Hey there,

after reading through many, many threads in this forum and researching for hours and days in the web, I decided to build the mmt for my diploma (more infos here) with the DSI technology as a coffee table.

Facts (Updated 05/05/2009):

- Height: 50 cm (~ 19,7 inch), Width: 120 cm (~ 47,2 inch), Depth: 82 cm (~ 32,3 inch)
- Visible area of the EndLighten: Width: 100 cm (~ 39,4 inch), Depth: 62,5 cm (~ 24,6 inch), Diagonal: 117,9 cm (~ 46,4 inch)
- LEDs: Osram SFH-485P
- Acryl: PLEXIGLAS® EndLighten XL 8 mm, Width: 110 cm (~ 43,3 inch), Depth: 72,5 cm (~ 28,5 inch) for a 16:10 picture
- Protection/Projection Surface: PLEXIGLAS® 7D006
- Cam: Sony PS3Eye
- Projector: Toshiba TDP-EW25EU

Now I’m still looking for helpful hints from someone, who has already build a similar table. Maybe Pleh or PeauProductions?
I think the central problem is to find a suitable DLP beamer (makes more sense in this case than lcd, right?) for 500-750 €.

Is it generally possible to get a good picture on a 100 x 62,5 cm (16:10) surface (visible area) with a height of maximum 50 cm for the table? I know, that I’ll have to use one or more mirrors.
What about the PS3Eye? How can it capture a 16:10 picture? What else do I need?

I’m sorry for my many newbie-questions, but because english isn’t my mother tongue, it’s sometimes a bit hard to follow your very technical discussions
Besides I haven’t found much projects similar to mine, which are going ahead, except PeauProductions table, which is seems to be very similar.
I don’t even know, if my ideas generally make sense.

I would appreciate if some of you experts can give me the necessary impulses, to push me in the right directions

Greetings
Patrick

P.S. I haven’t ordered any components yet except the Cam, because I’ll need it anyway.

Edit: I updated the list of materials and the measures of the table.

Well you will defiantly need a short throw projector, as for the PS3 eye setup, thats the part I’m still working on, at the moment I have resorted to a fisheye lens for the PS3 Eye, which works, but not very well round the edges. Ideally I would use 2 cameras, but I’m waiting for the tBeta source before I dive into that multiple cameras is already on the todo list for tBeta and someone is already working on it, so I will wait and see how that works out for the moment.

I’m using this projector, which is HD 720p. As your screen is also quite large I would suggest getting the highest resolution native widescreen projector you can afford so you get a good picture.
http://www.epson.co.uk/products/video_projectors/EMP-400W.htm

The other tricky part about using a short throw projector is you need quite a large mirror as the projection expands very quickly, so a good sized front surface mirror is required. At the moment I’m using a standard mirror so I get a little bit of ghosting, I would advise spending the extra to get the front surface mirror the first time round, it will save you money in the long term as you wont have to buy 2 like me

Good luck with your project, I look forward to seeing it progress.

Thanks for your intermediate result.

I hope I can find a cheaper alternative to your beamer ;-(

I agree with what Pleh said.  You need a nice short throw projector, large front surface mirrors, and two ps3 cams.  That is what I am planning on doing, which due to the ps3 multi cam not being out yet is going to limit my build for the time being.  Save you money for a nicer projector.

Hm, under this circumstances I have to consider how to continue.
The problem is my schedule, because I planned to finish the table in the middle of April, to have enough time left for developing a application for my table.
I assume that there’s no release date for the new version of tBeta in sight, right?

If you cant get the funds together in time, Id suggest just make your same table design, but taller so accommodate the longer throw of a less expensive projector/beamer.  And no, tbeta source was supposed to be released a few weeks ago, dont know what happened.

hi,
why you don´t use 1 ps3cam + a mirror (like the projector also uses one) (PeauProductions & Pleh) ?

I am currently using such a setup on my table ( 90cm long * 55cm wide * 50cm high)
Screensize: 34Zoll (~86cm) - in the center of the table <- it´s possible to get it larget, but therefor I had to remount the projector

Yeah I had thought about that, but worried that due to the 4:3 ratio of the ps3 cam I wouldnt be able to see all the screen.  Im still yet to get a projector that will work for my project, so i’ll have to see.

Viper:
I’m wondering, your projection screen on top of the table. What kind of material is it? It looks like glass but is it?

actually on this picture it is frosted glass, but it is not enough frosted (you can see through it and you look into the projectors light) , I also have prepared a normal glass with a kind of a projection foil as a screen/table and this one works quite nice

tBeta multicam by IDEO: http://code.google.com/p/ideo-rptvmultitouch/downloads/list

hope it helps

Viper - 11 March 2009 02:43 PM

actually on this picture it is frosted glass, but it is not enough frosted (you can see through it and you look into the projectors light) , I also have prepared a normal glass with a kind of a projection foil as a screen/table and this one works quite nice

Ok, thanks. I’m looking for different types of projection screens for my DSI setup right now and frosted glass is a option..

This is what i’d do is get a Toshiba TDP-EW25U from 50cm you can project 104cm diagonal. The projector is on the slightly expensive side $1300 USD, or you could go with an LCD 40” LCD which could cost you anywhere from $600-$1000.
As for the Camera the PS3 should work fine, i’d buy a cheap M12 Lens mount and a 2.8mm (FOV approx 110deg) or 3.0mm(FOV approx 90deg) CCTV microlens from ebay. and using a single mirror you should be able to get everything to work properly with out any problems.
BTW the multicam wSatori link posted is for Mac only atm.... even then its very cool.

Is the TDP-EW25U new or why I can’t find it in any German shops? But maybe that’s a bit to expensive, I don’t know…

And where can I find 40” (or even better 46") LCD displays? I didn’t include LCD displays in my researches by now, so I absolutely have no clue about the advantages and disadvantages of this solution. A DSI-setup with a 40” (or 46") LCD would therefore be possible?

Ok, I think I’ve found it now. It’s called “Toshiba TDP-EW25” without the “U”. Is there a difference or where is the “U” coming from? It begins at 1.099 Euro. It’s a nice sum, but it seems to be a very good projector which could make the dream of my table with it’s measurements come true, right? It’s also recommended here as a good short throw projector.

And you think with this nice piece of technology I can build my setup with only one cam? The additional 41 Euro for a second cam is not the problem comparing with the costs for the rest of the components. The problem is the currently not available multiple-PS3Eye-driver, so I would stick up with a one-cam-setup.

Oh and what’s about the solution with the BenQ MP522ST and one or two mirrors? It costs the half of the Toshiba.

Well yeah you can use 2 mirrors… its not hard to do thats what i did.