Welcome to the Online Retail Visualizer. This application will enable you to interact with 3D models of products inside photos of your own space (or inside sample photos we provide). It has a simple, uncluttered interface providing an easy user experience, but has a very robust graphics engine that allows for this user experience. This graphics engine requires that an ActiveX plugin (also referred to as a browser add-on) be installed on your machine, similar to how the Flash plugin is required to view a Flash movie, and requires that your computer be properly equipped to process the 3D graphics. On the left are the technical requirements for using the Visualizer, and on the right are some tips in case you run into any difficulty.

When you're all ready, click the button! (ActiveX will begin to install automatically)


Technical Requirements

Minimum

Recommended

All Users


Troubleshooting Guide (click headings to expand, click photos to enlarge)

1. Browser gets hung up on the splash screen

screenshot 1

On the initial load of the Online Visualizer, you are presented with a splash screen where the Visualizer components are loaded in (see screenshot 1). The first time you visit the site, you should be prompted to install the YOUReality Online Visualizer browser add-on. In some cases, though, the browser does not prompt for installation of the add-on, so the browser remains on the splash screen. The two main reasons for this are Corporate Firewall and Security Settings.

a. Corporate Firewall

If your computer is on a corporate network, you may not be able to download or install plug-ins due to company-wide security restrictions; if that's the case, please contact your network administrator.

b. Security Settings

If your Windows security is set too high, you may not be prompted to install ActiveX plug-ins. In general, Medium-High or High settings may present difficulty. You can safely change your security setting to allow prompting for ActiveX plugins, which tells your browser to ask you if you want to download any ActiveX plugin. To do this, go to Tools -> Internet Options (2), click the Security tab (3), select the Internet zone (the globe icon)(4) and click the Custom Level button (5). Scroll down to the "ActiveX controls and plug-ins" section, and make sure the following settings are checked:

  • Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
  • Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
  • Run ActiveX controls and plugins: Enable (or Prompt)
  • Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable (or Prompt)
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2. Everything installs and loads, but I just get a black box in the middle of the screen

screenshot 6

After all of the Visualizer components install and load, you should be presented with the Online Visualizer interface, which will look something like Screenshot 6. The large area in the middle (in screenshot 6, the area with the steps 1-5) is where the ActiveX plug-in is working. If you see a blank black box there instead, that means the ActiveX is not loading properly, if at all. The two chief reasons this happens are Security Settings and Underpowered/Old Graphics Card.

a. Security Settings

If your Windows security is set too high, you may not be prompted to install ActiveX plug-ins. In general, Medium-High or High settings may present difficulty. You can safely change your security setting to allow prompting for ActiveX plugins, which tells your browser to ask you if you want to download any ActiveX plugin. To do this, go to Tools -> Internet Options (2), click the Security tab (3), select the Internet zone (the globe icon)(4) and click the Custom Level button (5). Scroll down to the "ActiveX controls and plug-ins" section, and make sure the following settings are checked:

  • Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
  • Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
  • Run ActiveX controls and plugins: Enable (or Prompt)
  • Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable (or Prompt)
(5)
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(2)

b. Underpowered/Old Graphics Card

The YOUReality Online Visualizer, while developed to be easy for anyone to use, does require some computing power to run. Specifically, the graphics card on the machine must be powerful enough to be able to run 3D graphics in the YOUReality ActiveX. If it is not powerful enough, odd behavior may be observed, such as a blank black box where the ActiveX should be seen. Similarly, if the graphics card driver is not up to date, you may experience odd behavior. There are various ways to see the specifications on your graphics card, but the easiest is to use DxDiag.

  • Start -> Run -> type "dxdiag" (without the quotes), click OK. (Vista users, type "dxdiag" into the Start Search box)
    • screenshot 7
  • The DirectX Diagnostic Tool will open (see Screenshot 7)
  • Click the Display tab, and look in the Device area. This will tell you the type of graphics card you have, as well as the amount of video memory it has (labeled "Approx. Total Memory"). If the memory value is less than 256Mb, you will likely have trouble running the Online Visualizer. The only way to upgrade this is to purchase a new Graphics Card. If you have a laptop, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to replace the card. On a desktop, it is much easier - you can find a 512Mb graphics card at your local computer retailer for $50 or so.
  • To the right of the Device area is the Drivers area. This gives information on the Graphics Card Driver (software that helps the graphics card run). If the Date value is more than 2 years old, you should try updating the driver. (See Updating Your Graphics Driver below).

3. I can load a Photo, but products aren't showing up

Once you load up the Visualizer, and use the Sample Photos or Load Your Photo button to upload a photo into the Visualizer, you should be able to click on one of the products in the Select A Product list on the left side and load a 3D model into the photo. If you click on the product, and the product name appears in the Active Products list on the right side of the interface, but nothing shows up in the photo, then you likely have an issue with your Graphics Card (see 2b, above). Again, the YOUReality Online Visualizer is a 3D application, and requires that the user's computer have the ability to process 3D graphics appropriately.

4. When I load my own photo, the 3D models don't look right

If the 3D models you place in a photo you took look wrong -- maybe they are sized incorrectly, or they appear to be "floating" off the ground -- then there may be an issue with the photo itself. In order to place 3D models into the photo, the YOUReality Online Visualizer relies on a Marker (the piece of paper with the square pattern) placed in the photo to define the ground, and to set the correct sizing. If the Marker is not completely flat, is bent or curled, or if the ground itself is not flat, then the perspective and sizing will appear "wrong." Please see the Photo Instructions for more details (Photo Instructions are on the second page of the PDF linked above).

SPECIAL NOTE: Updating your Graphics Driver

If your graphics driver is more than two years old, you may wish to update it to take advantage of the newest software available to run your graphics card. The best way to do this is to download the driver directly from the manufacturer.

a. If you have a laptop/notebook computer

Visit the website of the computer manufacturer, and search for Software Downloads or Driver Downloads. You should be able to find the graphics card driver for your specific model. The DirectX Diagnostic Tool's System tab will tell you the exact model of your computer.

b. If you have a desktop computer

Visit the website of the graphics card manufacturer. The DirectX Diagnostic Tool's Display tab will tell you the brand and model of the graphics card you currently have.

Here are some links for the most popular graphics card manufacturers:

You should restart your computer after installing the update.