FISHEYE

PRO

CON

1. Slightly easier to set up
2. Can be offset slightly from center of the dome if necessary
3. Fisheye images or videos from cameras can be displayed immediately on the dome

1. Considerably more expensive
2. Projector mated to lens.. must send back to manufacturer for service, with extended "down" time (note - this is true for competing fisheye systems but NOT for our projectors from Elumenati. With the Elumenati magnetic systems you can easily move the lens to a new projector if needed)
3. No easy upgrade as projectors improve - can't just put a fisheye into any projector without modification
4. Replacement lens very expensive (10X the cost of the mirror)
5. Fewer projected pixels for a HD projector (although, again, the Elumenati truncated fisheye beats the competition because it DOES use most of the projector's pixels!)
6. Single box is heavy; must be shipped instead of carried as luggage (again NOT true for our Elumenati modular system which has a separate stand)

MIRROR

PRO

CON

1. Fully modular system: as projectors/computers improve, just replace the projector and/or computer
2. Local service on international projector and laptop brands (can keep a "hot spare")
3. Larger fraction of the projector's pixels are used... over 70% instead of 44% for an imbedded 1080 circle
4. Mirrors are much cheaper than fisheyes to replace if damaged
5. Projection system in back of dome... leaves the best seats in the house, the center, for customers (15-20% more seating for a given size dome)
6. Show fisheye movies easily with VLC Warp or Fishtank
7. NEW! 360VR capability with "Fishtank" - create your own content with a 360VR camera and put it on the dome!
8. Can be used in traditional planetariums without removing their existing starball
9. Easy one-person portability in a compact car
10. If you want to show NON-fulldome content (e.g. a regular movie) it's trivial to do.. just slide the secondary mirror in or remove it, or use MediaShow to put a fulldome image around it
11. Better for movie seating — most fulldome movies are designed for unidirectional (theater style) seating. The Digitalis and Digital Starlab system is designed for viewing in the round, making it cumbersome for some to see the movie. (Our fisheye from Elumenati IS optimized for movies)
12. The unprojected area in the back of your dome allows you to use straight chairs in the back without the image getting in their eyes - maximizing folks who can sit comfortably. (And allowing folks with limited mobility to sit in chairs or wheelchairs)
13. Allows you to use the dome for other events (dance, UV demos, etc.) without moving equipment
14. Simple dial adjustment from flat horizon (stars) to tilted horizon (movies)
15. NEW! 3D capability: with our new Epson 3D projector you can quick-change from fulldome content to ACTIVE 3D content! A mirror system is four theaters in one!

1. Very small area in back of dome not covered (less than 5%)
2. Slight distortion in back of dome if not aligned precisely
3. Requires a brief time to align mirrors
4. Content must be warped for playback (all our shows are prewarped for highest quality), or else use "warp on the fly" software, now available for Mac and PCs: VLC Warp or Fishtank