Tag: projection mapping

Projection Mapping with the Raspberry Pi

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They’re compact, affordable, and powerful enough to handle a wide range of projects. In this article, I’ll go over some Pi-powered options and simple setup. Whether you’re a projection mapping beginner or pro, the RPi may be perfect for your next project.

As a disclaimer to this article. Basic Linux commands and knowledge are recommended for anyone looking to work with a Raspberry Pi. The exception to this, the minimad, integrates with MadMapper’s software and is easier to set up. PocketVJ runs off of ofxPiMapper and features a web portal for control, but ofxPiMapper by itself will take a little bit of research to become proficient at it. I’ve been using Raspberry Pi’s for installations and various projects for years now.  My longest running Pi install has been going on for 3 years now, and I have yet to replace anything more than a microSD card. This is not a guarantee that the Pi is perfect for you, but it should come as a reassurance that they’re built to last.

When it comes to projection mapping with the Raspberry Pi, a few options come to mind. Madmapper’s miniMAD, ofxPiMapper, and the all-in-one PocketVJ. All three are excellent choices, and between each of them, there are some pro’s and con’s that you’ll want to take into consideration.

ofxPiMapperLogo

If you haven’t tried it already, open frameworks PiMapper, simply works. You’ll want to plug a keyboard and mouse into the device to control it, but it boasts a wide feature load and continual developer support.

PRO’s

  • Price (Free)
  • Open source
  • Circle Surface
  • Grid Warping

CON’s

  • Small learning curve
  • No Sync

miniMAD

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I’ve documented how easy it is to get up and running with the miniMAD here: but with its price point of $220 + a mad mapper license ($420 own, $42 / month rent), it may stretch your budget further than you’d like. Currently, the considerable advantage that the miniMAD has over all other RPi mappers that you can Sync a lot of them over ethernet for multi-mapped installations. It uses Madmapper (Mac/PC) for setup, which makes it the most natural RPi projection mapper that I’ve tested. Here’s a gif from the developer of 28 miniMADs in sync.

28miniMADsync4.gif

PRO’s

  • Intuitive setup
  • Video sync
  • DMX lighting control
  • OSC control w/ TouchOSC layouts
  • GPIO buttons

CON’s

  • Limited customization (not open source)
  • No Wifi
  • Price / Requires MadMapper (not a terrible thing!)

PocketVJ

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PocketVJ 3.5 is a portable multimedia tool based off of the Rasberry Pi platform. It hosts a wide feature set that easily accessed on a Phone or computer through a custom web control panel (CP). Unlike the miniMAD, the PVJ supports wifi connections and video player sync. But like ofxPiMapper (which the PVJ uses), you cannot sync mapped content. An easy way around this is to record the mapped output from a computer. Load the pre-rendered videos back onto the Pi and play them in sync. Since the PVJ has Pi Wall and a sync’ed video player, you string them together for a multi-projector installation. Not to mention, you can run custom scripts through the web CP and automate your installations.

PRO’s

  • Open source
  • Web control panel (Access from phone or computer)
  • Video sync over Ethernet or Wifi (not with mapping)
  • Projector remote control & scheduling
  • Screen Sharing
  • VJing
  • Pi 3 compatible
  • Image view
  • FTP Browser
  • Image player
  • TCPSyphon
  • OLA, DMX, & QLC+ support.
  • Customizable
  • Video Sync*
  • Pi Camera supported
  • OSC control (Latest version 8.15.2018)
  • Tutorial videos and documentation

CON’s

  • No video sync with mapping.
  • Learning curve.

PocketVJ

If you have a Raspberry Pi 2 or 3 laying around, you can go here, follow the instructions and build a pocketVJ from scratch or support the developers by buying a PVJ from Switzerland. If you do it yourself, make sure to update the CP (control panel) to the latest version: here follow the instructions on the page, and you’re up to date.

miniMAD

If you want a miniMAD, you’ll have to buy one from Madmapper. Don’t forget to buy or rent a MadMapper license if you don’t already have one.

