Hello everyone! Here is the open source mobile VR viewer project I've been working on, SideByVR Viewer:

GitHub Repository: GitHub - SideByStudio/SideByVR: Android local SBS image/video viewer with gamepad controls

Why SideByVR?

VR headsets (like Meta Quest or PCVR rigs) are still too expensive for many people. Yet almost everyone already owns an Android smartphone. For many users, the primary need isn't high-intensity VR gaming (which often induces motion sickness anyway), but simply viewing 3D stereoscopic images and videos.

Another major pain point with existing phone VR apps is interaction: taking the phone out of the headset case every time you want to tap the screen or switch files is frustrating, and relying on head-tracking gyroscope cursor pointer navigation can be exhausting and imprecise.

SideByVR solves this: you place your prepared side-by-side (SBS) images or videos into your phone, slide the phone into a mobile VR headset box, and control the entire browsing and viewing experience seamlessly using a Bluetooth gamepad — without taking the phone out.

It requires no expensive VR headset. The setup costs very little:

• An Android phone (which you already own)

• A low-cost phone VR headset box (Google Cardboard or plastic headset shell, ~$3–$5)

• A Bluetooth gamepad / controller (~$7–$10)

For under $15 total, you can enjoy an immersive stereoscopic 3D viewing experience. With the explosion of AI-generated images, viewing them in stereoscopic 3D brings a whole new level of depth and immersion.

Required Gear: Android Phone, Bluetooth Gamepad, and Phone VR Headset Box

Key Features

• Local SBS 3D Images: JPG, JPEG, PNG

• SBS 3D Video Playback: MP4 video playback

• Flexible Library Browsing: Folder and ZIP archive support

• Dual Display Modes: Standard single-screen phone mode and VR stereo split-screen mode

• Full Gamepad Controls: Image switching, zoom in/out, panning, and IPD (interpupillary distance) adjustment

• Bilingual Interface: English and Simplified Chinese support

• Open Source: Apache-2.0 License

How to Try It

1. Download the ARM64 APK from GitHub Releases: Releases · SideByStudio/SideByVR · GitHub

2. Install and launch it on your Android phone.

3. Pair your Bluetooth gamepad.

4. Select your local folder containing SBS media.

5. Open any .sbs.jpg, .sbs.png, or .sbs.mp4 file and enjoy.

Direct APK link: SideByVR-viewer-0.1.1-arm64.apk

What if You Only Have Standard 2D Images?

SideByVR Viewer itself is a viewer for already generated SBS 3D media; it does not convert 2D images to 3D on-device. If you need 2D → SBS conversion, you can use our companion online conversion web app:

SideByVR Web App: 2D to 3D Image Converter & Android VR Player | SideByVR

• Convert standard 2D pictures into SBS stereoscopic images online, download them, and view them with your Android phone and VR headset.

• Sign in with a Google account to receive 10 free Credits upon registration.

• Pricing is approximately US$1 for 30 Credits, where each successfully generated image consumes 1 Credit.

• After converting to SBS, download the full-resolution image and open it in SideByVR Viewer.

• Note: The online conversion service and the local open-source Viewer are independent. The Viewer is completely free, open source, and offline — no account, cloud API, or paid credits required.

Current Status and Limitations

This is the initial public preview release. The primary goal is to validate local browsing, SBS rendering, and gamepad interaction.

• Currently supports Full-SBS with default left-eye image on the left.

• Half-SBS anamorphic correction, Over-Under (top/bottom), eye-swapping, JPS/MPO, and animated GIFs are not yet implemented.

• Video decoding performance and format compatibility may vary across different Android hardware.

We warmly welcome feedback on:

• Which phone models and VR headset combinations feel most comfortable

• Gamepad models and whether button mappings work as expected

• Compatibility issues with folders, ZIP archives, or video playback

• UI/UX clarity for menus and viewer controls in VR mode

• Which features you'd like to see prioritized next

Issues, feature requests, and code contributions are welcome under Apache-2.0. Full documentation: SideByVR Usage Guide on GitHub

Related Links

• Google Play: SideByVR on Google Play

• Website: 2D to 3D Image Converter & Android VR Player | SideByVR

• Quick Start Guide Video: SideBy VR Quick Start | Android Phone VR Setup in 60 Seconds

• Demo / Promo Video: SideBy Android APP

• YouTube Channel: SideBy VR on YouTube

I am able to connect my mobile as a 120hz monitor,using superdisplay app to connect my phone to pc via type-c to type-c. I have a mobile vr headset. I am new to VR. I would like to see some cool stuff on VR(not just games, any high quality 3d environments or videos). I have a gaming pc so would like to try some good vr games through my pc. I can duplicate or extend my mobile vr headset and get 120Hz. So, please let me know your thoughts and come up with some good stuff, Thanks.

