Quicktime VR: A Step-by-Step Presentation

by Steve Peltz

TechEd - Technology in Education Conference

Santa Clara California

What is Quicktime VR?

• Quicktime VR is an extension of the Apple QuickTime technology.
• It is used within homepages on the world wide web to allow users to interactively explore and examine realistic three-dimensional virtual worlds by standing inside a visual 360 degree panorama.
• It is kind of like taping a bunch of photographs together to make one long, wide panorama, and then taping the two ends together so that the pictures make a circle around you. Only this one is viewed on the world wide web and is interactively controlled by you.
• By using your mouse, you control how you want to view the image, how fast and far to rotate the image, and whether to zoom in or out.

What kind of media can Quicktime VR create?

The QuickTime VR Authoring process actually allows you to create three different types of QuickTime VR media: panoramas, objects, and scenes.

Panoramas

• A Quicktime VR panorama lets you view a scene, like an outdoor vista or a room, from one central pivotal point (called a node). A full panorama can be panned horizontally 360 degrees to provide the illusion that you are standing in the center of the panorama looking out all around you. This type of Quicktime VR media also allows the user to zoom and in out of each view to see detail or achieve maximum resolution.
• It is the perfect vehicle to allow others to see what your college campus looks like.
• There are also several other examples of panoramas available from various sites on the web.

Objects

• A Quicktime VR object allows the user to view a three-dimensional object like a running shoe, a dinosaur bone, or an automobile from a variety of angles.
• Many automobile manufacturers are now using QTVR images to show off the interior and exterior features of their newest models on their homepage sites.

Scenes

• Object and panorama movies can be combined together to form a scene, which is a collection of several panoramas or nodes all linked together by interactive hot spots.
• In a multi-node scene, a user can navigate from node to node to move about the scene. For example, a hot spot in a museum might take you to another room in the museum or could allow you to manipulate one of the objects in the museum.

A brief overview of the Quicktime VR process

• Set up the camera and tripod at the location desired with precise leveling.
• Plan and photograph the panorama. Take a series of individual pictures from one spot by sequentially rotating the camera and taking 12 - 20 overlapping pictures (the number of pictures depends on the angle of lens coverage).
• For each of our campus panoramas created for our college's homepage, sixteen consecutive digital photographs were captured using a Kodak DC50 digital camera mounted on a specially designed rotating tripod head.
• If you use a digital camera, download the images to your Power Macintosh computer. This can take up to a half an hour for all of the images to download depending on the speed of your computer.
• Each image then has to be opened independently and converted to a PICT format so the Quicktime VR Authoring Studio software can work with it to make the finished VR media and so it can be manipulated in Adobe Photoshop if desired.
• The software that comes with digital cameras should work quite nicely. We use a program called PhotoEnhancer¨.
• If you use a 35mm camera, have the slides processed and then digitize the images by scanning them with a slide scanner or have them put on a Photo CD by a local service provider.
• Using special Quicktime VR Authoring Studio software, the images are blended together into a long seamless panorama and both ends are attached together.
• The finished VR panoramic media is linked to your website, ready for viewing.
• Adding optional hot spots to your single-node movie will enable the user to jump from scene to scene or from room to room. These are a bit harder to create and put together and take a lot of time to download over the web.
• Many users incorporate hot spots when creating tours on CD-ROM.

What equipment is necessary to produce Quicktime VR media?

There are very specific hardware and software requirements necessary to produce Quicktime VR media. You will need a Power Macintosh computer, a camera, a tripod with a special rotating panoramic head, and some specific software. Here are the details:

Power Macintosh Computer

• Mac OS based computer with a PowerPC processor
• A minimum of 32 MB of RAM. 16 MB RAM must be available for the Quicktime VR Authoring Studio program to operate. So if your system takes up more than 16 MB of RAM by itself, you will need more than the 32 MB minimum.
• At least 40 MB of space available on your hard disk.
• A CD-ROM drive.

