Innovation Special Planetariums 9 - Carl Zeiss Planetariums
Innovation Special Planetariums 9 - Carl Zeiss Planetariums
Innovation Special Planetariums 9 - Carl Zeiss Planetariums
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Improved and extended software<br />
Ralf Hasse, Christian Schlager, R&D<br />
<strong>Carl</strong> <strong>Zeiss</strong>, Planetarium Division<br />
Analog and digital shows with a<br />
personal touch<br />
When we developed powerdome, we<br />
consistently followed the concept of<br />
providing users with every possibility to<br />
create their own shows, with digital audiovisual<br />
contents for dome projection<br />
in perfect combination with planetarium<br />
projectors from <strong>Carl</strong> <strong>Zeiss</strong>.<br />
Most planetarium visitors expect shows<br />
that address them directly, reveal a presenter's<br />
personal concept, and refer to<br />
things and events of local interest. With<br />
powerdome, you can prepare fulldome<br />
shows with no need to be skilled in<br />
scripting, 3D modeling and rendering.<br />
Operate the planetarium projector in the<br />
usual way, use the same operating panel<br />
to control digital planetarium functions,<br />
and make use of diverse digital resources<br />
which you have previously positioned<br />
on the timeline and now can call up for<br />
playback. By animating these resources,<br />
i.e. by adaptation and variation of parameters<br />
such as position, color, movement,<br />
text, sound volume etc., you can<br />
create fulldome presentations the easy<br />
way.<br />
10 <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Planetariums</strong> 9, 2012<br />
Classical planetarium and fulldome<br />
video with powerdome<br />
With powerdome you can easily and<br />
quickly use your digitized planetarium<br />
contents for projection, the simplest<br />
way being the playback of fulldome<br />
videos. We have made a point of saving<br />
our customers unnecessary cost. Fulldome<br />
videos can be encoded from dome<br />
masters with the encoder that is integral<br />
with powerdome. In this way you create<br />
fulldome videos from dome master<br />
frames on your own, without needing<br />
help from <strong>Carl</strong> <strong>Zeiss</strong> or engaging slicing<br />
and encoding services at costs that my<br />
add up to several thousands of euros<br />
per year with other fulldome systems.<br />
With powerdome you have got at hand<br />
everything you need to create and play<br />
fulldome videos.<br />
Since, in playback, powerdome also<br />
performs channel distribution, geometry<br />
correction and edge blending computation<br />
in real time, fulldome videos and<br />
powerdome shows, once encoded, can<br />
be played on all powerdome®Systems.<br />
All fulldome shows sold and delivered by<br />
<strong>Carl</strong> <strong>Zeiss</strong> come encoded and tested. As<br />
a powerdome customer you only need<br />
to copy the show to your system in order<br />
to present it.<br />
New capabilities with<br />
powerdome ® II<br />
Fulldome systems delivered by <strong>Carl</strong> <strong>Zeiss</strong><br />
from the summer of 2012 will come<br />
with the powerdome ® II platform. This<br />
version offers users many added capabilities,<br />
which have been integrated after<br />
extensive exchange of experience with<br />
powerdome users.<br />
Control of 3D models<br />
With powerdome ® II, 3D models<br />
(DirectX ® ) can be loaded and controlled.<br />
The parameters needed can be animated<br />
and permit control of the properties<br />
assigned to the 3D models. For example,<br />
you can control the hatches of a space<br />
shuttle or the solar collectors of the ISS.<br />
The new function allows 3D objects to<br />
be projected and animated realistically<br />
and in real time. Otherwise, such presentations<br />
can only be done with complex<br />
and expensive 3D software and in<br />
an indirect way via video programming.<br />
<strong>Carl</strong> <strong>Zeiss</strong> will supply a library with several<br />
3D models. Of course, every customer<br />
can load and animate their own models.<br />
3D model of Space Shuttle.