Delivering 4K dome projection and live streaming at the AT&T PGA Tour

Omnispace and bluemedia relied on a Screenberry media server to power fulldome projection inside a FanDome theater at a series of PGA TOUR events. The server was used at some of the biggest annual golf tournaments in the United States – the 2017 and 2018 editions of the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic as well as at the 2018 and 2019 editions of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Inside the geodesic dome theater, tournament attendees could enjoy a unique immersive experience. They could relax in a lounge zone while watching immersive video projections on a 15m (50ft) dome screen featuring live broadcasts of the Golf Channel and CBS Sports along with live feeds from several golf tees. The 360-degree live feeds put fans in the middle of the action by making them feel as though they were standing next to pro golfers as they were teeing off.

At the heart of the dome setup was a single Screenberry media server. It was used to automatically calibrate and drive 8 x WUXGA Epson L1505u projectors to deliver 4K fulldome projection. The media server’s ability to capture and process multiple live signals proved central in the project. The server simultaneously captured 4K@60fps signals from two live 360° cameras set up on the field as well as 4 x 1080p60 DTV broadcasts. Screenberry was at the core of the control room, arranging all graphical elements and live feeds on the dome screen and switching between them on the fly.

“We want fans to connect with the technology-meets-entertainment world of golf that we’re able to deliver them. It’s an immersive experience onsite – one that shows them all the ways that AT&T can take watching golf to a whole new level, on and off the green,” Shiz Suzuki, assistant vice president, AT&T Communications Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing, said about the FanDome experience