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⚙️How the HLD content pipeline works

This page walks through the complete journey of holographic content — from creation to playback — and explains the role of each tool along the way.

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Step 1: Create your content

Video content for HLDs is created outside of Looking Glass software, using tools you already know.

Common creation tools include:

At this stage, the most important thing to understand is:

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Holographic content must be authored with depth, camera position, lighting, and framing in mind. What looks good on a flat screen may not look correct in an HLD.

👉 See: Content guidelines for HLD

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Step 2: Preview and validate with HLD Author

Once you have content, you preview it using HLD Author.

HLD Author allows you to:

  • Preview how content will actually appear on an HLD

  • Check depth, cropping, and composition

  • Catch issues before deployment

Important: HLD Author is not a content creation tool. It is used for validation and preparation of existing content.

👉 Learn more: Using HLD Author

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Step 3: Export for playback

From HLD Author, you export a version of your content that is optimized for HLD playback.

This ensures:

  • Correct resolution and encoding

  • Reliable performance

  • Consistent results across different HLD sizes

👉 Learn more: Media specs and encoding

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Step 4: Play content on the HLD

Final playback is handled by the HLD Demo Media Player.

This is where you:

  • Load content onto the system

  • Control playback

  • Loop or sequence holograms for exhibitions, retail, or events

👉 Learn more: HLD Demo Media Player

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Advanced workflows

For more advanced installations, HLDs can be integrated with:

  • Professional digital signage computers, like BrightSign

  • Existing content management software

  • Real-time applications run from a Windows, Mac, or other computer

    • These are non-video interactive applications made with Unity or Unreal. Examples can include applications that have a touch screen / interactive component (i.e. product selector)

👉 Learn more:

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How this differs from Light Field workflows

HLDs are optimized to show content and make it feel like it's right there, floating in a holographic volume.

If you’re looking to render a full holographic light field or visualize complex 3D data structures that require depth perception, you’re likely looking for Light Field Display documentation instead.

👉 Go to Light Field Docsarrow-up-right

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