>>>First surface mirrors are more prone to damage than fisheye
> lenses, no matter where they're set up.

- Fisheye lenses cost a lot more to replace that first surface mirrors.
- In time (this technology is commercially only two years old
remember), first surface mirrors will no longer be as prone to damage.
- First surface mirrors do not carry prohibitive patents.

The future is mirror projection - not fisheye  :-)


Mario

> It is possible that the systems we saw were simply not formatted
> correctly for the domes they were being used in

This is why I (mostly) stay quiet during discussion of quality
comparisons, namely, there is no way of knowing how well the
underlying system has been configured, what software used,
what mirror used, what projector, and so on. Unlike the
fisheye products there are more variables with the spherical
mirror and the current commercial players don't necessarily
offer the optimal hardware or software.

> I suspect that Jack Dunn's spherical mirror system looks much better
> than any I've seen, and he created and formatted the system himself.

Well ... with assistance by myself, granted only through emails
so certainly the result he has achieved is in no small part due to
care and skill on his part.

The point is though that such a system can be set up independently
by those who feel that's the way they want to go, for budget or
other reasons. And it can be setup to yield equivalent quality to
a fisheye lens based system, at least that is my experience in my
3m iDome and 6m inflatable.

While I haven't seen Jacks dome I have no reason to believe it is
not optimal given the projector resolution he is using, namely
SXGA+. At this point I should point out that the resolution
improvement going from SXGA+ to a HD projector is significant,
all others things being equal. This is more than simple considerations
based upon the resolution difference.

Just to show I'm not totally biased. :-)

> >>>First surface mirrors are more prone to damage than fisheye lenses
> - Fisheye lenses cost a lot more to replace that first surface mirrors.

But "First surface mirrors are" much "more prone to damage
than fisheye lenses".

> -  (this technology is commercially only two years old remember),

Hmmm, I did a couple of commercial installations in the 2005
range while still at Swinburne, including Cosmodome mid 2005.

> In time first surface mirrors will no longer be as prone to damage.

Please let me know when you have these better mirrors, I'll be a
willing customer. You have no idea how much time and money I
have spent on investigating mirror technology, I thought the
software would be the weak link but it turned out to be the mirror.
Fortunately for me since I only (mostly) do research or fixed
domes I have a more controlled environment than the portable
industry so the current mirrors are more than adequate.

ps: Currently have plans next year for a steel worker to polish a
1/2 sphere from which 2 mirrors will be cut (assuming I choose
to invest some of my available R&D budget). If it works they will
be strong enough but not necessarily lower cost. Initial tests
show that the mirror quality is at least as good as the current
mirrors.

> The future is mirror projection - not fisheye  :-)

Brave statement, I would not necessarily agree with it. How about
"the future of _budget_ dome projection is a spherical mirror".

My bet on the future of digital dome projection is ... woops that's
still supposed to be a secret.

Lionel mentioned the International Year of Astronomy in his post, so
this seems like a good time to find out what everyone is doing. After
all, January 1 will be here before we know it!

In case you're unfamiliar with IYA, here's a link to the homepage:
http://www.astronomy2009.org/

First, I want to tell you all that I personally have put in a lot of
hours creating Stellarium resources to be used for IYA topics. I hope
you'll take advantage of some or all of these.

1) I wrote eight Stellarium scripts and narrations pertaining to dark
sky issues. There are four script topics, one set for the northern
hemisphere and one set for the southern hemisphere. Because the
narrations are live rather than prerecorded, I built pauses into the
Stellarium scripts so that you don't have to talk really fast or
really slowly to keep up with the script actions (the narration text
tells you where the pauses are). Script topics are:

* Apparent magnitude: What the term means; how it helps astronomers
quantify light pollution; etc.

* Finding Orion in the sky: Self-explanatory.

* General overview of light pollution on the night sky, focusing on
the appearance of Orion: As you probably guessed, this script asks
people to observe Orion under different amounts of light pollution.

* Orion and the GLOBE at Night program: For those of you unfamiliar
with GLOBE, the idea is that people observe Orion once or more during
a two week period in mid- to late March, then report the limiting
apparent magnitude visible from their location using a set of sky
charts. This script emphasizes how to correctly determine the limiting
magnitude visible from your area, so that the collected data is as
accurate as possible. Here's a link to the GLOBE homepage:
http://www.globe.gov/GaN/

All of the Stellarium scripts are set for March 21, 2009, which is
approximately in the middle of the GLOBE data collection period. FYI,
since the latest desktop version of Stellarium has not yet had the
scripting code added back in, these scripts are written for Stellarium
0.9.1.

