Sphere, opened in September 2023, sets a new benchmark in the entertainment industry with its next-level experience.

The Sphere features a screen that spans the entire ceiling, haptic seats, and a sound system that sends different audio tracks to each seat.

The venue can generate wind and scents, enhancing the immersive experience for the audience.

The creation of the Sphere cost a staggering $2.3 billion, reflecting the no-expense-spared approach to its development.

Partnering with Jared Owen, who built a detailed model of the Sphere, the video explores the technologies behind this entertainment venue.

MSG, the company behind Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden, announced the Sphere in 2018, aiming to reinvent live entertainment.

The exterior of the Sphere, known as the Exosphere, is the world's largest screen, designed by SACO.

The Exosphere consists of 1.2 million individual lights, each the size of a hockey puck, functioning similarly to pixels on a TV.

CyberGhost VPN is introduced as a solution for accessing geo-restricted content, including streaming services.

Inside the Sphere, the Atrium features a Hypervsn Wall, creating 3D optical illusions using rotors and LEDs.

Aura, one of the most advanced humanoid robots, interacts with visitors using a combination of robotics and machine learning.

The main screen of the Sphere is 20 times larger than the biggest IMAX cinemas and curves around the audience.

The screen has 256 million pixels, making it the highest resolution screen in the world, despite its lower pixel density.

Sphere Studios was created to produce content specifically for the Sphere, including a replica called the Big Dome for editing.

The Big Sky Camera System, developed by Sphere Studios, is a 316-megapixel camera capable of shooting 18k film at 120 frames per second.

The sound system in the Sphere contains 167,000 speakers, providing targeted audio to every seat in the audience.

Holoplot's audio technology uses constructive and destructive interference to control sound distribution in the theater.

Some seats in the Sphere are equipped with haptic technology, moving in sync with the performance to enhance the audience's experience.

The Sphere offers a variety of shows, including live performances by artists like U2 and immersive film experiences.

Tickets for the Sphere range from $79 to over $300, sparking debates on the value of the experience.

Future plans for the Sphere include additional venues in cities like Abu Dhabi, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia, as well as filming on the International Space Station.

Transcripts

play00:00

With its opening in September 2023, the  Las Vegas Sphere has set a new benchmark  

play00:05

in the entertainment industry. The  experience inside is next level,  

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with a screen that spans across the entire  ceiling, haptic seats, and a sound system  

play00:14

that sends different audio tracks to each seat.  The Sphere can even generate wind and scents.

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Sitting here should make you feel  like being part of the movie.

play00:25

And to achieve that no expense or  effort was spared. They literally spent  

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$2.3billion on creating this  next level cinema experience.

play00:35

But how does all of this actually work? Let's take  

play00:38

a look behind the curtain of the Sphere  and explore the different technologies.

play00:44

For this video we partnered up with Jared  Owen, who built a very detailed model of  

play00:49

the Las Vegas Sphere. It's truly impressive, so  please show some support on his channel as well.

play00:55

The Madison Square Garden company,  otherwise known as MSG, announced the  

play01:00

Sphere in 2018. These are the same people behind  Radio City Music Hall, the Chicago Theatre and,  

play01:06

you guessed it, Madison Square Garden  - so they already had experience with  

play01:11

building entertainment venues. But with the  Sphere they took things to another level.

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They selected the best people from every  industry and brought them together to  

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fulfill their vision - to reinvent live  entertainment. 5 years later, the Sphere  

play01:26

opened for business. And with an exterior like  this, it of course immediately drew attention.

play01:32

This is the Exosphere - the  biggest screen in the world.

play01:40

It was designed by SACO, the company behind some  

play01:43

of the world’s most amazing light shows  and screens. When they came to Vegas,  

play01:47

they’d just finished their work on the world's  tallest building. SACO designed and installed  

play02:00

the media facade on the Burj Khalifa - and then  immediately set out to break their own record.

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The Exosphere is 3 and a half times  bigger than the screen inside. And  

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as we get closer to the screen,  it doesn’t look like the screen  

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on your television or phone. But  it actually works the same way.

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That’s because screens are made up of pixels. On  normal displays, these pixels are simply three,  

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tiny, lights, known as subpixels.  Each is a different color - red,  

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green and blue. By combining these  lights in different intensities,  

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we can produce millions of different colors.  And when you put thousands of pixels together,  

play02:35

and stand back a little, the distinction  between the individual pixels becomes blurred.

