HereSphere VR Video Player
HereSphere is a cutting edge VR video player that enhances the immersiveness of stereoscopic VR videos. HereSphere’s comprehensive projection system allows for incredibly accurate projection of equirectangular and fisheye videos. It can correct lens distortions, camera stereo alignment errors, video stitching and production errors, and even adjusts the image to match the viewer’s IPD, head orientation, and position with its state-of-the-art autofocus depth algorithm.
HereSphere comes with the following additional features:
- Stream online videos from websites that implement supported web API’s, or stream directly from download links
- An advanced timestamped file tagging system with media library search tools, playlists, and autoseeking that will automatically jump to the desired tags
- Image post-processing tools, such as sharpening, color adjustments, and tone mapping
- Key-framed settings that can be set to different values for different points in time, allowing the player to load the ideal settings for each scene
- Emulated spatial audio, which shifts the stereo audio signal depending on the orientation of the viewer
- Simultaneous playback of multiple flat-screen videos, with audio that automatically focuses on the video in front of the viewer
- Local timestamp server to synchronize peripherals
- Support for motion controllers, gamepad, keyboard, and mouse
Current VR video technology uses two stationary cameras with wide-angle fisheye lenses to capture stereo video. Projecting the recorded images onto a VR headset display comes with several challenges, which HereSphere seeks to overcome.
First, the fisheye lenses produce optical distortions. These distortions are typically handled in post-production by converting the fisheye images to an equirectangular format. However, the wrong lens profile may be applied during the conversion process, leading to unwanted distortions in the final image. HereSphere handles this issue with its wide range of lens profiles with adjustable FOV’s, which it can convert between lens profiles. It even has the option to use custom lens distortion curves, allowing it to handle any raw fisheye lens or equirectangular conversion.
Second, the positions of the stereo cameras are locked in at the time of recording. To properly perceive depth and scale, the human visual system depends on the convergence of our eyes (the angle at which our eyes need to rotate to focus on an object). If the distance between the stereo cameras doesn’t match the distance between the eyes of the viewer, then the convergence angle required to focus on an object will not match reality for the viewer. In addition, if the viewer rotates or moves their head, their eyes will no longer be in alignment with the position and orientation of the stationary cameras. This leads to double-vision, eyestrain, and an inaccurate perception of depth and scale. HereSphere solves this issue by using a mathematical model with real-time depth detection to adjust the projection to match different IPD’s, head orientations, and even tracks the viewer’s position to emulate motion with 6DOF.
Third, there will be errors in the alignment and orientation of the stereo cameras relative to each other, as well as manufacturing errors in the placement of the camera photosensors, and post-production stitching errors. Our eyes can be incredibly perceptive, so a fraction of a degree off in rotational alignment, or a fraction of a millimeter off in positional alignment, or a few pixels off during the stitching process, can all lead to eyestrain, depth perception, and scale issues. HereSphere uses a comprehensive list of stitching and alignment settings to correct these errors. The depth detection algorithm outputs distance readings and can be used with an anaglyph view mode that allows the viewer to easily see and adjust the images to be perfectly aligned with convincing depth.
When all of these issues are handled, the resulting image becomes incredibly clear, free from eye-strain, and the sense of immersion is greatly enhanced.
HereSphere relies on Windows Media Foundation and hardware accelerated decoding for video playback. In order to play h265/HEVC videos, the HEVC extension for Windows must be installed. h264 videos must not be greater than 4k resolution and can only have 8-bit color depth, due to the limitations of hardware accelerated decoding of h264 videos.
Game Discussion
Steam User 3
Still the best VR Video player although a long while no updating
Steam User 0
I like a lot of screen settings, you can move it and scale as you want.
For now 2 minuses for me:
1. If you change the speed of a playback - audio pitch also increases, but it shouldn't
2. A bigger minus - if video has multiple audio tracks, the player can't switch them properly. So i use ffmpeg to delete all unnecessary audio tracks and it takes 15 minutes =(
Steam User 2
I discovered HereSphere after trying MANY other desktop VR-video players throughout the years - and I am not going back.
My 3 main positives:
1. It genuinely improves the perceived quality and immersion of VR videos. This isn’t placebo or a gimmick; the difference is noticeable. I don't understand why these tricks haven't been copied by other players.
2. It makes it relatively quick to configure the various VR playback settings/formats including setting an exact field of view, so the image is not distorted. I use this for footage captured at 120° which is not a setting in many of the other players.
3. It lets you save and restore playback settings as a metadata file, which is an incredible time saver. Other players can remember settings as well but doens't allow to save the settings as 1 file that you can put in the same directory as the media file.
UI: I don't think it is as horrible as some reviewers say. You need to take into consideration that this is an app made for users with advanced requirements. The menu design is very barebones and not pretty, but come on - it’s a video player. You want to adjust your settings quickly and then have the interface be gone. The control scheme is well thought out. Compared with other players, I experience far fewer accidental inputs (unintentionally bringing up the interface, skipping forward etc).
My 1 negative:
Stability is NOT great! The app crashes often, as others have noted. Hope the stability will be improved.
Specs: I use it with Virtual Desktop and Quest 3. GPU: RTX 4080S.
Steam User 1
I am very happy with this. UI was daunting at first but it is SO much faster and smoother than other video players i've tried.
Steam User 0
Incredible performance with SVP, but desperately needs environment options.
I really like HereSphere. I'm able to use FullSBS with SVP RIFE TensorRT 4.9 and it works great—much better than with Virtual Desktop! However, it lacks background options. The great thing about VR is that you can be anywhere, anytime. Adding a Steam Workshop option for 3D environments or 360 pictures would be amazing.
Steam User 0
Good player with lots of settings and no QOL to manage those well. In my opinion this player has great automatic features to improve lens distortion and the highligh is automatic IPD management depending on where you look at / how far something is which makes this player very comfortable to use.
Encountered Issue:
FATAL ERROR on some files without further explanation of why
-> Change Megapixel to 0 in der "User Settings", the user settings are in the File Explorer to left, you have to scrool completly down as they are quite hidden.
Steam User 0
It seems like a good vr player, BUT it seems to only be working with vision position and I cant figure out how to select anything other than move around my head and point at stuff on the Vive focus vision, once I can actually select things and use the app it might be decent.