The scripts, suggested narrations, Stellarium 0.9.1, and numerous
other resources (videos, etc.) are being compiled on a DVD by Chuck
Bueter. The DVD will be available for purchase any day now, and the
price should be minimal, just enough to cover the costs of duplication
and mailing. You can learn more here:
http://www.lettherebenight.com/pltm.html

2) I also compiled resources and stories for the Cultural Astronomy
working group. See:
http://astronomy2009.us/storytelling/sky-stories-stellariums-collections-of-cele\
stial-lore/


In early April, 2009, I'll be doing portable planetarium shows for the
public, as part of the "100 Hours of Astronomy" event. I'll be
partnering with our local astronomy club for this, and they have a set
of table top exhibits which will nicely supplement planetarium
lessons. Hopefully the sky will be clear (always a gamble here in
western Washington) and we'll be able to look at the real night sky, too.

So, that's a long introduction to what I've done and am going to do.

What are your plans?

Cheers,
Karrie

Hi Karrie,

      We too are working on our IYA2009 plans here in Decatur Illinois.
  Some of our plans include:

      Adopting the monthly themes as designated by NSN/ASP/NASA for all
of our monthly meetings being held throughout 2009.  Those monthly
themes are available here:
            http://www.astrosociety.org/iya/guides.html

      We are also working with our local Conservation District on some
special events throughout 2009.  At least 2, more likely 3 or 4

      We are going to be meeting with our local Park District in the
next few weeks to discuss some monthly Astronomy in the Park events as
well.

Decatur IL is host to some pretty big events (boat races, Farm
Progress Show, Decatur Celebration), so we are hoping that the Park
District will allow us participate in these events.

      Our local University has asked if we would assist in a StarParty
that they are planning.

      And this is just the beginning.  It's going to be a busy busy year!

      And, Yes!, I can't wait to get my hands on one of the DVD's that
Chuck has been working on.  My name is on the list and I'm just
waiting for the email to let me know that they are ready to ship!!!

      Finally, let me say THANK YOU to you Karrie for all of your hard
work in helping to prepare materials for IAY2009.  I know you have
spents countless hours working on scripts and other materials and I
just wanted you to know how much it is appreciated.

Clear Skies!!!

Bryan Maple
President
Decatur Area Astronomy Club
www.decaturastronomy.com


--- In small_planetarium@yahoogroups.com, "Karrie Berglund"
<bergieberglund@...> wrote:
>
> Lionel mentioned the International Year of Astronomy in his post, so
> this seems like a good time to find out what everyone is doing. After
> all, January 1 will be here before we know it!
>
> In case you're unfamiliar with IYA, here's a link to the homepage:
> http://www.astronomy2009.org/
>
> First, I want to tell you all that I personally have put in a lot of
> hours creating Stellarium resources to be used for IYA topics. I hope
> you'll take advantage of some or all of these.
>
> 1) I wrote eight Stellarium scripts and narrations pertaining to dark
> sky issues. There are four script topics, one set for the northern
> hemisphere and one set for the southern hemisphere. Because the
> narrations are live rather than prerecorded, I built pauses into the
> Stellarium scripts so that you don't have to talk really fast or
> really slowly to keep up with the script actions (the narration text
> tells you where the pauses are). Script topics are:
>
> * Apparent magnitude: What the term means; how it helps astronomers
> quantify light pollution; etc.
>
> * Finding Orion in the sky: Self-explanatory.
>
> * General overview of light pollution on the night sky, focusing on
> the appearance of Orion: As you probably guessed, this script asks
> people to observe Orion under different amounts of light pollution.
>
> * Orion and the GLOBE at Night program: For those of you unfamiliar
> with GLOBE, the idea is that people observe Orion once or more during
> a two week period in mid- to late March, then report the limiting
> apparent magnitude visible from their location using a set of sky
> charts. This script emphasizes how to correctly determine the limiting
> magnitude visible from your area, so that the collected data is as
> accurate as possible. Here's a link to the GLOBE homepage:
> http://www.globe.gov/GaN/
>
> All of the Stellarium scripts are set for March 21, 2009, which is
> approximately in the middle of the GLOBE data collection period. FYI,
> since the latest desktop version of Stellarium has not yet had the
> scripting code added back in, these scripts are written for Stellarium
> 0.9.1.
>
> The scripts, suggested narrations, Stellarium 0.9.1, and numerous
> other resources (videos, etc.) are being compiled on a DVD by Chuck
> Bueter. The DVD will be available for purchase any day now, and the
> price should be minimal, just enough to cover the costs of duplication
> and mailing. You can learn more here:
> http://www.lettherebenight.com/pltm.html
>
> 2) I also compiled resources and stories for the Cultural Astronomy
> working group. See:
>
http://astronomy2009.us/storytelling/sky-stories-stellariums-collections-of-cele\
stial-lore/
>
>
> In early April, 2009, I'll be doing portable planetarium shows for the
> public, as part of the "100 Hours of Astronomy" event. I'll be
> partnering with our local astronomy club for this, and they have a set
> of table top exhibits which will nicely supplement planetarium
> lessons. Hopefully the sky will be clear (always a gamble here in
> western Washington) and we'll be able to look at the real night sky,
too.
>
> So, that's a long introduction to what I've done and am going to do.
>
> What are your plans?
>
> Cheers,
> Karrie
>

