Bixorama is a file conversion utility for panoramic photos
Bixorama can convert between 11 different panorama formats including Apple's QuickTime VR, Microsoft's DirectX DDS, angular maps, sphere maps and various cube map layouts.
Bixorama can import AND export the following 11 formats:
1) QuickTime VR .MOV
Apple's QuickTime VR is the most popular panorama format on the internet.
2) DirectX .DDS
DDS is the DirectX texture format used in realtime 3D applications. The big advantage of the DDS format is that you can not only use it for panoramic backgrounds, but also for reflection mapping. This example movie has been created with BluffTitler DX9. The UFO and the alien are reflection mapped with the same DDS file that is used to render the background.
3) Latitiude Longitude
This is what most people mean when they are talking about panoramic photos. The horizontal coordinate is the longitude and the vertical coordinate is the latitude. The mathematical name is (equi)rectangular projection.
4) Horizontal Cross
The 6 faces of the cube map are laid out as a horizontal cross.
5) Vertical Cross
The 6 faces of the cube map are laid out as a vertical cross.
6) Strip
The face order is: front, right, back, left, top, bottom.
7) Strip XYZ
The face order is: right, left, top, bottom, front, back. This layout is used by the NVIDIA DDS Photoshop plugin
8) Single Files
This mode imports and exports the panorama as 6 single files.
9) Sphere Map
This projection is used by realtime 3D applications for reflection mapping. Notice that the back face is squeezed into the border of the circle resulting in poor quality reflection mapping.
10) Mirror Ball
This is the only featured projection that isn't a true panoramic projection because it contains only half the world. When you import this projection the front is mirrored into the back.
11) Heart Shaped
This cute looking projection is a tribute to the French mathematician Oronce Finé who wasn't afraid to work out crazy ideas.
Things you can do with Bixorama
* Convert QTVR movies into DDS cubemap files for use a reflection maps in BluffTitler DX9
* Extract the 6 cube faces from a QTVR movie
* Add a logo to a QTVR movie
* Create DDS cubemaps
* Turn your panoramic photos into a QTVR movie
* Convert a mirror ball photo into a QTVR movie or a DDS cubemap
* Convert sphere maps into cube maps
* Pack 6 textures into a single DDS file
Easy to use
Bixorama does not feature complex settings dialogs.
Converting a file is as easy as choosing:
File > Import Panorama
File > Export Panorama
Batch processing
Bixorama can automatically convert multiple panoramic photos to the same format, or to the same resolution and JPG encoder quality, using the menu item File > Batch Processing...
File naming systems
Bixorama supports the following file naming systems for the 6 cube faces: