Both pack two views in one frame — one splits horizontally, one vertically. Support is the deciding factor, not quality.
| SBS (side-by-side) | TB / OU (over-under) | |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Left | right, horizontally | Stacked vertically |
| Per-eye loss (16:9 source) | Half width | Half height |
| VR headsets | ✅ Universal, the de-facto standard | ✅ Widely supported |
| 3D TVs / projectors | ✅ Common | ✅ Common (often labeled OU) |
| Mobile VR / cardboard era | ✅ Native | ⚠️ Rare |
When you control the pipeline: SBS, always. Every headset, every player, glasses included. TB exists because broadcasters preferred preserving horizontal resolution for sports; for photos and VR content it has no advantage.
DepthSnap exports SBS (parallel), plus crossed-eye and anaglyph variants for screen viewing.
Try the free converterDepthSnap — free browser-based 2D to 3D SBS converter. No upload, no signup.