You're more than welcome, Bryan! I hope the Stellarium scripts and
other materials on the DVD are helpful.

Good luck with your planning. It seems like your local Park District
should be willing to include you in at least some of those big events,
but sometimes things that should happen don't actually happen. Whether
that works out or not, it sounds like you won't be bored next year!

Cheers,
Karrie

--- In small_planetarium@yahoogroups.com, "Bryan Maple"
<bryanmaple@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Karrie,
>
>      We too are working on our IYA2009 plans here in Decatur Illinois.
>  Some of our plans include:
>
>      Adopting the monthly themes as designated by NSN/ASP/NASA for all
> of our monthly meetings being held throughout 2009.  Those monthly
> themes are available here:
>            http://www.astrosociety.org/iya/guides.html
>
>      We are also working with our local Conservation District on some
> special events throughout 2009.  At least 2, more likely 3 or 4
>
>      We are going to be meeting with our local Park District in the
> next few weeks to discuss some monthly Astronomy in the Park events as
> well.
>
> Decatur IL is host to some pretty big events (boat races, Farm
> Progress Show, Decatur Celebration), so we are hoping that the Park
> District will allow us participate in these events.
>
>      Our local University has asked if we would assist in a StarParty
> that they are planning.
>
>      And this is just the beginning.  It's going to be a busy busy year!
>
>      And, Yes!, I can't wait to get my hands on one of the DVD's that
> Chuck has been working on.  My name is on the list and I'm just
> waiting for the email to let me know that they are ready to ship!!!
>
>      Finally, let me say THANK YOU to you Karrie for all of your hard
> work in helping to prepare materials for IAY2009.  I know you have
> spents countless hours working on scripts and other materials and I
> just wanted you to know how much it is appreciated.
>
> Clear Skies!!!
>
> Bryan Maple
> President
> Decatur Area Astronomy Club
> www.decaturastronomy.com
>
>
> --- In small_planetarium@yahoogroups.com, "Karrie Berglund"
> <bergieberglund@> wrote:
> >
> > Lionel mentioned the International Year of Astronomy in his post, so
> > this seems like a good time to find out what everyone is doing. After
> > all, January 1 will be here before we know it!
> >
> > In case you're unfamiliar with IYA, here's a link to the homepage:
> > http://www.astronomy2009.org/
> >
> > First, I want to tell you all that I personally have put in a lot of
> > hours creating Stellarium resources to be used for IYA topics. I hope
> > you'll take advantage of some or all of these.
> >
> > 1) I wrote eight Stellarium scripts and narrations pertaining to dark
> > sky issues. There are four script topics, one set for the northern
> > hemisphere and one set for the southern hemisphere. Because the
> > narrations are live rather than prerecorded, I built pauses into the
> > Stellarium scripts so that you don't have to talk really fast or
> > really slowly to keep up with the script actions (the narration text
> > tells you where the pauses are). Script topics are:
> >
> > * Apparent magnitude: What the term means; how it helps astronomers
> > quantify light pollution; etc.
> >
> > * Finding Orion in the sky: Self-explanatory.
> >
> > * General overview of light pollution on the night sky, focusing on
> > the appearance of Orion: As you probably guessed, this script asks
> > people to observe Orion under different amounts of light pollution.
> >
> > * Orion and the GLOBE at Night program: For those of you unfamiliar
> > with GLOBE, the idea is that people observe Orion once or more during
> > a two week period in mid- to late March, then report the limiting
> > apparent magnitude visible from their location using a set of sky
> > charts. This script emphasizes how to correctly determine the limiting
> > magnitude visible from your area, so that the collected data is as
> > accurate as possible. Here's a link to the GLOBE homepage:
> > http://www.globe.gov/GaN/
> >
> > All of the Stellarium scripts are set for March 21, 2009, which is
> > approximately in the middle of the GLOBE data collection period. FYI,
> > since the latest desktop version of Stellarium has not yet had the
> > scripting code added back in, these scripts are written for Stellarium
> > 0.9.1.
> >
> > The scripts, suggested narrations, Stellarium 0.9.1, and numerous
> > other resources (videos, etc.) are being compiled on a DVD by Chuck
> > Bueter. The DVD will be available for purchase any day now, and the
> > price should be minimal, just enough to cover the costs of duplication
> > and mailing. You can learn more here:
> > http://www.lettherebenight.com/pltm.html
> >
> > 2) I also compiled resources and stories for the Cultural Astronomy
> > working group. See:
> >
>
http://astronomy2009.us/storytelling/sky-stories-stellariums-collections-of-cele\
stial-lore/
> >
> >
> > In early April, 2009, I'll be doing portable planetarium shows for the
> > public, as part of the "100 Hours of Astronomy" event. I'll be
> > partnering with our local astronomy club for this, and they have a set
> > of table top exhibits which will nicely supplement planetarium
> > lessons. Hopefully the sky will be clear (always a gamble here in
> > western Washington) and we'll be able to look at the real night sky,
> too.
> >
> > So, that's a long introduction to what I've done and am going to do.
> >
> > What are your plans?
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Karrie
> >
>

