Getting a Good Scan

In this article:

Before you start scanning, you'll want to adjust your projector's settings if necessary, set up your physical scene, and select the ideal objects and conditions for the scan.


Projector Settings


There are a few projector settings you may want to change to ensure a proper scan. Settings and menus will vary across different projectors, but the following are generally consistent ones to look out for. If you have the Kit Projector (Epson 1060), we've outlined all our recommended settings here: Recommended Kit Projector Settings.

Keystone

Ensure horizontal and vertical keystone settings are set to zero. Some projectors have auto-keystone, which should also be disabled.

Disable Auto Keystone Many projectors have auto-keystone enabled by default, which will adjust the image as you tilt the projector. Look out for that behavior and disable auto-keystone in the menu settings. Some projectors, including many Epson models, have a physical keystone slider on the top of the lens. This slider can be disabled in the menu settings.

Image Mode

Projectors have different image presets usually called "Image Mode" or "Image Preset" that combine settings for brightness, contrast, color balance, tint etc. The Lightform device's camera automatically adjusts its exposure and white balance settings, and should therefore work with most image presets, however, some 4k projectors have a setting that allows for smoothing of the image and this can interfere with the ability to get a scan.

Either turn off the motion smoothing setting on your projector or scan using the scan setting Safe Mode.

Brightness & Contrast

In most cases, individual brightness and contrast settings should be left at their default settings. Increasing brightness or contrast too much may result in poor scans.

Auto-Iris & ECO Modes

Many lamp-based projectors have settings designed to extend the life of their halogen bulbs. These settings may be located in the "Image Preset" menu tree, but also in dedicated "Lamp" or "ECO" menus. We recommend disabling any "Auto-Iris" or "ECO" settings to get the most vibrant projection, but if you wish to extend the life of your projector's bulb (e.g. for permanent installations), you can leave these settings enabled and the Lightform device's scan should still work just fine.