Introduction: VR content producers, after experiencing the story of sitting in the wind and blowing up into the sky and falling into the clouds, began to ponder how to better show users another bridge to communicate with the world through VR technology. When they realized that good content was never the bottleneck, and that higher standard hardware acquisition devices and faster terminal distribution were the key, the battle had reached a white hot stage.
Detu Network, which is committed to becoming the best VR imaging industry and service provider in the world, has been providing quality products and industrial solutions to content producers. Following Detu F4 and Detu F4 Plus, it recently launched a blockbuster new product in the VR field that won the CES Innovation Award and the German Industrial Innovation Award, Detu MAX, the first 8K professional 3D VR panoramic camera equipped with AI chip.
（ Detu MAX, winner of CES Innovation Award and German Industrial Innovation Award ）
Earlier this year, Detu Network launched their latest product Detu MAX on a well-known overseas crowdfunding website. Since then, the author has been concerned about this new product, which focuses on 3D VR photography. The author tried to get in touch with the official. During the IBC exhibition in September, he experienced Detu MAX on the spot, and recently obtained the officially mass produced Detu MAX engineering machine. Today, we will make a simple evaluation for the content creators in the VR field to help you better understand the new Tu product and see whether it is worth buying.
（ Overseas crowdfunding page ）
The most attractive thing about Detu MAX is that it can shoot 360 ° 3D 8K content. What is the concept of 8K? In short, the definition is four times that of mainstream 4K film sources in VR glasses.
What makes many people even more confused is that the 4K movie shown on TV is very clear. Why does the 4K become blurred in VR glasses? Is the resolution advertised by the VR industry false?
It is necessary to mention the presentation principle of 360 ° VR video. Generally, 360 ° VR video is an expanded 2:1 view. The 4k/8kVR video we usually refer to is a video with an expanded perspective resolution. However, for the viewer, he cannot see all 360 ° pictures through a single angle in any case. He can only see about 90 ° of the viewing angle. Therefore, in VR glasses, the actual picture viewed by 4k video is only 960x960 resolution (fov=90 °). The difference in resolution calculated is the difference between 960x960 and 1920x1920. More generally, it is similar to the difference between 480p (854px wide) and 1080p (1920px wide) on video websites.
So when Detu Network launched Detu MAX, which supports shooting 360 ° 3D 8K video, VR content producers were really ecstatic.
After receiving the express delivery, we found that Detu upgraded the traditional disposable carton boxes in the digital field to portable boxes, which is convenient for users to carry out, and also reduces the cost of users to purchase additional equipment boxes later.
（ Picture of product packaging box ）
When you open the box, the Detu MAX panoramic camera is the most eye-catching one. The accompanying soft protective cover also reduces the risk of camera lens damage due to accidental collision. The rest of the accessories and cables are placed in different cartons in the grooves around the camera.
（ Overhead view of suitcase opening ）
The Detu MAX was carefully taken out. The first reaction was heavy. It was marked 1.5kg on the official website of the map, which is about six ropes and half a kilogram. It is really a fitness equipment.
Remove the protective cover, and eight 190 ° ultra wide angle fisheye lenses are evenly arranged around the camera, two on one side. The distance between the lenses is designed according to the bionic principle. The 3D content photographed is viewed through VR glasses, which is closer to the real experience and reduces the vertigo and discomfort caused by the left and right lenses violating the visual imaging law.
（ Detu MAX front view ）
In addition to the operation area on the front of the camera, four built-in microphones on the top and bottom form a four channel panoramic sound acquisition system. In addition to the conventional 1/4 inch diameter foot stand hole on the bottom of the camera, there is also a row of expansion interfaces, which are respectively the DC interface for charging, the 3.5mm external sound receiver interface, the Micro USB data transmission interface, the HDMI interface for real-time monitoring/projection RJ-45 gigabit network interface for guiding station or PC end control/live broadcast, and wireless network card interface for 4G live broadcast.
(MAX bottom figure)
Open the battery compartment, put in the battery and two SD cards, and turn on the machine.
（ Detu MAX replaceable battery design ）
With a beep, the screen lights up and displays [DETU MAX]. Wait a moment, the camera starts up and enters the main interface. On the top of the main interface is the WiFi status, SD card space and remaining power, and on the bottom is the function selection area. In the current beta version, the camera has options for taking photos, recording video, WiFi switch, setting and PC connection mode switching. At the bottom is an additional prompt area, where you can see the resolution information in the current shooting mode.
（ MAX display/operation area picture ）
A small problem was found in the process of use. During stand-alone operation, it was thought that after entering the photographing/recording function, a secondary menu would pop up to set the photographing parameters. In actual operation, it was found that after clicking on the photographing/recording function, shooting would start directly. There were no options for adjusting the resolution and other functions in the settings. I hope to upgrade in the subsequent firmware version, The user can freely select the resolution when operating in a single machine.
Under single machine operation, the camera will count down for 5 seconds, which facilitates the evacuation of the operator. This is great. When shooting a video, it will start recording immediately when the OK key is pressed. It is also hoped that the official countdown function will be added to reduce the amount of work that users need to re edit the title of each video when shooting alone.
Detu MAX also provides the control software on the APP side. Open the DetuMAX APP, open the mobile phone WiFi according to the guidance page, find the hotspot at the beginning of MAX, enter the password 12345678 to connect, return to the APP page after connecting, and click Connect Camera to enter the operation interface.
（ MAX APP boot page+MAX APP connection interface ）
The top of the APP operation interface is still in the camera state, and the bottom is followed by the real-time preview screen, parameter setting, shooting mode selection and the shooting button at the bottom, continuing the style of the app page of the previous generation Detu F4 Plus.
