PixelFlex2: A Comprehensive, Automatic, Casually-Aligned Multi-Projector Display

Abstract

We introduce PixelFlex2, our newest scalable wall-sized, multi-projector display system. For it, we had to solve most of the difficult problems left open by its predecessor, PixelFlex, a proof-of-concept demonstration driven by a large, multi-headed SGI graphics system. PixelFlex2 retains the achievements of PixelFlex (high-performance through single-pass rendering, single-pixel accuracy for geometric blending with only casual placement of projectors) , while adding a) higher performance and scalability with a Linux PC-cluster, b) application support with either the distributed-rendering framework of Chromium or a performance-oriented, parallel-process framework supported by a proprietary API, c) improved geometric calibration by using a corner finder for feature detection, and d) photometric calibration with a single conventional camera using high dynamic range imaging techniques rather than an expensive photometer