Watching VR2019 Video with Friends in Hubs

Mozilla Hubs is a web-based social VR platform, implemented using web technology, available at https://hubs.mozilla.com. Working with the VR 2019 conference, we are offering pre-configured hubs scenes to allow those who cannot attend the conference to watch the conference live streams together in virtual spaces.

We have created four “scenes” you can use, one for each of the livestreams of the conference talks. The scenes are preconfigured with the appropriate Twitch stream.

Scenes are room templates, not rooms. Clicking on one of the links below will let you create a new, private Hubs room to watch the associated stream. To invite others to the room, simply share the URL, or click the “Invite” button inside the room and share the hubs “link code” (usable by going to https://hub.link) or permalink. Anyone who goes to that link can join the room.

We recommend no more than a dozen people in each room, although the exact numbers depend on the power of each person’s computer and their internet speeds. As the room creator, you will be responsible for facilitating the room (up to and including kicking disruptive people out or shutting it down), so we encourage you to only share room links and codes privately with those whom you trust, not publicly on social media.

Hubs can be used in two main ways:

  • As a 3D experience in a 2D page, on a desktop, tablet or phone, using most web browsers that support WebGL and WebRTC. Firefox, Chrome, and Safari are known to work. Edge does not (as it does not support the full WebRTC specification).
  • As an immersive experience using WebVR. (WebXR is not yet standardized, so is not yet supported).

Immersive WebVR is supported on desktop and stand-alone VR HMDs that have a full implementation of WebVR.

  • On Windows 10, Firefox Nightly is recommended. Support for the Vive and Oculus Rift are provided via SteamVR. WindowsMR devices should work as well.
  • On Oculus GO, the Oculus Browser is recommended.
  • On Lenovo Mirage Solo, Firefox Reality is recommended.
  • On Android phones with Daydream, enable WebVR in chrome://flags, and select the Daydream option when entering a room, before putting the phone in the Daydream holder.

NOTE: video streaming into 3D may not work properly on slow or congested networks, if the twitch stream pauses or fails.

The easiest way to create a room and enter on a standalone display is to create the room on desktop, phone or tablet, select "Mobile VR Headset" as your device, and follow the instructions. Alternatively, when inside a hubs room, select "Invite" and follow the instructions.

Before trying to enter hubs via WebVR, please verify that WebVR is working by visiting a site such as https://aframe.io and testing one of the demos.

If you need help getting hubs (or WebVR) working, please reach out to the Hubs team on Discord, via the "Community" link at the top of https://hubs.mozilla.com, or visit the "mozilla-hubs" channel on the IEEE VR 2019 slack.

Links for the four scenes (and the corresponding Twitch channels) are: