GoPro and Google team up to release Odyssey, the $15K 360º panorama rig

At this years Google I/O conference, the company unveiled Jump, a new platform designed to standardize the processing and sharing of fully immersive virtual reality video. During the demonstrations, Google showed off Odyssey, a ridiculous rig designed in collaboration with GoPro that can record full 360º video using sixteen vertically-mounted GoPro cameras.

Now, in addition to more details, the Odyssey rig is available for pre-order for anyone willing to shell out the wallet-busting $15,000 it will take to get your hands on one of the limited devices.

As the graphic above details, you will receive the following with your $15,000 purchase:

• 16 HERO4 Black GoPro Action Cams
• 16 BACPACS (which will connect and power the camera array)
• 16 MicroSD Cards
• Odyssey Panoramic Capture Rig
• Required Cables & Accessories
• Custom Pelican Case (to house all of the above)

The 14.5 lbs (6.57 kg) Odyssey rig records video at 2.7K in 4:3 aspect ratio at 25–30fps before being sent through the bundled Google Jump assembler software. Once rendered the video is output at 2x2K MPEG4 at 150 Mbit/s, or 8x8K MPEG4 at 600 Mbit/s, both of which utilize the h.264 codec standard.

Footage captured with the rig and processed using Google’s Jump standard is exported as a seamless globe, which can be uploaded and viewed on YouTube. Compatible browsers, such as Google’s own Chrome browser, can then play the video and allow viewers to look around the immersive footage using the ‘ASWD’ keys.

Below is an interactive video shot on an Odyssey rig:

Anyone interested in shelling out the dough for an Odyssey rig can sign up for one as part of an early release program. Just keep in mind that only ‘professional content creators and producers’ will be given first dibs after a thorough review process.