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VLC media player now supports 360-degree videos
VLC, the app that lets you play basically any video format on practically any platform, is about to add support for a whole new medium. The company just unveiled a technical preview that enables its desktop app to play 360-degree videos, so folks can watch their dizzying footage on their computers. The preview is now available for Windows and Mac machines, and the full version will arrive with VLC 3.0 , which is expected at the end of the month.
Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 360-degree video
Let's be honest: no matter how much you like watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, it loses a lot of its thunder if you aren't in New York City to witness it first-hand. However, you might get a better feel for it with the 2016 event. Macy's, NBCUniversal and our corporate overlords at Verizon are planning to livestream the parade in 360 degrees as soon as it kicks off on November 24th at 9AM Eastern. If you have a browser or device that can handle 360-degree YouTube video, you too can watch the floats and marching bands almost as if you were streetside. There will be numerous 360-degree cameras placed at "strategic points" on the route to add a dash of variety. No, this won't help you skip the less-than-enthralling segments, but those so-so moments will at least will be more immersive than ever before.
New York Times is making daily VR videos with Samsung's help
The New York Times isn't just dabbling in virtual reality for the occasional special presentation -- it wants to make 360-degree videos as commonplace as the crossword puzzle. The newspaper has launched The Daily 360, a feature that (shocker) offers "at least" one VR video every day, whether it's from a major news story or simply an interesting experience. The first Daily 360 illustrates the aftermath of a Saudi airstrike in Yemen (see it below), but other clips will cover everything from the final days of the US presidential election to Fashion Week.
Watch Samsung VR's latest scripted series this weekend
Assuming you still have a phone to slot into your Gear VR, you'll have something new to watch this weekend. Invisible is the latest scripted series on the Samsung VR platform, and is helmed by Edge of Tomorrow and The Bourne Identity director, Doug Liman. The way Wired describes it, Invisible sounds pretty cool. The five-episode series follows the lives of an ultra-rich, but reclusive family with its hands in just about everything. The reason for living in secrecy? Well, as you might be able to guess from the show's name, certain family members can disappear in plain sight.
Time's Life VR immerses you in documentaries
There's a certain detachment to watching a conventional documentary. You may understand and appreciate what you're seeing, but you'll never quite get a sense of what it was like to be there. Time, however, believes it can do better. It's launching a Life VR brand that will use virtual reality to give you more immersive view of historic events and unusual experiences. One of the first examples includes Defying the Nazis (above), a parallel to a similarly-named Ken Burns documentary -- you'll see what it was like to take asylum seekers from occupied France to the US. Others include Lumen, a self-guided meditation exercise, and Fast Ride, a view of what it's like to drive the classic Mazda 787 race car at Laguna Seca.
Kodak's latest 4K action camera captures VR-ready video by itself
The Kodak Pixpro SP360 4K action camera had a branding problem. Yes, you could shoot 360-degree videos, but they weren't spherical -- you needed two cameras to do that, which made it less-than-practical for full virtual reality videos. You won't have to do some extra shopping with the 4KVR360, though. The newly launched cam fuses a 20-megapixel sensor with lenses on both the front and back, letting one camera shoot fully immersive VR video all by its lonesome.
Facebook promises to stabilize shaky 360-degree videos
Shaky video is already a problem with conventional cameras, but it's much worse with 360-degree and virtual reality cams. Your bumpy mountain bike ride won't be so exciting to watch if it makes viewers queasy. However, Facebook might just save the day: it's testing an algorithm designed to stabilize 360-degree shots. The approach blends 2D motion models with 3D reconstruction to reduce the unwanted effects in immersive footage, such as the bobbing camera movements, lens deformations and stitching between cameras.
Google expands 'Sheep View' project with Trekker cameras
Without the presence of Google, Faroe Island residents had to rely on camera-equipped sheep to provide 360 degree "Sheep View" images of the bucolic isle. While that's adorable, digital tourists probably want to see more than just areas with the most delicious grass. Luckily, Google heard about their plight, and decided to give the burdened quadrupeds a hand with its Street View camera loan program.
Facebook launches guided tours for 360-degree videos
When you explore 360-degree videos on Facebook like you're supposed to, you could miss crucial moments happening outside your POV. The social network's new "Guide" tool for Pages, however, can make sure you see the best, funniest and most compelling parts. Now, when publishers upload a 360-degree video, they can enable the feature and highlight points of interest simply by pausing and clicking "+ Add Point." It will then be on by default, and the video will automatically swivel to show you those highlighted scenes. It's like having a tour guide pointing out the most interesting sights to see to a bunch of overwhelmed tourists.
Facebook open sources its 360-degree video camera
Facebook said from the start that it would open source its Surround 360 camera this summer, and it's following through on that promise. You can now visit GitHub to learn how to build the camera, install its software and (naturally) tweak both the hardware and software to meet your needs. Just keep in mind that this isn't exactly a homebrew project -- you'll need about $30,000 in parts to build the official version. It's more for video pros that want to produce 360-degree content without having to turn to pricier, pre-packaged offerings like Nokia's Ozo. Still, it's worth exploring the source if you want to either see how Facebook's VR cam works or design a lower-cost alternative.
