360 videos, commonly referred to as VR, were made with the intention that the viewer would have a more immersive experience in the content that allows him or her to choose where to look.
The technology behind 360 videos is evolving rapidly, and the format is very much on-trend in all aspects of business and personal life, from the ability for prospective homebuyers to enjoy a virtual tour of a property to capturing the true feel of a professional sports game. Individuals who create 360 video do so because:
- They wish to provide their viewers with a physical or emotional experience when watching the video that they would not have with a 2D video.
- You are recording an environment that is rich with things to see in every direction.
- You want your viewers to see "the whole picture" rather than simply focusing on a single subject.
Does YouTube Support 360 Video?
Yes. YouTube has supported 360 video since 2015. Currently, YouTube supports the uploading and playback of both 180 and 360 spherical videos on certain browsers, including Firefox, MS Edge, Chrome, and Opera. Additionally, viewers can watch these videos in the YouTube app or in the YouTube app for VR that is available in most headsets.
How to Upload 360 Video to YouTube
If you edited your 360 video using Pinnacle Studio, the software makes it simple for you to also upload the video to YouTube. In order to do so, you will have already downloaded and installed the software, imported your video using the simple drag and drop function, and taken advantage of the hundreds of editing tools and special effects that the Pinnacle Studio video editing suite provides. At this point, you have the option to either export the video in 360 format to upload on one of the supported browsers mentioned above or to convert the video into a normal format so that there are more options for viewing it.
Before publishing your video to YouTube, you will want to ensure that your file has 360 playback enabled. You should do this by watching the file on your own computer. You can tell that it has 360 playback because it will feature a pan button in the upper left of the screen that can be rotated using the WASD keys. If those features are available, your 360 playback is enabled. One tip, however: It can take up to an hour for 360 playback to be available.
You do not need a headset to watch 360 videos on YouTube. You can simply use your mobile device or your desktop computer. Instead of relying on the headset to control the direction you look at in the video, you can manipulate the camera angle with your mouse or by using the arrows at the top of the screen. This is the single distinction between VR videos and 360 videos, which both allow you to look in all directions, are both captured with the same type of equipment, and can be edited with the same software: VR requires the use of a headset, and 360 does not.
Pinnacle Studio Makes Editing and Exporting 360 Videos Easy
VR technology is all the rage, and there are so many practical uses for it that will make your videos an interactive experience. Pinnacle Studio gives you the tools you need to provide your viewers with quality 360 videos and the convenience of being able to easily access them on YouTube. Learn more about the powerful video editing tools included in Pinnacle Studio.