Frequently Asked Questions About Total 360° Virtual Tours

Below are some of the more popular questions asked about Netstrom's Total 360° Virtual Tours. Please Contact Netstrom if you have any additional questions we can answer for you.

What formats do Total 360° virtual tour images come in?
Why are some virtual tours horizontal while others allow viewing in all directions?
Can Total 360° virtual tour images be viewed offline?
How big in filesize are Total 360° virtual tour images?
Can the images be digitally edited to correct problems with lighting or subject matter?
Do you produce proofs of the images?
What does Netstrom give the client at the end of the process?
What is that circular graphic I see at the "bottom" of many of the Total 360° images?


Real Estate Virtual Tour Q&A
Why do other Real Estate Virtual tours use only panoramic images?
How many images are in a Real Estate Virtual Tour?
What are the differences between Real Estate Virtual Tours and other virtual tours?
Can the Real Estate Virtual Tours be e-mailed?
How long does it take for a virtual home tour to be completed?
Can the basic Real Estate Virtual Tour images be digitally enhanced/edited?

	What formats do Total 360° images come in?
	Netstrom produces images for virtual tours in three formats: a Java-compatible version and higher resolution iPIX and QuickTime versions. The higher resolution versions actually come in a variety of resolutions suitable for both the Web and for CD-ROM. There are also .exe files available that conveniently contain both the image and the viewing software in one file. The important thing to note is that the availability of multiple formats makes Total 360° virtual tour images from Netstrom available to just about anyone with a computer -- all for the same price!
	Why are some virtual tours horizontal while others allow viewing in all directions?
	The panoramic-only (horizontal) virtual tours represent older, less sophisticated technology. Many photographers have not switched to the "omniramic" type of photographic equipment used by Netstrom because it is more expensive, the images are more labor-intensive to develop, and there is a steep learning curve when it comes to producing professional quality omniramic images. Netstrom only builds Total 360° images so that nothing is left to the imagination. Not only is this format much better for showing beautiful marble floors, vaulted ceilings and skylights, but it has a psychological effect on the person viewing the image. Total 360° images leave an impression in the user's mind of having "stepped inside" the picture. These images are shot with a high-end Nikon CoolPix digital camera, whereas the panoramic tours are either composed of 6-10 still photos or filmed with a video camera. Using more than two still images to create the final 360° image leads to far greater distortion (e.g., walls appear to bend toward you). Video cameras are no match for digital cameras in picture quality when it comes to still images, plus the video images cannot be edited without great expense and to get the images online without downloading like molasses the video must be highly compressed and quality suffers greatly.
	Can Total 360° virtual tour images be viewed offline?
	Total 360° images can be viewed in a few ways, both on and off-line. When placed on a Web site they are available in three formats: a standard resolution Java-version and higher resolution iPIX and QuickTime plug-in versions. The plug-in versions require either the free iPIX Plug-In or QuickTime and the Java version simply requires a Java-enabled Web browser. The plug-in versions are higher resolution (more detail) and can therefore appear much larger onscreen. The Java versions are lower in resolution, but have the advantage of being able to be viewed immediately by virtually all users on the Web, plus they download quickly. When you're not online, you can view Total 360° images stored on your hard drive or on a CD-ROM with the free iPIX Viewer, QuickTime or via a Web browser.
	How big in filesize are Total 360° virtual tour images (i.e., how fast will they download)?
	Total 360° virtual tour images download extremely fast for what they are -- complete 360° "omniramic" images. The higher resolution plug-in versions are ±200k on average and the Java versions are ±75k. These completely omniramic images are the same filesize or smaller than many panoramic images! Be sure the virtual tour you're building uses the latest technology for the greatest payoff online.
	Can the images be digitally edited to correct problems with lighting or subject matter?
	Netstrom can enhance the images in many ways using Adobe Photoshop at various stages in the virtual tour development process. We use Internet Pictures Corporation's professional "360 Suite Pro" software to construct the images after the raw images are shot onsite with a high-end Nikon CoolPix digital camera. In many cases, our competitors will use the "Wizard" software to build their images - we strongly frown upon this practice because it does not allow the images to be edited after the stills are stitched together. We can "replant" patches of dead grass on a lawn, "repaint" the arm of a weathered chair, or brighten a specific portion of an image, all digitally with great detail and accuracy, including the "seam" as well. We can also add or replace elements in an image -- just think of the possibilities. In February 2002, Netstrom was recognized by Internet Pictures Corp. as a worldwide leader in Total 360° photography, due in large part to the editing done to enhance our virtual tour images. In the case of our standard Real Estate Virtual Tours (REVTs) we are able to do a limited amount of editing -- but far more than you would see from our competition. See the samples in the Realtor Virtual Tour Services section showing the levels of editing offered at special pricing for Realtors with MLS listings.
	Do you produce proofs of the images?