Image Capture Equipment

QuickTime VR object and panorama movies are based on digital images. So you will either need to use a digital camera or you will have to take slides with a 35mm camera and digitize them after they are processed. More on this later. Either way, some specific equipment is required as follows:

Film Camera

• Use a 35 mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera with a lens that can be manually focused and manually adjusted for exposure.
• Use a high-quality slide film with good latitude for best results.
• A wide angle lens is recommended, like a 28mm or 24mm.
• The resultant slides must then be developed and digitized and either put on a Photo CD or a portable storage device like a zip drive.

Digital Camera

• The big advantage of using a digital camera is that the images are available right away to download and work with.
• They don't have to be developed first and then digitized.
• The Kodak DC 50 or the DC 120 with power zoom are good for making quick and easy object movies. They feature automatic exposure with computer-controlled shutter speeds from 1/30 to 1/175 of a second and apertures from f/2.8 to f/16 and offer a focus range from 4 feet to infinity.
• Use the camera in the wide angle mode for best results.
• The images can be downloaded directly to your computer's hard disk.
• Another advantage is that after the initial purchase of the camera, it is very inexpensive to use.
• The biggest disadvantage is actually the automatic exposure feature. It sometimes results in exposure variations because of different lighting factors. But these can usually be overcome through manipulation in Adobe Photoshop.

Support Equipment

The following support equipment is also required:

• A sturdy tripod with a sturdy pan/tilt head, like the Bogen 3246 or Star D Professional.
• An adjustable panoramic head and bracket, like the Kaidan QuickPan Model QP - 1B with QPK-1 bracket.
• If your camera does not have auto exposure, a hand held light meter is required, like the Minolta Auto Meter III or a Gossen Luna Pro.
• A double spirit level that mounts on the camera flash shoe and/or a bubble level.

Software

• The 1997 version of Apple's Quicktime VR Authoring Studio software, version 1.0
• Load the software on to your computer from the CD-ROM along with all of the appropriate Quicktime VR applications and plug -ins.

Step One - Decide on a location for your panorama and when to do it

Believe it or not, most people don't spend enough time picking the right spot to take their 360 degree panoramic pictures. It should not only be a place of interest but should also be relatively free of problems. Brown grass spots, telephone poles, cracked cement or asphalt, and cracked paint on buildings are all problems. Sure you can take them out later in Adobe Photoshop, but sometimes just by moving a few feet to a slightly different location, you can still retain the interest and charm of your same general location without having to spend the time of photo touch-ups later.

But just as important as where you take your pictures is when you take them. Quicktime VR images should be taken as close to noon as possible, or in other words, when the sun is straight over head. This insures that you won't have lens flare problems from the sun hitting the front of your lens. Even with a lens hood, the sun can ruin an otherwise excellent panorama by reducing contrast and softening the image.

Also, be aware of what is happening in the sky. Deep blue skies and puffy clouds can add a great deal to the overall impact of your finished image. So sometimes it is best to determine your locations for taking your panoramas and then wait for just the right day when the clouds and sky are just right. It could make the difference in recording a good series of images or a great series of images.

Step Two - Setting up the tripod, panoramic head and bracket, and the camera

To set up and level the tripod and camera rig, follow these steps:

• Set up the tripod and extend the tripod legs to achieve a comfortable working height.
• Mount the pano/tilt head to the tripod.
• Attach the camera bracket to the pano head.
• If available, set the incremental stop adjustments on the pano head to allow for a 20-30% overlap between each subsequent exposure.
• Adjust the pan/tilt head so that it is precisely level according to the axial bubble level.
• Tighten all adjustment knobs so that it is secure.
• Mount the camera to the camera bracket vertically so the exposures will be taken in the portrait mode.
• Attach the double spirit level to the flash shoe and level the camera.
• Set the nodal point of the camera directly over the center axis of the tripod head. This is done by moving the bracket and pano head adjustments backward and forward and left to right. Record these settings so you can do this quickly next time.
• Make sure the double spirit level mounted on the camera still indicates that everything is level--make any final adjustments that are necessary.