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The Exosphere works in the same way, except  that everything is way bigger. It’s covered in  

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1.2 million individual lights; each one about the  size of a hockey puck. These lights work kind of  

play02:52

like the individual pixels on your TV, except that  here each contains a cluster of 48 separate LEDs.

play03:00

As you can see here, each cluster is  actually quite far away from each other,  

play03:04

so if you’re standing closer to the sphere it  looks like this. But if you’re viewing from a  

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distance, as is intended, the lights  blend and the image comes together.

play03:13

It's crazy that you get such a sharp  image when you look at it from a distance.

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If you rather watch content & movies on  your laptop than in the Sphere, like I do,  

play03:22

you've probably already experienced  content being geo-blocked. Luckily,  

play03:27

there is a solution, and this is where we  introduce today’s sponsor CyberGhost VPN.

play03:33

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Thanks to CyberGhost you can access all kinds  of geo-restricted content, youtube included.

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Just change your online location and  you can also find better deals online,  

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play04:20

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play04:25

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play04:39

CyberGhostVPN is available for all platforms,  Windows, Mac OS, Android, IOS and many others  

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It's a great product, I can recommend  it & and by signing up using our link  

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in the description you also help  us to create higher quality videos.

play05:16

And now let's go inside the  Sphere. We first enter the Atrium:

play05:18

And now let's go inside the  Sphere. We first enter the Atrium:

play05:24

Here they have a collection  of cutting-edge audio and  

play05:26

visual technology but what immediately  sticks out is this, the Hypervsn Wall.

play05:31

Whilst the images look 3-dimensional,  it’s actually a clever optical illusion.  

play05:36

Remember those little handheld fans  with lights on the blades? Well,  

play05:39

the holographic wall basically works the same way.

play05:42

Hundreds of little rotors, each with four  blades, or rays, are attached to the wall.  

play05:47

Each one is fitted with LEDs and they spin at  670 rpm. So it is comparable to a helicopter,  

play05:54

probably even faster than many. This makes  it too fast for the human eye to see.

play05:59

And that’s why it's possible to  display all kinds of sequences.

play06:03

Looks pretty amazing, right? But that’s not all.  Dotted around the Atrium you can talk to 5 robots.

play06:10

This is Aura. One of the most advanced humanoid  robots in the world. Designed by an English  

play06:23

company called Engineered Arts over the last 15  years, Aura is a combination of advanced robotics  

play06:28

and machine learning. They don’t walk around, but  their upper bodies move as they speak to visitors,  

play06:34

answer questions and give presentations  on the technology used at the Sphere.

play06:38

The engineers describe Aura as “artificially  intelligent” rather than “an artificial  

play06:44

intelligence”. They built it to  run a wide variety of software,  

play06:47

including large-language models like  ChatGPT, voice recognition software  

play06:51

like Whisper and facial-recognition  technology like Google’s MediaPipe.

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The combination of all this software  makes it possible to interact  

play06:59

with Aura. Over time, Aura will learn from  visitors and improve their ability to hold  

play07:04

conversations. They’re already pretty  good though and they even make jokes!

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After spending some time with Aura, visitors  move into the theater for the main attraction.

play07:22

This is the Sphere’s main screen. It’s roughly 20  

play07:26

times larger than the biggest IMAX cinemas  and curves over and around the audience.

play07:31

It’s made of tiles, covered in LEDs that are  thin enough to bend to the curve of the Sphere.  

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They’re actually so thin that sound can pass  through them, but we’ll come back to that later.

play07:41

The screen has 256,000,000 pixels, making  it the highest resolution screen in the  

play07:48

world. At first glance you could  assume that this screen must be  

play07:51

super sharp. But that isn’t the case.  Actually quite the opposite is true.

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Since the surface is so huge, 160,000  

play07:59

square feet or over 14800 square meters to be  exact, it only has around 3.33 pixels per inch.

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For comparison. The latest Iphone has 460  pixels per inch. A larger TV has around 40-80.

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Despite that, the Sphere’s Screen still looks  

play08:18

great. And this is because  it's a matter of distance.

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The Optimum Viewing Distance is the  ideal distance between a screen and  

play08:26

the audience. The screen in the  theater looks crystal clear from  

play08:29

the seats but would start to break up into  individual pixels if you get closer to it.

