True 180 degree outside view

[zaragossa]

Hello sim builders,

my first post (and one of the reasons I joined)

My intended setup for A-10C is three touchscreens running helios, displaying instruments and

three short throw beamers displaying only outside view.

I realize I could stretch the outside view over the three beamers but that would not give a true 180 degree view.

I need to create three seperate outside views, each with a different “view-heading” as well as permanently save the zoom factor for each of these windows.

Is there a way to to this with lua scripting ?

Best Rgds

Zaragossa

[Kuky]

I think there is, wait till PeterP replies and he'll set you up.

 

If you look in .../DCS World/Config/MonitorSetup folder check out 3Monitors.lua file, in there you should notice there are settings for 3 equal resolution monitors for left-centre-right view which is what you want... the viewDx is the value that changes where each monitor is "looking" in game, play with that and you might figure out what you need to do and how to set it up... more when PeterP (the meistor) comes :)

[PeterP]

Hi,

I took one answer from me that I have posted in a similar thread - please follow all the links - as they will explain a lot of your questions:

Its up to you (and your setup)!

 

You can add as many view-ports as you like (Or your GPU can scope)

In a row or some of them for a stacked image.

 

Have a look here to see what I mean and especially the "MonitorSetup".lua:

>>> projecting the "up" view

 

 

JG14 is right.

 

You can create how much view-ports as you want in DCS.

 

I made a example with 5 view-ports for demonstration:

 

The used "MonitorSetup - LUA":

_  = function(p) return p; end;
name = _('5 Screen');
Description = 'Configuration with 5 identical monitors each with its own camera'
Viewports = 
{
    Left = 
    {
         x = 0;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = -1;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    },

    Center = 
    {
         x = screen.width / 5;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = 0;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    },

    Right = 
    {
         x = screen.width * 2 / 5;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = 1;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    },

    Back = 
    {
         x = screen.width * 3 / 5;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = 2.4;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    },
    
    Up = 
    {
         x = screen.width * 4 / 5;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = 0;
         viewDy = 1;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    }
}


UIMainView = Viewports.Center

A additional explanation how this lua calculates the screen positions schown on the "Right" viewport:

 

Right =

{

x = screen.width * 2 / 5;

this line gives following command:

take sceenwidth found in options.lua and divide this value with 5 and multiply with 2.

- so the X starting point for this viewport is = 1536

because:

3840

/

5

*

2

-----

= 1536

 

 

And this is how it will look if used with a resolution of 3840x768:

 

With a eyefinity 5 setup and 5 projectors (and a lot of V-ram and even more tweaking...) you should be able to create a similar projection like seen here:

 

 

 

 

More on this mater:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1343099#post1343099

 

 

 

 

 

You can also browse through the Thread of my shelved project:spherical dome made out of satellite dishes

As it contains a lot info about wrapping the image.

And you also want to have a look at http://nthusim.com. This will be very handy to de-warp the outer portions of the projection.

Have a look in the forums of Nthusim - many buildings threads with lots of info + inspirations.

This should be your No1 source when building a curved screen setup with front or back projection.

 

When you use a warping software you can use the "1screen" render of DCS and will have no stretched sides.

 

And while we are on it and talking about multi-monitors:

Triple-head/Multi-Monitor GUI and NVG Fix

 

Fix: adding a custom resolution to in-game options.

 

SoftTH NEWS

 

And I really recommend in looking into this thread - so you know what kind of problems you will face, and what workarounds are available:

A Plea for View-Export export/Multi-head users. - ED Forums

(I also highly recommend to subscribe to it - as I will post updates if another workaround is a available or what the Devs have made to fix it)

 

 

and another one :

 

Still WIP - but this should give you a helping hand for your first steps writing your own MonitorSetup.lua:

Dummies Guide for the “MonitorSetup.lua“ - ED Forums

 

 

@ Kuky

 

Many Thanks for your kind words, - but next time just give me a PM :D :P this will do the job too!

Edited June 4, 2012 by PeterP

[zaragossa]

Thank´s to both of you for the very fast replies -

I only had a quick glance through your links, but this seems to be

exactly what I had in mind....

I´ll be back when I encounter my first problems (which I`sure will happen :-)

Great forum

[shu77]

I would love to have the space to set up a series of 120degree curved screens to throw something like this on to.

