Investigating Control of 360-Degree Video Viewing on 2D Screen

Abstract

360-degree videos offer accessible virtual reality (VR) experiences, viewable on a wide range of devices—from head-mounted displays (HMDs) to traditional 2D screens such as those on laptops or desktop computers. On 2D screens, control of 360-degree videos typically relies on conventional interaction methods—most commonly, drag-and-drop or other forms of direct manipulation to orient the camera. While these familiar interaction methods benefit from users' prior experience, it remains unclear whether they provide the best immersive viewing experience for 360-degree content on flat screens. In this study, we investigate various control techniques for interacting with 360-degree videos on 2D displays. We introduce three alternative mouse-based control methods—Point to Steer, Hold to Steer, and Click to Center—in addition to the conventional Drag and Drop approach. To evaluate how these control techniques affect the viewing experience, we conducted an online user study (n = 81), comparing participants' experiences across different methods. We also examined contextual factors such as device type (mouse vs. laptop trackpad) and video type (whether the camera movement in the 360-degree video was dynamic or static). Our findings show that the industry-standard Drag and Drop method was perceived as more usable and led to a better overall experience, especially when using a mouse. However, this advantage disappeared when participants used a trackpad, suggesting that device type plays a significant role in control performance. We conclude by discussing implications for the design of future 360-degree video interaction methods, particularly in light of device-specific considerations.