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What
is The VR Worx?
The VR Worx is
the new suite of QuickTime VR tools from VR Toolbox. The VR Worx
combines all our QTVR solutions into a single integrated interface,
a studio environment, creating the ideal tool suite for the user
who needs all that QuickTime VR has to offer. The VR Worx gives you
the ability to generate QTVR Panoramic movies, Object movies and
Multi-node scenes, involving advanced elements that push the QuickTime
VR envelope . . . incorporating aspects of this exciting technology
not seen in any other QTVR product.
Explore the potential
of e-commerce, showing panoramic movies of real estate or visiting
travel and leisure destinations. Incorporate object movies for on-line
product catalogs, training and instruction and more. Create multi-node
virtual environments with panoramas, objects, still images and linear
movies. So many things, from products to parts, artifacts to works
of art, showrooms to corporate facilities come to life when viewed
from any vantage point . . . the possibilities are endless.
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What
is the difference between Apple's QTVR Authoring Studio and The
VR Worx?
QuickTime VR is
fast becoming one of the most important assets a content provider
can have, bringing a new level of interactivity and motion to web
design and multimedia productions with panoramic movies, object movies
and multi-node movies. Now, VR Toolbox presents a line of QTVR authoring
tools that give the user the ability to really take advantage of
all that QuickTime VR has to offer. In all VR Toolbox products, the
user can create interactive QuickTime VR movies quickly, simply and
professionally, with any kind of camera . . . film, digital, or video.
Explore the potential
of e-commerce, like showing movies of real estate or visiting travel
and leisure destinations such as tour museums, galleries, archeological
sites, educational centers, and more. Incorporate object movies for
on-line product catalogs, training and instruction and more. Any
object, large or small, which needs to be viewed from every angle,
can be shaped into an interactive experience for the user's audience.
So many things, from products to parts, artifacts to works of art,
show rooms to corporate facilities come to life when viewable from
any direction . . . the possibilities are endless.
There are a number
of things that distinguish VR Toolbox products from products offered
by other manufacturers. One of the most significant is that VR Toolbox
is the only company that offers an entire line of professional level
QTVR authoring tools, which are cross platform. Also noteworthy is
that each aspect of QuickTime VR is available individually (QTVR
Panoramic Movies, QTVR Object Movies, QTVR Multi-node Movies), as
stand-alone tools. The individual program templates are cross-platform,
so files can be developed on both Macintosh and PC computers. The
Macintosh programs feature built-in image editors in VR PanoWorx
and VR ObjectWorx. VR ObjectWorx has frame-based animation capabilities
and the Mac version features sound support and background blue screening.
VR SceneWorx is the only QTVR scene editor that can import Linear
QuickTime Movies and Still Images, in addition to QTVR Panos and
QTVR Object movies.
The VR Worx is
the only QTVR Authoring tool or suite available today, which is built
on QuickTime 4. It is also the only tool suite available for both
the Mac OS and Windows (95, 98, NT). It has all the latest features
we have developed, and many features not found in our stand-alone
tools.
Comparison of Apple's
QuickTime VR Authoring Studio to the VR Toolbox Line.
Since Apple's QuickTime
VR Authoring Studio is the most highly visible and well-known QTVR
suite, we are using it as a standard for comparison. The following
paragraphs describe some of the features that VR Toolbox products
include, many of which, Apple's QuickTime VR Authoring Studio does
not. One advantage that all VR Toolbox products possess is our cross-platform
availability. Not only are all products available on both Windows
and the Mac OS, but files are interchangeable. One can start a project
on a Mac and finish it on Windows.
VR PanoWorx is
quite similar, but does feature an extremely intuitive stitcher in
comparison to the QTVRAS. VRPW is the only QTVR program that includes
a built-in image editor, with a familiar palette, so the user can
set type, paint colors, draw, clone, smudge, etc., directly from
within VRPW without having to export the images to Photoshop, or
similar tool. VRPW supports unlimited hot spots that can be assigned
a number of different attributes. Also, tabbed interface is very
simple for the user to use, since it "holds your hand" through
the process and won't let the user proceed to a panel until all the
required commands in the present step have been met. VRPW incorporates
an annotation pane, which takes advantage of most of the custom settings
that QuickTime VR has to offer. Also, since this is a single program,
not a suite, as QTVRAS is, the cost is considerably less.
