1. Pico Projector
You will need ONE pico projector to display images for the scan. The following two pico projectors are both compatible with the MakerBot 3D Scanner:
Pico Projector 101 by Optoma:
-It is under $200 in stores, and I have seen it refurbished online for as little as $130 [Buy.com]. (I have not tried the 100 & 102 versions, so I am not positive if they are compatible with this mount)
-This projector connects to an iphone, ipod, itouch, as well as some digital cameras. Check Optoma’s Pico Projector site to see if your device is compatible http://www.optomausa.com
Pico Projector Jr:
-It is $119 and very similar to the pico 101.
-you may need to buy an additional connector, depending on whether you wish to attach it to a specific device, i.e. ipod/iphone, psp, or zune. http://www.aaxatech.com/products/p1jr_pico_projector.php
Should I purchase the pico 101 or the jr??
There are two downsides to using the jr:
1. pico jr. seems to overheat very easily and will temporarily stop working. This is not a fatal problem, but may be bothersome. (seems like after 10 minutes it overheats)
2. One of the controls on the jr. is on the top of the projector. This means that when you start your scans you may have to initially remove the webcam if it is in the lower slot case.
There are also two upsides to the jr:
1. It is one of the cheapest projectors available
2. It is able to read from an SD card as well as a USB flash drive. This eliminates the need for an iphone/ipod
- I suggest that if you have an iphone or ipod with photo capability (should be all except the original ipods), then purchase the pico 101 because it is more reliable projector; However, if you are not an apple person, or do not want to pay the extra amount, then purchase the pico jr.
2. Webcam
-This mount was specifically designed to fit either the Play station Eye or the Microsoft Lifecam Cinema. Both work great! The PS3 eye is about $30-40, and the Lifecam can be between $40-50. [Buy online, much cheaper]
-I have had success with other webcams, however I recommend these two because they are fairly cheap and have adjustable features which are important while taking scans.
-YOU ONLY NEED ONE WEBCAM
I [strongly] suggest the following:
-pc users purchase the Lifecam Cinema; it is very easy on windows to control Focus, zoom, and white balance simply through using the provided software with the Lifecam. If you prefer or already have the PS3 EYE, you may download free drivers online which will work; however, it is far more difficult to control certain features and the drivers available are not great.
-mac users purchase the PS3 EYE; I could not work the Lifecam with my mac and I am not sure if drivers exist that allow one to use the Lifecam with a mac.
You will need to capture images from the webcam using a computer (I’ve used both PC and Mac with success!)
-(Have not yet tried Linux; however, I believe these webcams should work - Might want to research further with this) SORRY!
Note: If you use the EYE, you will need to download a [FREE] simple driver.
— For mac, I downloaded macam, found at http://webcam-osx.sourceforge.net/downloads.html (latest version)
— For windows I downloaded CL-EYE driver, found at http://codelaboratories.com/downloads (I believe you have to pay for a quality version on windows)
IF you are awesome with computers and somehow have both windows and mac OSX running on your computer, USE THE LIFECAM with windows. The Lifecam was designed to be a high quality webcam with a lot of extra features. The PS3 EYE was originally made for playstation, not computers.
Other Webcams/Drivers
If you want to use another webcam, check here to see some other tested options.