Two cons that weren't mentioned for each - TV - the back light nature of the display makes the minis look like they are in silhouette (shadow) while the projector covers them in the texture of the projected map giving them an almost chameleon appearance. I think the shadowing is the least problematic as a bit of tinkering with the ambient light in the room can mostly solve for this.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

You are right, this can be a factor as well! In our experience this plays a role on very bright maps on TVs and very "patchy" maps on projectors. In most cases this is a minor issue, though.

@doctorgoose7

3 ай бұрын

I think projector + small DM screen is the winning combo

One advantage projectors have over tvs is that projectors can do interesting things with terrain items. I've seen (on reddit) a group that had a physical map & minis going through a dungeon, but used the projector to light up rooms with white to indicate visibility and used colors to indicate stuff like 'wall of fire'. Can't really do that with a tv if you have physical tile set and looks less good if you only have walls for example. So consider that if you use a lot of physical minis & terrain.

Fantastic video! Exactly what I was looking for. I run Rappan Athuk in my bonus room/theater room so I think the projector would be perfect for me! The room I usually keep pretty dark during sessions until I adjust the overhead RGB in the room from white/orange/red depending on if they are in combat or not. Thanks for the insight!

best german accent ever, you really have mastered it to speak as if you would speak word by word

@EliaMarc

6 ай бұрын

Is this a thing with german accents? Like that it's more chopped up and not a flow of words?

@LordBelakor

6 ай бұрын

@@EliaMarc that is the sterotypical cliché, but it is often correct, lots of germans can't speak in a flow of words in english, partly as they are translating their sentence adhoc from german to english while then also thinking about the change in grammar. The better the english capability gets the smaller the breaks get and it gets more flow. Up to a point where the german pronounciation starts to fade away also. But I love accents in general and love it when fellow germans speak with the typical.german.accent.with.no.flow.at.all.and.very.thick.german.pronounciation. A bit like Werner Herzog :D

@EliaMarc

6 ай бұрын

@@LordBelakor Oh I also love Werner Herzogs accent. It's kind of funny that germans can recognize a german accent the most. Even if it's the most subtle accent, germans will flock to the comments and remind the creator that he is in fact german.

What a great video. Making the decision to switch to both is hard for me. I recently purchased a lot of new battle maps and dont feel it necessary, but feel it would be a great way to enhance my game.

Nice, nicely done. I'm going with the monitor route, but whatever works best for folks. 💪🤓

ziehe demnächst in eine neue wohnung mit designiertem gamingzimmer! genau jetzt brauchte ich so ein video!! vielen dank!

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Gern geschehen! Viel Spaß beim Einrichten!

Rear screen projection (like directors making a movie, or Halloween window projectors onto a white sheet) is great too... but you may need a (homebrewed) table to accommodate. The projector is actually under the glass top, wood bordered, and rectangular table, so no ceiling mounts are required, and adjustments/maintenance is much easier. You won't get huge maps but 2'x3' or 3'x4' (standard battle mat size and a little bigger) are vibrant and great.

@chaotickreg7024

2 жыл бұрын

There are short throw projectors that could probably get a large image without an inconvenient table size.

@MarkLewis...

2 жыл бұрын

@@chaotickreg7024 It's a question of size vs clarity. The less the varying detail the greater the size can be. Price & maintenance (bulb) is next. My projector was about $75 and placed (about) 2 feet from lens to bed sheet, 3 feet from base-mount. I don't know the price of the projector you suggested, but great for another option!

Love your videos! I know you're going to be a big channel in the future.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, we hope so!

Thanks for the great information. Exactly what I was looking for. Kia ora from NZ.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

„Ja Moin!“ from the other end of the world! This is exactly why we made this video - when we first started out we wished we had something like this!

I've used both extensively. I prefer a TV on the table, as I have a 6x4 foot Table of Ultimate Gaming. When I get the time I will build a custom topper for the TV that will fit the two middle sections.

