Guide: Anaglyph 3D content at DeoVR
Anaglyph video is one of the original and widely-used forms of 3D media, used to provide a simple form of immersion. It has decades of popularity, and we’re exploring bringing it to DeoVR. But what is it and how can virtual reality fans and creators use it?
What is anaglyph 3D content?
Anaglyph 3D content is visual media such as images or videos that have a three-dimensional effect when viewed using special glasses. The first known usage dates back to the mid-1800s but is most well-known for being used in a number of films in the late 20th century. It can be seen as a precursor to the VR180 and 360 content that’s popular today with modern VR headsets such as the Quest 3 and Valve Index.
How can I view anaglyph 3D content?
It can be viewed using special low-cost glasses. These glasses typically have two differently colored lenses, usually red and cyan. The images or videos are created with two slightly offset perspectives, one for each eye.
How does anaglyph 3D work?
When you wear anaglyph glasses, each eye sees a slightly different image because of the color difference in the lenses. Your brain then combines these two images, creating the perception of depth or a 3D effect. The red lens allows one eye to see one perspective, while the cyan lens lets the other eye see a slightly shifted perspective.
What visual content uses anaglyph?
This technique is commonly used in older 3D movies, comic books, or other visual media to give the illusion of depth without requiring expensive equipment.
Is anaglyph content as good as modern VR?
No, it’s generally regarded as being poorer quality but it is a widely used format and many old 3D movies from the 1980s and 90s use this method to create a sense of immersion.
Can anaglyph be viewed in VR?
There are a number of anaglyph VR videos on DeoVR, such as this one of the Pattaya Elephant Village filmed with the Panasonic 3DA1. But they require the red/cyan glasses. It comes down to two fundamentally different formats that require different devices: VR glasses, and anaglyph red/cyan 3D glasses.
We are exploring the possibility of natively supporting anaglyph 3D content by converting anaglyph to VR SBS but this is not possible with FFMPEG. Our devs are looking into other possibilities for a future update. Want to help out? Upload some test anaglyph files to your channel and contact our team at creator@deovr.com to test it out and try new ideas for converting the files.
Use Anaglyph mode at DeoVR to help stitch footage
Anaglyph mode is a tool for VR creators that shows how one picture will be seen relative to another. It greatly speeds up the alignment process when creating a quick preview of your VR footage before you stitch together your video. You can find the full details and the tool to download on our anaglyph mode at DeoVR blog.
Join the discussion at the DeoVR forum, Facebook and Reddit.
