Today's update is mostly for creators who do 3D modeling, rendering and audio mastering, for VR. Now, beside entertainment with VHT you can also use it to create impressive computer generated VR art for VR users. This update add tools and support for two 3D modeling software applications: DAZ Studio and Blender. [h1]Update Highlights[/h1] [olist] [*] Audiospace [*] Spatial modeling [*] New playback capability [*] Demo VR art samples [*] Ambisonics [*] New start modes [*] Miscellaneous [/olist] [h1]Full Update Note[/h1] [h2]1. Audiospace[/h2] Added VHT support to use audiospace companion files. Audiospace is a companion file for a media file that will specify how the audio channels should be used in virtual space as virtual audio objects for binaural audio rendering output. This audiospace file will be used by Virtual Home Theater (VHT) VR app when a media file with the same name will be played. By using an audiospace file you can route any audio channel to any virtual speaker, position any virtual speaker in virtual space either as static audio objects (position is fixed in space) or dynamic audio objects (position change with time). This can be used to: [list] [*] play an audio file using any user defined layout (e.g. play a 16 channels audio file using the 9.1.6 speakers layout) [*] play a VR image plus audio with virtual static audio objects simulating the actor voice or object sound location in space [*] play a VR video with virtual dynamic audio objects simulating the actor voice or object sound location moving through space [/list] Audiospace files can be created manually by user (you) or by a software (VHT tools for DAZ script). [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/875c5f120d6f241d2eec2e164d6a6e92726aea4b.jpg[/img] For more information read the "[b][i]VHT Audiospace - User Guide.pdf[/i][/b]" from [url=https://virtualhometheater.com/audiospace/]VHT website[/url]. To download audiospace demo files go to [url=https://virtualhometheater.com/audiospace/]VHT website[/url]. [h2]2. Spatial modeling[/h2] Added spatial modeling support to VHT. Spatial Modeling is a VR work concept created to help CG artists to create 3D stereoscopic 180 or 360 degree panoramic computer generated art images or videos for VR users. For this concept two set of script add-on tools were created for Daz Studio and Blender 3D modeling software applications to use the VHT spatial modeling desktop mode feature. When using VHT and these tools the artist will see the main desktop screen where will be his 3D modeling software’s GUI and surrounded by his ‘true to scale’ 3D scene, rendered live as stereoscopic 3D 180 or 360 degree panorama using any real-time render engine available from Daz Studio (NVIDIA Iray (ray-traced), Filament (PBR), etc.) or Blender (Cycle path-tracer, Eevee, etc.). You can use these tools to live preview in VR your scene, work on 3D models in VR and to render final 3D stereoscopic 180 or 360 panoramic images or videos that can be viewed with VHT. To use the spatial modeling mode from VHT you need to start VHT from one of the 'VHT tools for DAZ' or 'VHT tools for Blender' script. [h3]VHT & Daz Studio - Concept Preview[/h3] This is the “VHT tools for DAZ” control interface on Daz Studio software. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/c0d3769b3ee36a7dbe0c0d1782fdbdda0cbfd6dc.jpg[/img] This image is a desktop snapshot demo sample of what a user will see on his displays. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/e38ed894f9c64cd951c98b4f562e56b6f0f1f98f.jpg[/img] This image is a VR snapshot demo sample of what a user will see through the HMD lens. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/56cea0d7e9a8734fb0757e2ffd2425502c692f33.jpg[/img] For more information read the "[b][i]VHT tools for DAZ - User Guide.pdf[/i][/b]" from VHT [url=https://virtualhometheater.com/vht-tools-for-daz/]webpage[/url]. You can view some demo videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlTqmTZGe78&list=PLDB53JHFXRiUrBnT74lDFyxQiZIegXl5m [h3]VHT & Blender - Concept Preview[/h3] [b]This addon does not work with Blender 4.0 upwards. This addon is made for Blender 3.x.[/b] This is the “VHT tools for Blender” control interface on Blender software. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/2df46013932a0301e059b6e796aa233ef608269e.jpg[/img] This image is a desktop snapshot demo sample of what a user will see on his displays. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/df4b2eb1911e846fc5bc7223f66f0ffd1541f44c.jpg[/img] This image is a VR snapshot demo sample of what a user will see through the HMD lens. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/6bd4aa122f78bb8e1272b41d029ec5d8283c0b95.jpg[/img] For more information read the "[b][i]VHT tools for Blender - User Guide.pdf[/i][/b]" from VHT [url=https://virtualhometheater.com/vht-tools-for-blender/]webpage[/url]. You can view some demo videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X5eLEegza8&list=PLDB53JHFXRiV2LQ0aqSr-pIEF6OljLbMy [h3]Availability[/h3] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/2dcdd0378d61b273f18955e59c123b21780de1e4.jpg[/img] To download the "VHT tools for DAZ" scripts go to VHT [url=https://virtualhometheater.com/vht-tools-for-daz/]webpage[/url]. To download "VHT tools for Blender" add-on go to VHT [url=https://github.com/virtualhometheater/VHT-tools-for-Blender]GitHub[/url] or [url=https://virtualhometheater.com/vht-tools-for-blender/]webpage[/url]. Some tools (VR cameras and render manager) can be used without VHT vr app and other tools (VR live scene preview in VR) will require VHT vr app. When use the “VHT tools for DAZ | Blender” and VHT vr app is like using a photographic camera with a viewfinder and a tripod. When use the “VHT tools for DAZ | Blender” without VHT vr app is like using a photographic camera and a tripod but without the viewfinder. With these tools and your artistic skills and imagination you can create epic stereoscopic VR scenes and visual novels for VR users. [h2]3. New playback capability[/h2] Added support to play a media container that has one static image and audio. By using this format you can reduce the media file size compared with encoding a static image as a video. This is demonstrated with the demo art from below. [h2]4. Demo VR art samples[/h2] To download a 3D stereoscopic 360 panoramic demo sample with 11 static audio objects go to [url=https://virtualhometheater.com/vht-tools-for-daz/]VHT website[/url]. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35628926/14d41911088e0c1f0f28e81d64d8061ba949f6b1.jpg[/img] made by using the following software applications: [list] [*] DAZ Studio 4.22 [*] VHT tools for DAZ 1.0.0 [*] Virtual Home Theater 1.18.x [*] Audacity [*] FFmpeg [/list] [h2]5. Ambisonics[/h2] Added support for FB360 ambisonics (8 and 10 audio channels). Now VHT will support the following ambisonics: 4, 4+2, 8, 9, 8+2, 9+2 and 16 audio channels. [h2]6. New start modes[/h2] Added support to open a media file with VHT from Windows file explorer. Go and right click on any media file and choose ‘Open with’ then chose VHT. Added support to start VHT with command line arguments. In command prompt a command line like: [i]VHT_steamvr “C:\folder\video.mkv”[/i] will play the video file with VHT. [i]VHT_steamvr -mode dm[/i] will start VHT in desktop mirror mode. Use VHT_oculus if you want to use the Oculus API. For command line to work you need to add VHT installation path to System → Environment Variables → User → Path [h2]7. Miscellaneous[/h2] Updated “VHT technical note - Audio diagrams.pdf” Bug fixes.