4K 360 Video

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The release of the GoPro Hero4 Black cameras put 4K video output in the hands of the everyday consumer. This capability extends to the VR and panoramic video and photo communities, as 360Heros gear harnesses the power of these new cameras and makes it possible to produce spherical videos with resolutions as high as 12K. While playback options for content this large are extremely limited, outputting 4K 360 spherical videos is possible with all models of 360Heros gear.

For now, only planetarium domes, and other similar high-end solutions are capable to display spherical 12K content. This makes down-sampling a key strategy, as you will be able to view your content with the current display tech available while keeping higher resolution files for the future. 4K 360 video content is a different story, as display and playback technology can now support this resolution.

 

How to see spherical videos

In an effort to offer producers a viable solution for viewing their own work, 360Heros recently launched the world’s first 4K 360 Video Hosting and Syndication Center. 4K videos uploaded to this server are displayed in their new 360 video player that features the option to toggle between 4K, 2K, and 1K playback resolutions.

All producers are encouraged to upload content with a 4K resolution, as their servers will optimize the content for 4K, 2K, and 1K live streaming directly to the user’s phones. Additionally, during the upload process, you have the ability to adjust the bit rate for each video size and optimization. From there, subscribers have the option to download the optimized video in either MP4 or WEBM formats for viewing with the Gear VR or other head-mounted displays. Aside from optimizing and downloading content for VR gear, videos can also be embedded in any webpage along with their interactive player that is compatible with both mobile and desktop browsers.

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