You can find full 360° 3D videos on YouTube. Search for "360 video" and several will show up.
Although, to me, they don't play as well as the Gear VR 360 designed videos. More on that below.
Here's how to use it:
- start the 360 video
- click the Google Cardboard symbol on the bottom right to go into stereoscopic mode (a must to see properly in the Gear VR)
- put the phone into the Gear VR WITHOUT plugging into the micro USB connector (this is important so that the Gear VR HMD does not start the Gear VR home app, thus stopping the YouTube video)
- enjoy the video
NOT QUITE GEAR VR READY:
Gear VR does not have a YouTube app yet so it's not as fluid as a true Gear VR enabled app but it works. The frame rate seems lower resulting some choppy video. Plus there are some other features (outlined below) that Gear VR adds that you just don't/can't get with a non-Gear VR enabled app.
CLUNKY PROCESS:
Unfortunately, you will need to repeat this process with every video you watch (take the phone out, start the video, put the phone back in). So a better option would be to watch or create playlists with the videos you like.
You might also want to put your phone in do not disturb mode. If you get any notification or phone call, your video stops.
SETUP FOR GEAR VR?
The YouTube app has a VR setup page but I couldn't figure out how to get it to scan the Gear VR QR code - it's too tiny to recognize.
HEAD TRACKING:
Since the YouTube app is using the phone's accelerometer to adjust the video viewing angle to where you are looking, the head tracking is not smooth. So there is some jitter to the video when you are trying to sit still and when you turn your head to look around, it's not as smooth as it could be if the app was using the Gear VR accelerometer.
The Gear VR accelerometer is one of the reasons that helps the Gear VR standout from Google Cardboard. It's MUCH better at tracking your head's position than the phone's accelerometer.
MY PLEA:
Hey Samsung, when can we get a YouTube app for Gear VR? Or maybe I should be asking Google.
Although, to me, they don't play as well as the Gear VR 360 designed videos. More on that below.
Here's how to use it:
- start the 360 video
- click the Google Cardboard symbol on the bottom right to go into stereoscopic mode (a must to see properly in the Gear VR)
- put the phone into the Gear VR WITHOUT plugging into the micro USB connector (this is important so that the Gear VR HMD does not start the Gear VR home app, thus stopping the YouTube video)
- enjoy the video
NOT QUITE GEAR VR READY:
Gear VR does not have a YouTube app yet so it's not as fluid as a true Gear VR enabled app but it works. The frame rate seems lower resulting some choppy video. Plus there are some other features (outlined below) that Gear VR adds that you just don't/can't get with a non-Gear VR enabled app.
CLUNKY PROCESS:
Unfortunately, you will need to repeat this process with every video you watch (take the phone out, start the video, put the phone back in). So a better option would be to watch or create playlists with the videos you like.
You might also want to put your phone in do not disturb mode. If you get any notification or phone call, your video stops.
SETUP FOR GEAR VR?
The YouTube app has a VR setup page but I couldn't figure out how to get it to scan the Gear VR QR code - it's too tiny to recognize.
HEAD TRACKING:
Since the YouTube app is using the phone's accelerometer to adjust the video viewing angle to where you are looking, the head tracking is not smooth. So there is some jitter to the video when you are trying to sit still and when you turn your head to look around, it's not as smooth as it could be if the app was using the Gear VR accelerometer.
The Gear VR accelerometer is one of the reasons that helps the Gear VR standout from Google Cardboard. It's MUCH better at tracking your head's position than the phone's accelerometer.
MY PLEA:
Hey Samsung, when can we get a YouTube app for Gear VR? Or maybe I should be asking Google.
Last edited:
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