Sample images using browser plugin This is a small piece of software downloaded once only (taking about 20 seconds) followed by a short download time for the image.	Sample image using a java applet (image supplied courtesy of iPix UK & Ireland)   Slightly faster download time
	Click image to download	Click image to download

For more samples click here to go to the Gallery

Introduction

eBrochures

Benefits

Integration into existing website

Why choose iPix

What is a 'plugin' and what is an applet

Introduction

iPIX immersive technology offers still, video, and NetCam solutions that enable efficient, comprehensive capture of mission-critical visual content. IPIX stills capture 360-degree-by-360-degree fields of view making it ideal for application to the real estate and travel/hospitality markets.

An iPix panorama works in the following way:

Imagine that you are standing in the middle of a room, you are able to look around you through a full 360 degrees in the horizontal plane and 360 degrees in the vertical plane. You are effectively immersed in a 'sphere'. Now replace your own eyes with a camera that you can control through simple mouse movements and you have the essence of iPix 3D. You can view every part of the room that you could see if you were actually there in that fixed location and 'zoom' in and out on demand.

Now lets take this further...

Not only can you see one room but by linking these panoramas together you can effectively move from room to room and 'walk though' an entire property. You could even 'jump' through a window into the garden and see a full 360 panorama of the garden and the views surrounding it.

You may have seen other internet 360 panoramas before but these are only in one plane. iPix is the only company that holds a patent on 360 X 360 panorama technology.

eBrochures

These same panoramas can also be used to produce an eBrochure which is a standard Windows executable file that can be sent out either on CD, email or downloaded from a website. In this way an Estate Agent can send out a whole range of properties on one CD. Customers can then browse through them at leisure.

Examples

To see some examples of this technology, please click on the iPix virtual tour buttons at the top of this page.

Benefits

• Possibility to gain selling instructions through the use of iPIX images as part of the pitch to potential vendors.
• One leading agent found that 3 out of 4 vendors chose iPIX when given the option to showcase their property virtually.
• Agent branding on every iPIX image, if required.
• Improved property hit rates at property portals (independent statistics suggest that iPIX images are visited 20 times more often single photographs and the return rate is 5 times compared to 1.5 times).
• Improved pre-qualification of applicant’s tastes saving time and money. This will result in reduced buyer dissatisfaction, especially for those clients who are buying from a distance.
• Reduced inconvenience to vendor as there will be less disruption caused by repeated property inspections. This is also a cost saving to agents because they do not need to supervise as many viewings with a consequent saving in manpower. Serious buyers will of course always want a real inspection but casual viewings can be reduced.
• Emailable/downloadable versions of the virtual tour for direct marketing, (eBrochures).
• Whilst on the premises we can also take ordinary digital stills photography images at the same time as virtual tour – no need for an extra appointment to be made.
• For an additional charge we could incorporate a floor plan linked to the panoramas.
• Agents can have a kiosk style terminal in their office for casual visitors to browse the available properties.

Integration with your own website

Most adopters of this technology will already have their own website. It is usually quite straightforward to integrate the pictures into an existing site and we can liaise with your current web provider to ensure trouble-free integration.

Why choose iPix

There are several other panorama technologies available and mostly these consist of a series of still images stitched together end-to-end into a loop. These panoramas can be very high resolution but they are only viewable in the horizontal plane and do not give the same type of instant 'feel' for a location that iPix provides. Some technologies also create distortions in the picture so that the walls can appear 'bowed' towards the viewer. This makes it very difficult for the mind to form a mental picture of the space. You may also ask why is it important that you can see the ceiling and floor, well if you want to be convinced, take a look at the reaction of people viewing properties on the multitude of TV programs covering property purchase such as 'Place in the sun', 'Location, Location, Location' etc. As the viewers move from room to room they nearly always perform an almost subconscious but quick glimpse of the ceiling as the first thing they do. I will leave it to psychologists to explain this phenomenon but it certainly seems to occur.

What is a Plugin and what is an Applet

A plugin is a piece of software that is downloaded once and 'plugged-in' to the browser. It is a one-off operation and effectively extends the functionality of the browser on the users machine (until or if it is uninstalled).

An applet is similar in that it is also a piece of software but written in a specific programming language called java. This is downloaded each time for an image but the download is faster. One particular advantage with the applet approach is that the iPix viewer can optionally display a control panel with up/down/left/right buttons built into the viewer.

The choice lies between slow initial download but faster subsequent downloads (the plugin approach) OR

slightly slower downloads for each image (the applet approach).

The download times are of course very dependant on your connection speed. Broadband users will see an almost instant response whereas ISDN and 56k Modem  users will also see a fairly quick response. Slower modems will have to wait a little longer...

For any other queries including pricing, please call us. (see contact page)