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You can actually test this at home.  Hold your phone close to a screen,  

play08:38

then zoom in as far as you can.  If your camera is good enough,  

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you should be able to see each pixel broken  down into the red, green and blue subpixels  

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we talked about before. That’s because you  are now way below the optimum user distance.

play08:53

The designers, SACO, had to keep  all of this in mind when building  

play08:56

the screen. And there was another much  more difficult issue. Normal cameras,  

play09:02

that capture film for flat rectangular screens,  didn’t work for such a big wrap-around display.

play09:09

So, the film-makers had to get creative.  MSG set up a new company, Sphere Studios,  

play09:14

to produce content specifically for the  Sphere. They even build a quarter-sized  

play09:19

replica in California to edit the films for  the Sphere, which they call the Big Dome.  

play09:24

On a normal screen you just couldn’t  see how it would look in the Sphere.

play09:28

In the beginning, they welded 11 separate  cameras together and tried stitching the  

play09:32

footage together in post-production. But shooting  and editing turned out to be way too complicated.  

play09:41

With no suitable alternative on the market,  Sphere Studios decided to build their own.

play09:46

And they ended up making what many consider  to be the best video camera ever produced.

play09:52

This is the Big Sky Camera System.

play09:55

It’s a 316 mega-pixel camera, shooting  18k film at 120 frames per second.

play10:02

In other words, it films in a super  high resolution and everything looks  

play10:06

super smooth. The quality is actually so high,  that one second of film takes up 60GB of data.

play10:13

And that’s not the only inconvenient thing about  

play10:15

Big Sky. It actually takes  12 people to operate it!

play10:19

Those 11 cameras from the first  model have been replaced by one  

play10:22

enormous lens. It measures 1ft across and  bulges out like a fish-eye. This gives it a  

play10:29

165 degree field of view - big enough to cover  the whole screen in the sphere. And to have  

play10:34

some additional room for “overshoot  and stabilization” of the footage.

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But the lens is only one part of the  camera. A sensor is also required to  

play10:42

capture the images. And Big Sky’s  sensor is a record breaker as well!

play10:47

Sphere Studios partnered with  STMicroelectronics to produce  

play10:51

the biggest sensor in commercial  cinema used anywhere in the world.

play10:54

Here’s how it works:

play10:56

The lens bends incoming light rays  to converge them onto a focal point.

play11:00

These light rays are then captured by  the sensor, which sits behind the lens.  

play11:04

The sensor breaks them down into individual  pixels and sends electrical signals for each  

play11:09

pixel. These signals can then be further  processed to produce a digital image.

play11:14

In normal cases, the sensor is a rectangle,  

play11:16

which corresponds to normal TVs.  But the Sphere is no normal TV!

play11:21

To produce an image that fits  onto the Sphere’s enormous screen,  

play11:24

Sphere Studios and STMicroelectronics  used an almost squared sensor.

play11:29

This way it's much better to convert the image.

play11:32

Overall their new system  is so ground-breaking that  

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Sphere Studios have actually filed 10  patents for Big Sky’s technology alone.

play11:41

And because looking at these images on  a normal screen doesn’t really work,  

play11:45

the crew uses a VR headset when filming  to check that they’ve got the right angle.

play11:50

Big Sky is one of the most technically  advanced items involved with the  

play11:54

Sphere. But there is something that’s  equally impressive - the sound system!

play11:58

SOUND SYSTEM

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To match the visuals, the Sphere needed  something truly amazing in terms of sound.

play12:03

That’s why it contains some of the  world’s most advanced audio technology,  

play12:06

designed by German engineers Holoplot.

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Hidden behind the Sphere’s wrap-around screen  

play12:11

are 167,000 speakers. That works  out at 8.4 speakers per person!

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And remember we talked about the super thin LED  screens earlier? Well, they had to make them so  

play12:23

thin to allow the sound to pass through without  being disrupted. It’s called Audio Transparency  

play12:29

and Holoplot had to work hand-in-hand with  screen designers SACO in order to pull it off.

