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"Some day in the not too distant future
you'll be able to go to a movie and
the movie will be all around you.
The movie will be over your head,
it will be 360 degrees around you"

- Steven Spielberg, TIME Magazine, 2006

THE AFFORDABLE
FULLDOME PROJECTION SYSTEM

Discovery Dome is the very latest projection system for small to medium digital dome theatres.
Discovery Dome mirror projection offers both a superior and affordable alternative to expensive fisheye projection systems.

• Fully modular system: as projectors improve,
  you simply upgrade with a new one

• Small area at the back of the dome not covered (4%)

• 100% dome coverage

• Lenses custom-made for projectors, with projector upgrades almost impossible

• Local service on international projector brands

• Brief time required to align mirrors

• Slightly easier to set up

• Considerably more expensive

• Projection equipment located at the back of the dome, leaving the central (best) seats for customers, plus allowing 20% more seating space

• Content requires pre-warping with Windows
  (but not with Macs)

• Fisheye photos can be
  displayed immediately

• Projection equipment and cables can be
  easily tampered by audience

• Mirrors far less expensive to replace than fisheye lenses

• Slight image distortion at
  the back of the dome

• Replacement lenses are very expensive

• Larger fraction of the projector's pixels are used ie. over 75% instead of 45% for an imbedded circle (see below)

• Fewer projected pixels (see below)

So Mirror projection uses 316,512 more pixels

ie. almost a THIRD (28%) better resolution!

• The mirror projection system can be used in both fixed and mobile domes of any size. The largest fixed installations so far are 15m (50ft) domes, including the Birla Planetarium of the Tamilnadu Science Centre in India. Bigger domes simply require a brighter projector.
   
• Did you know you can turn your 15m theatre into a digital planetarium for less than $33,000? All you need is a Newtonian mirror ($4,700), MacBook Pro ($2,500) and powerful Projection Design F30 projector ($25,000).
   
• In mobile operations, the lightweight portability of the compact fold-up Newtonian stand (see below) makes transport simple and hassle-free.
   
• The projector, laptop, sound system and blower fan can be purchased locally, simplifying warranty and service arrangements.
   
• Currently projector resolution is either 1920x1080 or 1920x1200 - whichever is more affordable. And it is possible to upgrade at any time, without the need for costly manufacturer support  
   
• Astronomy software is the free (open source) award-winning Stellarium, as well as the free (open source) 3-D Space simulation application Celestia  (in contrast to the expensive proprietary astronomy programmes sold with most fisheye systems).
   
• Discovery Dome can either warp fisheye content for the mirror in realtime (using warpplayer for Mac), or it can play back pre-warped fisheye content (using MediaShow for Windows). There are pros and cons to both, and your selection will be determined by what you will be using your system for.
   
• Just as mirror-based telescopes (reflectors) are more cost-effective than lens-based telescopes (refractors), so fulldome mirror projection systems are more cost-effective than fisheye lens systems. Mirror details can be found here, and photographic examples of installations can be seen here.
   
• A comprehensive collection of questions and answers about mirror dome projection can be found here.

Mirror dome projection is the inexpensive way of filling a dome with imagery.
A small shadow is created by the mirror at the back of the theatre, which is inconsequential as the audience is facing the other way