How to Turn Your Videos into Holograms with the Hologram Video App
The Hologram Video app makes it easy to create lifelike holograms from the Cinematic Mode videos captured from your iPhone.
We’ve shared a lot about turning your photos into holograms, but what about videos? With the Hologram Video App, it’s now super easy, and you can do it straight from your phone.
In this guide, I’ll quickly walk you through the simple steps to seeing your videos as lifelike holograms using just an iPhone or iPad and a Looking Glass display. Don't reach for that headset or computer, cause you don't need them!
👇 For the visual learners, you can view my video tutorial here!
Here's what you'll need
Looking Glass display - Works with: Looking Glass Go or Looking Glass 16’’ Spatial Display.
iOS Device - Compatible with: iPhone 15 Pro (or Pro Max) and iPad Pro (M4) or later.
Looking Glass Hologram Video app - download from the App Store.
View the full documentation and user guide here.
Step by step for getting started:
Step 1: Get the Hologram Video App
Download the Hologram Video App from the App Store if you haven't already done so. It’s free, easy to set up, and designed to make transforming videos into holograms as seamless as possible.
Step 2: Capture Your Video
The Hologram Video App works with two types of videos:
- Cinematic Mode videos recorded on an iPhone
- RGB-D videos that contain depth data
- Advanced users can generate their own custom RGBD videos with AI tools like Depth Anything, DepthCrafter, and Owl3D.
To get started, film a video in Cinematic Mode on your phone (or pick one that’s already in your camera roll) - this captures the depth data needed to create a hologram. Or, choose an RGB-D video if you have those!
Step 3: Connect Your Looking Glass Display
To display your hologram, you’ll need to connect your compatible iOS device to your Looking Glass Go or the latest 16” Looking Glass. Simply use a single USB-C cable, plug one end into your device and the other into your Looking Glass display, and press the power button on your Looking Glass.
You might see a pop-up on your device - just press “OK” and open the Hologram Video App.
Step 4: Load Your Calibration Data
Each Looking Glass display has unique calibration data that ensures your holograms are displayed with the highest possible quality.
To load calibration data:
- Open the Hologram Video App
- Select "Pair Your Device"
- Locate the calibration file via the file browser.
- If the app doesn't automatically navigate to the file, calibration files are under Locations → LKG-XXXXXX (your device serial number) → LKG_calibration folder → visual.json. Select the visual.json file.
- Your calibration is now loaded — applications will store this for future use.
Step 5: Upload Your Video
Once calibration is set, upload your Cinematic or RGB-D video to the app:
- Press the plus (+) button at the bottom of the screen
- Select your video type (Cinematic or RGB-D)
- Find your desired video and tap it to upload
Step 6: Fine-Tune Your Hologram
Once your video is playing, you can adjust and refine it to make it look just right.
- Tap and drag the purple rectangle to change the framing
- Pinch on the purple rectangle to zoom in and out
- Play and pause the video
- Use the focus slider to adjust what is on the focal plane
- Use the depthiness slider to increase or decrease the perceived depth of the content
- Press the "+" button and select "Play from start" to restart the video
- Press the "+" button and select a new video to change the content that is playing
- Flip the depth map by pressing the "Black to white" or "White to black" buttons (RGBD content only)
Step 7: Enjoy & Share Your Holograms!
That’s it! Now you can watch, interact with, and share your holographic videos on a Looking Glass display. Whether it's for fun, creative projects, or professional visualization, turning videos into holograms is now such a breeze.
📣 We’d love to see what you create! Share your holographic videos with us on social media!
To the future!
Looking Glass Factory
Note
The Hologram Video app is a one-of-its-kind tool and is still in its early stages. The following are current known issues:
- Audio gets out of sync with longer videos
- Videos can be loaded from iCloud storage, causing long load times
If you hit any issues, please contact our support team at support@lookingglassfactory.com.