A team in France has developed an app called oVid. The idea is for a handful of Windows Phones to be linked together to record video across the network of hardware that's connected. The app was developed for this year's 2013 Imagine Cup and utilises Bluetooth and WiFi to create a rather awesome experience.
Sounds interesting, right? So where can this technology be utilised? An example provided is a music festival where a user begins recording at the event, while others can join in and record from their Windows Phones once the first user halts. This opens up multiple unique points of perspective and enables everyone to enjoy the event without having to hold a device in the air for long periods of time.
As the above video shows, it's essentially a pass-along service, but instead of handing over your device, other users utilise their Windows Phones. The footage captured can then be shared on social networks and found on the oVid website, as well as the Windows and Windows Phone apps. What if the content isn't synchronised correctly? The team behind oVid notes they've implemented measures to prevent such a situation from occurring:
"We've developed a number of clever syncing technologies. We use these and Windows Azure Live Smooth Streaming to ensure that the video is all displayed live for all participants, this all works through known delays and pre-determined time intervals, we wanted oVid to be perfect regardless of platform, device, or environmental effects."
As an added bonus for Windows Phone consumers (and Microsoft) it's noted the app will be exclusively available for the mobile platform. When can we expect to see the app be made available for the public? Sometime in July, ahead of the Imagine Cup finals that take place on July 8th. Be sure to check out the oVid Facebook page for more information.
Thanks, Ouadie, for the information!
Reader comments
oVid will bring networked video recording exclusively to Windows Phone this year
This sounds a great concept. YES. Bring this.
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While the concept is cool, its the quality of the camera recording that is of concern. Hopefully, all cameras are of Nokia's quality. I would hate to start streaming on someone's 920 and hear the audio clarity of a concert then have to switch to an iPhone perspective that can hardly capture lowlight. Case in point, the Boston bombers firefight caught on an iPhone.
a "Just Lumia users" feature or "Just 8MP cameras" will be fun :D, so the user can specify who can join the recording!
lol, that seems a bit harsh. I bet you almost always the iPhone owners would lock everyone out but themselves. (I kid). But specifying fields such as front row/ front left/ right etc would be great.
Yes, that would be great!
Not just the video quality will be different, bit also.the sound captured will be greatly affected.
Innovative App!
That is awesome!
What I would like is the ability to pause and start a video on my phone while recording. And not have it make multiple videos. Like I'm recording one video I pause it then I can continue on the same video.
This is one of my biggest "don't need it, but would be nice" features. I used to enjoy making stop motion videos with my old feature phone...
Yes Agreed!!
You'd be better off asking for the option to "merge videos"...would be a lot easier to sell to the customer. But, I've never really looked to see if we have a good video editing app?
I don't see why if not an app why can't Microsoft them selves add in a pause start record function on the same recording video? It would be so useful.
Because you would get the same results from a "merge videos" option without the lame brains saying "I can't figure out how to stop recording! It just keeps adding to the same video!" How long do you let it pause? Do you let it pause through a 'screen off'? Got to make all options work for the least common denominator. But, I really think there should be a video editor anyway (even to just clip off the start/end AND obviously merge two files, haha)
Thanks for your feedback!
Your welcome!
Now if they could synchronize multiple simultaneous streams, that would be cool. Your clan could record an event from multiple perspectives and edit the best bits together into one seamless stream later. Taking it in turns to shoot video sounds a wee bit too tricky to coordinate from a user point of view, unless the 'pass along service' description is wrong.
+1000
I agree...it sounds like you still have to have your phone turned on the whole time so you know when it is "your turn". It would be much easier if you could "join a party" and then any photo/videos you took were time stamped...later, it would compile EVERYTHING from EVERYONE that was at the party and give you a spot where you could go and browse everything in correct chronological order.
Great discussion guys, we really appreciate hearing your thoughts and we'll be sure to take your great suggestions into consideration.
I love seeing the devs actually come and add to the conversations. Big thumbs up, oVid!
Thanks Curtieson!
Yeah, I agree with you.
I'm unable to find it in the store. Is it region-locked to France only?
EDIT: sorry i am dumb :) the app will be availabe in July, I should have read the whole post :S
Lol read the article please
Would love to see more vid apps like time lapse (well close..) and stuff like 1 sec video (/day). Seems a bit lacking in this department right now.
Cool concept. Dont think going WP exclusive is the best move in this case though. Maybe multiplatform with WP exclusive features, just seems you would get better results with more users at any event.
Or maybe even an exclusivity period for WP before expanding to the other platforms
WP need some exclusivity, Android and Apple does it all the time.
Exclusivity won't really help windows phone because of the low market share. Exclusivity works best on products/markets that are booming or taking off. A timed exclusivity period or simultaneous release is best
Wp needs all the exclusivity that it can get especially since its still taking off. It makes no sense to say that only systems with a large marketshare need exclusives...
I love telling my friends that the apps I developed are for Windows Phone only.
Nice and FIRST!