With the hot VR fire, 360-degree panoramic video also followed. So, what is the relationship between 360-degree panoramic video and VR? In order to clarify this issue, we first need to understand the difference between 360-degree panoramic video and VR video.
OZO
360-degree panoramic video and VR video
360-degree panoramic video is composed of multiple cameras with 360-degree no-dead-angle shooting of objects, more emphasis on all-round visible, more like a dynamic panorama support multi-angle playback. At present, there are three ways to obtain 360-degree panoramic video, real shot acquisition, CG production, and real shot combined with CG production.
VR video also uses a 360-degree full-view stereoscopic shooting. However, it requires CG and virtual engine technologies to present virtual scenes that are comparable to reality. The biggest difference from 360-degree panoramic video is that VR video allows users to fully immerse themselves in virtual scenes and interact with virtual environments in this virtual world.
At present, most 360-degree panoramic videos have been tagged with VR video. In fact, this is a misunderstanding. The 360-degree panoramic video has existed for some time in the early years, but it has only been revisited by VR. However, in the case of poor quality VR content, 360-degree panoramic video can guide users to understand VR, which is an introduction drug that leads the user to the VR era, and also sets a good example for VR video shooting. The cost of real VR video production is high. Users need to wear high-end VR headsets to have a good experience.
According to reports, the cost of producing a 4-minute VR video clip requires at least 600,000. Wang Hui, the person in charge of LeTV's VR content center, once bluntly stated that there is a huge financial need for VR content production. For many small content teams in China, investing in a VR animation may have to bet on the assets of the entire company. Therefore, the popularity of VR video still has a long way to go. It is still the world of 360-degree panoramic video.
Google Jump
Giants have laid out 360-degree panoramic videos one after another
According to the forecast of Goldman Sachs, by 2020, the number of VR video users will reach 24 million, and the revenue will be as high as 800 million U.S. dollars. Given that VR hardware is being perfected and premium content is extremely scarce, it is not difficult to predict that in the early days of VR, 360° panoramic video will be the main theme of the VR video market, and the market is huge. Therefore, many technology giants have already laid out the field.
Facebook provided 360-degree full-view video content in the news push service and also released related designs for the Surround 360-degree panoramic camera. Google launched the 360-degree panoramic video channel of its video platform, YouTube, and released the 360-degree panoramic camera Google Jump. Samsung and Nokia made layouts in the hardware field, respectively releasing the 360-degree panoramic camera Gear 360 and OZO.
Throughout the country, LeTV, Tencent, Baidu video, iQIYI, Youku Tudou, etc. are all making efforts in the field of 360-degree panoramic video, hoping to successfully transition to VR video in the future. Some 360-degree panoramic video solutions providers are not emerging, such as seven-dimensional technology, interactive vision and so on. The software that supports VR video and 360-degree panoramic video is emerging in an endless stream, such as Orange VR, VR Steward, Ghost Kingdom, VR hit, 3D broadcast, LeTV VR and Wonderland VR player. In the VR video is not yet mature, these "pseudo-VR" hardware and content closer to the user and VR distance, to educate users, popular VR concept plays a significant role.
The layout of 360-degree panoramic videos by various manufacturers is actually in the layout of VR. After all, panoramic video is the basis of VR video. As VR hardware becomes increasingly sophisticated and content is extremely scarce, relying on panoramic video can accumulate certain users first. After VR video is matured and production costs are reduced, it is easier to transition users to VR video content. . On the other hand, the development of 360-degree panoramic cameras also provided technical support for the shooting of VR video. Therefore, regardless of content or hardware, panoramic video is the only way to VR video.