Clip stores are full of labels: VR, 3D, 180, 360, 5K, 8K, POV, immersive. In scat listings they are applied loosely, sometimes by the producer, sometimes by the store, sometimes copied from a category the clip happened to be filed in. This page translates the common labels into what they usually mean for the file you receive, shows where they routinely mislead, and ends with a checklist to work through before you pay. It deliberately stays at the level of the listing; it does not go deep into encoding.
Why labels drift from the file
A label is metadata somebody typed. It may be accurate, optimistic or simply wrong. In large niches, VR studios label carefully because their customers check. In smaller ones like scat, many producers film on phones and handheld cameras, and a “VR” tag can mean anything from a genuine two-lens recording to “filmed from my point of view”. Stores also sort clips into categories automatically, and a category name says nothing about how a particular file was made.
The labels, one by one
“VR”
On its own, the weakest label of all. It should mean a wrapping projection with two eye images, but it is often used for POV clips, close-up clips or anything filmed to feel personal. Treat it as a hint, not a promise, until the listing names a projection and a stereo layout.
“3D”
Usually means stereo — two eye images. That is half of what VR needs. A 3D clip can still be a flat rectangle, made for 3D televisions or projectors, that hangs in front of you in a headset rather than surrounding you. “3D VR180” is meaningful; “3D” alone is not enough.
“180” and “360”
These describe the projection: half a sphere in front of you, or the whole sphere. They are the most reliable labels because they describe something specific. But they do not on their own guarantee stereo; a monoscopic 360 clip surrounds you but has no depth, like standing inside a photograph.
“SBS”, “side-by-side”, “TB”, “over-under”
Packing formats: the two eye images sit next to each other or above each other in one frame. When one of these appears together with 180 or 360, the listing is describing a real stereo VR file, and that is the combination to look for. You will often see them as part of a filename too, which players use to choose the right mode.
“4K”, “5K”, “6K”, “8K”
Resolution figures. In VR they normally describe the whole frame with both eyes, so each eye receives about half. A figure that sounds generous on a television is modest in a headset. These numbers are only meaningful once the projection and stereo are confirmed; an 8K flat clip is still flat.
“POV”
A camera angle, not a format. A POV clip is filmed from a participant’s viewpoint, and most POV scat clips are ordinary flat video. POV and VR often coincide but are independent.
“Immersive”, “virtual”, “real feel”
Marketing language. They describe a hoped-for experience, not a property of the file.
Combinations that are probably honest
- “VR180 SBS 6K” or “VR180 3D 8K” — projection, stereo and resolution all stated.
- A frame size such as 5760×2880 or 7680×3840 — twice as wide as tall, typical for VR180 side-by-side.
- A filename or preview that shows two near-identical images side by side.
Combinations that need a question
- “VR” with no projection, stereo or frame size.
- “3D” with no 180 or 360.
- “4K VR” for a long scene with a small file size.
- A preview that looks like a normal widescreen or portrait clip with no sign of two images.
Ask before you buy: a checklist
If the listing leaves gaps, a short message to the producer is worth more than any guess. Most independent producers reply, and the answers sort genuine VR from labelled flat clips quickly:
- What projection is the file — 180, 360 or flat?
- Is it stereo, and which layout — side-by-side or over-under?
- What is the exact frame size of the delivered file?
- Was it recorded with a VR camera, or converted later?
- Do I get a download, a stream, or both — and in which resolutions?
- Is there a preview I can open in a headset?
A clear answer to the first four questions tells you what you are buying. If a producer cannot answer them, the clip is very likely flat, and you can decide whether you want it as a flat clip. Sometimes that is the better choice anyway; flat vs VR explains when.
How this site uses labels
This directory does not trust category names. A title is treated as VR here only when its file is genuinely a headset file, and such titles move to the front of the rows on the start page. Which kinds of scat scene are most likely to be filmed that way — and which are worth it — is covered on VR scat categories. Choosing the right version for your hardware is on the headsets page.