Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

[Micha_cg]

Hi,

I'm very happy with my first VR test with Vray. Here a small tutorial. I try to use free software. I have found following software:
- PanoTools http://www.path.unimelb.edu.au/~dersch/
- PanoCube http://www.panoshow.com/panocube.htm
- HDRShop (v1 is enough) http://gl.ict.usc.edu/HDRShop/

First we install all this tools. The PanoCube works in drag&drop mode. If it is installed right, than an long-lat panorama can be drag&drop to the panocube.exe and a VR in mov format will be created.

Step by Step:

• - render an image with the box camera and use a image size ratio of 3:4
  - save this image and open it in HDRShop
  - convert it to a panorama image per menu "image - panorama - panoramic transformations" with parameters source format "Cubic Env (vertical cross )" and output format "latitude/Longitude" + output width = input height
  - if necessary, adjust gamma per menu "view - display curve"
  - save as LDR jpg
  - take this jpg and drop it to the PanoCube.exe
  - ready

Some thoughts:

• * HDRShop is expensive for commercial use, a free version can befind here: http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/siggraph/HDRIE/ but this version crash, if a HDR image from Vray is used
  * I hope, if the cylindrical camera works, we can avoid the panoramic transformation.
  * In my test of PanoCube I allways get the same size of mov resolution and I don't know why. Maybe, this version is limited. Could be nice if somebody find an other free way.

Here a simple example without textures:
www.simulacrum.de/download/VrayVRTest.mov

[craiggorton]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

I really appreciate that post! I'm going to try it soon- I've been wanting to learn to do that.

Thanks

[craiggorton]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Micha,
By mov resolution, do you mean the window size of the movie? Did you try changing the numbers in the script file that came with panocube? It can go to 800x800 and there's a setting for quality.

I've had pretty good luck with this- thanks for the tutorial!

[Micha_cg]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Thank you too, I have totaly overseen this little script file. Very easy to use.

[flipside]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Nice one micha!

I don't think cyl cam is good for this, it will never capture the whole 360? scene. It is either spherical or fisheye that you need for that, I have done it in vray for max, I'll have to check it out again.

[Micha_cg]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

The problem of spherical or fisheye could be, that the the resolution is not constant at the whole image. The box camera is quite good at this point.
Is the cyl cam (point) not the same like the lat-long format?

Wouter, an other question: what is your expierence about the memory usage at Vray for Max. Is it normal that 8 high res textures need 1 GB RAM for rendering? In the past I have used AIR and the memory usage was very low most , approx. < 100MB.

[flipside]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

True about resolution.

Cylindrical will never capture the whole scene:
http://www.spot3d.com/vray/help/VRay...les_camera.htm

The lat/long format is an unwarped image from for example a mirrored ball.

[Micha_cg]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Why should a cylindrical camera (point) not capture the whole scene? You could set a FOV of 360? and a vertical viewangle of 180?.
I'm curious how we can control it. I think, we need a second parameter for the vertical angle, because the Rhino camera dosn't support 180?.

Here an update of my VR file, now with textures. I'm very curious to see it in full resolution without the limits of the beta (1600x1200).

Rendertime approx. 1h at a P4 2.6GHz - size 450k

http://rapidshare.de/files/11901253/WELLNESS_K.mov.html

[Thomas An._cg]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Nice !

Your tutorial has been added here (including the links for the PanoTools and PanoCube): http://www.asgvis.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=803#803

Thanks for this tutorial Micha !

[Thomas An._cg]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Micha, have you also tried this free tool ? (But it needs Java)
http://www.all-in-one.ee/~dersch/

[Micha_cg]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Thank you Thomas.

Some weeks befor I have tested this tools, but I had some problems. I think, I will do some tests more with it in the next time. With Vray it makes fun.

-Micha

[Micha_cg]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Now, the cylindrical camera is implemented in Vray for Rhino and we can use it for a VR movie. Thank you Vray/Asgvis team.

Today I have rendered an interior panorama of my current project. The scene is not full finished. I have rendered a 360? view in a resolution of 1600x800 (important for the panocube is ratio of 2:1). I seems to be, a good movie size is movie height = 0.5 * rendering height. HDRShop is not needed now. Rendertime was approx. 2h at a P4 2.6GHz 750MB. I'm curious on higher resoultions without limit.

test VR movie (216k)
http://www.simulacrum.de/download/PANORAMA_02.mov

[craiggorton]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Micha,

Can you post your camera settings? I can't seem to make this work.
I'm using cylindrical (ortho), override FOV, 360.
I'm rendering a perspective viewport at 1600x800 and the viewport lens length is 50mm.
The height setting in the camera settings seems to have an effect. If I use 800 I get a very narrow rendering. 100 makes it closer.
But when I create the jpg and drag it onto Panocube I get a pano with incorrect seams.

Thanks,
Craig

[Micha_cg]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

Craig, if you use a cylindrical point (!) camera anything will be good. The height can not be controled independent from the FOV in cylindrical point camera mode, but if you use FOV 360 than you get anything around.

If you can, post your VR movie.

[craiggorton]

Virtual Reality in mov format - a free quick start

I tried cylindrical (point) just now- I get weird results. FOV = 360. I am positioning the camera with a point in the center if the room. Does it matter which direction the target is? What about the lens length?
Thanks