Combine Streetview video and YouTube video together. File format has been setup as 720p so that's enough for two separated windows. In the presentation, I supposed to display in three different windows. Like the picture shown below.
However, the photo section and the streetview section are too similar and it's too crowded put three windows in the same screen. Hence, I decide to decrease the photo part and display in only two windows. It's just like the prototype 3.0 now.
During the Christmas vacation, I have done my new prototype 2.0 and named it "Paris Je T'aime" (same name as a movie). The reasons I choose Paris as my city to make prototype 2.0 is based on the following reasons: 1. Google gets both maps and street view web services in Paris. This might be the most important reason I chose Paris. Without Google street view and maps, my project will not be achieved. 2. I attempt to tribute to my inspiration, the photo set of Michael Wolf. 3. Though Paris and London is only separated by English channel. However, it is faraway for me because of visa and I could not attend there whenever I want like others. 4. I have only been Paris once when I was ten and memories of the city is almost gone. For that reason, Paris is always fascinating for me.
I choose the route from Arc de Triomphe to Eiffel Tower, the two most representive buildings and sightseeing spots in Paris, because I want to present the video as a journey video which is taken by tourist. The length between these two places is approximately 2.6 kilometers. Normally it takes five minutes by vehicle.
In this prototype practice, I try to combine two Google programs - street view and earth together. Capture the pictures from both software and website and put pictures in Final Cut Pro and convent into film format. Another attempt I try to achieve is that I add the frame rates a little bit (8 frames/per second) to make it less like a smooth video but a rough film. Here is the prototype two video "Paris Je T'aime".
In this one minute and thirty-five seconds video, there are approximately 350 pictures being used in it. However, my friend and I both feel it too plain and the pace is slow. I think in next version of prototype, I need to try some different elements like pause or reverse and also adjust the frame rates to see if it is suitable or not.
Google's not the only one in the game when it comes to wild mapping tech, and while Microsoft's excellent collection of bird's eye photos has never gotten it quite the attention of Google's Street View, the hope is that lasers and its much-lauded Photosynth tool can do the trick. Microsoft has done up a Street View-style canvassing of 56 US cities with cars that not only snap photos but include range-finding lasers to map out the architecture in 3D. The Silverlight-based viewer for this view (dubbed Streetside) is similar in interface to Google Maps, a tad slower, and rather visually impressive. In addition, Microsoft is leaning on its Photosynth technology to collect navigable panoramas of scenery and even building interiors. Finally, Microsoft has tacked on "apps" of sorts, little overlays that include traffic cameras, restaurants, a Twitter API and so forth. All of this coupled with an improved version of the bird's eye view is quite a visual treat, but the Silverlight requirement and non-Google-ness of it all might keep away the Bing-averse among us. But really, with all this tit-for-tat going on between Microsoft and Google, we have to wonder what sort of stone age we'd be stuck in if we didn't have these two behemoths going at each other like this. The "Beta" is live now at the source link.
After a long week filled up with assessments, let us back to my Intermedia practice again. In the previous article, I talk about the functions of google map and streetview. Now, I want to use the function of streetview which is mentioned last time to do a small prototype of my project. The location I would like to deal with is the path from Kingston University to Kingston railroad station, the most familiar place for me of course. Firstly, I use google map to arrange my route from school to railway station.
Then, following this path, I attempt to use software to capture the vision into pictures from google streetview.
After finishing capture all the still images on the road, I import a large number of pictures into final cut pro and mix them up as a motion picture. The following 15 seconds clip is what I make by google streetview and final cut.
In this 15 seconds video, I totally capture 113 pictures and set the time of each picture for 3 frames. I am quite satisfied with the result of the prototype clip; however there are still few problems needed to be solved out. One problem is that google streetview could only go straight, it couldn't turn right or left or go circle. Therefore, every time when meeting corners or circles on the street, I can not seize the perfect photos and that's the reason why the video is not smooth in some points. Another problem is that google streetview does not cover all the maps. Some areas, such as the roads for pedestrians or alleys which are too small for cars to drive in, can not use streetview function. Thus, it should be very careful while picking up the route at the very beginning in the future project.
Google, without no doubt, is one of the influential and powerful web search engine and web tools provider in this world and it totally changes the habits of people using Internet nowadays. As well as Google Maps, the online map navigation system is covered almost all the territories of this planet and users could search the locations they try to attend just through moving and clicking the mouse or touch pad on the computer. Moreover, the functions which Google Maps is combined with photos, videos(YouTube), wikipedia and even real time web cams are useful for users to mark their photos and videos on the maps and also helping them obtain the information they need on web. This kind of interactivity really increase the chance for users to use them again and again.
Street View is another invention which is even more innovative and revolutionary. It is a feature of Google Maps and Google Earth that provides 360° horizontal and 290° vertical panoramic views from a row of positions along the street (one every approximately 10 or 20 metres) for many streets in the world, from a height of about 2.5 metres. However, this service has not covered the whole globe yet. According to Google Maps' website, only few places' maps, such as The United States, The United Kingdom, Europe and Japan, support Google Street View service.