VR ObjectWorx has
quite a number of features that Apple's tool does not, including
frame-based animation, background masking (blue-screening process
. . . or green or red), support for sound integration, and again,
annotation which allows access to most of the custom settings that
QuickTime VR has to offer. VROW also has a built-in image editor.
VROW is the only program made by any company that has built-in support
for mechanized object rigs (Kaidan being the most well-known maker
of these) which allows VROW to turn the mechanism's turntable, position
the camera arm, fire the camera and download the images directly
from the program. With QTVRAS, you must use the Kaidan software to
perform the mechanism functions, then switch over to QTVRAS to acquire
the images. Also with VROW, there are the price point and single
application issues.
VR SceneWorx features
a couple of things that are missing from the Apple product. First,
it not only links panoramic and object movies as nodes like QTVRAS,
but also will link still images and linear QuickTime movies as well.
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How
difficult is it to learn the program?
The VR Worx user
interface has been designed to follow a tab driven, step-by-step
method of creating QuickTime VR panoramas, object movies and multi-node
movies. Each tabbed section will require the user to input information
before proceeding on to the next step. The VR Worx provides an intuitive
and logical manner into the creative world of QuickTime VR.
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What
are the system requirements and what do I need to get started?
What you need
to get started can be broken down into two sections, the type of
hardware requirements to run the software and the type of hardware
you need to capture your images. The VR Worx 2.5 is cross-platform,
so it will run on both MAC and PC.
The system requirements
for the MAC are:
Macintosh Power PC (or compatible)
System Software 10.1.2 (or later)
QuickTime 6.4 (or later)
The system requirements
for the PC are:
Pentium class CPU
Windows NT, 2000, XP
QuickTime 6.4 for Windows (or later)
512 MB system memory
To start capturing
your images you can use any camera, from a disposable camera to
a 35mm SLR, digital still or video camera. The lenses should be
rectilinearly corrected to provide a minimum of distortion so that
straight lines appear straight.
Although The
VR Worx software is sophisticated enough to correct errors in the
alignment of hand held photos, a tripod with a panoramic head and
leveling device should be used.
Professionals
prefer finely machined motorized turntables specifically marketed
for creating object movies, but a pantry turntable (sometimes called
a Lazy-Susan) could be used and modified to provide a sophisticated
tool.
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I've
misplaced my registration card containing my key code, how
can I get a new key code?
Our sales department
will be more than happy to receive your call, gather some vital
information and issue you a new key code.
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What
is a Scratch Disk and how does it affect program performance?
Whenever
working with a project, The VR Worx stores all of its intermediate
image data calculations on its scratch disk. When a project
is saved, the data from the scratch disk is written to the
specified file. The scratch disk space requirements can be
rather high, so a location should be chosen with a fair amount
of free disk space. It must also be kept in mind that The VR
Worx relies heavily on its scratch disk; so choosing the fastest
disk available will enhance The VR Worx's performance.
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I
just purchased a VR Toolbox product and I'm having problems
installing. What can I do?
You
may experience problems such as the inability to save a project
file or exporting to QTVR format after installing the full
version. This usually means that a demo or an associated preferences
file from the demo is still residing somewhere on your hard
drive. Before installing the full version, uninstall the
demo and make sure that all the preferences related to the
demo are deleted. There may be some instances when you may have to go into the Program Files
folder (PC's) and physically delete the VR Toolbox folder and all it's contents after running the Add/Remove applet
or go into your Systems Folder\Preferences (Mac's)
and delete the preferences file. Empty the Recycle Bin or Trash and perform a fresh install. Upon starting the application,
you should receive a splash screen and a dialog box to enter
your registration information.
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I'm receiving the error message "Sorry, the operation could not be completed due to a system error: (Access denied)" during the installation of VR Worx 2.6 on Mac OS X. What can I do?
If you're trying to install VR Worx 2.6 on Mac OS X, and receive this message, it's possible that there are some files causing a conflict and preventing the installation. To correct this, perform a search for VR Worx using the Finder menu (File menu and select Find or Command + F). The files you may find are:
If the files and folders are found, select them and drag them to the Trash. Launch the VR Worx 2.6 installer to install the application.