USA customers: https://shop.blinkinlabs.com/products/minimad

Everywhere Else: http://shop.garagecube.com/minimad

 

ofxPiMapper & install

Here’s one you can set up now.

Go to https://ofxpimapper.com/ and download the disk image. (It should end in a .img.zip):

Support the developers 🙂 if you’d like.

Download and install Etcher (Mac/PC/Linux).

Insert a MicroSD card into your computer, open Etcher (it should auto-select the drive) select the PiMapper image, and click Flash.

projectileobjects pi mapper install

Once it’s done. Insert the microSD card into your pi. Plug in a USB mouse &/or keyboard. Power up the pi with it plugged into your projector. (optional, connect it to a network via Ethernet for additional features and control).

The Pi should boot up and present you with an example Triangle.

02 tutorial ofxpimapper1_4

Using 1, 2, 3, 4 to switch between the different modes, you can manipulate, and add layers, change the source video, and other adjustments using the keyboard. I recommend a “wired” USB mouse as I’ve run into issues with wireless mice movement being choppy. Experiment with it, and hit the “i” key if you want keyboard command info on the screen.

03 tutorial ofxpimapper2_4

If you want to access the Raspberry Pi command prompt, hit the “Esc” key and find yourself at a screen that says opm login: The username is “pi” and the password is “raspberry.” If you’re stuck at this menu. Log in and, type in “sudo reboot now” this will restart the pi and get you back to the example of ofPiMapper.

If you want to use your media plug in a USB thumb drive with the photos and videos (.mp4) and reboot the Pi. It should detect the files on the thumb drive for use in your new layers. (see the ofxPiMapper documentation for file types and troubleshooting).

04 tutorial ofxpimapper3_4-1

ofxPiMapper is not as easy as the PocketVJ’s web FTP & control panel or Madmapper’s export feature to the miniMAD, but if have a Pi and 30 minutes, this basic ofx mapping example is good enough to get you started.

If you like what you see thank the developers by supporting their projects.

Support PocketVJ with a purchase or by donating to via PayPal info@magdesign.ch

Similarly, PiMapper has multiple donation options on their website: https://ofxpimapper.com/

 

miniMAD gets Wifi for TouchOSC

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I’ve been doing a lot lately with the new implementation of OSC with the PocketVJ (www.PocketVJ.com).  It even works great with the Raspberry Pi 3’s built-in wifi so I can use my phone to control the pocketVJ when it’s hung inconveniently high up with the projector. 🙂

That being said, before I knew about the PocketVJ I was playing around with Madmapper’s miniMAD.  They’ve made a lot of changes to it since its release, but it still doesn’t offer Pi 3 support or WIFI…  And that’s a bummer.  They did implement OSC, so I figured, why not give the miniMAD wifi of its own for ~$20.

madmapper minimad wifi raspberry pi 2 glinet

And the best part is that this little wifi adapter runs off of a 5V 1A micro USB cable That I can plug directly into the RPi.  I’m using the GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 it’s a little bit overkill for this, but works great out of the box.  Since MadMapper doesn’t have any immediate plans to give the miniMAD wifi, this little box will do the trick.

I did have one issue with the miniMAD giving TouchOSC an incorrect IP address, but I corrected it by logging into the back end of the small router and pulling it’s correct 192.168.3.27 IP Address.

 

miniMAD wifi

miniMAD IP address was not correct. I had to enter it manually.

 

Then I had playback control over the miniMAD through the TouchOSC app (iOS/Android)

You could also send network commands from other OSC apps such as QLab by running these Outgoing / Incoming port settings and executing commands as simple as ‘/pause’ or `/play.`

I’ll have more about the PocketVJ TouchOSC layout as soon as I get some more time to hack it together. Here’s a preview of what it will look like 😉

 

 

Raspberry Pi Zero projection mapping

Raspberry pi zero projection mapping

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Update:  If the content is pre-mapped (meaning, made in After Effects, Photoshop, MS Paint, etc.) and rendered out at the projector’s native resolution.  The Pi Zero works great as a standalone seamless video looper by simply embedding this code into the rc.local file.  (I stored a video file on a usb flash drive and entitled it “Video.mp4”  You can also put your video file on the MicroSD that Raspbian is installed on.

omxplayer -b -o --no-osd --loop /mnt/usb/Video.mp4

Old —–

Built off of the 1st gen. versions of the raspberry pi, the Pi Zero is a $5 computer that seems fit for simple projection mapping and playback.  Thus far it’s limitations have simple fixes, but a lack of ethernet and additional usb ports is hoop that has to be jumped through. (My current setup is micro usb to 4-port usb 2.0 hub with nano wifi dongle & Logitech k400).

