Here we are in the virtual reality (VR) era. Since its launch, several companies have come together to create headsets that bring you such an immersive experience that you almost forget you’re not really there. VR is still new and has a lot of growing to do before it can reach its full potential. Still, it’s clear that this new medium will continue to grow in popularity for years to come.
But what makes a VR headset? In order to enjoy our favorite experiences, we need something more than just a pair of goggles or sunglasses. We need something designed specifically for VR in order to get the most out of our time with this immersive medium. And that means finding the right software as well as hardware partner.
Luckily, we have a ton of options available if you’re looking for just the right device. So which one is right for you? Keep reading to find out!
What Is A Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is a new and developing technology that allows the user to explore digital worlds. The idea of virtual reality has been in development for decades, but recent advances in computer technology, data storage, and digital display interfaces have made it more possible for the general public to experience.
In virtual reality, information about the environment is all around you, with sight and sound coming at you from all angles. You can explore different worlds with different realities while still feeling like you are inside of another world. The way that we interact with objects is through haptic feedback or touch-based input devices provide users with a sense of agency and possession over their environment and allow them to go up to or interact with things in the virtual world just as they would do in the real world.
What You Need
- A Windows PC, Mac, or smartphone , a video player of superior quality, or both.
- A good video player is a must for watching VR videos.
- You can also watch VR videos online or download them for later viewing.
- To relax and watch the video, you should also have a comfortable spot or open space.
Once you’ve gathered all that, just put on your VR headset and begin playing the VR video you want to stream or download. You may want to grab a pair of high-quality headphones to experience the fidelity the video creator intended.
The Best VR Software For Windows
1.. Virtual Desktop
Along the same lines as Virtual Home Theater, but more focused on replicating the PC desktop experience, Virtual Desktop provides a virtual screen for you to view content on. If you’re looking to get some work done but own an outdated 17-inch monitor, Virtual Desktop may be a good option for you.
Download:Virtual Desktop
2. Skybox VR Player
Skybox VR is a powerful video player that has several unique features. The main one is its ability to automatically detect your video files’ orientation and dimensions. This makes the experience of watching videos in VR significantly smoother, and you spend less time messing around in menus. The feature set here is comparable to Whirligig, but the asking price is a bit higher. If you watch a lot of video in VR, it may be worth the price.
Download:Skybox VR
3. HereSphere
Here Sphere is one the most expensive offerings on the list, and as expected, it comes with the most advanced features. Stream video from the internet, Edit your files, Apply post-processing effects, And emulate spatial audio on the go, HereSphere might be one of the best VR video players out there. The downside of such a feature rich program is that it’s considerably heavier on system resources then others on this list. Thankfully, this program comes with an extensive demo available. Try before you buy, as hereSphere costs as much as a few VR games do.
Download: HereSphere
4. Virtual Home Theater
VHTVP is an expensive option, but it also has a lot of features that other programs don’t have, such as 4K video playback and desktop mirroring. However, this comes with a significant performance impact, and it’s more similar to BigScreen than a standard VR video player. Even so, it’s one of the few options available for high-res video playback in VR. Like HereSphere, VHTVP offers a free demo.
Download: Virtual Home Theater Video Player
5. Whirligig
Whirligig is an older program compared to some of the other VR options out there, but that age gives it an advantages in terms of its feature set. This program is designed to be lightweight and simplistic, allowing users to view a wide range of media types – photos included – through a virtual reality headset. There are some light visual elements included, such as virtual theaters, but Whirligig is far from being the heaviest program on this list.
Download:Whirligig
