Create a single display project with a Warped output

Create a single display project with a Warped output

Objective : Create a project with a single content map and a single output

The goal of this topic is to set common practices in the Smode pipeline for creative and operator users.
As a quick introduction, you must know that in the Smode Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More (where you put your content), every 2D layer needs a pixel area destination to be specified. As the output itself (your display) is not directly accessible you need to create one. The pixel workspaces are called Content Map This section describes how to set up your content maps and use Content Area Read More .
In the Smode Pipeline Define how video content is processed in a project Read More you can create as many content maps as you want and rearrange them almost indefinitely thanks to advanced processors and Content Mapping Automatize complex dispatch of content from the Show toward Content Map Read More . Each being completely independent from each other. For each projected surface you need a content area.
Lets begin to build a single WUXGA display setup (1920x1200)
Before anything, go to the Preferences Smode Preferences panel Read More (EDITMenu for Copy/Paste and Undo/Redo operations -> preferences Or F11) and set your Video Output Device Video Output Devices are devices that enable the sending of a video stream out of Smode Read More for this tutorial, you'll need to create only one WUXGA output.


Now create a new project in "file -> New project" and change the image resolution for WUXGA


When you create a new Project Define a full project with content, 3D stage and video mapping pipeline Read More , Smode automatically creates a Test Pattern Generate a Test Pattern Read More in the Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More , which is send to an HD 1080p content map in the pipeline.
Notice that the resolution of the test pattern layer is inherited from the Content Map This section describes how to set up your content maps and use Content Area Read More .


You can delete or create Content maps into the Pipeline Define how video content is processed in a project Read More tab with "right click -> delete" on a content map or "right click -> create" on an empty space.
Here we are going to keep this content map but we will rename it "Background" and set it's input as "content" by clicking on the "content icon". As you see on the image below:


Note that if you delete a content map or create another, you may have to Reconnect the content from of the Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More to the newly created content map by using the target selection box Element Tree The hierarchical structure of Smode elements Read More . If your content is not connected to any content map it will display a "missing target" message:


Finally, select your output in the pipeline you can set its source as “Background”.


Now you have created a very basic single display setup.
A content map can be re-used inside a Processor as a Pipeline Layer Use pipeline steps to inject them inside a Processor Read More : it can have Content Area Organize your content maps Read More (accessible like a pipeline layer) or 2D TextureMask Define a 2D Mask applicable on any 2D Renderer or 2D Modifier Read More (ex quick acces to windows, doors, presents on the stage) and even 2D Modifier Modify a 2D image Read More s. But we wouldn’t recommend to modify too much the content maps as Processor This section describes how to configure Smode processors in order to configure your output(s) and also make some nice and smooth stage pre-visualisations Read More are here for that purpose and will be far more versatile, especially for output specific modifications.
To add warping controls over this content map you need to create a processor.
In the pipeline or full setup, right click -> create -> processor.
It is recommended to have at least one processor per output. The processor shall have the same resolution as the output.


Processors is a powerful feature of Smode which allows for complex pixel workspace arrangement. You can add here pipeline layers (content maps, processors,...) along with any other regular 2D Generator The part of a 2D layer that generates the image Read More , blend them, transform them… and connect them directly to the output of you choice. Anything happening inside a processor won't affect the content map(s), leaving them ready-to-use in other processors as well.
Also note that a Processor is not a Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More target.
Inside this processor, you can add our content map with right click -> pipeline layers -> Background.
Select the "Background" Pipeline Layer Use pipeline steps to inject them inside a Processor Read More 2D Placement Define a placement in 2D space Read More as Perspective Placement defined by a quad using perspective interpolation Read More for corner warping. When Edit Mode Allow to edit quickly some layers parameters Read More is activated, helpers will appear in the Viewport Preview and edit your content Read More


Another more advanced warping method would be to us a Warp Manual distort, perspective mapping tool Read More , which is far more versatile.
Hold ctrl+clic in edit mode to add points and uncheck "edit source" to do the deformation:


Finally change the video output source from “Background” to “Projector 1” inside the output parameters.


And there you're done champion !!!
Video Resume of the whole process:

See Also: