360 video fallback

Q&A about the latest versions
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nidrig
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2018 11:39 am

hi,

How are the different video format handled in pano2vr?

The doc says " .. the browser will go through the list and play the first video it can play back."


For example: per default I provide a 8k 360 video (which can only be handled smoothly on powerful computers)
Then I provide other resolutions: 6k, 4k, 2k, 1k..

How can I know that the max resolution will be provided according to the device? For example, that the 8k won't try to play on an iphone 4, or to be sure that the 8k will play per default if possible.


Thanks.
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thomas
Chief Gnome
Posts: 2611
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 3:56 pm
Location: Vienna, Austria
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This is totally up to the browser. The browser starts downloading the file, and if it can't be played the browser switches to the next file.
MfG, Thomas
nidrig
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2018 11:39 am

hi again,

I wonder if the video fallback actually works.

I made the following tests:

Default 360 video file, 5k webm format
As alternative files:
5k mp4
1k webm
1k mp4

On desktop, if I set mp4 first, I have a black screen on chrome (works fine for the other browsers). It works fine if I set the webm format first.
Why doesn't chrome reads the webm if the mp4 cannot be played?

Worse on mobile (ios & android), it doesn't work at all (mp4 or webm, not matter the order). Actually, android tries to play the video, but it's a black screen. IOS doesn't even bother, displays the splash screen all the time.

If try to play the 5k video outside of pano2vr in the mobile browser, it cannot play (black screen, lags, etc). Thus I assume the mobile device is (obviously) not capable of playing such file.

But, the browser never tries to play the lower resolution file (1k video), which plays fine in the mobile browser out of pano2vr.

My two cents:

1. either the alternative files are never used/passed to the browser
2. to rely on the browser for a sensible choice isn't a good idea (the browser doesn't seem to be able to choose the correct file)

My wish (sth that already exists in krpano):

- to be able to set which file will play on which device, for example: desktop, android and ios.

Is that something that could be included in the beta version?
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