PanoTools NG:
Re: Re: Which viewer to use...
Fulvio Senore 2006-Sep-05 08:23:51
scannerist ha scritto:
> --- In #removed#, Fulvio Senore <mailing@...> wrote:
>
>
>>> Some form of encryption so I can demo panos to clients on a temporal
>>> "timed" basis and / or restrict viewing of the pano to a specific
>>> domain or web page.
>>>
>>>
>> PTViewer can use encrypted files: they can be viewed only from a
>> specific domain.
>>
>
> Are you talking about this program:
>
> http://www.fsoft.it/panorama/PTViewer/CreatePTV.htm
>
Yes. There is also a Photoshop CS script from Erik Gerds.
>
>> PTViewer is fast enough for fullscreen. The problem is that java (with
>> its standard settings) has not enough memory available for a full
>>
> screen
>
>> pano. All java viewers have that problem: the immervision viewer simply
>> reduces the image size on the fly, in order to fit it in available
>> memory. IMHO downloading a large file just to downsize it on the client
>> is not the best solution. Since end users will not surely change the
>> java settings they all would have to reduce the pano.
>>
>
> Generally speaking, what are the "memory" limitations relative to the
> file size of the pano? Are there any anectdotal numbers available that
> provide a clue as to how many people are categorically in the "not
> enough memory" camp?
>
Here are some info about showing large panoramic images with PTViewer:
http://www.fsoft.it/panorama/PTViewer/LargePanos.htm
> Is the alternative, or solution, for those "end users will not surely
> change the java settings they all would have to reduce the pano" is to
> use QTVR?
>
It think that a good solution is to use java to show a relatively small
version of the pano as a first step. Then you could use QTVR to show
fullscreens for those who have it installed. You could also try to
detect the installed viewer and act accordingly, but this would require
dynamic page generation.
DevalVR is a good viewer (Windows only) that can display QTVR files and
that is very small: about 200-300 KB. It can be a good solution for
those who have not Quicktime and don't want to download its ridiculously
large installer.
> As a comment... One of my first reactions is it's a smart move to have
> a viewer automatically adjust to memory requirements so you can see
> the pano full screen, albeit lower resolution, as opposed to it not
> working at all. Even if the quality suffers, it seems the impact of
> the size and the "wow" factor makes up for the shortcoming. Comes
> under the heading of "I'll take what I can get under the
> circumstances." More importantly, I wouldn't want to get into a
> position where I hear a client say "we get a lot of complaints from
> people who try to look at the pano." But if you're saying that most or
> no computers have the memory to handle full screen panos, then that's
> a different conversation.
>
I believe that it would be a smarter move if available memory would
change a lot from computer to computer.
I am rather sure that all end users have the same amount of memory
available: it is the default value...
Since all users have the same amount of memory it is probably better to
create images small enough than to create larger images and have the
clients to downsize them after a longer download.
It is a matter of taste: I preferred to add the ability to quickly
download what the user is currently looking at, just to have the best
impression of speed.
Of course people at Immervision have a different opinion, and they
focused on different features. I think that there is room for both viewers.
> Please feel free to disagree and tell me where I am wrong. Relatively
> speaking, I am a newbie to the world of panoramics, so I look to hear
> from those who are seasoned veterens, particularly those who do this
> for income.
>
You will have to wait for other replies. I am not doing this for an
income: I have a different work and this is only an hobby for me.
This is probably the reason why I am more interested in quality than the
average user and I prefer to add more technical features. Just think at
the Lanczos2 interpolator of PTViewer: end users will never see the
difference, but I do and it is enough to implement it.
Fulvio Senore
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