Why is Downloading a VR video so superior to Streaming?
(when you download a video you ‘own’ it,
and can then install it on your Headset)
Streaming: this is what you do when watching a YouTube video, for example.
You are drawing your video-information from servers throughout the world,
and you are dependent on their ability to get the video file to you in a continuous way, retaining the original video-sharpness you want in the process.
• In the case of receiving normal videos, this sometimes doesn’t happen.
• In the case of VR videos, particularly the all-round 360 degree ones,
smooth-viewing almost never happens. That’s because the file size may be
5 x the size of a normal 2D video, or more. And that’s a lot of information to keep progressively sending to you over the airwaves.
Finally your browser has to decode the huge video file and present it to you. That’s a lot to ask of a browser, even when you utilise an app that is set up to process VR videos.
Unfortunately when you view streamed VR videos on your ‘all-encompassing’ headset, all those shortcomings are magnified, often to an unbearable degree.
Downloading means you own the VR video-file,
which you can then transfer (load) onto your Oculus headset.
All the video-information is therefore transferred to your headset.
It’s like a file that is stored on your computer.
So unlike Streaming, you don’t need to depend on receiving smooth sharp video via a superior internet connection, because you have all the data already.
The second part of any viewing-process is to “decode” the video file
so you can present it to your headset to play.
Poor streaming-decoding systems can compromise your viewing-quality.
By contrast,
Your ‘downloaded-then-uploaded-to-headset’ video responds precisely
to our “VR video-decoding app” that we custom-made for you,
so you can optimally-play your videos.
Thus the VR videos play seamlessly on your Oculus Quest headset, and very close to that on your Oculus Go headset. Expressed in another way, it’s like mother cow’s moo being specifically received by its calf. The result is smooth, sharp, uninterrupted video on your headset, for your maximum enjoyment.
That’s why there is a small download cost.
However, viewing a downloaded VR video on your headset will give you
such a vastly-enhanced viewing experience, compared to streaming,
that you will not regret your small outlay, for the extra pleasure you’ll get.
For further explanation and a practical demonstration, see the video below: