View source for SoC 2008/PanoramaViewing

= Google Summer of Code 2008 =
== Panorama Viewing ==
=== Abstract ===
The goal of this project is to make VLC a one-stop solution for viewing panoramas of various formats. Currently, FreePV is the best/only cross-platform, non-proprietary solution for viewing QuickTimeVR and plain image panoramas. However it suffers from a few drawbacks, which include difficult installation, browser plug-in conflicts and low popularity. The intent is to integrate the FreePV rendering code with VLC. This should not only automatically alleviate installation difficulty and plug-in conflicts, but also bring panorama viewing to a much larger audience.
This project will initially focus on basic support for QTVR files and equirectangular images.

=== Detailed Description ===
The way I see it, based on rudimentary knowledge of the VLC internals, is that technically this project is about writing a codec to handle QTVR and an output module for viewing frames projected onto the inside of a rotatable OpenGL sphere.

==== My Commitment ====
I'm committed to work at least 40 hours per week for the duration of the GSoC on this project except for the first week in April when I will be busy with final exams, and another one week (to be determined) when I will be gone on vacation.

==== Collaboration with the FreePV dev team ====
Since this project was born out of an explicit idea[http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.video.videolan.vlc.devel/35336] from the FreePV developers and because they promised it in a private e-mail I am certain that they are willing to help me in this project as best they can.

==== Plan ====
This plan is based on the dates in the [http://code.google.com/opensource/gsoc/2008/faqs.html#0.1_timeline GSoC 2008 timeline]
* '''March 31''' - week 1
* write e-mails to the hugin and vlc-devel mailing lists asking for suggestions/ideas
* '''April 7''' - week 2
* study for exams and finish school assignments
* write a patch for VLC
* '''April 14''' - week 3
* '''April 21''' - week 4
* figure out the interaction requirements for panorama viewing and how this will affect VLC as a whole
* decide (along with other developers) whether FreePV can be turned into a stand-alone, separately developed library that can be used by VLC to display panoramas
* think about how panorama viewing fits in with VLC. It should act as a codec for QTVR files, but it should also be able to use any 2d images/frames for panoramas (act as an output module?).
* make a list of QTVR functionality present in FreePV - aim to replicate this list in VLC
* identify which parts of FreePV can be used as a VLC module
* '''April 28''' - week 5
* learn to write a codec/demuxer module
* write a plant of what will need to be changed/added in/to VLC
* by now I should have a good idea of how things fit together
* '''May 5''' - week 6
* get an understanding of the QTVR format (possible start: http://developer.apple.com/documentation/QuickTime/InsideQT_QTVR/6Chap/chapter_6_section_1.html and the [http://freepv.sourceforge.net/ FreePV] code)
* '''May 12''' - week 7
* '''May 19''' - week 8
* '''May 26''' - week 9 - Students begin coding for their GSoC projects;
* '''June 2''' - week 10
* '''June 9''' - week 11
* '''June 16''' - week 12
* '''June 23''' - week 13
* libfreepv should exist and be usable in VLC
* '''June 30''' - week 14
* simple QTVRs should be viewable by now
* '''July 7''' - week 15
* '''July 14''' - week 16 - Mid-term evaluations deadline;
* '''July 21''' - week 17
* should be able to view image (.PNG, .JPG,...) panoramas
* '''July 28''' - week 18
* should support a number of different projections and do everything that FreePV can with QTVR
* '''August 4''' - week 19
* '''August 11''' - week 20
* '''August 18'''

==== Module Options ====
* type of panorama: equirectangular,cylindrical,littleplanet,cubic...
* default FOV aka zoom