Skybox VR: transfer, stream or watch films from a flash drive on the Meta Quest 3

Most of the best VR headsets out there are geared towards entertainment, but now that the Vision Pro is out, the spotlight seems to be shifting away from gaming and towards more mainstream entertainment. Such as immersive movies, for example.

That, however, isn’t always an easy affair. For example, what would happen if your favorite streaming service hasn’t made a dedicated app for your headset of choice? Which, by the way, is exactly what the case is for the Vision Pro.

Well, if you’re in Meta’s camp, you have an additional solution in the form of third party video players. And while that may initially seem a bit counterintuitive, apps like Skybox VR start to make more sense when you get acquainted with some of their unique features.



I mean, sure: most headsets are running an Android-based operating system and as such have file browsers and at least some form of native video playback. But then you’ve got an issue in the form of logistics, as in: getting what you want to watch onto your headset.

If you can even spare the space or have the right file format to begin with. Hence: Skybox VR starts to seem like a tempting option. Here’s a highlight of some of the app’s selling points:

• It supports most conventional video formats that you can encounter
• It supports UHD, 4K and even 8K for 2D movies
• 3D and even VR movies are supported too
• The app can help you transfer your files from your PC to the headset
• Alternatively, it can enable you to stream your films directly from your PC
• More notably: the app can read your movies directly from a USB-C flash drive

And that one is the real kicker! This means that you can load up a watchlist for whenever you need it and then just keep the thumbstick on you or in your headset’s carrying case for whenever the time comes. The need for a solid wireless connection or a cable just goes away.

Mixed News has ran a testing round with the app, discovering that it supports a lot of formats for your drive too:

• FAT32
• exFAT
• NTFS
• HFS+

That being said, Mixed’s team did encounter some issues when it came to files with a high bitrate, so you may also want to explore options regarding converting your videos to a format that Skybox VR can manage more easily.

Or, alternatively, you can sit tight for an update that can resolve these issues.

But if that doesn’t bother you and Skybox VR sounds like just what you were looking for, you should know that the app is available on the Meta Quest Store for $10 right now. It is compatible with the Quest 3, Quest Pro and Quest 2 as well.

Oh, and keep in mind: you won't be able to charge your headset while you’re watching a film from a thumb drive. But would a USB-C splitter work with the Quest 3? If you try that out: let us know in the comments below!