Introduction:
This guide is intended to help you understand and troubleshoot common issues related to 360/180 VR video playback on the ArborXR platform. By default, ArborXR applies certain settings to uploaded videos, as these are typically the most common for 360° videos. However, understanding the nuances of these settings can greatly enhance your VR experience.
Default Video Settings on ArborXR:
💡Note: The following settings are applied by default to uploaded videos, as these are the most common settings for 360° videos.
Video Projection Type: 360°
Mapping: Equirectangular
Display: Stereoscopic
3D Settings/Packing: Top-Bottom
Understanding VR Video Concepts:
1. Monoscopic vs. Stereoscopic:
Monoscopic VR: Directs one image to both eyes, similar to a regular image or video.
Stereoscopic VR: Provides two images, one for each eye, closely resembling how we view the real world. It uses two lenses for each angle, capturing similar information with slightly different angles, mimicking human eyes' interpupillary distance. This allows the brain to calculate depth, offering a sense of 3D depth in 360 videos.
2. VR 180 vs. VR 360 vs. 2D:
VR 360: Allows you to look and move in any direction within a virtual circle, offering an unrestricted view.
VR 180: Provides a 180-degree field of view, focusing on what's in front of you.
2D: Standard flat video with no immersion.
3. Mapping: Equirectangular vs. Cube Map:
Equirectangular: Tends to have distortion at the poles with redundant information. Pixels are overrepresented at the poles, and there's a cosine falloff of repeating pixels towards the equator.
Cube Map: Offers well-distributed pixels with each face equally important. It's efficient to store and easier to project, with the main challenge being ensuring seamless transitions between faces.
4. 3D Setting: Top-Bottom vs. Side-by-Side:
The orientation affects the perceived quality. Top/Bottom at 1080p technically provides 540p resolution after stretching, but with better side-to-side resolution. Conversely, Side-by-Side offers full 1080p resolution but with less side-to-side detail. In practice, the difference is often negligible.
➕ Important Considerations:
Copyright and Third-Party Content: If you're downloading VR videos from third-party websites that violate copyright law or terms of service (for services like YouTube), we're unable to provide support for this content. Most third-party sites do not support VR video downloads properly, resulting in distorted or improperly formatted content.
YouTube VR App: Supports 1080p resolution. For higher quality, consider using apps like Skybox VR which can stream VR videos at higher bit rates and resolutions.
VR180 8K Videos: Obtaining VR180 8K videos directly from creators can significantly enhance your VR experience, taking full advantage of the headset's native resolution.
In summary, while most videos will play correctly with setting the display to monoscopic, understanding and adjusting these settings can greatly enhance your VR video experience on ArborXR. For the best results, consider sourcing high-quality VR content directly from creators and familiarize yourself with the intricacies of VR video formats and settings.