I just used some rubber feet in the same size as the vesa mount holes and used plexi top with silicon dots. I intend to add a box later :)

Viewing angles can be a big issue. Some displays, particularly older ones in my experience when laid flat don't have very good viewing angles, so you wouldn't want to have players on all 4 sides. Another thing to think about when selecting a display.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Good point!

Nice video. Our solution was a 47inch LCD tv mounted flush in our existing 8ftx4ft permanent games table in the gameshed, with a 6mm acrylic sheet protecting the screen and making everything nice and flush. I run 2 additional screens on my laptop, on for DMing and the other the table screen. Its taken some tweeking to get right, setting screen rotation was one thing, and using Roll20 as the battlemap screen, not a perfect solution yet, but happy so far.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, James! Sounds like a premium solution to me! For the software side you may want to take a look at our own Infinite Realms tabletop projection software. We started out with Roll20 as well but got so frustrated we built our own software instead: infinite-realms.de It is currently in Early Access, if you want to get in send a mail to nina@megavoid.de and Nina will work something out with you!

@jamesaskins9547

2 жыл бұрын

@@infiniterealms8479 many thanks, I'll certainly give it a look. I've tried a couple of other options like Dungeon Fog (love it for mapping, hate it at the table) and Arkenforge (just.. nah, too much of one thing and not enough of what I personally wanted, not a criticism as such, just didn't do what I wanted from it) I guess its all about what suits one doesn't suit everyone, I can get roll20 to do what I want, but its far from perfect, so another option is certainly worth looking into. Many thanks

@rosascreativeworks5403

2 жыл бұрын

@#$% that's nice. I can't get a TV that big in my table, but I bet yours is spectacular!

@nalyd008

11 ай бұрын

Have you run into any issues using LCD flat on a table vs vertical? Particularly with the liquid crystals pooling? I remember being told they shouldn’t be stored/transported flat due to this… didn’t know if it affected the device or image quality.

Hi, i started with an "old" TV and switched to an Beamer... this is why: 1) I dont wanted to cut out the table and so the tv was ontop of the table, 2) the viewing angle was not really well (color distortions) and 3) we had relections from the ceiling lamps. then i bought an cheap 1080p beamer from amazon for about 120€ (i checked that is it a really 1080p and no upscaling type). And we love it, 1) we have much more space on the table 2) the beamer is easy to turn on and off via remote. 3) Yes the colors are a little bit paler colors, but the viewing angle is for everyone equally good! (My big advantage is, that our gaming room is in the cellar (a "real man cave") and so we dont have a lot of sunlight there.) One point which is here not mentioned, and which I was worried about: a beamer is much louder than a TV, and this is why i turn it off, if it is not needed... for battles or other "loud" gameplay its totally fine. For an "silent" cave exploration it can be distracting. I was really lucky with the ceiling height in my basement (its really low), because between my table and the celling are only 1,45m and the beamer has no zoom, but the projected picture is exactly 43".... and thats perfect for us.

@infiniterealms8479

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment, very interesting. We did not mention projector fan noise because it is no issue in our setup - we are using a Philips projector that is quite silent. But, depending on your hardware, fan noise can of course be distracting.

In principle you could use a projection TV with a vertical, white-painted sheet of steel as the screen. Then magnetize your minis (which makes transport easier anyway, if that's a consideration for you) and stick them onto the vertical screen. This can keep the table as a place for character sheets, dice, snacks, drinks, whatever and the wall as the map space.

@tomtom7955

2 жыл бұрын

I think I might try this out

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting idea!

@richardriddick8345

2 жыл бұрын

...are you kidding me right now? This is genius

We have been using a TV embedded into a table with a glass covering the whole table(thus protecting the screen and drinks spilling over). Can't use miniatures on it due to the distance of the glass from the screen, makes it look like the are floating. At first we used Roll20. now Foundry VTT, both work great with the maps and digital token.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

That distance / floating issue was something that came up a lot when first discussing screen protection. That's why we opted for a very thin plastic mat thing for our TV box. We also used Roll20 for a while until we started working on our own software that is way better optimised for in person play. We even added basic digital tokens a few weeks ago... infinite-realms.de

@paulo.esteves

2 жыл бұрын

@@infiniterealms8479 How de we get that software? Is there a way to purchase it, make late pledge on kickstarter or other way to acquire it?