Sorry that I didn't give you credit for your assistance with Jack
Dunn's set up, Paul. From what Jack has told me, your long distance
consulting was quite helpful for him!

Cheers,
Karrie

--- In small_planetarium@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Bourke"
<paul.bourke@...> wrote:
>
> > It is possible that the systems we saw were simply not formatted
> > correctly for the domes they were being used in
>
> This is why I (mostly) stay quiet during discussion of quality
> comparisons, namely, there is no way of knowing how well the
> underlying system has been configured, what software used,
> what mirror used, what projector, and so on. Unlike the
> fisheye products there are more variables with the spherical
> mirror and the current commercial players don't necessarily
> offer the optimal hardware or software.
>
> > I suspect that Jack Dunn's spherical mirror system looks much better
> > than any I've seen, and he created and formatted the system himself.
>
> Well ... with assistance by myself, granted only through emails
> so certainly the result he has achieved is in no small part due to
> care and skill on his part.
>
> The point is though that such a system can be set up independently
> by those who feel that's the way they want to go, for budget or
> other reasons. And it can be setup to yield equivalent quality to
> a fisheye lens based system, at least that is my experience in my
> 3m iDome and 6m inflatable.
>
> While I haven't seen Jacks dome I have no reason to believe it is
> not optimal given the projector resolution he is using, namely
> SXGA+. At this point I should point out that the resolution
> improvement going from SXGA+ to a HD projector is significant,
> all others things being equal. This is more than simple considerations
> based upon the resolution difference.
>

> Sorry that I didn't give you credit for your assistance with Jack
> Dunn's set up, Paul. From what Jack has told me, your long
> distance consulting was quite helpful for him!

No worries at all ... I mentioned it really only to hi-light the point
that one real strength of the spherical mirror approach is that
the end user, if they wish, can in fact do it themselves and get
a good result. It isn't for everyone, some people will have the
funds to invest in the simpler fisheye systems, others may choose
the spherical mirror from commercial suppliers. It's all about
choice given funding levels and available expertise, or perhaps
the preparedness to learn given the lack of the above. The problem
from my perspective (since I am obviously associated with the
spherical technology) is when comparisons are being made with
commercial entities who may or may be exploiting the spherical
technology to it's fullest. I know the spherical mirror approach
competes favourably with the fisheye systems in some cases, I
also know the fisheye systems are superior in other cases. I only
have an issue with commercial entities on both sides who claim
otherwise. :-)

Hopefully this thread can move on to the real question, content
creation. In particular, software package XYZ supporting fisheye
and warped fisheye.