Step Three - Photographing the Images

• Start by taking the first picture of the scene that contains the most interest. This view will come up first on the screen when the final panorama is posted on the web. Make sure not to bump or move the camera rig at any time during the entire process.
• Rotate the camera rig clockwise for the next image and continue to take a complete series of overlapping pictures from the same spot in a complete 360 degree circle, rotating the camera on the centered tripod axis for each picture.
• Use a consistent overlap (about 20-30%) between each image in the panorama. If you are using a commercially made adjustable panoramic head and bracket, like the Kaidan QuickPan Model QP - 1B with QPK-1 bracket, the overlap will be done for you automatically.
• You'll take a total of 12-20 images to cover the full panorama with all of the overlap.
• Maintain consistency between images in each panorama by using similar exposures and fixed focus. If your camera has an automatic exposure control like most of digital cameras employ, you will probably have to use Photoshop later before stitching the images together to adjust and match the exposures.
• Try to shoot consecutive frames within a couple of seconds. If someone or something passes through your scene, it's better to wait a few minutes and resume shooting when the movement is over.
• If you want people in the scene, try to put them in the middle of an image so they will not be in the overlap area on either side and thus become a "ghost" in the final panorama.
• With the Kodak DC50 digital camera and the Kaidan QuickPan rig, a total of 16 images is required to cover the full panoramic scene.

Step Four - Place the images in digital format on the computer

If you are using a digital camera:

 

• Simply download your images to your computer. This is done with software that usually comes with the camera. Kodak cameras come with a program called PhotoEnhancer¨ which is very easy to use. Downloading one panoramic scene (16 images) usually takes from five to twenty minutes depending on the speed of your computer.
• After the images have been downloaded on to the computer, they will need to be converted to PICT format so the Quicktime VR Authoring Suite software can work with them. Also, the PICT format is easy for Adobe Photoshop to open and work with if you need to adjust any of your images for color and contrast or if you need to match adjacent images for content.

If you are using a 35mm camera:

• Have your slide film processed and then have the images digitized and put on to a Photo CD.
• This format can be easily used by the computer. However, the entire slide to Photo CD process is quite a bit more expensive and time consuming than the digital camera solution.
• On the other hand, the Photo CD process does have several advantages over digital cameras:

• It provides better resolution than can be achieved with a digital camera. So if you want the very highest quality possible and are willing to sacrifice a bit of time and money, this is the way to go.
• It works well for a high volume of images. You can do a whole lot of panoramic scenes at the same time and have them all put on the same Photo CD.
• It automatically provides multiple resolutions for each image.
• It saves space on your hard disks and provides an easy way to archive your source images.

Step Five - Check your images for quality and consistency

After you have digitized your images, use Adobe Photoshop to match adjoining images for color, contrast, and content.

• First, create a folder and put all the images for one panorama in it.
• Put each image in sequential order by renaming each of the files. Start with the image you want to come up on your web page first and call it 01. The Quicktime software gets less confused if all of the numbers are two digits.
• Now open file 01 in Photoshop and use the tools available to optimize for contrast and color. Select Image Size and change the resolution of your image to 72 pixels per inch to coincide with a monitors output. This will also reduce the size of the image file size. Keep the 01 file open.
• Now rename the next sequential file 02 . This is the image that connects and overlaps the right side of image 01.
• With file 01 still open in Photoshop, open file 02, optimize for contrast and color to match image 01. Use the rubber stamp tool if necessary to match any inconsistent data from one image to the next.
• Once satisfied, save changes to both files and close file 01.
• Find the next sequential file and name it 03 and follow the same matching procedure as above.
• Repeat for all 16 images of the panorama (or however many images your camera rig required for the complete 360 degree circle).
• Make sure that image 16 not only matches image 15 but also image 01.