[BHawthorne]

Forget 120 degree screens (I got bored of that years ago), if it can do geodesic dome by projecting onto 5 or 6 different rear projection panels I'm sold on this idea. I have the hardware to do it if the camera code is capable on my Eyefinity 6 system. I do have 6 projectors sitting around too. I've been wanting to figure out how to do what you posted for awhile now with monitor scripting example.

 

If you guys can help me, I'll get this working as a proof of concept. I have DCS: World and DCS: A-10C installed on my projection computer at the moment. I also have soem rear projection screen fabric sitting around for experimentation.

 

What I have in mind is simular to pre-warping the camera views to do penta-division alignment like this link:

http://pineappleware.com/sub/stitch.html

Edited June 5, 2012 by BHawthorne

[BHawthorne]

Given PeterP's 5x1 monitor lua I think this is plausible with a quadrilaterized spherical cube map of 800x800 per display. My projectors can lock 1280x800 and the NVIDIA control panel shows and renders 800x800 as a custom resolution. I can prewarp 800x800 into the geometry shape using pre-warping software.

 

 

Here is what I'd need to pre-warp the displays to for a 4000x800 Eyefinity 5x1 quadrilaterized spherical cube map.

 

I think I've worked it out enough that I could do a proof of concept build.

Edited June 5, 2012 by BHawthorne

[PeterP]

Looks good.

But Keep in mind that you will need very controlled conditions, as you are not able to zoom a view port indipendently . Wehn you change the FOV it will be changed at all .

[BHawthorne]

Looks good.

But Keep in mind that you will need very controlled conditions, as you are not able to zoom a view port indipendently . Wehn you change the FOV it will be changed at all .

 

With every projection being a uniform size it shouldn't be a problem unless the above render is handled differently than the forward and side views as far as camera. The pre-warp should take out all projection variation, but it's going to require some decent work on calibration.

[PeterP]

Yes BHawthorne - I almost forgot you have the room, the equipment to do things like this ... and also the knowledge...!:)

require some decent work on calibration.

That are exactly the words I was searching for!

 

I tried it once with four projectors in the room that is now our nursery (...what was known before as my "man-cave") I rent 4 projectors for the test - just to see what can be done without "big" investment. - This is a 12qm -almost perfect squared room - It looked so awesome!! I want it back!!! :D

Edited June 6, 2012 by PeterP

[BHawthorne]

I'm still trying to work through the method and materials I should use to make the screen segments. I have a bit of left over Rose Brand Tendo that I can rear project on or I can make a tooling mold and form a segment of the dome and vacuum RTM make composite parts. The difficulty is forming a uniform spherical surface to pull the parts from.

[PeterP]

What I tried - and it worked quite very well:

 

 

 

I experimented with 1,5mm thick 1x1meter sheets of "polystyrol" - the same material you make yoghurt-cups.. - you can form it very easily with hot-air ( and its relatively cheap) .

So you only need one part of the dome to produce several segments that can be used for the whole surface hinged at a supporting construction .

And is is also very lightweight. - and you don't have to work with unhealthy chemicals all the time.

 

And guess what: I started with a satellite-dish as a mould....- but than I turned to only use satellite-dishes...becuse I didn't knew if this all will be usable when I move to a new flat.

 

Can you remember my shelved project.? - I still have everyting in the cellar - still waiting for a good day to bring it up again...

[BHawthorne]

Ah yep, I forgot about that. What originally bothered me about the dishes were the depth of the dish. I'm wondering if a single dish has the proper depth to be able to do a portion of a full sphere? Keep on doing vacuum bag layout of segments and popping off that area and shifting the edge of it to where you could resume another portion if it off the dish until it is a uniform area of sphere that you need.

 

For me I think in terms of room temperature wet layup of 1 or 2-ply fiberglass composite vacuum bagged to remove any un-uniformity or excess resin. I got my manufacturing engineering degree in 2010 and it would be a fun use of my composites training. I'd need to spend about $500 though -- half on materials and the other half on the continuous duty cycle Glast vacuum pump.

 

I do like the idea of vacuum forming too though but I think it might take even more material cost than wet layup would.

[Kuky]

Why would you want constand use of pump to create vacuum, maybe use a pump to create bit of vacuum then use a valve (maybe even something like a tire valve) to close of the air and you won't need to have pump running all the time?

