Using ThingLink with ClassVR

We are excited to share that ThingLink and ClassVR have announced a partnership to support flexible and affordable VR creation and exploration in classrooms. This means that educators, including free ThingLink teacher account holders, can now curate and share their own ThingLink experiences directly onto the ClassVR portal and headsets. 

What new opportunities does this integration offer for educators?

Downloading ThingLink 360 images to ClassVR headsets

How does the integration work? See the video below made by our friends at ClassVR.

Step-by-step instructions

1.  In your ClassVR account, find 'ThingLink' in the list of subscriptions
2. Download the latest version of the ThingLink viewer to your ClassVR headset by dragging the icon into the 'Playlist' pane and clicking the 'Download' button
3. Go to your ThingLink account and copy the link to the 360 image that you'd like to download. You can find the link by clicking 'Share' button, opening the 'Share link' tab and copying the link.
4. Switch back to the ClassVR portal, click the ThingLink subscription then paste the link you've copied into the empty search box field in the upper-right corner. Click the 'Search' button. If the link is compatible, you will see your scene appear as a new track.
5. Drag the new track onto the playlist pane and send it to your headsets.

Once the media has been downloaded, you can interact with the hotspots using the action buttons on your headsets. Please note that similarly to ThingLink's native VR player, 3rd party embed tags (e.g. YouTube videos and Google Maps) are not supported. 

Compatible images

Note that if a scene does not show a VR icon in the bottom right corner, then it is not compatible with ClassVR:

All content created with ThingLink's old editor does not support VR.

Updating ThingLink scenes on ClassVR headsets

If you've updated an image that has already been added to your ClassVR portal, you will need to clear the cache on your devices and download the scene again. Please see this article to learn how to clear the cache on your headsets.

Alternatively, you could create a clone of the scene and save the clone as a separate track in the ClassVR playlist.

Do I need a paid subscription to use ThingLink with ClassVR?

A free teacher account allows you to create and use an unlimited number of 360 images. It also gives you access to our professional 360 image library - use the clone function to add these to your account!.

Please note that using 360 videos requires a paid School & District subscription. Reach out to our team at education@thinglink.com to set up a trial or go over ThingLink product offering.  

Can I download 360 experiences and tours created by other users?

Yes, if this user has made their content available for others. If a 360 image or a tour created by another user is publicly available, you can first clone and edit it on ThingLink, and then download it similarly to how you'd download your own creation - by pasting a link.

Limitations

1. Plain (2D) images are not supported.
2. Scenarios are not supported yet.
3. As of December 2022, videos created after June 2022 are not compatible with ClassVR headsets. We are working on fixing this issue.

My question is not answered here. Where can I get more help?

If you cannot find an answer to your question from ThingLink or ClassVR support centers, or you suspect that you have found an issue with the integration, please contact us.

Are you new to ThingLink? Review the benefits of using ThingLink in your classroom and sign up for a free teacher account today!