	Yes. Just like any photographic project, we will shoot a greater number of images than we will end up using. We do this so we can get the best possible results, given the conditions at the time of shooting. Clients may choose to receive proof images in the iPIX format that can be reviewed with the free iPIX Viewer software. Clients then choose which images to use and let us know. We will then finalize them, edit them as necessary, and either e-mail them back or upload them to a Web site. The basic Real Estate Virtual Tour package has a digital editing option that includes proofs.
	What does Netstrom give the client at the end of the process?
	For standard virtual tours clients receive Total 360° images in multiple formats (discussed above). Netstrom can also provide clients with a series of Web pages and thumbnail images (small, still versions of each Total 360° image) to launch the images online. We can handle uploading all files to your Web site if you would like -- in other words, a complete solution. For Real Estate Virtual Tours, the tour is uploaded to national real estate Web sites (e.g., Realtor.com), and clients also receive a E-mailable self-contained file that allows users to view the tour without any additional software, only the one file! If the client has his/her own Web site (e.g., JoeRealtor.com) we will also provide the agent with a special link to connect directly to their tour on Realtor.com.
	What is that circular graphic I see at the "bottom" of many of the Total 360° images?
	The circular graphic is referred to as the "tripod cap" and covers the photographer's tripod which is actually viewable in each Total 360° image. Since the fisheye lens captures a 185° field of view, the tripod supporting the camera is visible in the images. For high resolution images, Netstrom can either completely digitally remove the tripod and fill in the space with floor/ground or add a custom-designed tripod cap or logo of the client's choosing. For basic Real Estate Virtual Tours, a standardized tripod cap with the is inserted into the image by the real estate virtual tour software. For examples, please see both images in the Total 360° Gallery and the "After & Before" feature in the Tech Notes section.
Real Estate Virtual Tour Specific Q&A
	Why do other Real Estate Virtual tours (not those done by Netstrom) use only panoramic images?
	Not all virtual tour images are created equally! Netstrom creates only Total 360° images for our Real Estate Virtual Tours. We use the latest technology so that our virtual home tours show every inch of a room. They also have much less distortion than the panoramic tours and the image quality is far better. Your clients will appreciate the fact that you (their Realtor) chose Netstrom and your potential new clients will recognize the fact that you go to the extra effort to present properties and market them in the most professional way possible.
	How many images are in a Real Estate Virtual Tour?
	You can include as many Total 360° images in a virtual tour as you want, but the minimum fee is for four images. Additional images are priced individually so you can have five, seven or ten images in the tour if you like. Please see our Realtor Services page for the latest pricing information.
	What are the differences between Real Estate Virtual Tours and other virtual tours?
	Homestore.com developed a special software application for the real estate industry that produces lower cost, low resolution Java-compatible images and automates the process of producing and posting those images online to Realtor.com. The images cannot be edited in the same manner as the high-resolution Total 360° images and they only come in the low resolution Java format. REVTs are licensed only for use by licensed realtors with MLS listings. There are many advantages of the REVTs for Realtors. Not only is the REVT less expensive, but the software that produces the tour does so in a way that it can quickly be uploaded to national real estate sites such as Realtor.com. Listings with virtual tours get 40% more traffic on Realtor.com than those without virtual tours! » Realtors catering to high-end properties can often market listings more successfully with our award-winning Total 360° virtual tour services that produce high-resolution images in multiple formats -- this is especially valuable when it comes to getting new listings! Contact Netstrom today for more information. «
	Can the Real Estate Virtual Tours be e-mailed?
	Netstrom can design custom E-mails for clients in an attractive HTML format that contains one of the Total 360° images from the virtual home tour spinning automatically along with information about the property*, the Realtor's logo and contact information. The recipient will open up their mailbox and see the listing in Total 360° fashion -- an extremely effective way of marketing a property. *End user's e-mail software may prohibit rotating image.
	How long does it take for a virtual home tour to be completed?
	Netstrom can shoot a basic virtual home tour and have it up online with national exposure in one business day; longer for tours where digital editing is done. Onsite shooting usually takes about an hour and the optional computer manipulation usually takes about an hour per image. The uploading process is automated for basic REVTs and only takes a few minutes.
	Can the basic Real Estate Virtual Tour images be digitally enhanced/edited?
	Netstrom can edit basic REVT images to remove minor imperfections such as sunspots and shadows cast by the camera's tripod and we can perform more complex editing as well. REVT images cannot be digitally edited to the same extent as the higher resolution Total 360° images. In most cases the REVTs only need limited editing. For high-end properties, especially those with outstanding views, Netstrom's award winning digital editing is an invaluable option to consider. Netstrom can digitally "paste" in the view out the windows that would otherwise be severely over-exposed due to the difference between indoor and outdoor lighting conditions. It simply is not possible to correctly expose for both at the same time. Netstrom's advanced digital editing techniques make it possible. Again, this type of editing is an option with the basic Real Estate Virtual Tours.