Video to 3D SBS: convert any clip in your browser

Photos take one depth pass. Video takes one per frame — that single fact decides everything about speed, quality and which tool you should use.

What actually has to happen

1. Decode a frame at the output resolution (browser video element or WebCodecs).
2. Estimate depth for that frame with a monocular model — we use Depth Anything ViT-S at 518×518.
3. Warp the frame into two views using the depth map: near objects get crossed parallax, far objects diverge behind the screen plane.
4. Encode the side-by-side composite as H.264 and mux the original audio back in as AAC.

Steps 1, 3 and 4 are cheap (single-digit milliseconds per frame). Step 2 is 95% of the wall clock, and it is why "1-minute clip" can mean anything from 30 seconds to an hour depending on the machine and the browser.

How to do it

1. Open the converter and drop in an mp4, mov or webm clip — or hit Try a sample clip if you just want to see the result first. Photos go into the same box: there is no mode to pick, the file type decides.
2. Pick the output frame rate (12 or 24 fps) and the depth refresh rate. Every 2nd frame is the sweet spot for most footage: half the work, no visible difference on slow camera moves.
3. Press convert, wait for the progress bar, download the -sbs.mp4 and copy it to the headset.

Photos use the same box. Drop a jpg, png or webp and you get a depth map plus a half-SBS image in about a second — one depth pass instead of hundreds, so the trade-offs below only really apply to video.

MKV, Blu-ray rips and unusual containers

3D Blu-ray rips are the most common "won't convert" case, and the rule is simple: if your browser can decode it, the converter can read it. An mkv with H.264/HEVC video and DTS/AC3 audio usually goes straight through — drop it in like any other file. Two things to know:

• Container ≠ codec. The converter looks at the streams, not the extension. An mkv holding an ordinary H.264 track converts exactly like the same track in an mp4; audio is re-encoded to AAC for the mp4 output.
• Full 3D Blu-ray MVC streams are a different beast. A disc rip carries two interlaced full-resolution views (frame-packed); convert the re-encoded SBS version, not the raw MVC playlist — re-encode once to half-SBS or full-SBS (MakeMKV → Handbrake does this), or just feed the rip's already-SBS files straight in.

Real timings (measured, not marketing)

Numbers from a browser on Apple silicon, half-SBS output, 640×360 per eye, depth refresh every 2nd frame:

Two conclusions follow. First, use a browser with WebGPU — Chrome, Edge, or the Chromium browser on Quest. Second, prefer short clips and the "every 2nd frame" depth setting; together they cut the time by about 4× versus the worst case.

Playback on each headset

Half-SBS (each eye half the frame width) is the layout with the widest support. Full-SBS doubles the width and is often downscaled or cropped by players — see Half vs Full SBS.

Why the result can look wrong

• Stretched or doubled image — the player is not in SBS mode, or you exported full-SBS and the player assumed half. Fixes in this guide.
• Depth that feels flat — disparity is being clamped. A good converter scales parallax from the depth range (a few percent of the eye width), not a fixed pixel shift.
• Wobbling edges — depth changing every frame. Lower the depth refresh rate for slow footage; raise it for fast camera moves.
• Audio out of sync — the muxer must be told the real sample rate of the decoded track, not a guessed 48 kHz.

Browser converter vs desktop tools

FAQ

Can I convert a video to 3D SBS for free?
Yes — the video converter is free, has no watermark and needs no account.

Is my video uploaded?
No. Everything runs locally in the browser tab.

Why is it slow?
One AI depth pass per frame. Drop the depth refresh to every 2nd frame, or use a shorter clip.

What exactly do I get back?
A half-SBS H.264 mp4 with AAC audio, playable on any headset 3D player. If the browser has no H.264 encoder (Firefox, some Chromium builds) the same 3D is exported as VP9/WebM with Opus audio instead.

Does it work on Safari?
It runs, but without WebGPU the depth pass falls back to WebAssembly and is several times slower. Chrome/Edge on the same machine is much faster. Firefox ships no H.264 encoder, so the export switches to VP9/WebM automatically — same 3D, plays in DeoVR/Skybox/Virtual Desktop.

Can I convert a photo with the same tool?
Yes — drop the image into the same box. It takes one depth pass instead of one per frame, so a photo comes back in about a second, with a downloadable depth map and a half-SBS image.

Do I have to choose video or photo mode?
No. The file type decides: a video is decoded and converted frame by frame, an image is converted in a single pass. The badge next to the file name tells you which pipeline was picked.

DepthSnap — free browser-based 2D to 3D SBS converter for photos and video. No upload, no signup, no watermark. Independent tool; device trademarks belong to their owners.

More guides: Half vs Full SBS · Stretched SBS fix · SBS vs TB · per-device setup