stereodefined

Stereodefined is a term used in the field of stereo imaging to describe content for which the stereo configuration is specified by explicit definitions rather than inferred from the source material. In practice, stereodefined content consists of discrete left and right views generated or aligned according to a formal stereo baseline and depth parameters, intended to produce predictable depth cues across viewing environments.

Common parameters associated with stereodefined content include interocular distance (baseline), convergence or focal plane, optical offset, and parallax limits. Content may carry accompanying metadata that describes these values, enabling consistent playback on different devices and formats such as cinema projectors, home theater systems, virtual reality headsets, and autostereoscopic displays. The metadata approach helps ensure that the intended depth and alignment are preserved during encoding, distribution, and rendering.

Historically, stereo content often relied on artistic conventions and manual tweaks of depth. The notion of stereodefined emphasizes the technical specification of stereo properties as a prerequisite for accurate reproduction. In contemporary workflows, producers may create left and right views from a 3D scene using a virtual camera pair with a defined baseline, and mastering software may embed stereo metadata to guide playback systems and display calibrations.

Applications include 3D cinema, immersive VR and AR experiences, and scientific visualization where precise stereo definitions support reproducible depth perception. Challenges involve maintaining viewer comfort, avoiding vergence-accommodation conflicts, and accounting for device variability and display characteristics.