Madmapper 2.0 Beta

MadMapper 2.0 is Awesome

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Currently still in BETA and to be fully released by end of June 2015, the latest version of MadMapper 2.0 is awesome.  Multiple Sources & Inputs mapped to different masks… Better over all performance, Retina Display 64 Bit,  LED Scanner, Vector SVG to Lines Import, Support for AVFoundation which is the back end in OSX 10.9 & 10.10, and 3D Objects.  And thus far all my attempts to break the BETA have failed.  Looking forward to the full release at the end of this month.

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UrbanScreen Projection Mapping ProjectileObjects

PMC Interview Series: URBANSCREEN – Bremen, Germany – Projection Mapping Central

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Today marks the beginning of a new interview series for Projection-Mapping.org.  I wanted to highlight how each company has their own unique approach to projection mapping and spotlight some of the most talented groups around the world.  First up in this series is URBANSCREEN.  Click below to see my post.

>>>PMC Interview Series: URBANSCREEN – Bremen, Germany – Projection Mapping Central.<<<

 

 

ProjectileObjects + Todd Keebs + Daily Bread =

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Animal Rescue League benefit.

I’m excited to release this video that I edited from a benefit event that took place on March 20th, 2015 at Freeride Pittsburgh.  The event was put on my Daily Bread in order to raise funds for the Animal rescue league.  This design was a cool collaboration between Todd Keebs and I, mainly of Todd’s doing, and while he ran the lasers for that event I was able to work my magic on the Livid OhmRGB controller.  Check out the video.  Also special thanks to Louis Barr for sending me the footage that he shot that night.  While I live to edit videos like this, I am usually too busy to pick up the camera once the night begins so thanks again Louie for capturing all of this great footage.

song: yuksek – tonight RAC mix

Hehe’s me and Todd from that night.

Todd_Keebs2_Gif Neil_Funny_Gif

JUSTSO – Fabergé at Harrods – Projection Mapping Central

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JUSTSO – Fabergé at Harrods – Projection Mapping Central.

JUSTSO Create One Of The World’s Most Complicated Interactive Projection Campaigns For Fabergé.

JUSTSO was commissioned by Fabergé to create and develop their pre-Easter 2015 campaign. Stuart Henry, award-winning international window designer, conceived the idea of a virtual egg. Stuart with his team at JUSTSO visualised an interactive projection art installation exhibited on a 1.5 metre 3D egg-shaped model. The projection would then be emulated and emitted through suspended shards producing the effect of an explosion. Most outdoor projections are not subject to daylight, but it was imperative for the projection to be visible at all times – a challenge in it’s own right. Resulting in the egg-shaped model to require an unprecedented 14,500-lux, which is the measurement of visible light per square meter. To put this into perspective it is around two hundred times brighter than a typical outdoor building projection. To do this they used 16 projectors and 1 d3 4×4 pro to control the installation.  More information on d3 Technologies can be found here on our site: http://projection-mapping.org/tools/d3-technologies/

Fabergé installation can be seen at Harrods between March 3rd to March 27th 2015.

 

A look back at the Geometric Mask Party

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It’s been a while since the mask was taken down after a Friday the 13th LazerCrunk party and now it has become a great piece of wall art.

This was one of the few times that I which I could have shoot more video at the event and still performed, but that has always been the trade off.  If i film, then who is running the visuals & vice versa.  It was also at this party that I just started randomly handing my DSLR off to friends and asking them to get some footage. And so, If you haven’t seen it already, here it is again.

Thanks to all who helped film that event and thanks to Todd for mounting the mask on his wall and taking a picture of it.