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What’s special about this system is that  it can send targeted sound to every seat in  

play12:39

the audience, providing custom audio  to different parts of the theater.

play12:44

But how is that possible?

play12:45

Take a sound wave, which looks something like  this. If you layer another wave on top of it,  

play12:50

aligning the peaks, it will amplify  the sound and make it louder.

play12:54

That’s constructive interference.

play12:56

If, however, you layer two waves like this,

play12:58

aligning the peaks with the troughs,  

play13:00

the two waves will cancel each other  out - That’s destructive interference.

play13:05

Noise-canceling headphones actually work by using  a combination of these interference patterns.

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Coming out of a speaker, a wave looks like this,  with the sound coming out in all directions.

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When there’s more than one speaker, the  different soundwaves all mix together and  

play13:19

create interference, causing differences  in the sounds levels across space.

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Holoplot’s speakers run extremely  complicated calculations to work out where  

play13:29

every individual soundwave will interfere  with another one. And then they change the  

play13:34

moment that the speakers emit certain waves  and alter the volume, to coordinate every  

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single interference and therefore control  which noise reaches which area of the room.

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The result is kind of like the difference  between a lightbulb and a laser beam.

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A lightbulb sends out light in all  directions, like a traditional speaker,  

play13:52

whereas a laser beam sends a focussed  beam of light. This beam is what the  

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Holoplot speakers produce in terms  of sound. Using this technology,  

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the Sphere can choose the audio track that  they send to different parts of the audience,  

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providing different languages, soundtracks and  experiences to different sections of the theater.

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It sounds complicated, right? Well, it is.  It’s one of the most advanced sound systems  

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anywhere in the world. They’re describing  it as “headset sound, without the headset”.

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If you enjoyed this video so far, subscribe to  MegaBuilds! This would help us reach even more  

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people & put out better and better  quality for you :) So thanks a lot!

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And in true Sphere style, even the seats  add to the experience. 10,000 of the 18,600  

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seats in the theater are fitted with “haptic  technology” meaning that the seats can move.  

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During performances, they vibrate at specific  frequencies that correspond with what the  

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audience are seeing and hearing. It sounds like  a gimmick but it’s said to really add to the  

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experience. On top of that, wind machines generate  anything from gentle breezes to strong gusts,  

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and even smells and fog! Though the team do say  that they are careful not to overload the senses.

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By this point you might be wondering how  the Sphere is bringing all of this together.

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Well, for now, they’re running two types of shows.

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The first is a live show, with artists like U2  and Phish putting on a multi-media performance  

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that looks pretty mind-blowing.  The sound system delivers perfect  

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audio to everyone in the audience and the visuals  go from making the sphere look like a massive  

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concrete silo with a skylight, to a wide open  desert. Not to mention whatever this thing is.

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The second is part of the Sphere Immersive  Experience. Guests go through the Atrium,  

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speaking to all 5 Aura robots before  watching a film called “Postcard from  

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Earth” in the theater. This film by  Darren Aronofsky is the first to be  

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shot on the Big Sky System and tells the  story of human development and achievement.

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Tickets prices range from $79  to over 300 dollars, so there  

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are definitely debates whether  it is actually worth the price.

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Other films are in the works but take a lot of  time to produce, and sports events, like UFC 306,  

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are also scheduled for the Sphere later in the  year. It’s not yet clear how that will look,  

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but seeing live combat sports in full  Sphere immersion sounds pretty crazy!

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Looking to the future, other Spheres are  in the pipeline as well. Until recently,  

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the most likely seemed to be in London, and MSG  has even bought the land to build it on. However,  

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concern from local residents about light  pollution caused the Mayor of London to  

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reject the proposal and MSG ultimately  decided to abandon the project. Abu Dhabi,  

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South Korea and Saudi Arabia have  all expressed interest in their own  

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sphere and though MSG has held talks with  all of them, for now, nothing is sure.

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In the near future, Sphere Studios plan to take  Big Sky to the International Space Station. They  

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want to film a space walk in real dimensions  and transport viewers beyond the atmosphere.

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Would you like to visit the Sphere one  day? And if some of you have already  

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been there, would you say it's worth it? Let  us know what you think in the comments below.

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And If you want to try CyberGhostVPN, make sure to  use our link in the description. This application  

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That’s it for today, so thanks a lot for watching  and as always, we’ll see you in the next one.

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Related Tags
Las Vegas SphereEntertainment TechImmersive CinemaHaptic SeatsPersonalized AudioLED ScreensAudio TransparencySphere StudiosBig Sky CameraHoloplot SoundVirtual Reality