The
World of VR (Virtual Realty) has landed on Google.
On
Friday March 13th 2015 Google launched 360 Degree videos support on YouTube as stated in the article “YouTube
to add 360-degree videos” published March 12, 2015 by Joan E. Solsman, CNET News and “You Can
Now Watch and Upload 360-Degree Videos on YouTube”, published 03.13.15 by
CHRISTINA BONNINGTON, Wired.
 |
Announced
on YouTube's Blogspot blog in the
article “A
new way to see and share your world with 360-degree video”, published
Friday March 13th 2015, Youtube
Blog the feature give support for videos filmed using the following
360-Degree Panoramic cameras:
1. Bublcam
2. Giroptic's
360cam
3. IC
Real Tech's Allie
4. Kodak's
SP360
5. Ricoh's
Theta
Users
of YouTube will be able to view these
360-Degree Panoramic Videos on the YouTube
Website as well as videos embedded inside of websites by clicking and dragging
the pointer around to move within the immersive environment.
Please
note though, you can only pan around your point of view or perspective, as the
direction of forwards of backward is dictated by the persons who originally filmed
the video.
Thus,
you cannot, while in the middle of a 360-Degree Panoramic video, decided to
change your direction of forwards of backward motion and walk down a street
that you may see in the video.
But
you can still pan around your point of view or perspective and get great angles
shot of your environment.
Check
out this list of 360-Degree
Video Playlist on YouTube to get an idea of what this developement means
for YouTube Content Creators. Here is
one as an example.
Be
warned though; if your computer doesn’t have at least 4 GB of RAM and a
Dual-Core Processor, you’ll find it very hard to pan around. From my testing thus
far, these 360-Degree Panoramic video demand a lot of processor power as well
as Memory to play.
Also,
if you download the video, you’ll get the 360-Degree Panoramic effect, but you
can’t pan around unless your video player is compatible, something YouTube will have to address.
360-Degree
Panoramic Video viewing is also possible on the YouTube
App for Google Android, but instead of a pointer on the screen, you can
physically move the phone and accelerometer will translate your motion and
change your perspective within the 360-Degree Panoramic video.
So
other than cool 360-Degree Panoramic Videos, why is this such a great
developement? It's because it's a herald for VR for Google Android by 2016.
Google's YouTube
launches 360-Degree Panoramic Video Support - How Google Android plans to
create Content for its VR Ambitions
Ok
so this is another great feature really for both users, Bloggers and Website
owners as well as YouTube Content
Creators similar to YouTube’s support
for HtLM5 as reported in my Geezam blog
article entitled “YouTube
switches to HTML5 with Adaptive Bitrate for better Streaming”.
If
you're a YouTube Content Creator with a
360-Degree Panoramic, now is the time to start filming 360-Degree Panoramic
Videos.
Especially
if you're one of those persons who had chipped in on the Giroptic's 360cam
Kickstarted as documented in my blog article entitled
“Giroptic's
360cam coming in November 2014 - How the 360 Degree Panoramic Video, Audio and
Still Images is a Revolutionary Gamechanger”.
This
as Google allegedly has plans to launch a version of Google Android that
support the developement of VR Headsets as noted in my blog article entitled
“@google
to develope Google @Android for VR - Why a VR and AR War is looming on the
Horizon in 2016”.
MWC
(Mobile World Congress) 2015 revealed a lot of companies pushing into the VR
and AR (Augmented Reality) field, such as HTC Vive even as Oculus Rift launched
a Oculus Mobile VR Jam 2015 as state in my blog article entitled
“@Oculus
Mobile VR Jam 2015 - How @samsung Gear VR is Gearing up for Competition in the
VR and AR Space”.
Google,
realizing that there is a coming trend towards VR by 2016, is trying to get
YouTubers to create 360-Degree Panoramic Video content. This so that when they
eventually debut Google Android VR ('cause that's what I'm calling it!), they'll
already be 360-Degree Panoramic Video content for nascent purchasers of VR
Headsets to enjoy!
Revenue
from Advertising as well as sales of VR Headsets that they might develope might
be a part of their long term strategy.
Google
has already provided a 360-Degree
Panoramic script in Python on GitHub that YouTube
Content Developers will have to incorporate into their 360-Degree Panoramic
Video in order for it to run seamlessly and without errors as noted in the
article “YouTube
Now Lets You View And Upload 360-Degree Videos”, published MAR 14, 2015 by
Amit Chowdhry, Forbes.
YouTube might however, need to create a competition
to encourage YouTube Content Developers
to make 360-Degree Panoramic Video. By doing this, YouTube is ensuring that by 2016, VR and AR
will not only be interesting, but will become the next must-have gadget since
the smartphone or the Tablet.
Here's
the Link:
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