> Hopefully this thread can move on to the real question, content
> creation. In particular, software package XYZ supporting fisheye
> and warped fisheye.
>
On that subject - I heard that Software Bisque has mirror warped
versions of some of their software... is anyone using them?  if so,
how do you like them?

Thanks.

Andy

Sorry for the late notice, but hopefully some of you will be able to
act on this!
-Karrie

---

The International Year of Astronomy's Cultural Astronomy and
Storytelling Group is hosting a Book Fair at the Broadway Barnes &
Noble in Tucson, Arizona on December 7th from 1 pm - 4 pm. There will
be storytelling and crafts for kids, and solar telescope viewing in
front of the store.

Show your support on December 7th, 2009 by:

1) Visiting the Barnes and Noble Bookstore on December 7th, 5130 East
Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona, anytime between 9am and 11 pm,
and use our book fair code 441196 when you check out.

OR

2) Anywhere in the USA, shop any other Barnes & Noble store or online
at barnesandnoble.com and use our book fair code 441196 when making
your purchases.

AND

Circulate this email to all your friends and relatives!

To find out more about IYA2009USA go to: http://www.astronomy2009.us

More information about the Cultural Astronomy & Storytelling Projects
for IYA that this fund raiser is supporting is at:
http://astronomy2009.us/storytelling/

FINAL CALL for IMERSA Founding Sponsors.
Deadline for commitment has been extended to December 31, 2008.

IMERSA is a newly formed, international professional association
advancing the art, science, profile, integrity and common interests
of large-forma digital immersive media and group interactive
entertainment and cultural experiences including (but not limited
to) immersive digital theaters and digital dome (fulldome)
planetariums.

Founding board members include;
Dan Neafus (Denver Museum of Nature and Science), Ed Lantz (Vortex
Immersion Media), Ryan Wyatt (California Academy of Sciences) and
David Beining (ARTS Lab, University of New Mexico), David McConville
(Elumenati).

IMERSA is now preparing for build out of the association's website
that will include; joblistings, industry research and publications,
news, events, and social networking forimmersive media industry
professionals.  Additional planned member services include;
standards development, conferences, seminars and workshops, special
publications, industry outreach and advocacy.

IMERSA has extended the deadline for Founding Sponsors until
December 31st, 2008. (Payment must be received by January 31. 2009).

Founding sponsors to date include:

ARTS Lab
Audio Visual Imagineering (AVI)
Adler Planetarium
California Academy of Sciences
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
E & S  - Spitz
Global Immersion
GOTO, Inc.
Hamburg Planetarium
Immersive Media
Irene W. Pennington Planetarium
Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (LITE)
Loch Ness Productions
R.S.A. Cosmos
SCISS
Sky-Skan
Society for Arts and Technology (SAT)
Spherical Media Group
University of Plymouth
Vortex Immersion Media

Founding Sponsorships are still available at $2,500 for Corporate
Founders, and $1,800 for Institution (not-for-profit) Founders.
Sponsors receive six Individual Membershipsfor 2009, logo in IMERSA
Press Kit, logo and link on Founder's Page on IMERSA.org website,
mention in press releases and publications, a plaque of recognition
and automaticstatus as Silver Member Sponsor for 2009.

Support of Founding Sponsors provides IMERSA with the seed capital
required to establish the organization and develop basic services.
Sponsors will also be provided an opportunity to guide the strategic
direction of IMERSA.

IMERSA general membership is also now open for 2009 including;
Student, Corporation and Institution opportunities. Founding
Sponsors and new members can join IMERSA via the website at
www.imersa.org/membership.php. Questions may be directed to
www.info@....

Your support in establishing IMERSA is greatly appreciated.

