Widescreen Gaming Forum

Here's my question to the community: Do you think that a lens based solution similar to CIH is possible in order to achieve additional height for tall/sqaure screen projection gaming?

At one point i was looking into an anamorphic lens for a 2.35:1 Constant Image Height (CIH) setup...the avs forum group has been raging about different external lens solutions for years. Sadly, custom lens/prism likes the Aussiemorphic lens go for around $2k (http://projectorscreens.com.au/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=55). There are however some insane DIY efforts in this arena that are affordable...

CIH is all about maximizing the resolution of the projector and going wide, but I'm curious about going square! Don't get me wrong, I'll eventually end up with widescreen gaming since my goal is 3 16:16 projected images as I'm in the middle of a 3 projector setup.

I seen quite a few requests on WSGF about 'portrait mode' and tall screen gaming type discussion. With a projector, you can't really just put it on its side since it may burn out the lamp or even worse the projector (thanks for the heads up BHawthorne!)

The anamorphic external lens technique uses the entire resolution of the projector but requires the movie to be compressed horizontally before the external lens re-corrects the aspect ratio to the proper 2.35 film dimensions. good overview here too: http://www.hemagazine.com/Anamorphic_Widescreen

Similarly, what limitations would there be if we 'vertically compressed' the resolution of a game (where everything is shrunken) and then corrected it to something like a 16:16 square?

Why even do this?

First, with a 3 beamer setup with curved screen - its all about immersion and the extra height will add to that element as touted by other academic CAVE setups.

Second, if you have already invested in a native 16:9 projector, why not utilize its entire resolution instead of running it in 4:3 mode.

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I like the idea, but it'll probably be too specialized to be cost effective unless some astronomy scope builders can chime in on manually grinding the lenses and that type of thing for DIY.

I specifically got rid of my 16:4 projectors 1# because they couldn't be used in portrait mode, #2 because 5:4 is easier to focus on a circular screen and #3 because I simply couldn't find an affordable 16:9 native 0.6:1 short-throw lens projector on the market.

I'm a lot more happier with my 5:4 than my 16:9 with what I've been doing for my gaming room. So far it's been an adventure building a multi-projector setup, because there is no rulebook or guidelines for it. It's just so specialized that yo might see a couple of pictures of flight sim setups with that kind of setup, but it's hard to nail down just what is needed to pull this stuff off correctly.

As an alternative to lens grinding and custom anamorphic type lens setups, I would suggest using mylar first surface mirror sheeting as an alternative. Have it bent to the curve you want to project and it'll bend the height as needed. I have a bit of the material that I took from a rear projection DLP TV that went bad awhile back. I had no idea what I would use it for but it looked like something worth experimenting with.

_________________
Brad Hawthorne
Product Manager
Nthusim Pty. Ltd. | www.nthusim.com

Definitely agree that its quite the internet wasteland when it comes to setting up a 3-projector system. You are way ahead of the game by choosing 5:4.

This whole anamorphic lens thought-experiment is really in response to 'not choosing' 5:4 early on in the project, and making due with 16:9. That's what I get for not befriending more astronomers throughout life!

Will keep a look out for some mylar sheeting - never hurts to have some first surface material with all these projectors we are collecting :)

Here is an interesting post on the subject from: http://www.lumenlab.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8322

Mylar is used in flight simulators as a mirror to see the screen. It would definately be an alternative to a FS mirror. You can stretch it perfectly flat. Just watch it, because it scratches very easily just like the mirror. Rips easily as well. It also doesn't like heat too much.

In flight sims, this mylar is pulled tight and curved by vacuum behind it. If you were really extreme, you could put a fan behind it to create a vacuum and curve it to correct keystone. I think that would fall under extreme mods. tongue.gif I am very interested in how the mylar looks as a reflector in our DIY projectors.