HoloVid

HoloVid technology represents the standard medium for entertainment, news, and information distribution throughout Horizon City, projecting three-dimensional holographic content into physical space. Developed by Spinning Disc Media's R&D division in the 2060s, HoloVid has evolved from a luxury entertainment system to an essential household utility found in virtually every home, business, and public space within the dome.

Technical Overview

HoloVid systems consist of several key components:

1. Projection Array: Multiple emitters that create three-dimensional light constructs in physical space. These arrays vary in size from small personal units to massive public installations.

2. Environmental Sensors: Cameras and spatial mapping technology that analyze the projection area to optimize display quality and enable interaction.

3. Gesture Recognition System: Tracks hand movements, facial expressions, and body language to allow users to control content without physical interfaces.

4. Content Receiver: Connects to the screamfeed market and other content distribution networks to access programming.

5. Neural Interface Connector (Premium Models): Allows direct sensory enhancement for users with compatible neural implants.

The technology creates convincing three-dimensional images by projecting light into precisely controlled points in space, creating the illusion of solid objects. As described in "Rock Star," the effect can be startlingly realistic:

"Media corporations bought content to broadcast to VidScreens, HoloVids, and HoloBoards, as well as SimStim."

Applications

Entertainment

The primary application of HoloVid technology is entertainment, with content ranging from music performances to dramatic productions to interactive games. In "Rock Star," Matt and Katrina's band Mayhem gains popularity through HoloVid broadcasts:

"Mayhem had been climbing the screamfeeds charts in a meteoric rise to stardom."

These broadcasts allow performers to reach audiences throughout Horizon City without physical venues, creating new possibilities for artistic expression and celebrity.

News and Information

HoloVid serves as the primary news medium in Horizon City, with programs like Rigby Barclay's "I Hate It Here" providing commentary on current events. As seen in "Culture Vulture," these broadcasts shape public opinion and awareness:

"That was the name of Rigby Barclay's screamfeed, the second most recast Horizon City focus feed globally."

News programming on HoloVid ranges from corporate-approved mainstream channels to independent commentators, though all operate within the constraints of corporate ownership of the distribution platforms.

Advertising

HoloVid technology powers advertising throughout Horizon City, from personal targeted ads in private systems to massive public displays on HoloBoards. These advertisements are often interactive and personalized based on viewer data.

Communication

While not as immersive as SimStim, HoloVid enables three-dimensional communication between individuals, allowing for more natural interaction than traditional video calls. This application is particularly important for maintaining connections between different levels of the city.

Versions and Evolution

HoloVid technology has evolved through several generations:

First Generation (2060s)

Basic holographic projection with limited resolution and interaction capabilities. These systems required specialized rooms with controlled lighting and were primarily available in corporate and entertainment venues.

Second Generation (2070s)

Introduced environmental adaptation allowing for use in standard living spaces. These systems became available to wealthy individuals and began appearing in public spaces throughout Gold and Green levels.

Third Generation (2080s)

Added gesture and voice control interfaces and neural interface compatibility. This generation saw widespread adoption throughout Horizon City as prices decreased and functionality increased.

Current Generation (2090s)

Features enhanced resolution, perfect environmental adaptation, and seamless integration with other technologies. These systems are ubiquitous throughout Horizon City, with quality and capabilities varying by price point and level.

Social Impact

HoloVid technology has profoundly shaped Horizon City's social structure:

Class Signifiers

While basic HoloVid systems are available to all citizens, the quality and capabilities vary dramatically by level. As Hana demonstrates in "Corpie," upper-level residents have seamless, high-quality systems integrated into their living spaces:

"She mumbled, and the wall opposite her lit up with the latest news."

In contrast, Red Level residents often have older, lower-quality systems with limited functionality, creating visible markers of social status.

Information Control

As the primary medium for news and information, HoloVid serves as a key tool for corporate control of public discourse. While independent voices like Rigby Barclay exist, they operate on platforms owned and regulated by corporations like New Light Media and Spinning Disc Media.

Cultural Unification

Despite social stratification, HoloVid creates shared cultural touchpoints across Horizon City's levels. Popular programs and personalities are known throughout the dome, creating a common framework of references and experiences that transcends physical separation.

Privacy Concerns

Advanced HoloVid systems include monitoring capabilities that track viewing habits, physical responses, and even emotional reactions to content. This data is valuable to corporations for both content development and consumer profiling, raising significant privacy concerns.

The Screamfeed Market

HoloVid technology is inextricably linked to the screamfeed market, the content distribution system that supplies programming. As described in "Rock Star":

"Normally a screamfeed arr sold for a fee determined by its value automatically by the demand for it compared to any other feed. This operated as an open market, but there was a secondary component, which is when it's viewed."

This market-based system determines both content availability and creator compensation, with popular content commanding higher prices and generating more revenue through the residual system:

"Every time a retina scan identified a unique eyeball even glancing in the direction of a TV or using a simstim, a tiny fraction gets paid as well."

Corporate Control

HoloVid technology exemplifies corporate control in Horizon City, with companies like Spinning Disc Media and New Light Media maintaining ownership of both the technology and distribution platforms. As Matt discovers in "Rock Star," this control extends to content and creative expression:

"The contract with Spinning Disc Media was ironclad; sure, he could bow out of his residuals, but they still held the rights to his likeness in perpetuity and could make him perform any way they wanted to."

This corporate ownership creates a system where even seemingly independent voices operate within constraints determined by corporate interests and profit motives.

Relationship to SimStim

While HoloVid remains the standard medium for mass communication, SimStim technology offers a more immersive alternative for premium experiences. As mentioned in "Rock Star," both technologies coexist in Horizon City's media landscape:

"Media corporations bought content to broadcast to VidScreens, HoloVids, and HoloBoards, as well as SimStim."

SimStim provides full sensory experiences rather than just visual and audio content, but requires more specialized hardware and direct neural interface connections, making it less accessible than the ubiquitous HoloVid.

Cultural Significance

HoloVid has become so integrated into daily life in Horizon City that it's often taken for granted as part of the environment rather than a specific technology. From Kenji watching screamfeeds while recovering to Hana checking the news while cooking, HoloVid serves as the constant background of information and entertainment that connects citizens to the broader city despite physical separation.

The technology has also shaped language and social norms, with terms like "casting," "recasting," and "arr" (audio-visual recording) becoming standard vocabulary. The ability to summon content with voice commands or gestures has created new patterns of interaction with media that differ significantly from pre-dome consumption habits.

Despite its ubiquity—or perhaps because of it—HoloVid remains one of the most influential technologies in shaping how citizens of Horizon City understand their world and their place within it.