more information about virtual tours

Interact produces virtual tours in three different formats.

Java

The Java virtual tour requires you to have a Java-enabled browser. For many years, the Java Virtual Machine (Java VM) (as Microsoft called it) or the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) was installed as standard on many computers. More recently, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems settled a long-running dispute by Microsoft agreeing to stop installing the Java RunTime Environment as a standard component of Windows. Users who find that they do not have Java enabled must now visit the Sun web site to download and install the Java Runtime Environment. Once you have installed Java, you will be able to experience the full features of vast numbers of other web sites that use this technology.

first, go to http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml to test whether Java is installed correctly.
if you would like to download and install Java, go to http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp - total download can be up to 16Mb.
you may also like to see these instructions on how to enable Java in your web browser.
then try these Java tours:
- The Old Cow Byre cottage - each view about 40kb (tour help)
- Gilsland Spa hotel - each view about 80kb (tour help)

QuickTime

The QuickTime virtual tour requires you to have Apple QuickTime installed on your computer. Many Apple Macs will have QuickTime installed as standard and many PC users will also have installed it. Apple appears now to be bundling QuickTime with its popular iTunes music player download, so if you have recently downloaded iTunes, you may also have installed QuickTime. Once you have installed QuickTime, you can use it to view a wide variety of multimedia content including music and video from a wide range of web sites.

go to QuickTime troubleshooting to test whether QuickTime is installed correctly on your system.
go to http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/ to download QuickTime. Download size varies depending on your operating system and on the type of installation you choose. Apple are now bundling the free QuickTime viewer with iTunes so the total download size has grown to about 32 Mb.
then try these QuickTime tours:
- QuickTime virtual tour of The Old Cow Byre cottage (each view about 120kb file size).
- QuickTime virtual tour of Gilsland Spa hotel (each view about 120kb file size).

Stand-alone virtual tours

Our stand-alone tours allow users with Windows PCs to view the virtual tours without the need for any plug-ins.

no Java, QuickTime or other plug-ins required
download these stand-alone tours (save the file in your usual download folder):
- stand-alone virtual tour of The Old Cow Byre cottage (1.1Mb file size)
- stand-alone virtual tour of Gilsland Spa hotel (1.1Mb file size)
then double-click on the downloaded file to view the tour

Javascript issues

The default tour formats use Javascript to control the opening of new windows, to set the size of new windows, to provide a drop-down list of links to different views within each tour and to control the speed the view pans around. But some users disable Javascript for security reasons.

See these instructions, if you would like to enable Javascript in your web browser.

Alternatively, please try to open the tours using the links in section 5 of the relevant tour help pages:

Help?

If you need any more help using the virtual tours, please contact us.