How to create and convert *.mpo files for your Nintendo 3DS

07.12.2011

UPDATE:

the most recent version of the software Stereo Photo Maker is now able to directly save Nintendo 3DS compliant images. The program is able to open single side-by-side images and image pairs for the left and the right eye. If you save a file with Save MPO File… you only have to take care to select For Nintendo 3DS and if needed activate the Resize to 640×480 option. This way you will easily get *.mpo files that are fully usable with the 3DS. Hence the following guide is obsolete.

(this time in english – für die deutsche Version klickt hier)

Following this guide you will get *.mpo files which are fully usable on the 3DS, including a working 3D-focus slider.

Note: If you want to convert stereoscopic side by side images, start from step 1. if you already have *.mpo files open them in Stereo Photo Maker goto File -> Save Left/Right Images… hit Save and start from step 3.

software and files to prepare before continuing:

• a picture editing software of your choice to crop, resize and optionally add borders to 2D images (*.jpg etc. files)
• the free program Stereo Photo Maker (I used v4.32)
• the free program ExifTool (I used v8.53)
• the ExifTool GUI (I used v4.09), read the Instructions how to set up the GUI
• a set of two *.mie metadata files created by me (mirror link)

ok, now we are ready:

1. search for a side by side image you want to convert, as an example image I will use this one
   
2. crop the image so that you have 2 seperate files, one for the left eye and the other one for the right eye. name the files coresponding, e.g. bikini-girl-stereo_left.jpg and bikini-girl-stereo_right.jpg
   
3. resize these two images to EXACTLY 640x480px each, this is neccessary for the metadata to work, because we want a working 3D-focus slider. if the source images are not 4:3 it may be usefull to add borders so that the original aspect ratio is maintained
4. open stphmkre.exe and select from the menu File -> Open Left/Right Images… navigate to the folder where you saved your resized *_left.jpg and *_right.jpg images and select them both (CTRL+left click)
   
5. then select File -> Save MPO File… from the menu, make sure the Keep Exif info. box is unchecked and hit Save
   
6. close stphmkre.exe and open ExifToolGUI.exe and navigate to the folder you saved your *.mpo file
7. left klick the file once and select Modify -> Remove metadata… from the menu, make sure to set all boxes like shown on the screenshot (-ALL Metadata must be unchecked) and hit Execute
   ->
8. make sure the file is still selected and navigate to the menu Export/Import -> Import metadata into single file… and klick OK to proceed.
9. navigate to the folder where you extracted the *.rar archive containing the two *.mie metadata files. select step_1.mie and fill the checkboxes like on the screenshot and hit Execute
   ->
10. repeat the step Export/Import -> Import metadata into single file… but now use step_2.mie and select these checkboxes and hit Execute
    ->
11. congratulations, now you have a working *.mpo file to view on your 3DS, the only thing left to do is to rename the *.mpo file to HNI_****.mpo where **** can be any number from 0001 to 9999, just make sure the number does not already exist in your image folder. eventually insert the SD-card of your console into the cardreader of your PC, navigate to the DCIM folder and paste your 3D photos there. done! enjoy your images in glorious 3D

PS: the viewing area of the N3DS-camera application is very limited, so if you have a 640x480px image only the area shown on the screenshot will be displayed on the handheld

the sample *.mpo file resulting from the guide can be downloaded here

falls der Bedarf besteht kann ich die Anleitung auch noch mal auf deutsch verfassen, nutzt einfach die Kommentarfunktion hiermit erledigt (31.03.2011)