Best camera for streaming into Vive headset?

[BethMackey]

Hi,

I'm a final year robotics PhD student. I'm currently streaming the feed from a StereoLabs Zed 2 into my headset, but it looks like watching a screen and it just doesn't cut it. I've also tried a Ricoh Theta V 360 camera, but the resolution was just awful and induced motion sickness. I'm thinking a stereo 180 camera might be the way to go but i'm looking for some advice on which the best one might be. I have a modest research budget so can't afford that costs thousands and thousands.

Thanks in advance!

[SanityGaming]

Please use google translate for future messages, I am so confused on what your question is, are you wanting a 360 camera for making 360 images and videos? or are you looking for a standard image based camera for video work e.t.c if that's the case, then a dedicated VIDEO CAMERA not a PHOTO camera would be suited.

[adamsmitt]

Hi, I thought I will find the answer here but it is not so I will ask you again. Can someone recommend me camera with maximum capture angle? Thanks 

[BethMackey]

On 1/2/2021 at 12:05 AM, SanityGaming said:

Please use google translate for future messages, I am so confused on what your question is, are you wanting a 360 camera for making 360 images and videos? or are you looking for a standard image based camera for video work e.t.c if that's the case, then a dedicated VIDEO CAMERA not a PHOTO camera would be suited.

English is my first language, apologies if you thought the question was poorly written. I need a webcam that will stream into my HTC Vive virtual reality headset using Unity. I was looking for advice on which camera might be best - either a 360° or 180° camera. Thanks.

[HackPerception]

@AdamSmith @BethMackey

External stereo cameras for HMD are a pretty niche thing. ZedCamera is pretty much the de-facto leading solution. I've been told the SDK is more on the intermediate/advanced side of the spectrum.

Looks like they have a new SKU https://www.stereolabs.com/zed-2/

[BethMackey]

Just now, VibrantNebula said:

@AdamSmith @BethMackey

External stereo cameras for HMD are a pretty niche thing. ZedCamera is pretty much the de-facto leading solution. I've been told the SDK is more on the intermediate/advanced side of the spectrum.

Hi thanks for your reply 🙂 That's interesting because i've found the Zed 2 camera., which i'm currently using, much less immersive and more like "looking at a screen" within the headset. Any tips on how to improve the field of view please?

[HackPerception]

@BethMackey - Their FOV is probably hardware limited. I don't think any of us at Vive have had direct experience with Zed 2 - it's a really niche product in context.

The problem with trying to get a VR360 or VR180 camera piped into Unity in real time is that the camera manufacturers don't offer the requisite SDKs to process the images in real-time and pipe them into Unity.

Pretty much every camera I know of that offers "live streaming" are geared towards providing a stream to Youtube but that's not really practical for most uses as there's considerable delay.

Zed is the defacto-leader in this simply because they offer the runtime and SDK for the required types of real-time rendering into an HMD.

You could try to find a wide FOV webcam and just bring that into Unity as a standard 2D webcam and distort the geometry you're playing it back on but getting something that's "stereo correct" or "monocorrect" would be very difficult and all custom implementation.

[BethMackey]

Just now, VibrantNebula said:

@BethMackey - Their FOV is probably hardware limited. I don't think any of us at Vive have had direct experience with Zed 2 - it's a really niche product in context.

The problem with trying to get a VR360 or VR180 camera piped into Unity in real time is that the camera manufacturers don't offer the requisite SDKs to process the images in real-time and pipe them into Unity.

Pretty much every camera I know of that offers "live streaming" are geared towards providing a stream to Youtube but that's not really practical for most uses as there's considerable delay.

Zed is the defacto-leader in this simply because they offer the runtime and SDK for the required types of real-time rendering into an HMD.

Thank you so much, that's really helpful. I tried a 360 degree webcam and it was wonderful but unfortunately the resolution in real-time was so insufficient. I keep at it with the Zed until something else comes along. Thanks again!

 

[HackPerception]

@BethMackey I might recommend asking in this group if anybody has any current leads. To my knowledge, Zed is the only practical solution but we're mostly focused on 6DoF here at Vive and 360/180 camera tech has tons of hardware vendors and moves quickly.

[BethMackey]

Just now, VibrantNebula said:

@BethMackey I might recommend asking in this group if anybody has any current leads. To my knowledge, Zed is the only practical solution but we're mostly focused on 6DoF here at Vive and 360/180 camera tech of hardware vendors and moves quickly.

Great thank you!