Future request: Support for MVC 3D file format

JoergHH

First of all: Best VR video app for Oculus Go so far - great job, keep on!

I kindly would like support for files in MVC format ((https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiview_Video_Coding) that have been extracted from a 3D BluRay using MakeMKV, for example.
So far I haven't found a VR video app that recognizes and displays this format.
Is it the hardware or what else?
(Of course you can convert such MVC files to SBS. But the effort for this is not insignificant.)

Andy

JoergHH

Hi,

I just looked into the MVC format. It seems that it is not a widely used format for H. 264.
I also couldn't find any video samples of MVC format.
It will be helpful if you could send us some samples via google drive or dropbox, and we will learn more about it to decide if we will support it.
You can post the link here or send it to support@skybox.xyz

Thanks.
Andy

JoergHH

I'm a little surprised you didn't find any video examples for MVC. Already the first search hits in Google lead to the following links.
Anyway.
Have a look at https://kodi.wiki/view/Samples MVCs. Especially the No. 5 is interesting.
As already mentioned: With the tool MakeMKV (http://www.makemkv.com) you can create 3D files from Blu Rays. This is quite a common method.

Andy

JoergHH

Got it!
Thank you very much.
We will look into these files.
However, I should let you know that since all of out engineers are already quite overwhelmed with the current workload, we simply do not have the time to add support to this format in the near future.
But we will come back to it when we do have time.

Andy

JoergHH

Thanks for the info.
I will continue to watch this thread and then see if there is anything new.

Neverman

I second that.
Just because when using SBS converted video files the horizontal resolution will be essentially split in half which results in a less clearer image. so lets say you download a 1080p 3D SBS video file from youtube then you have instead of 1920x1080 only a per eye resolution of 960x1080 because the image for the left and right eye are put side by side.
That means for true 1080p 3D SBS videos you would need a resolution of 3840x1080 or you double the pixel for vertical resolution and get a 2160p 3D SBS video file which also might result in a blurry image.
Thus MVC would be AWESOME!

Yum

Neverman

Support MVC is on our roadmap and we plan to support it within this year.
Please be patient with us.
Cheers.

Wilson2B

Yum Still waiting 2020..

DocSteven

Great news! Since MVC is the most common 3D format (used on all 3d Blurays) this would avoid time consuming recoding and also avoid storing a movie with two files in a 2D version and a 3D SBS version.

This feature will make skybox the best player for 3D !!!

NeoNavras

Personally also looking forward to the implementation of MVC on at least Quest and Rift :)

Yum

NeoNavras

This feature is in our roadmap but we don't have a exact ETA.
We are a small team with many tasks on hand now.

Thank you for your understanding.

Wilson2B

Hows this high demand Codec coming?

Yum

Wilson2B

Not much work has done with supporting MVC right now.
We are focusing on supporting higher-resolution video playback now.
One feature at a time for a small team.

Thanks for your understanding.

imjoh1

I understand you guys must be spread thin, and you are doing a great job! However please don't forget about this feature. I would really like to see it supported as well. FWIW I can play one of the 3D files generated by MakeMkv in the monoscopic format, so it seems you can already partially decode the file. However it doesn't work in stereoscopic 3D mode.

Neverman

we need proper 3D. There is no other feature equally important. it's more important than 5k video playback or daydream support. there is no 5k video medium out there, but TONS of 3D blurays waiting to be seen in the best quality possible. MVC is the holy grail, the one and only thing that will set skybox miles ahead of the competition. don't fuck it up, know your priorities!

ps: maybe you could ask the bigscreen devs for a hint. they show paramount movies in 3D and they could have found a way to decode mvc.

Yum

Wilson2B hypermog Razorback

To support MVC 3D format takes
1. Lots of working hours compared to other features
2. Potentially an expensive licensing fee

As a small studio with limited resources, we prioritize on features that are more cost-effective and bring users with better immersive experiences. And I would say to act on features like MVC 3D support, we need a bigger team and at least a sufficient cash flow.

Thank you for your understanding.

hypermog

It's just as Neverman said. This is a crucial feature for some users. It would really unlock the reason to own the app. Please consider adding this feature!

Razorback

YES !!
I second this request very much.
The main problem is that TV-Sets which support 3D are no longer available.
So in order to keep the 3D experience we enjoyed as long as they were available (and mine fortunately is still in good health and working) VR-Headsets are the only means to have it in the near future.
Of course there is a long and winding road (and quite time and resource demanding) to convert what ever we have (Bluray Disks) first to mkv and then by another pass to SBS or OU formats, continuously testing by trial and error which quality setting might be appropriate and settle for a compromise.
Therefore supporting MVC Video in any container capable of it (MKV or M2TS) would be like Christmas and Easter on one day :-)))

GregZone

Yum Are you now able to update us on 3D MVC support roadmap, since your last post Apr-2020?

Please note the circumstances have now changed with the late 2020 release of high resolution & screendoor free (and highly popular) headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 and HP Reverb G2. These now make high quality VR Cinema viewing a reality.

SkyBox has the potential to become the Premier recommended choice for 3D Virtual Cinema, if SkyBox were to now support the Blu-ray native MVC format to allow delivering optimum image quality (so no lossy SBS re-encoding is needed). As well as the advantage of users not needing twice the storage space, for storing duplicate copies of their 3D Blu-ray rips (ie. the original MVC quality rip, plus the lossy SBS re-encode for VR use).

Razorback

understood ...... AND found a workaround :-)
It is not as elegant as Skybox but it spares hundreds of hours of converting 3D-BDs to HSBS
It converts those Discs or their .ISO Backups on the fly (= when playing) to HSBS or HOU.
What you need is the k-lite Codec Pack (Standard) with MPC-HC on your PC and Virtual Desktop on the Quest/PC and it works like a charm :-)
recipe here:
https://www.tchapin.com/how-to-watch-3d-blu-ray-movies-on-the-htc-vive-or-oculus-rift-without-having-to-re-encode-the-movie/

Neverman

Razorback
awesome! i'll try immediately. there is also a solution that works with vlc media player plugin and virtual desktop/bigscreen pc client.