Huffington Post makes VR a staple of its newsrooms
At the rate things are going, you might have a hard time avoiding online virtual reality. The Huffington Post (owned by AOL and Verizon, just like us) is launching players for 360-degree and VR content on just about every platform it uses. You'll logically see them in articles on the web (both desktop and mobile), but the outlet is also promising immersive experiences in its Android and iOS apps. You'll first see the technology in action during Ryot's coverage of the Republican National Convention when it starts on July 18th, and it should reach all of HuffPo's international editions. VR won't just be reserved for the occasional experiment, we'd add -- the aim is to use it whenever it makes sense.
Intel brings 360-degree replays to Major League Baseball
Intel is determined to make 360-degree replays a staple of the sporting world. The chip designer has announced that it's bringing 3D capture technology to Major League Baseball games, starting with the All-Star Week events at San Diego's Petco Park (the All-Star Futures Game, the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game) between July 10th and July 12th. Its technology will string 28 cameras around the field to show plays from nearly any angle. In short, there shouldn't be any doubt whether or not that runner is safe -- you'll almost always have a good view.
Double Robotics turns its telepresence robot into a VR rig
There's one big problem with trying to capture virtual reality video while moving... those pesky humans. Even if you have stabilizing gear, the person carrying the camera will still limit what and how you shoot. Double Robotics has a simple answer to that, though: its newly-launched 360 Camera Dolly robot transforms the company's telepresence bot into a remotely controlled, silent VR camera rig. If you want to record a cinematic tracking shot or college campus tour, you don't need any people or noisy equipment on the scene.
Facebook shows its first video from its 360-degree camera rig
Facebook was quick to talk about being at the forefront of 360-degree video when it unveiled its Surround 360 rig, but how good is that massive 14-camera array, really? As of today, you can find out for yourself. Mark Zuckerberg has posted the social network's first video shot and produced with the Surround 360, and it's a good hint as to what you can expect from virtual reality movies. The 3.5-minute short is more of a tech demo than a creative work (you sit in New York City's Grand Central Terminal as visitors walk by), but it showcases both the seamless nature of the video the potential of the format. It feels more like you're there, not just peeping through a lens.
YouTube for iOS now works with Google's Cardboard headset
You no longer have to pick up an Android phone to watch YouTube videos with a Google Cardboard headset. YouTube has updated its iOS app to introduce Cardboard support, so you can watch any clip (not just virtual reality videos) using your iPhone and a low-cost paper box. You've already had 360-degree video support before, but this is a big deal if you'd rather not swipe the screen to view footage from every conceivable angle... or if you'd just like to immerse yourself in 2D. There aren't any other big upgrades here, but Cardboard support may be all that matters if you've been itching to try VR without spending a fortune or switching phones.
Vuze camera offers 3D VR video for less than $800
HumanEyes swore up and down that its Vuze virtual reality camera would undercut the price of professional cams by thousands of dollars, and it clearly wasn't kidding around. The company has started taking pre-orders for its 3D 360-degree camera at a relatively modest $799. That's significantly less than the under-$1,000 target it set back in January, and a sliver of the cost of high-end alternatives -- even GoPro's upcoming Omni rig is likely to be much more expensive, and only shoots in 2D. You'll have to wait until the fall to get your unit, though, so don't count on using the Vuze for a VR vacation documentary.
Google takes you on a 360-degree tour of the Sydney Opera House
It's never been easier to visit historic places around the world, at least virtually. And now, thanks to a partnership with Google's Cultural Institute, the Sydney Opera House is letting people take a 360-degree video tour of its iconic arts center. The experience, which is roughly nine minutes long, features a performance from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and views of different areas around the location. It's perfect for those of you who haven't been to the Sydney Opera House, especially if you're hoping to go one day.
Disney forges a deal to use Nokia's VR camera
Nokia's Ozo virtual reality camera might have been a big gamble for a company best known for its former cellphone business, but it appears that this roll of the dice is paying off. Disney has struck a deal with Nokia to create VR "experiences" using the Ozo camera. Don't expect feature-length movies, at least not yet. This is more about making complements to those movies, such as the 360-degree cast interview for The Jungle Book.
YouTube now streams 360-degree live video
You no longer have to watch canned footage if you want to enjoy YouTube's support for 360-degree video. YouTube is rolling out live 360-degree streaming, giving you a chance to watch that concert, surgery or special event as if you were there. It'll get its first big use with "select" performances at Coachella this coming weekend, but we'd expect it to take off anywhere that VR-like video works.
The Orah 4i camera makes live 360-degree videos a reality
There are a few options out there for creating 360-degree video. Consumers like you and me would likely go for a portable camera like the Ricoh Theta or Kodak's SP360. Professionals, on the other hand, would opt for Google's 16-camera GoPro Jump rig, Lytro's Immerge or Nokia's Ozo. But there aren't too many options for those who want something in between, something that is higher quality than the handheld models but isn't quite as expensive as the pro ones. Additionally, none of these options livestream; they all require you to take out a memory card and do postproduction work to stitch it all together. The Orah 4i, however, aims to solve both issues. It's apparently the first-ever prosumer-level 360-degree cam to also support live video.
