Growing Popularity of 360 Virtual Reality

Posted by Johny on April 6th, 2018

360 VR or virtual reality is basically an audio visual simulation of an augmented or substituted environment. This environment surrounds the users and allows them to look around, just as they can in real life. Besides entertainment, 360 degree VR can be used for several other purposes. Many companies use this technology for training purposes that involves a physical environment, such as, pilot training, surgeries, space exploration, undersea exploration and so on.

A number of cameras will be required for capturing events to videos from the real world for 360 virtual reality. This kind of visual reality can be rigged by various individuals by using several cameras. For instance, it takes two cameras per view for creating depth; however, a lot of tricky post processing and editing is also involved.

Is 360 degree video same as VR?

VR or virtual reality videos are a bit different from 360 degree videos. But first let us understand what 360 degree videos are. These are immersive videos where a view in every direction is recorded at the same time. These videos are shot using an omnidirectional camera. In case of playback on a normal flat display, you can control the viewing direction like a panorama. You can also play 360 degree videos on displays or projectors that are arranged in a cylinder.

The most significant difference between VR videos and 360 degree videos is photography. In a VR environment, photography is created in a digital format. The landscapes, characters and elements are created by a team of professionals with the help of software programs and computers. But 360 degree videos are captured from a real-life landscape. These are real videos in real places and everyone has access to it.

When it comes to mobility, virtual reality videos are far more immersive compared to 360 degree videos. In VR videos, the player or viewer can walk anywhere and explore into the landscape and in 360 degree videos, users get only a certain amount of viewing power. As a viewer, you can only get a full view of whatever has been filmed. The entire viewing field is otherwise limited by the movements of the filmmaker.

360 degree videos are more cost effective when it comes to the platform used for both videos. This is because users can access 360 degree videos from any device that has viewing capabilities and it is also compatible with 360 degree videos. You can visit free websites or YouTube for viewing these videos but for VR videos, it is necessary to buy a particular accessory that will support the program. These accessories can be very expensive to buy.

Timeline of VR videos is very vast due to which they are commonly used in video game studios as the players can keep getting entertainment for a longer time period. But with virtual reality, timeline can be endless. Be it journalism or storytelling movies, virtual reality has become a popular technology that is being used in various industries.