YouTube Adds 2D-to-3D Conversion Tool

YouTube Adds 2D-to-3D Conversion Tool

YouTube wants to improve on the lack of 3D content, which is one of the main barriers stopping mass adoption of the technology. The video streaming site is now making it easier for anyone to create 3D video content, without the need for special cameras, with a beta 2D to 3D conversion tool.

Three-dimensional videos on YouTube are not new. The site allowed filmmakers to upload video in 3D, but they had to set up two cameras and combine the footage using special software -- a tricky and time-consuming task. The new 2D to 3D conversion tool is a much handier alternative for the average user.

YouTube’s 2D to 3D conversion tool turns any 2D video into a 3D film with the click of a button after upload. The feature can be found by selecting "Edit Info," then "3D Video" on a video you've uploaded. YouTube product manager Shenaz Zack Mistry said in a blog post that users will “still get best results with a 3D camera, but it's a great new way to let people enjoy your finest moments.” You’ll also still need 3D glasses to enjoy the converted clips.

YouTube also introduced two new software tools for amateur moviemakers to spice up their home movie productions. The first tool is called Magisto, which is an automated video editor (found in the video toolbox) that claims to find the best scenes in your video and assembles them with music and effects (fades, transitions) for short clips. The second tool is called Vlix, which lets you add various effects and text at the beginning and end of a video.

To top it all off, YouTube announced that users who go through a complete account verification (includes giving the site your phone number) and haven’t breached any copyright rules (such as using popular songs as music backgrounds in their videos) will be allowed to exceed the 15-minute upload limit.