Will "any" smart phone work for 3D or 360 degree viewing?

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Robert_341

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Jan 10, 2017
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All the articles are about "the best" or the maximum performance but I don't want to play games. All I want to do is look at 3D and 360 Degree Movies (yes...... non immersive). that said, it seems to me I don't need a smart phone with an accelerometer or a gryroscope: ie....all I should need is the most basic phone that will accept and display side by side video? But I can't find that said anywhere. One reviewer was complaining about using his Gear VR to watch movies because the gyro was forcing him to watch the movie with good posture when he wanted to lay down on the couch. Seems to a simple basic phone with no gyro would accomplish that. anyone know if the most basic smart phone would work.....or for some reason not?...... Thanks.
 
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I have an HTC Vive and Google Cardboard. Gave out Cardboard as Christmas presents. Phone latency is, meh. My iphone 5s has a resolution of 1136 x 640 and 326 pixels per inch. Lower resolution than the Vive but didn't have as bad as a screen door effect. Also the small screen did not work in my favor. The phone sat too low in my Cardboard and could only see a portion of the screen.

Your best bet really is to grab a GearVR specific phone if you want a VR phone experience that just works. I've had the liberty of trying GearVR at my place of work.

Most VR phone apps will work with whichever viewer. Some will be optimized for others. But anything that uses Cardboard should just run regardless of whether you have a Cardboard or no VR...
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Robert_341

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Jan 10, 2017
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Thanks off road. Good heads up regarding latency. do you know this by experience...or by general knowledge applied?....Or what I think might be the most common right now: having a $600 Edge 6 (whatever) that is broken and not working...for VR but still fully functional for 3D? Hmmm...while I don't think I want games....I wonder how a basic phone would play those anyway? I'm wondering if the hand held dongles would "walk you forward" in the scene, even if not immersed?

Of note: last night I got a side by side Youtube on my big screen tv and got a nice 3D effect simply by looking at the two pictures through two rolled up newspapers. Not comfortable....but proof of concept?
 
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offroadguy56

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Apr 3, 2013
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I have an HTC Vive and Google Cardboard. Gave out Cardboard as Christmas presents. Phone latency is, meh. My iphone 5s has a resolution of 1136 x 640 and 326 pixels per inch. Lower resolution than the Vive but didn't have as bad as a screen door effect. Also the small screen did not work in my favor. The phone sat too low in my Cardboard and could only see a portion of the screen.

Your best bet really is to grab a GearVR specific phone if you want a VR phone experience that just works. I've had the liberty of trying GearVR at my place of work.

Most VR phone apps will work with whichever viewer. Some will be optimized for others. But anything that uses Cardboard should just run regardless of whether you have a Cardboard or no VR headset at all.
 
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Robert_341

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Jan 10, 2017
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My concern isn't for the headset...but for the phone....and you are confirming what I think "should be" the state of affairs. I don't need a phone at all: I get by with a $2/year phone cost by using Skype. To spend $700 just to see if 3D/VR is worth it just violates my Scottish soul...... but I can be eased into it if the programs are enticing. I'm more into museum and nature visits than FPS. (First Person Shooters...although Frames per Second works too?). "Logically" I think a basic phone should work.... and you are confirming you think so too. Now....if some software check doesn't prevent the phone from showing the video..... should be in good shape?
 
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offroadguy56

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Right now the state of things for VR are tech demos and short games. There are promising games on the horizon like Raw Data for Vive. A vast majority of these 'games' are either a sitting or standing experience only with more fleshed out games allowing for room-scale freedom, Modbox for Vive for example.

Don't expect to get sharp details in VR. The screen technology just isn't up to that point right now. With the Vive it is very easy to count pixels. The Oculus Rift doesn't have as bad of this effect but it's still the same resolution per eye as the Vive. Now phone screens will have even fewer pixels per eye than their desktop counterparts.

For software checks, I know that the Google Cardboard apps and videos will run regardless of whether you have a headset or not. GearVR apps and videos on the other hand I'm not too sure. If you wanted you could run Cardboard apps with a GearVR headset.
 
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Robert_341

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Jan 10, 2017
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thanks Again Off Road, this might amuse you? More research happened upon just what I think I want: running 3D and 360 movies off a tablet which can be 7-10-12 inches with increasing resolution. Amazon sells a limited variety of headset goggles made for these as well. I fell on this via a comment that said if that is all I wanted, paying for the phone capability of a smart phone was wasting money....and that led me to the tablets. they do appear to offer about the same specs for half the cost? I have seen several with G-sensors, maybe one with a gyro...so a few are hitting the VR arena. Now the question really is after the Wow factor wears off....what resolution makes sense? ...and I'm not finding latency information in the specs. I could go real lowball and get a whole "childs" set up for less than $100===>which might be all I needed?

I also note I see my concern about the set up would work but I get denied by software is somewhat at play. Not having a phone, or any other android gaming or other device...I don't have access to the google store for the relevant apps to run the equipment. I assume once I buy a wifi only tablet, hook up to my router, all will be good?................... I hate learning curves. Also trying to find software to allow my computer to act as an android device. could even buy a touchscreen for what that would add. More curves..............along with my new video card that won't work. Posting that one in a few minutes. Thanks again......your comments and ideas welcomed.
 
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