DigiDome 4.0 will take a single image, such as this undersea volcanic vents scene...

...and create six 35mm all-sky images with built-in soft-edge masks!

Or take this single 360-degree panoramic image from Mars Pathfinder...

...and create 12 (or 6, or however many you need) pre-distorted panorama images with built-in soft-edge masks!

The basic concept of DigiDome is relatively easy to understand.

Within your computer, you use DigiDome to create a virtual model of your planetarium dome and projection equipment. You tell it your dome size (and tilt, if any), where your slide projectors are located, where they're pointed, and what lenses they have.

You see onscreen an outline of the rectangular projection areas covered by each projector.

Mapped to all-sky


Mapped to panorama

Then, you literally place a digital image (a bitmap, Targa, or JPEG file) on the virtual dome. You can drag it, stretch it, rotate it, scale it, adjust the color and brightness, whatever. DigiDome will adjust for the curvature of the dome, and display the corrected image in real time. You can position your viewpoint around the theater, to see how the image will look to audiences seated in different sections.

When you're happy with the position of the image, you tell DigiDome to start the Transform process. Since it knows what projectors are covering what areas of the dome, it will create a properly corrected image for each projector you select — panorama projectors, all-sky projectors, or even a combination of several different systems. Every pixel that falls onto a part of the dome covered by any projector will be placed perfectly. If the projectors overlap, DigiDome will create soft-edge masking within the image for seamless blending of the overlap areas.

If you're making masks, simply follow the same procedure using the black and white image you created in Photoshop. Advanced users may be already familiar with this technique of using the alpha channel to create keys for layered composites.

You save the resulting Targa files to disk, so they can be output to film. There are various methods for getting digital images onto film. If you have a film recorder hooked up to your computer, you're all set. If not, you may find photo labs and graphics service bureaus that can print your images to film for reasonable prices. If you have a pin-registered camera and a calibrated height on your copystand, you can simply print your images using a photo quality inkjet printer and photograph them conventionally.

DigiDome 4.0 Features

• A user friendly graphical user interface for Windows 98/NT/2000
  
• Mathematical correction for non-standard projector arrays
  
• Accurately calculated soft-edges for each overlapping projector
  
• Multiple projector configurations for standard, panorama, all-sky, and special fisheye effects
  
• Multiple image and text layers for custom image effects
  
• Realtime preview — you can see each image layer as you manipulate and compose for your dome
  
• Image handles for "click-and-drag" image manipulation
  
• Adjust color, alpha channels, gamma levels, and image resolutions within DigiDome 4.0
  
• Great Circle transform for creating items such as a meridian line
  
• Grids and bonus artwork, allowing you to setup and experiment with your dome