High End Systems Digital Projectors - Rendering & Visualizing

[MERV]

Hello,

Does anyone have tips or tricks for getting a High End Systems DL3 projector to render a projected image? I'm using C. Andrew Dunnings plug in's for other screens and projectors but have not yet found a way to have the DL3 fixtures display specific images.

Any thoughts?

Thanks all.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Martin -

I'm not quite sure what you're asking.

Are you wanting to display custom images on the screens that the VS4 tools create? Have a DL3 project an image on a non-screen object? Have the VS4 tools use DL3s as projectors?

[MERV]

Hey there,

No, I have no issues at all with the VS4 tools they are awesome and I add custom images to them on an almost daily basis.

I am looking to add a DL3 to a plot, assign it a custom image, and then have that image displayed on a flat surface (not a screen) on my set. I'm trying to use the DL3 fixtures to replicate a sort of series of "Billboard" effects at the top of the main set, and I thought the sizing and rotational ability of the DL3 would allow me to vary the "types" and positions of Billboards I can get. Much more flexible than a fixed screen and projector.

Can you make a DL3 use VS4 tools?? Or add a DL3 type option to the list of Projectors? How sweet would that be!!

Add the ability to set a horizontal rotation in the OIP so I can "tilt" my screens and we'd be rockin'

Thanks.

[klinzey]

The only thing you really can do is create the image as a gobo texture and place it in the light.

You would have to make all the corrections to the image to account for the projection angles.

You can also add a DL3 symbol with the data to the default content for the video screen if you don't need the features of the lighting device. Once you add the symbol to default content it will show in the list of projectors.

[JBenghiat]

I think there is a line between modeling simulation. VW is an excellent modeler, but it isn't really meant to be a simulator. One question is: what is the purpose for your renders? If you are testing design ideas and sharing them with your clients/collaborators, your best option may be applying the billboards to your walls as decals. If you are just trying to see if the DL3's will work where you have them hung, then have a video screen with a projector coincident to the area of the wall where you want to project. If you really need to see how the DL3 will interact with the scenery, see the beam of light in the air, etc, you may need to turn to more of a simulator -- ESP Vision, WYSIWYG, Capture Polar, Light Converse, etc.

My $0.02

-Josh

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Martin -

I am looking to add a DL3 to a plot, assign it a custom image, and then have that image displayed on a flat surface (not a screen) on my set.

I think Kevin and Josh are right: You're going to end up either projecting your images as gobos (treating DL3s as Spotlight lighting devices) or using pre-vis software. VS4/Video Screen would be great for making sure you're staying within the capabilities of the DL3, but you'd be restricted to rectangular or round surfaces (screens w/o borders and/or frames).

Can you make a DL3 use VS4 tools?? Or add a DL3 type option to the list of Projectors? How sweet would that be!!

Again echoing Kevin, absolutely. You can easily add a DL3 to your stock projector library. We've got a few users who have done that. See pages 27-28 in the VS4 manual.

Add the ability to set a horizontal rotation in the OIP so I can "tilt" my screens and we'd be rockin'

By this, I'm assuming you're meaning that you're wanting to "spin" the screens (somewhere in-between landscape and portrait), correct? If so, that has been suggested/requested before, but we haven't quite gotten there, yet.

If you're actually meaning "tilt," as-in tilting the top of the screen toward or away from the projector(s), that feature is there. Look for the "Screen Tilt" parameter, about 1/4 of the way down from the top of the OIP.