Viewing Software
To view the 360 panoramas and virtual tours you will need certain software plug-ins. We work with the four best technologies - Java, QuickTime VR, Flash and DevalVR - each of which is free to download. Below is further information on each plug-in, and a sample 360 panorama for you to compare the image quality.
Java (Windows & Mac)
The big advantage of Java is that the vast majority of users require no additional software to be downloaded as most browsers are already Java enabled.
Although full screen Java panoramas have been available for a couple of years we have only recently started to offer them. The way the panoramic image was rendered in the past left a bit to be desired and the final image quality was not something we were happy to supply. Advances in the technology now enables us to provide full screen Java panoramas of a good quality, though they are still not on par with full screen panoramas displayed using QuickTime VR or DevalVR.
- Cross platform
- Excellent image rendering for standard panoramas
- Widespread usage
- Custom designed download screens & controls
If you were to opt for a virtual tour containing standard 360 panoramas only, using a single format, we would recommend you use Java.
QuickTime VR (QTVR) (Windows & Mac)
QuickTime can be downloaded from the Apple website and installed in a couple of minutes. Once installed QuickTime will automatically display QuickTime panoramas when accessed. In our experience of working with QuickTime for the past 6 years, we believe QuickTime VR (QTVR) is one of the best way of delivering high quality 360º panoramas offering many advantages over other systems.
- Cross platform
- Excellent image rendering, even with full screen panoramas
- Custom designed controls
- Additional features such as directional sound and pop up labels
If you were to opt for a virtual tour containing standard and full screen 360 panoramas, we would generally recommend using QuickTime VR.
Flash (Windows & Mac)
Flash is one of the most popular plug-ins, being installed on 98% of computers. Recent developments now mean that 360 panoramas can be displayed full screen using Flash v9, but as with Java there is a slight drop in image quality when compared to either QuickTime VR or DevalVR.
- Cross platform
- Most popular of plug-ins
- Custom designed controls
- Additional features such as lens flare effects and pop up labels
DevalVR (Windows Only)
DevalVR is a multipurpose panorama viewer for Windows. There are two versions: the DevalVR plug-in, to view content online, and DevalVR player, to view contents from local hard drives or CD. From the outset, the DevalVR plug-in has been extremely small, easy to install and use, combined with excellent image quality.
- Excellent image rendering, even with full screen panoramas
- Small plug-ins files size
- Controls for ease of use
If you use Windows and have no other plug-ins we would recommend using DevalVR.
