Virtual Tours FAQs
This exciting technique is invaluable in the promotion of your business on the
Internet:
What is a Virtual Tour?
A
panorama is made from up to 12 photographs digitally 'stitched' together to
create an all-round view of up to 360o. A Virtual tour contains one or
more 360o images which may be combined with other pictures and text.
Together they will capture the ambience of
the subject in a way that is just not possible with conventional
single-dimensional photography.
The visitor may proceed through the tour by clicking on
menus or 'hot spots' defined in the image (e.g. doorways).A
unique feature is the optional 'Floor Plan' applet, which greatly
enhances a viewers ability to walk through a 'mappable' environment and
understand 'direction' in the currently displayed panoramic view.
Virtual Tours are far more than a technical “gee whiz”
novelty – use them to gain a competitive edge!.
Will it work on any computer?
Yes
- The application has been tested on both Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh
computers with a browser capable of supporting Java 1.1 applets.
Does the VT application need any special viewing software to be installed?
No
- A small Java applet is downloaded in a few seconds while the first image is being downloaded. It will be downloaded only once per session
as it will usually remain in the browser cache memory to be used when
viewing additional panoramas. The applet is not required to be installed
permanently on the viewer's hard drive.
How long does it take to download an
image - can I see a sample?
A
full 360o panorama is approximately 65k and, including the
java applet, will take around 16 secs to load on a dial-up 56k modem connection.
Subsequent views in the same session will use the Java applet stored in
your browser cache and require approximately 11 seconds to download. Check out some
sample panoramas:
Click picture
to view an example of a series of interior views with menu and 'hot
spot' navigation options
(
Please be patient as it takes +- 16 secs to download on a 56k modem.)
The
sample below was taken in mid-winter on a
walking trail from a Country Inn in Mpumalanga, South Africa and demonstrates this
effect on an exterior view:
and
another taken from the surf off sample below near Leisure Bay in South Africa:
What is the image quality like?
This
will depend on the final resolution of the edited images but typically
they are incredibly
fast, flicker-free, sharp and smooth. Of course, the original
high resolution images may be used in other marketing projects such as
flyers, brochures etc. Take a look at some of the demonstration
images:
How do I add a tour to my website?
We
will provide you with a URL to link to from within your own website. When
the visitor has finished viewing they will either use the tour menu to
continue or simply close the window to return to your site. Optionally, we can customise these web pages to match the design
of your existing website..
What are the benefits?
The main
advantage is that your potential client will be more
‘qualified’ to make a buying decision because:
- Less time needs to be spent viewing properties for suitability. This is particularly important for the real estate industry and will contribute to the lowering of marketing expenses - fewer 'blind' visits to view properties.
- A 'living' 3D view of your establishment is available for inspection 24 / 7 - with little effort for all concerned at the cost of a local phone call.
- A
Virtual Tour of a Hotel, Inn, Guest House or B & B is a big plus for
today's tourist who wants to know what to expect.
Your Client's keywords are - 'Value for Money!'
What
does it cost?
The minimum
price for a Virtual Tour in the Johannesburg area is R 1000.00. This includes all
our travel expenses, photography, standard web page creation, web hosting and
software licenses for up to two panoramas (e.g. 2 rooms).
Additional panoramas are R
250.00 each.
N.B.
There
are no other recurring charges
and
our policy for Virtual Tours is that you only pay when you are completely
satisfied with each panoramic
view.
Subject
to available resources, we
will also undertake projects outside of the Johannesburg area - just ask
us to quote.
| 