Video Projection Mapping software

OzAz

OzAz

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Attached is a list I've put together of all the video projection mapping software I could find (I may have purposely omitted some of the very high end or esoteric ones). No one site I found listed all the programs I've listed, which is what prompted me to put this list together as a reference. The list has the name of the product, the price, the URL, and a brief description.

I hope to follow up this document with another one covering the programs I have trialled, their Pros and Cons and my review of them.

The list is in alphabetical order and there's some information following the list with explanations of said list.

So if you're interested in doing video projection mapping for either you're whole (or part thereof) house and/or surfaces (eg wedding cake projection) then you may want to check this list out.
 

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OzAz said:
Attached is a list I've put together of all the video projection mapping software I could find
Click to expand...
This my friend, should be in the Wiki under video in displays with a link to video projection mapping.
I have no idea how to put it there, but can one of our seasoned members assist here ?
 
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Update 3/10/2017 - Reviews and recommendation.

Have been trialling several of the video projection mapping programs and have made a final decision as to which one to use.
Criteria for mapping software had to be ease of use, low(ish) cost and most importantly ease of setup/replay.

Apart from being able to use the program easily, there was also the importance of being able to map the surface with ease, easily add images or videos, then save the result to a format that could easily be replayed.

Facade Signage met all the criteria except for cost, it's a great program but the Lifetime Standard license (required to export to movie) at USD $1069 is way out of my budget.

HeavyM is another quite easy to use program with some good built in effects as well as the usual options of images and videos. This also isn't cheap at 199 Euro per year for the full version!

VPT is free and relatively easy to use (well actually it's quite complicated as it has so many features), but it's biggest drawback appears to be that it's really difficult to save a mapping and replay it. I would love the xLights programmers to get a hold of this program and give it a re-write as I reckon they could turn it into something brilliant. till then...
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Projection Mapper from Optoma (makers of quality projectors) is an iOS or Android App - Cost $7.99 plus $3.39 each for the content packs. There's a Christmas one (71 images and 26 videos) and a Halloween one (42 images and 44 videos) which is handy for us lot. There's also Valentines, Abstract, and Optical Illusions packs to purchase plus 3 free packs - Starter Pack - Home, Starter Pack - Music and Starter Pack - Retail. Of course you can add your own images and videos.

You can do all the usual mapping techniques of adding square, triangle or circle shapes, and there's also a nice curve shape; you can add layers and move the layers up or down.
You can map plain colours with varying transparencies. It also seems like you can use this function to change the colours and transparencies of images or videos.
There's a particles function, you select the shape, then play the projection and while holding one finger on the particle icon, draw in the shape with another finger.
There's also a Tap and Beat function, the beat function samples the audio track and can change the projected image accordingly. This youtube video is a good demo of the app and shows the Tap and Beat function better that I could explain it.
You can also do masking, though haven't worked this out yet.
One of the best things about this program is that it auto-saves as you go. Once you've finished a project, just re-open the app, select the required one, press the play icon and away you go.
I have found turning the thing off a pain, as it's not easy to get the controls back on the screen once the "movie" is playing.

Using this with a projector: there are a few ways to do this (see the tutorial on the web site or on their youtube channel), one of them is to "mirror" your device's display to the projector. You can use a ChromeCast ($55) or an Actiontec ScreenBeam ($85) device, connected to your projector (projector will need a HDMI input and a USB connector for power).
Note: Not all devices will mirror to a Chromecast, so far I have tested:
  • Samsung Galaxy 6 - doesn't recognise the Chromecast for mirroring
  • Samsung Galaxy 8 - fully functional to Chromecast
  • Samsung Tab A 10.1" - partially functional to ChromeCast, display works, but no sound.
    On second test sound works, may be WiFi issue. Will retest when I get my ScreenBeam and see if that's more consistent. Also of note is the Tab A requires audio within a video to be AAC format.
(edited 5/10/17, updates on device functionality)
Obviously a Tablet would be much better as the bigger screen is easier to draw on. Also, while you are projecting you won't be able to use the device for anything else, so again a tablet would be better than your mobile phone.

So far I've only tested this for a short time, with device close to the projector and only on Android devices. I'm hoping I'll be able to setup the projector and ChromeCast out in the yard and cast from my device inside the house. It should be OK as long as all devices are in WiFi range. (edited) I have purchased an Actiontec ScreenBeam Mini2 (RRP $85) to use instead of the ChromeCast as supposedly this uses it's own WiFi and thus you'll get less interference from other household users on the home WiFi.

Overall at $7.99 for the app, $55 for a ChromeCast or $85 for a ScreenBeam and a few hundred for a tablet it's still cheaper than facade signage, and for simpler projection mappings much easier to use.

I'm planning on doing a halloween video projected onto a "screen" - curtains at the entrance to my front door (some of you have seen my first attempt) - so I only need the projection mapping software to project onto only the "screen". Not sure how this app will go doing whole house projection. Next year project?
 
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Update to the update above :D

Had a further play with the Tap feature, it's pretty clever and could be a handy function. Basically, it adds a second layer to a shape to which you can select another image or video. The layer only appears when you tap (or tap and hold) the particular shape.
An example use could be, in my setup, where you have a continuous video playing then when someone approaches the house, tap to suddenly reveal a giant spider or spooky ghost on the "screen". Good startle factor xD
 
I've recently done my first display for halloween this year using Madmapper. Great piece of software. I decided to do this on Saturday and was ready to go for halloween on Tuesday.



I'm planning on doing Christmas also now.
 
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