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
I use this on my PC with PSVR2. Great for watching movies. Works well with a mouse and ps5 controllers. Can't browse pictures tho.
Steam User 6
this is the Rolls Royce of VR video players. I've gone through a few different vr video players. Virtual desktop initially then Deovr and finally here sphere. Here Sphere blows all of them out of the park with its features. Easy looping, favorites, pass through support, as well as funscript functionality. Not only that but its able to support all vr formats while other programs I've used were always missing one or another. It can do top bottom, side by side, fisheye, square, 180, 360! I haven't even begun to mention the extra immersion with the auto focus. It's amazing how much more you feel in the scene when you look off into the distance and the correct perspective is used. Sometimes it auto adjusts when I don't want it to but it can easily be turned off and its only really an issue with videos that are washed with too much light. 95% of the time though it's incredible. If I were to have one complaint it is that HereSphere as of writing does not have a vr photo viewer. If that is added in the future it will truly be a complete package. If the price point seems a bit high don't worry you are getting your money's worth. This is my go to VR viewer now. If you are on the fence just get it, you won't be disappointed
Steam User 2
What seems bad to me about HereSphere is that the updates for PC/Windows mixed reality are always in the queue, total priority with standalone VR. In 20 days 3 updates for Meta Quest, the latest version for PC/Windows mixed reality is from ago less than a month (the previous one was 4 months ago October 2023) and adds support for transfer by using the Virtual Desktop transfer function ONLY for Quest and Pico headsets, for users of Reverb G2, HTC..., up to At the beginning of summer (we are in February) it will not be available.
Before you spend your money, use a free VR player and in 6 or 8 months see the updates that have been made to HereSphere. Because if not you will be hearing about passthrough, chroma key masking, alpha packed masking and even in several months you will not be able to enjoy these improvements unless you have a standalone VR.
Steam User 0
Best of all options. The adjustment period to learn all the settings was a lot easier and faster than I thought, and I noticed the menus are laid out intuitively. Hold the info button and hover to see a guide on each option in the menu you'd like to know more about. Saves all your settings so once your set up how you like it's zero wasted time. I have found it to be superior in every way, and can literally see greater visual detail just from switching to this app.
Steam User 0
Would be nice if it supported a few extra codecs and frame interpolation without needing to install all kinds of things and then doesn't really work anyway.
But.. otherwise, it's be been wonderful. Couldn't ask for more! They really have that focus fix under control.. 99% of the time.. little annoying when image starts jittering for some close up shots. When it works though.. wow.
Steam User 0
Thank god for this app! I was having a really hard time with all the other directshow players. Seems like ffdshow is really starting to show it's age. Now that this player supports vaporsynth it's a breeze to set it up with "Smooth video project", an absolute must have for anyone who spends any amount of time watching videos in VR.
The experience is really stable! Although I've had a couple crashes, at least it runs well and does not crash every other video I play. It is pretty expensive at 44 canadian dollars, price shouldn't have to be that steep for a media player, but given how niche VR is I tend to be a bit more understanding of that.
Only drawback is the UI which in my opinion over-complicates the experience more than it should. Other than that, this app is pretty much setting the new standard for VR media players. It will give you control over every little parameter that the competition doesn't, and it introduces features such as autofucus that makes it more enjoyable to watch VR content.
From the first 45 minutes of use I would give HereSphere a solid 4.5 out of 5. Kudos to the Dev(s)
Steam User 0
Great for documentaries and diy projects. I kind of hate the ugly interface but functionally it's almost perfect so yolo