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulo.esteves there actually is a way to get Infinite Realms early access. Please write a mail to nina@megavoid.de and she will work something out with you!

Or paint a grid on one or more blackboards and use coloured chalks.

Ive got a large e-ink display hooked up to a raspberry pi to make paper like maps... Wish id seen your video first lol

@infiniterealms8479

6 ай бұрын

Never thought about using e-ink... interesting! 🤔

@Crits-Crafts

6 ай бұрын

@@infiniterealms8479 it's an expensive option. $2500 for a 32" display. I just got lucky, my employer had an eink info board and the controller broke. So i asked if I could nab it lol

have you done a video on what dynamic software you use for your maps and games?

@infiniterealms8479

Жыл бұрын

Indeed, we have made the software ourselves. Download it for free at infinite-realms.app

You also forgot the point of mobility. A monitor case or table is far easier to move and setup again vs the projector which requires unmounting and remounting should you need to move things around.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

You are right, mobility can be a point! Our experience is different, though. We use the projector at two homes with a ceiling mount (the one you see on the thumbnail). It is mounted in 2 minutes and way easier to move between locations than the tv case! So again - it depends!

@rosascreativeworks5403

2 жыл бұрын

Good point.

You could overcome the brightness issue with the projector by having the surface you’re projecting on be a specially designed fabric projector screen or paint the surface, or a movable surface like plywood or foam core, with paint designed for projectors

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

This is an interesting thought. Building a frame or foam core would partly nullify the advantages the projector solution has over a tv, though. Do you have any insights on how delicate / costly these materials are when using them like a simple table rug? In our experience the surface / cloth tends to suffer quite a bit of rough handling during sessions, including spilled snacks and drinks.

@peterfisher2286

2 жыл бұрын

@@infiniterealms8479 I haven’t used foam core so I can’t answer that question. Another thought was the foldable cardboard surface tailors/seamstresses use to lay out and pin pattern pieces that are available at fabric stores (or at least used to be available). They’re approximately 3 feet by 4 or 5 feet when unfolded and 3x1 when folded and weighs maybe less than a kilogram. A relatively bouncy surface that would accept a coat of reflective paint

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the input! We have taken your comments as an incentive to try out some options and make a video on screens, table cloths and paints soon!

Greate video. My only concern is that all my minis are magnetize and I am afraid to damage lcd panel with small but strong magnets. Do you have magnets ?

@infiniterealms8479

7 ай бұрын

This can can indeed be a problem. Depending on the electronics and strength of the magnetic field I would not rule out the possibility to cause permanent damage with magnets. We do not have magnets on our minis, but if we had we would strongly gravitate towards a projector setup.

What if the projector was under the table displaying on a semi translucent screen on the table?

@infiniterealms8479

3 ай бұрын

Technically this can be done, but in our opinion this has too many downsides. Distance from projector to surface is shorter so you get a smaller projection area. You would also have to cut a hole in your table and protect the projector from accidentally being kicked. It also would be cheaper to just build a TV into the table, which also gets you better image quality / brightness.

I'm curious as to the options for a floor mounted Rear projector.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

This would bring some disadvantages to the setup - the distance from projector to screen would be very short, likely too short to get a decent screen size for playing. Additionally you would have to have a big hole in the table for the screen (aka a gaming table) and the projector under the table where it could be kicked (accidentally) by people. And the last thing is that the screen may be delicate and could quickly be damaged when placing minis and other props on it. For this setup I would definitively prefer to strap a TV to the underside of the table - just like a lot of people do with their self-built gaming tables!

@chaotickreg7024

2 жыл бұрын

Do not forget short throw projectors! You aren't limited on size just because you have a short table.

id say too the projector- you then have a projector mounted to your ceiling. and unless you have a dedicated room, it can be a bit ugly

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

That really depends on the mount! In our case the base is just a little grey thing that does not really stand out. The arm holding the projector can be unscrewed from it in 30 seconds.