[Whisky One]

I made my Projection screen myself with an MDF board coated with 2 layers black non shining paint.

 

After that I used a "tupplur" blackout curtain from IKEA (home depot). This curtain has a White nonsmooth (matt surface) finish and leaves absolutely no light trough it. I stapled the curtain to the MDF wood by stretching the sides for a smooth surface. I got a 100" projection screen for just $40.

 

 

You might want to consider this for your curved/dome projection. Maybe you can build a wooden curved skeleton and stretch the curtains around it?

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=66615&d=1338069333

this is my BenQ W710ST (720P short throw with 40 degrees Keystone correction). Just 1 projector nearly giving you near 180 degrees.

 

With 2 of these projectors you will get a very good 180 degrees/ maybe more.

[BHawthorne]

Why would you want constand use of pump to create vacuum, maybe use a pump to create bit of vacuum then use a valve (maybe even something like a tire valve) to close of the air and you won't need to have pump running all the time?

 

Composite layup requires constant vacuum until the part cures to make a high quality part. It's standard to vacuum bag composite parts. You should maintain at least 24 in.hg constant vacuum to ensure consistent coverage and draw off of excess epoxy resin.

Edited June 9, 2012 by BHawthorne

[BHawthorne]

I have an odd idea for the initial screen mold. Thinking on pulling the mold from one of these:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3M-Walk-ball-Water-walking-ball-Zorb-Zorbing-PVC-1-0-mm-/120545572890

[CyBerkut]

That looks like a good idea. The price of the ball looks painful, but that seems like a good size.

[BHawthorne]

Most of the projection stuff I do I have to resign to the idea of $1k+ no matter what for a project. The math simply doesn't make things inexpensive yet on most options. As is, it's $500-600 per projector. Everything is relative though, because the pre-warping software is available now and 5 years ago the stuff I've been doing would of cost $100k.

 

I look at the cost of the ball to be a price to get things done. I really need one or two more Optoma GT720 though. That's another $1k right there. I have three GT720 right now, but need 5 if I'm to get full coverage on a screen that would mimic the ball dimensions. The only thing really painful I see is I know it'll end up costing as much as the simpit will. Visuals make or break your immersion though.

Edited June 12, 2012 by BHawthorne

[BHawthorne]

Immersaview just updated me with the latest SimVisuals and Sol7 builds to assist with pre-warping with the setup. I've been in contact with the Hong Kong manufacturer of the PVC balls and we've been talking about using rear screen projection PVC material for the ball.

Edited June 14, 2012 by BHawthorne

[CyBerkut]

I've been in contact with the Hong Kong manufacturer of the PVC balls and we've been talking about using rear screen projection PVC material for the ball.

 

Hmmm... Are you thinking of spraying the inflated ball with something to harden it enough to hold the spherical shape (and then cut out the section that you need to project upon)?

[PeterP]

I don't think he is thinking abut this... - he is already doing it !! :)

 

serious: He will ask for a white-translucent material , instead transparent . So it is perfect for a back-projection.

Edited June 18, 2012 by PeterP

[BHawthorne]

The Hong Kong contact is having trouble understanding what I'm wanting. I might just get a regular ball and work off of it in my own machine shop. I don't really want to do it that way if I can get a 3rd party to do all the manufacturing though.

 

Their balls are made of PVC material. Rear projection screen materiel comes in PVC material also. I wish I knew their language native so they'd quit running my request through Google translate. God only knows what it says after that occurs. :lol:

 

I'm going to try a few more time to explain to them what I require. If they still don't get it, I'll just buy a regular one and use it as a pattern for my own material.

 

I ran the math on the 2 meter ball size the other day. The projection area is good (between 4 and 5 foot tall per projection), the footprint area for the flat base inside the sphere also will be ok. It'll either be 48" or 55" diameter. 48" would give higher head clearance but I think I might prefer more floor room than head clearance. The floor will be piped for proper ventilation and pc cable run to the interior of the sphere for peripherals.

Edited June 18, 2012 by BHawthorne

[Flim]

We need the capability to run multiple views on networked pc's!

[BHawthorne]

We need the capability to run multiple views on networked pc's!

 

I'd just as soon the rendering pipeline code be optimized for multi-camera within a single display span. edge blending across networked computer sounds like a headache. Either way would ultimately be an improvement though.