VR videos come to Youtube on Android
Time to grab the popcorn and dust off that Google Cardboard you've got stashed away; Youtube's just added VR videos to the site.
You can get pre-made Google Cardboard sets easily on Ebay and online retailers like Amazon if you don't want to make your own.
Youtube's slowly beefing up its video arsenal. Over the years, it's added the capability to view videos in HD, 60 frames per second, streaming and recently 360 degrees video. Now, it's added in VR video.
So what exact is VR video? Take a look at the video and it'll make everything clear.
Like the video says, VR video is pretty much like the 360 degree videos that are already on Youtube, in which you can look around in 360 degrees all around you. VR video does everything 360 degrees video can but takes it a step further; it gives a sense of depth to the video you're watching by showing slight different images to your left and right eye. That's why unlike 360 degrees videos, which work are perfectly viewable on a browser like Chrome, VR videos are blurry when you try to view them through a browser. Just a take a look at the Hunger Games Experience VR video and see what we mean.
The only way to view VR videos on Youtube is through the use of Google Cardboard, so if you've one lying around, you might want to try it out. On top of adding VR video to the site, Youtube's also given the Cardboard app the ability to view any content on the site, to give you a kind of a movie theater experience. We haven't had the chance to try this feature out yet, but we reckon it might be something like the Samsung Gear VR's Oculus Theater app.
If you can't wait to try it out, Youtube already has VR video content up and running. To get started you just need an Android phone, Google Cardboard and the Cardboard app which you can get from the Google Play store.
Between this and Google Cardboard being compatible with Street View, it seems like Google's cheap DIY viewer might be one of the best ways to experience VR if you don't want to shell out tons of cash for the premium headsets. However, if DIY isn't your thing and you don't mind spending a few dollars, there are some premium Google Cardboard headsets, like Mattel's excellent View-Master, you can get relatively cheap.
Source: Youtube
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