Ich würde die Lösung mit dem TV bevorzugen. Man ist unabhängig von der Tageszeit, er bietet ein besseres Bild und daran kann man sich bestimmt schnell gewöhnen. Es ist auch eine cleanere Installation mit eurer Box. Beim Projektor müssen ja mindestens zwei Kabel bis zur Decke, das sieht nicht immer schön aus.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Da ist was dran, die Affenschaukel für die Kabel ist tatsächlich nicht besonders schön! Aber andererseits guckt auch selten einer nach oben während man am Zocken ist... ist in der Praxis also halb so wild!

@ThaBobKin

2 жыл бұрын

Man könnte natürlich schauen ob man einen Projektor mit Bluetooth oder WLAN-Integration bekommt. Dann hat man keine Käbel in der Gegend rumhängen. Sind nur noch teurer.

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Tatsächlich kann unser Beamer AirPlay und hat einen Akku - könnte also wirklich komplett kabellos am MacBook betrieben werden. Aber da der Akku in der Regel schneller am Ende (3-4 Stunden) als die Session vorbei ist, haben wir ihn lieber am Netz. Und dann ist es auch egal ob ein oder zwei Kabel dran hängen. Wenn man die erst zur Seite wegführt bevor sie nach unten kommen, stören die Kabel überhaupt nicht.

I just had a random idea for a game table and I have zero idea if its feasible or even possible but your video is the first thing I stumbled on so here it goes: Real-time Pokemon battles on an air hockey table, but where each hole's pressure is controlled individually and mapped to the game's software. The pucks would represent pokeballs and would have a barcode pattern around the edges so they could be tracked by an overhead camera using CV algorithms. I don't really know where I'm going with this, its just a shower thought but I'm just picturing people throwing the pucks onto the table like "GO Pidgeotto!" and the projector displays a sprite onto the puck and then you say "Pidgeotto, whirlwind!" and a fancy tornado effect gets animated and a wave propogates out and blows all the opposing pokemon out to the edge of the table, except for the Onyx- since its a heavy rock Pokemon, the holes underneath it apply a vacuum to keep it in place. I'm sure it'd be absurdly expensive and require a lot of engineering but whatever lol

raise the tv on legs. This allows people to have books and dice underneath.

@infiniterealms8479

11 ай бұрын

We are working on a solution just like this right now! 👍

Ich würde gerne einen Beamer für uns anschaffen, da ihn mein Freund für seine Rollenspiele nutzen könnte ich ich ihn fpr meine Schnittmuster zum nöhen nutzen würde. Und dann könnte er sogar auch an unsere Wand strahlen als Heimkino. Welchen Projektor habt ihr genutzt? Ich hab es so schnell nicht verstanden🙈

@infiniterealms8479

Жыл бұрын

Wir haben den Picopix Max von Phillips.

@a.ullrich13

Жыл бұрын

@@infiniterealms8479 Okay danke😊 der ist ja doch recht teuer. Ich hoffe, dass ich auch eine gute günstigere Alternative finde.

@infiniterealms8479

Жыл бұрын

Achte darauf, dass er recht hell ist, sonst kann man nicht genug erkennen. Die günstigsten Modelle sind vermutlich für deine Anwendungen zu dunkel. Aber ich denke schon, dass es eine günstigere Alternative gibt.

I used a projector onto a white board, which allowed players to mark things themselves

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

Good idea! Did you use it lying on the table or vertically? And another question: Are there any annoying reflections?

@kerbalairforce8802

2 жыл бұрын

@@infiniterealms8479 it was laying on the table. You'd get reflection standing up, but the angle was fine sitting down. We were also using little green army men and buckets of cheap dinosaurs and African savanna animals as figurines.

Shadows are a deal breaker for me. But carpentry skills is an even bigger deal breaker. =(

@infiniterealms8479

2 жыл бұрын

We don't have any noteworthy carpentry skills either. Have a look at our case building video, that thing was no rocket science! kzread.info/dash/bejne/d5mcj4-GiM6uYco.html

Projector has an expensive bulb to replace...