TerrainView-Globe

TerrainView-Globe is a virtual globe program created by ViewTec AG, a company acquired by ViewTec Inc. in 2008. Users can add massive image and elevation data obtained from satellite imagery, aerial photography and GIS data. It is available under three different licenses:
TerrainView-Lite is free of charge with some restrictions (watermarks). The TerrainView application is a Virtual Reality based software solution that supports the most common 3D formats. TerrainView-Globe is similar to Google Earth but the difference is that users can choose their own terabytes of geodata, streamed over a secured Internet or Intranet connection, for their specific needs and applications, on the basis of a Globe with a high geodetic accuracy.
TerrainView-Globe can pre-process and access, in real-time, unlimited amounts of geo-specific data and data layers: imagery, digital thematic maps, elevation- and vector data, labels and annotations.
TerrainView-Globe has some extensions. TerrainView-Remote Control is the core technology for observation, reconnaissance and surveillance on the basis of virtually modelled 3D terrains and landscapes in natural and urban environments. The application is suited for 3D terrain monitoring and the tracking of dynamic features on the ground, in the air and on the sea. TerrainView-CMAX consists in a high-end system for seamless multi-channel, multi-projections and visualizations on multiple screens and walls, including CAVE environments (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) for real-time application, simulation and training. TerrainView-Video produces high resolution videos bigger than 640x480 pixels. Videos are generated at specific frame rates using different video codecs. Dynamic imagery can be recorded and exported to an AVI movie.
Overview
TerrainView-Globe provides fully interactive flights during which users can control altitude, speed and viewing angle via the mouse and georeferenced terrain positions output in WGS84 and UTM coordinates. It is possible to merge multiple 3d objects of different formats together and pick, move, rotate or scale them easily. TerrainView-Globe provides various modes of navigation such as view mode, flight mode, low level flight (ground following), and explore view. Paths can be assigned to 3d models such as airplanes, copters and ground vehicles to demonstrate real-time movement. Information tree that lists all primitives, locations, 3d models, dynamic objects. The information tree has the ability to group elements into folders, save show/hide status for objects. Any scene consisting of terrain, 3d models, flight paths points of interest and weatrher conditions can be saved in configurations files for instant access in future sessions. TerrainView-Globe rendering is accelerated through OpenGL. The resolution of screenshots calculated from the current view are only limited by disk space. Easy definition of flight paths with smooth interpolation for position and orientation. Flight paths can be coupled to both 3d models and camera. To annotate terrain models freely definable points of interest may be coupled with arbitrary text, 3d objects, or hyperlinks. TerrainView-Globe allows various kinds of 3d measurements to be made, e.g. distances, angles, profiles and areas. Furthermore, it is possible to determine the position and distance of any terrain point by means of the cursor. Different textures e.g. maps can be visualized as layers in the 3d terrain. Objects e.g different types of a 3d building can be faded in and out during an animation. For the generation of realistic scenes, TerrainView offers a wide palette of lighting and weather conditions e.g. time of day, skybox, distant haze, volumetric clouds, rain, snow and wind.
Geodata Concept
People using the applications are adding their own data and making them available through various sources. TerrainView-Globe is able to show all kinds of images overlaid on the surface of the earth.
TerrainView-Globe can access over internet large geodatabases, hosted on different Geodata-servers. 3D Geodatabases can be delivered at different spatial coverage and resolution, and can be represented simultaneously and seamlessly through a layered spherically rendered architecture. The customers can immediately access the 3D Geodatabases over ViewTec's highly secured Internet streaming service.

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