Projector Simulation

Projector Simulation

Place out a virtual projector in the corresponding position as the physical one, type in the lens values and aim it at the same point as the real one. Now, whatever the virtual projector can see within it’s field-of-view, i.e. graphics applied onto video screens (of any shape) gets sent out as video information to the physical projectors. To line up the content, just match the virtual projector to the physical projector using the Manual or the Automatic Calibration Lineup process described below.

Using this unique approach, the content creator just has to focus on making content that looks good on the 3d model inside d3, instead of making content based on where the physical projectors are positioned. Doing so avoids time-consuming and expensive re-rendering of content just because a physical projector has been moved from its intended position. Further to that, as d3 is based on a 3D environment (just as the real world!) your video output don’t have to get distorted at all by warping pixels – the virtual projectors take care of all that. But of course, if any warping is neeeded, we have tools for that.

Manual Calibration

To start the manual lineup, let d3 auto-generate a lineup pattern for you based on the 3d mesh used for the projection object, then, tweak the position, the rotation and the lens value of the virtual projector to perfectly match the corresponding values of the real projector. It shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes to line a virtual projector up.

Bom, your virtual world just became real.

Auto Calibration

Generate between 5-15 virtual reference points and snap them to the 3d projection object inside d3. In the output, just snap the virtual reference points to the corresponding physical positions and with one click let d3 automatically line up your output perfectly to the projection object. No warp needed.

Warp the output

In cases where the projection surface doesn’t match the 3D model you have, d3 provides a number of powerful warping tools to allow you to compensate manually.

4-point feedwarp

Apply a 4-point feedwarp onto the an output to achieve the same effect as applying keystoning.

9-point feedwarp

Drag in 9 points to tweak in your lineup. Change the bias, straightness and pinch of your warping points.

Custom feedwarp

Add as many warping points you’d like for lining up local areas of the output.

Mesh deform

d3 automatically generates warping points based on every vertex point of your 3d object your working with. To locally compensate for in-accuracies between the 3d model and the real object, drag in the mesh points to perfectly line the content up.

Reference to other projector

If you have two projectors close to each other, they may have different outputs generated from the corresponding virtual projectors, but they do may share the same feedwarp. Therefore, apply the same feedwarp on projector B as on projector A using the ‘Reference to other projector’ feature.

Blend and mask

d3 lets you create your own custom texture to blend and mask outputs between each other. Create as many points you want in the and configure yourself what gamma level of and level of gradient you need to achieve the perfect blend between your projector outputs.