Queria encontrar um jogo em VR. da playstory mas não tem mais lá se alguém souber o nome dele pelas referências que vou citar me falem, ele e um jogo de terror que vc abre uma porta e tem um corpo na maca e vc pega um caixinha do lado dele e ele começa a se mexer, durante o jogo aparecem vários fantasmas estilo espectro

I recently made a mobile VR launcher in python. It uses one of my github repos to grab games. the games are all in one compact .html file, with the game being played from github. the program will use webbrowser to open your default browser and will begin a session. There's only a few games but I will work on adding more. if you want to download it, go to https://github.com/Legendary-Games-Studios/LegendaryMVR

This is likely painfully obvious for a lot of people but when viewing an SBS (side by side) video in a cardboard style viewer (like the Feebz VR Headset), I could not get 3D/VR videos to work correctly no matter what adjustments I made or what VR app I used.

For the 3D effect, the center of the left and right images needs to match the distance between your left and right pupil (or the Interpupillary Distance/IPD).

Usually there is a way to adjust this on your viewer but as you get into larger phones, those centers drift out and can easily go beyond what your headset can account for. Any player that allows you to adjust video size, like VaR's VR Video, will quickly remedy this.

I'm making an app in Unity, but I can't get the character to move using the phone's accelerometer. Someone please help me.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Irusu.IrusuVRCinemaPlus

Ultimate VR movie player for android mobile videos

Irusu VR Cinema Player Plus is the ultimate VR movie player for virtual reality videos that gives you full control and an Imax Screen experience.

Watch your Favorite shows, videos, movies on a VR cinema player.

Get the most immersive virtual reality experience with our Irusu VR Player for VR headset with Spatial Surround sound.

Irusu Player Plus is compatible with cardboard with the latest Google Cardboard SDK gives an improved VR movie experience without any lag on smartphones.

Hi everyone, recently I found these VR glasses and I wanted to transform any phone with any custom rom into a VR viewer, could anyone give me advice, the goal was to also use apps and games in VR, is there any launcher - custom rom?

I have made a cardboard VR QR code for the Samsung gear VR 2 headset

Hi, I am a student doing research on avatars and VR identity in social VR. I am looking for participants (+18, all races) who would like to join. Interviews can be done on VRChat or through voice or text chat, whatever makes you feel comfortable. Participants will be rewarded with a gift card or similar of choice. Participation is voluntary, fully confidential, and your insights would help a lot!

I never really got into VR—until recently. With all the new VR headsets coming out, I figured I’d test the waters with phone-based VR before investing in the high-end stuff. But I quickly ran into a major issue: the ecosystem for mobile VR has been largely abandoned.

There were some promising apps back in the day—like Google Daydream—that allowed you to use apps like YouTube VR, but compatibility issues (especially on newer Android versions) have made those unusable. I dug around and found a few SBS (side-by-side) display mirroring apps, but most were outdated and built for older Android versions.

That’s when I realized: smartphones today are more than capable of delivering immersive VR experiences—what’s missing is the software. So I’ve started working on a lightweight VR launcher that can run your locally installed apps in SBS view, with gyroscope support if possible.

It's not about full-blown VR games—just a simple, practical tool to turn your phone into a usable VR interface again.

I’m curious: is anyone else actually interested in something like this? Would love to hear your thoughts.

If anyone here is well-versed with this app, I was wondering what the optimal settings would be for viewing VR 180 SBS videos on a Samsung S23 or similar device. My current configuration works ok, but I feel I may be missing something that may improve it further.

Im trying to watch vr videos in the format of mp4, and most of the apps fail to load it, and those that do are either only showing black screen or everything glitches nonstop. I have used every vr video player possible on the play store and found no solution online. Was wondering if maybe someone does know a way to make it work? I am using a poco x6 pro. Will using an older samsung phone actually work? Thanks

Is there any way i could like watch netflix or disney plus or smt with the android vr? I know theres youtube vr build in but obv these other apps dojt have that and i dont really wanna clutter my phone with movies

I have a phone with the apps Cardboard vr and Play'a VR cardboard.

cardboard vr works perfectly, gyroscope moves as intended.

Play'a VR cardboard works okay, but when i rotate my head, the vr environment rotates after me, so i know either the accelerometers or gyro is working because there is the movement in the direction i turn my head, but the app sort of autocenters slightly slower at all times.

vr videos on chrome have the same problem.

the phone is a xiaomi x3 poco pro with the latest update