Hmmm... now this would be useful - inflatable domes made from dual view
fabric:

http://www.ideasforlife.tv/watch/36

The possible uses of a dome would instantly double  :-)


Mario
Disocvery Dome Europe

Looks like The Elumenati are continuing to create interesting solutions....
See
      http://www.geodome.info/
ps: Sorry if you saw this twice, I also posted it to the fulldome forum by
mistake.

hi all..

    just take a look of this aplication for fulldome projection.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40UbUMIpPyo&feature=related


    :-)

     Jose Carlos

Many of you are probably already familiar with this website, but in
case you're not, check it out:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

The pictures are always good, but lately they've been absolutely
stunning. Enjoy!

Cheers,
Karrie

Due to recent questions on optimal resolution with
spherical mirror projection, I've added some additional
notes to the FAQ. Note that there are lots of factors
that related to dome experiences and image quality
is just one ... but might as well start with optimal
hardware configurations. I apologise if that these
additions are mostly Apple Mac based, but that is
what I use and the principles will apply to other
systems as well.

1. Significant improvements in colour fidelity can
be achieved with colour calibration.
http://local.wasp.uwa.edu.au/~pbourke/miscellaneous/domemirror/faq.html#colourpr\
ofile

2. There is some confusion when it comes to display
vs projector resolution when in mirror mode or using
"screencopy" methods.
http://local.wasp.uwa.edu.au/~pbourke/miscellaneous/domemirror/faq.html#computer\
reso
lution

Seasonal Greetings to everybody from Down Under.
On the eve of the I.Y.o.A, it is worth perhaps mentioning the link
between Astronomy and International Maritime Heritage.
Every ship of discovery sent out by the Portuguese in the 15th Century,
sponsored by Prince Henry the Navigator, carried Astronomers. Nautical
Astronomy became a Science.
As a former, pre GPS, maritime navigator and Maritime Museum Director,
these are parallel personal interests.
Best wishes,
Charles Treleaven
Melbourne, Australia.
Maritime Heritage Association of Victoria.
Cosmodome Australasia Pty.Ltd.
(Distributor of Mirrordome)

A month or so ago I mentioned an upcoming DVD with Dark Skies
resources. I just learned that the DVDs are now for sale online
through the Great Lakes Planetarium Association:

http://www.glpaweb.org/zencart5/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&product\
s_id=29

Cost for each two disk set is $11 US.

For details about the disk contents, see:
http://www.lettherebenight.com/dvd.html

Cheers,
Karrie

Karrie Berglund wrote:
> A month or so ago I mentioned an upcoming DVD with Dark Skies
> resources. I just learned that the DVDs are now for sale online
> through the Great Lakes Planetarium Association:
>
>
> For details about the disk contents, see:
> http://www.lettherebenight.com/dvd.html
>
> Cheers,
> Karrie
>
>
>
Actually, if you are a member of IPS, you'll the set for free.
Likewise, several
of the planetarium regions are sending them out to all their members.
Also, of course, I would suggest you go to the official International
Dark Sky Association website http://www.darksky.org
for resources.

--
Clear DARK Skies


Jack Dunn - Mueller Planetarium

> On a very positive note, it's wonderful to see all the activity here
> on the YahooGroup! Paul is doing great job of moderating, and things
> have really taken off. Terry, you were member #1, did you ever expect
> to see so many other like-minded folks?

Thanks Greg, although I note this is from perhaps 6 months ago.

As it happens the moderation of the group has been (fortunately)
light ... only a few instances of inappropriate posts. New members
apply perhaps 1 a week on average but they only take seconds to
process. There were some issues at one stage with photographic
uploads, which (like new members) are now also moderated.

My one concern is that the group might end up primarily discussing
spherical mirror projection, something that might in no small part
be a reflection of my contributions to the group. In any case that
discussion does seem to have reduced since I assembled the FAQ
on the topic.

I would also welcome feedback/input from members on this group,
how to improve it, what would make it of more interest to yourself,
and so on ...

> I think it would really help people out if that was listed somewhere.
> One question I always get from people is if there is a
> master list of known shows that could be played on
> either fisheye or warped fisheye systems.

Do you mean "shows" as in movies, or content in general?

If the former, then all movies made for fulldome (ie: fisheye)
can be played and warped on the fly. This then becomes a
question of the users computer hardware. A very brief
summary is below, noting that the comments with each one
are my personal opinions. If anyone knows of other options
please let us know.

