One of the most common topics that new users to TouchDesigner are interested to learn is projection mapping. As Non-Commercial Licenses are freely available and TouchDesigner includes a number of built-in tools for projection mapping, it can be a great platform to start experimenting with (not to mention all of the tools for generative visuals)! The next question tends to be: “What projector should I buy?”. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the considerations to keep in mind when selecting a projector as a first time beginner, including price, specifications, lighting conditions, and more.
Projection Mapping Tools in TouchDesigner
Since we’re under the assumption that you’ll be using TouchDesigner for projection mapping, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the projection mapping tools it offers! The Projection Mapping page on the Derivative wiki (https://docs.derivative.ca/Projection_Mapping) gives a good rundown of TouchDesigner’s projection mapping tools. There are a number of tools for a wide range of needs, from simple corner-pinning via the Corner Pin SOP, mesh warping via the Stoner COMP, mapping and masking with 2D polygons and bezier outlines with Kantan Mapper, to more complex 3D projection mapping with camSchnappr.
A quick note: any functional projector that you can connect to your computer can be used to experiment with projection mapping. Although certain specifications, features, and lighting conditions that we cover below can be beneficial, they aren’t hard requirements—as you’re starting out, use whatever you have access to.
Questions to Consider Before You Begin
What’s Your Space Like?
Lighting Conditions
Before you start hunting for a projector, it’s helpful to think about the space where you’ll be using it and figure out what the lighting conditions will generally be. Does the space have windows? Does it receive a lot of ambient light? This can impact the decisions you make regarding the projector’s brightness, and/or could be a limiting factor as to when you’re able to experiment with projection mapping (for example, you could be limited to working at night if you have lots of ambient light).
Projector Location
Another consideration is where you’ll place your projector. Of course, not being a permanent installation, this doesn’t have to be a professional wall or ceiling mount, but it’s helpful to have a rough idea of where you’ll put the projector as well as the projection surface.
What’s Your Budget?
An important part of any potential hardware purchase: what’s your budget? Spend some time thinking about what a reasonable amount to set aside for a purchase like this might be.
Hint: you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to get started! In fact, perfectly serviceable projectors can be had for $500 or less. But even then, it’s more than possible to work with a used projector in the $100-200 range.
It’s always tempting to purchase better equipment from the outset, but it’s worth spending some time exploring different aspects of TouchDesigner to find out where your interests truly lie before investing a large amount of money in hardware.
Projector Specs
Note: these are not the only specs you can compare when it comes to projectors, nor are they the only ones you might consider when looking for a projector for a professional gig. Projector Central has a great resource called Projectors 101 that can walk you through every aspect in detail.
Look For Recognizable Brands
A general rule of thumb for projectors: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is! Buying a recognizable brand name is highly recommended. In general, brands like Panasonic, Epson, Optoma, Sony, JVC, BenQ, and NEC are considered trustworthy, and have good options available across price brackets. It’s also worth double checking reviews of the particular projector before purchasing.
Brightness Is Important
A projector’s brightness, measured in lumens, is one of the most important specs to consider when buying a projector. In fact, whenever you start shopping for projectors, you’ll find this number thrown around a lot. Brightness is an important factor to consider, even at this beginning stage in your projection mapping experiments, as it’ll define what sort of lighting conditions you’ll be able to use the projector in.
Projectors intended for home theaters fall generally in the 1500-3000 lumen range, while most professional installations will generally start at ~20k lumens or more. For experimentation at home, that kind of power isn’t necessary, but in general it’ll be beneficial to have a higher lumen rating than not.
In general, it’s recommended to find a projector with at least 1000-1500 lumens, but note that this will require a space with almost no ambient light. As mentioned previously, more lumens are always a good thing, and so you’ll see a lot of recommendations online saying to look for ~3000-4000 lumens to start. This should be enough to experiment mapping objects in a room with ambient lighting.
Resolution Isn’t Everything
For experimenting at home, projectors that output 1080p will be more than enough to get you started. Given the option, it’s usually not worth sacrificing brightness for a higher resolution output.
Contrast Ratio
At this stage, it’s probably not worth spending more for a better contrast ratio, but know that a higher contrast ratio is considered better.
Additional Features
For additional flexibility in positioning the projector, features like a larger lens zoom range and horizontal/vertical lens shift are nice to have, but not required.
Get Our 7 Core TouchDesigner Templates, FREE
We’re making our 7 core project file templates available – for free.
These templates shed light into the most useful and sometimes obtuse features of TouchDesigner.
They’re designed to be immediately applicable for the complete TouchDesigner beginner, while also providing inspiration for the advanced user.
Consider Used Options
One thing that you’ll see time and time again online is that it’s well worth having a look at used projectors. Even when factoring in the cost of a new bulb, buying used can bring much higher spec projectors into your price range. Make sure to ask how many lamp hours the projector has before purchasing. It’s worth checking online auction sites as well as local classifieds.
When looking at your options, it’s helpful to cross reference the model number of the projector with a site like www.projectorcentral.com to get a full list of specifications.
Other Helpful Projection Mapping Resources
If you’re new to projection mapping in general, we’ve had some great posts this year that can help get you started. Check out What is Projection Mapping? Full Mini-Guide and Projection Mapping Resources You Should Know About for more!
Wrap-Up
That’s a wrap! Although it requires a bit of work and research to get your first projection mapping setup up and running, it’s well worth the effort. Hopefully this post has given you some things to think about and look for as you start down the path to projection mapping yourself!