Step Six - Stitch a panorama from a series of sequential images

To make a panorama from a series of images, follow these steps:

• Double click the Quicktime VR Authoring Studio icon to activate the software.
• From the File menu choose New, then select Panorama Stitcher.
• A dialog box appears--type a name for your panorama stitcher document. This document is a record of your stitching session. Click Save. If the stitch doesn't completely come out right and you want to make a few changes, you don't have to start all over from scratch.
• The panorama stitcher window opens. You will need to make a few settings before you begin the stitching process. Open the Lens window and select the lens or digital camera type that you used to create your images. If your camera type or lens does not appear, you will need to choose Edit, click New, and add the appropriate information.
• Click on the Add Images button. A dialog box appears. Select all of the images that you want to make up you panorama and click Open.
• Each of the images will appear in the panorama stitcher window. Make sure they are all in order. If not, go back and change their file names so that they are in sequential order, or click one of the Sort buttons to change the order of the images.
• If the images are not straight up and down (they may be placed on their side in the window), hit one of the Rotate arrow buttons to turn them and place them right side up.
• Make sure the Images Wrapped box is checked on the stitcher window, telling the stitcher to make a complete 360 degree panoramic image by stitching the two ends together.
• Click the Image Alignment button. Enter the number of degrees between each image. This can be found by dividing 360 by the number of images used for the whole panorama.
• Hit the Recalculate button. The software will automatically calculate the overlap in pixels and other information it needs to successfully perform the stitch. Click OK.
• Uncheck the Tile and Pano buttons listed under Output Files on the stitcher window. This tells the software to only stitch the images together at this time and not to complete the whole process of creating a finished panorama movie. By just creating a stitched PICT file at this time, you have the opportunity to edit or retouch the file further in Adobe Photoshop before completing the rest of the process. You can also diagnose any problems with how the software performed the stitch and choose to make some changes in your settings and do it again if desired. For instance, if the overlap and subsequent alignment was not done correctly, you can change the settings in the Image Alignment window and perform the stitch again.
• Check to make sure that the location listed next to the PICT button is where you want the finished stitch image to be placed. If not, click the PICT button and when the dialog window appears, enter the name and location for the finished stitched PICT.
• Click the Settings button. Under the Image tab, check all but the Stretch box to automatically blend, sharpen, and auto size your image. Under the Compression tab, check the Auto box in the Tiles area to automatically calculate the proper tiling for your image. Under the Compression area, select Settings and change the compressor to Photo JPEG. This is the best compression method in creating high quality Quicktime VR media. Click OK and then OK again.
• Click the Stitch Pano button to perform the stitching process.

Step Seven - Evaluate and retouch the finished stitched image

After the software is through stitching all of the images together, you will have one very long PICT image. Open Adobe Photoshop and open the new stitched PICT image. You may have to rotate it and resize it to be able to see it and evaluate it effectively.

First, evaluate how the Quicktime VR Authoring software did its job:

• If the stitching lines are visible or if certain parts of the picture don't match or line up right, you can fix most small errors in Adobe Photoshop through the use of the various painting, blending, blurring, and rubber stamp tools available.
• If the stitching is really poor, you may decide to go back to the Quicktime VR Authoring Suite software, make some changes in the settings, and do the stitch over again. Then open that second stitch in Photoshop and make any further adjustments necessary.
• This will have to be a judgement call on your part as to which method will result in the best final stitched image. Either way, when you are through with your changes in Photoshop, save the image again in PICT format. Remember, this is your last chance to make any changes in the appearance of the final panorama image, so don't go on to the next step until you are happy with the entire panorama.

Step Eight - Use the Quicktime VR software to make the final panorama

• Close the Photoshop application in order to make room in your RAM memory for the Quicktime VR Authoring software to open and function.
• Open the Quicktime VR Authoring Suite.
• From the File menu choose New, then select Panorama Maker.
• A dialog box appears as before--type a name for your final panorama document and click Save.
• The panorama maker window opens. It looks and operates much like the stitching window did but doesn't have all of the options and settings to make. You will need to check a few settings before you begin.
• Click the Settings button. Under the Compression tab, check to make sure the Compression settings are still set for Photo JPEG. If not, click the Settings button and set Photo JPEG - Best Depth - High Quality. Click OK and then OK again.
• Check the Tile and Pano buttons listed under Output Files.
• Click on the Add Image button. A dialog box appears. Find the panorama image you want to use and click Open.
• The image will appear in the panorama maker window. Rotate it if necessary by hitting one of the Rotate arrow buttons.
• Click the Make Pano button to perform the stitching process. It will take a few seconds to make the finished Quicktime VR media image.