- Apple Mac with Quartz Composer  and my "pbmesh" patch
and optional custom mesh. Can suffer in performance
compared to warpplayer for high resolution movies for HD
projection. Supports multiple movie formats (fisheye,
spherical, etc) including interactivity.
Plays "any" QuickTIme movie.
Free.
http://local.wasp.uwa.edu.au/~pbourke/miscellaneous/warppatch/

- Apple Mac with my "warpplayer" and optional custom mesh.
Supports multiple movie formats (fisheye, spherical, etc)
including interactivity.
Plays "any" QuickTIme movie.
Not free.
http://local.wasp.uwa.edu.au/~pbourke/miscellaneous/warpplayer/

- Apple Mac with Swinburnes "screencopy" software and/or
their "MDPlayer". I haven't tested these. I have doubts about
the quality of the screencopy technique for other than low
resolution projection systems. Perhaps someone at Swinburne
would like to comment on MDPlayer, in particular, whether it
optimally uses the available projector resolution.
Plays "any" QuickTIme movie.
Not free.
http://vr.swin.edu.au/mirrordome/software.html

- MSWindows. I am not aware of any movie warping playback
solutions on this platform.

- Linux. I am not aware of any movie warping playback
solutions on this platform.

Notes.

- For all platforms one can obviously prewarp the movies, most
will already be aware of my distaste for this approach.

- "mplayer". While this movie player and the warping functionality
are supposedly supported on all three platforms, I've only tried it
on Linux. I haven't found it reliable enough for production work
and in my opinion doesn't support geometry correction support
required for precise warping.

There's a fulldome Wikipedia that might be of interest to some or all
of you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulldome

It doesn't break down movie content into fisheye or spherical mirror
formats, but it does have a lot of good information. I also don't
recall that webpage being mentioned here before, at least not
recently. Sorry if I simply had a memory lapse about it.

Happy 2009 to you all!
-Karrie

--- In small_planetarium@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Bourke"
<paul.bourke@...> wrote:
>
> > I think it would really help people out if that was listed somewhere.
> > One question I always get from people is if there is a
> > master list of known shows that could be played on
> > either fisheye or warped fisheye systems.
>
> Do you mean "shows" as in movies, or content in general?
>
> If the former, then all movies made for fulldome (ie: fisheye)
> can be played and warped on the fly. This then becomes a
> question of the users computer hardware. A very brief
> summary is below, noting that the comments with each one
> are my personal opinions. If anyone knows of other options
> please let us know.
>
> - Apple Mac with Quartz Composer  and my "pbmesh" patch
> and optional custom mesh. Can suffer in performance
> compared to warpplayer for high resolution movies for HD
> projection. Supports multiple movie formats (fisheye,
> spherical, etc) including interactivity.
> Plays "any" QuickTIme movie.
> Free.
> http://local.wasp.uwa.edu.au/~pbourke/miscellaneous/warppatch/
>
> - Apple Mac with my "warpplayer" and optional custom mesh.
> Supports multiple movie formats (fisheye, spherical, etc)
> including interactivity.
> Plays "any" QuickTIme movie.
> Not free.
> http://local.wasp.uwa.edu.au/~pbourke/miscellaneous/warpplayer/
>
> - Apple Mac with Swinburnes "screencopy" software and/or
> their "MDPlayer". I haven't tested these. I have doubts about
> the quality of the screencopy technique for other than low
> resolution projection systems. Perhaps someone at Swinburne
> would like to comment on MDPlayer, in particular, whether it
> optimally uses the available projector resolution.
> Plays "any" QuickTIme movie.
> Not free.
> http://vr.swin.edu.au/mirrordome/software.html
>
> - MSWindows. I am not aware of any movie warping playback
> solutions on this platform.
>
> - Linux. I am not aware of any movie warping playback
> solutions on this platform.
>
> Notes.
>
> - For all platforms one can obviously prewarp the movies, most
> will already be aware of my distaste for this approach.
>
> - "mplayer". While this movie player and the warping functionality
> are supposedly supported on all three platforms, I've only tried it
> on Linux. I haven't found it reliable enough for production work
> and in my opinion doesn't support geometry correction support
> required for precise warping.
>

If you haven't seen this already then it may interest
     http://www.jdome.com/the_jdome.asp

Welcome to the International Year of Remaining Cloudy Each Night!

I predict our planetariums wil become increasingly popular as Earth
starts to look like Venus with total cloud cover...

What else can happen when astronomers get a whole year to themselves?

Cheers,and I hope your new year goes well.

Nev