In the photographing mode, you can make basic settings for the photographing type and storage type. In the exposure setting, you can adjust the basic exposure information such as the exposure mode, exposure compensation, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and digital HDR. In the image setting, you can further accurately adjust the brightness, contrast, sharpness, and saturation of the picture.
（ Parameter setting in photographing mode ）
In the recording mode, you can adjust the shooting mode, in machine splicing, recording mode, coding format, and audio. In the live broadcast mode, you can adjust the streaming address, resolution, bit rate, and audio.
（ Screenshot of basic settings of video mode and live mode ）
Returning to the main interface of the APP, there is a gear shaped icon on the upper left corner, which is a new feature of the AI smart chip carried by Detu MAX, the splicing calibration function. After fixing the camera in the shooting position, return to the main interface and click splicing calibration. The camera will automatically capture the current scene and perform real-time splicing optimization in the machine. The optimized in machine splicing effect will be very good, almost comparable to the images rendered by splicing software in the later stage.
In the APP setting interface, you can adjust the light source frequency, WiFi band country code, display language, and view the memory card format, firmware version, APP version, and camera serial number.
（ Detu MAX APP Settings Page ）
In addition to the stand-alone and APP control supported by Detu MAX, it also launched the PC terminal control software DetuMAX. After connecting to the PC through the accompanying network cable or ensuring that the camera and PC are in the same LAN, open the Detu MAX PC client to connect. After connecting, you can control the camera. The basic functions are the same as those of APP, but compared with the APP wireless connection mode, Wired can ensure that there is no interference in complex environments, and the control is more accurate and flexible. The PC client also supports the upgrade of camera firmware, so it has more possibilities.
（ Screenshot of Detu MAX PC client ）
In terms of splicing, the matching DetuStitch splicing software eliminates the trouble of users who repeatedly adjust the splicing template for splicing 3D content. One click splicing generates 3D content, which can be viewed with DetuPlay panoramic player, providing users with a complete set of solutions.
（ Screenshot of DetuStitch splicing software ）
（ Screenshot of DetuPlay panoramic player ）
After talking for a long time, nothing is more exciting than putting dry goods. Here are some different scenes. I believe you will know after reading them. To facilitate viewing, videos and pictures taken during evaluation are uploaded to VEER platform. In order to avoid the secondary compression of videos and pictures through the platform, an online disk address is provided to facilitate the download of original films for comparison.
In addition, for 3D content, please use the VR all-in-one machine to download the VEER APP or download the original file through the network disk to import and watch, so as to ensure the best experience effect.
View address
Undoubtedly, Detu MAX provides better acquisition equipment for VR content creators. As the core parameter of panoramic camera, Detu MAX supports 360 ° 12k (reconstruction of AI intelligent algorithm in the machine) picture shooting and 360 ° 8k 2D/3D video shooting, which can be described as the flagship machine in the VR field at this stage.
Compared with the previous generation of panoramic camera Detu F4 Plus, the upgrade of Detu MAX hardware has brought more powerful functions. The image sensor has also been upgraded from Sony Exmor IMX117 of the previous generation of product F4 Plus to the new Exmor IMX477. In addition to the conventional image quality upgrade and better image quality in low light environment, the IMX477 also carries Sony's latest digital wide dynamic technology, Make the color of the shot richer.
Raw/s-Log original shooting brings a larger space range in the later stage, long exposure and slow shot shooting functions, making 360 ° delay photography and upgrading photography possible. The built-in 6-axis anti shake makes the picture more stable, and the real-time splicing of 4k 2D/3D pictures in the machine makes VR live broadcast no longer cumbersome, and the VR experience from 3D shooting and panoramic soundtrack more immersive, Overturn the previous perception of VR.
The independent HDMI interface supports external real-time monitoring of the shooting effect, and can also transfer the shooting image to VR glasses through a PC to view the 3D effect in real time, so that professional/broadcast creators can accurately judge and adjust the shooting effect on the scene.
Another small problem that puzzles VR creators is how to let users watch the main picture that the creators want to express in a 360 ° free environment. Now, Detu MAX tries to help the creator solve this problem. Detu MAX is equipped with the ISP of the world's first AI smart chip. Through in-depth learning, in the near future, it will support automatic identification and locking of the main body of the picture, ensuring that viewers do not miss important information in a 360 ° environment.
The author's outlook: VR is a hot word in recent years, but many people's experience of it is still a few years ago. The shortcomings such as stuck playing, poor picture clarity, and no sense of immersion seem to be the key reasons why most people think VR is not popular. Yes, most people are still impressed by the VR glasses produced by the famous world factory. They use all kinds of mobile devices to experience the era when content producers are constrained by network bandwidth and can upload VR source successfully after multiple compression. In 2016, known as the first year of VR, VR gave most people an impression that it was too bad to experience.
However, with the landing of 5G network and continuous technical iteration as a collection device, the VR field will soon bring another disruptive experience. It seems that the solution to the problem of terminal distribution, which is a difficult point puzzling practitioners, has been seen. 5G provides a broader space for the VR industry, and the high bandwidth further improves the picture definition; The low latency brings great surprise to the VR live broadcast field. Real time events are more convenient to spread, emergency news, remote medical consultation, and even bear the possibility of VR real-time interactive games.
Another difficulty is that in terms of high standard image acquisition, Detour Network has presented a great gift to content creators. The VR panoramic camera that can shoot 360 ° 3D 8K video, the support of bionic 3D structure, and the improvement of clarity are enough to subvert the perception of viewers on the VR world.
I'm looking forward to the day in the future when we will meet in Oasis.
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