Lessons learned from a large-scale virtual reality experience over wi-fi

Abstract

Large-scale virtual reality (VR) enables novel art forms in large physical environments. A key technical solution in such cases is to split the rendering process between a client and a streamer. In this article, we focused on the peculiarities of VR split rendering and particularly on the performance of Wi-Fi. First, we calculated the network delay budget and then conducted a set of experiments to evaluate the single-user and multi-user performance of VR split rendering systems over Wi-Fi in terms of latency. Our findings were summarized as recommendations on: i) the frame rate, ii) the encoding bitrate, iii) the signal strength, iv) the channel bandwidth, and v) the multiple access techniques. In particular, our multi-user tests highlighted cases where using the highest settings or latest features of Wi-Fi can compromise performance. Finally, we applied our recommendations to a large-scale multi-user case study that took place physically in the multi-purpose hall of our university campus and virtually in the Turret Singers environment of SteamVR Home. This article serves as a reference to the critical aspects of VR split rendering systems over Wi-Fi.