Step Nine- Evaluate the finished Quicktime

VR panorama When the Quicktime VR Authoring software has finished the panorama maker process, a window will appear on the screen with your finished Quicktime VR panorama displayed. Using this window, you can view the panorama and adjust the playback settings if necessary. If you make changes in the playback settings, click Playback Settings and then remake the panorama using the new settings. Please make note and write down the height and width of your finished Quicktime VR media. You will need this information later when you post the image on the web.

Close the playback window and choose Quit from the File menu of Quicktime VR Authoring Studio.

Step Ten - Publish the finished Quicktime VR panorama on the web

To publish your finished panorama on the web, you will need to design a web page to link it to. Web page development is of course beyond the scope of this presentation. However, these are the steps to take to link to your web page:

• Find the Simple Text application on your computer. It comes for free with many other applications to help you read their last minute instructions etc.
• Double click on Simple Text to open it and a new untitled document will open.
• Type the following embed statement exactly, including the spaces as shown.
• <embed src="mov/VR.Center.mov" height=240 width=320>
  • The words between the quotation marks should be the exact name and location of your finished Quicktime VR media that you want to publish. In this case, the file folder is called mov.
  • The height and width dimensions should match those of your finished panorama.
  • There is a space between the words embed and src, between the last quotation mark " and the word height, and before the word width.
• Save the document with a short name followed by a period and the letters html, no spaces.
• Close the document and quit Simple Text.
• Open Netscape and go to any active homepage location.
• From the computer desktop, grab the icon for the html document that you created earlier and drag it right on top of the open Netscape location. The Simple Text document will change to a Netscape document.
• Now simply create a link from your web page to this new html document and the Quicktime VR movie will load and appear on the screen. Save your new altered web page and then copy both it and the new Quicktime VR html document to your server for complete web access by the public.
• Your Quicktime VR image(s) can now be accessed by anyone in the world that has Netscape and has downloaded the Quicktime VR software from Apple.
• You may want to include Apple's Quicktime URL on your web page for easy download access.

URL's - Quicktime VR resources on the World Wide Web

Software:

• AppleQuicktime VR Authoring Studio: www.apple.com/quicktime/qtvr/authoringstudio/
• Apple Quicktime Software Free Downloading site: www.apple.com/quicktime/

Digital Cameras:

• Canon : www.powershot.com
• Epson: www.epson.com/homeoffice/cameras/photopc600/
• Kodak: www.kodak.com/US/en/nav/digital.shtml
• Minolta: www.minolta.com/mo1/mo14/mo145e.html
• Nikon: www.nikonusa.com/products/products.qry?department=imaging
• Olympus: www.olympusamerica.com/digital/dhome.html
• Sony: www.sony.com/image

Panorama Rigs and Mounts:

• Kaidan: www.kaidan.com
• Peace River Studios: www.PeaceRiverStudios.com

Educational QTVR Sites:

• West Valley College: www.westvalley.edu/wvc/tour/
• Dixie Community College, Utah: www.dixie.edu/qtvr/index.html
• Penn State: www.alumni.psu.edu/vrpennstate/QTVR/
• University of North Carolina System: www.ga.unc.edu/UNC_Schools/vrtours/
• University of Sydney, Australia: www.vrx.net.au/syduni/qtvr/sydney-uni-qtvr.html
• Univ. of Melbourne, Australia: www.meu.unimelb.edu.au/sectionWebsites/photo/QTVR.html

Other Related QTVR Sites:

• Quicktime VR Showcase samples: http://qtvr.quicktime.apple.com/sam/sam.html
• Hawaii: www.hotspots.hawaii.com/h4qtvr.html NOVA
• Pyramid Site: www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/nova/pyramid
• Nieman Marcus Home Tours, IPIX: www.hgtv.com/shows/NMS.shtml
• PictureWorks: www.pictureworks.com/
• Scott Highton QTVR Photography: www.highton.com/index.html
• IPIX Gallary: www.ipix.com/
• Roundabout Logic: www.roundaboutlogic.com/
• Live Picture: www.livepicture.com

Updated on August 14, 2001