Virtual reality (VR) content is known in the art. Virtual reality (VR) typically refers to computer technologies that use software to generate realistic images, sounds and other sensations that replicate a real environment or create an imaginary setting, and simulate a user's physical presence in this environment. VR content may be rendered with or without a script depending on various factors including the purpose of the creators of the content. Viewers of VR content typically use a headset device known as a head-mounted display (HMD) to interactively navigate through different views of a virtual representation of a VR venue such as, for example, a simulated world.
Panoramic video content is also known in the art. Panoramic video content, also known as 360-degree videos, immersive videos, or spherical videos, is generated from multiple video recordings where views in multiple directions are recorded at the same time, shot using an omnidirectional camera, or a collection of cameras. During playback the viewer has control of the viewing direction like a panorama. Viewers of panoramic video content also typically use an HMD to interactively select and present a view of the panoramic content.
The HMD functions in a generally similar manner when presenting views for either VR content or panoramic video content. The HMD presents a view in the form of a “viewport”, a subset of a larger amount of video that is available at a specific point in time in either the VR content or panoramic video content. When presenting VR content, a viewport is typically a two-dimensional (2D) rectangle used to project a three-dimensional (3D) scene to a position of a virtual camera. When presenting panoramic video content, a viewport is typically a selected region of a larger video image or set of images available for presentation at that time.