Ordering a dome mirror

I’ve decided to use an adaptation of the fulldome method of projection to cover the installation. Due to the throw ratio of the projectors available to me, I cannot cover the entire surface of the walls, or the floor if I mount four projectors facing each other, one every quarter of the installation. I feel it is important to cover the floor with the projected image as well; if the ground, which is taken as stable, moves beneath the person, the effect will be more unsettling, challenging the viewers basic conceptions of what is and isn’t real/tangible. Another possibility was the use of fish eye lenses. I briefly trialed using various prime camera lenses, but the effects were unrecordable as the image was lost. There are various conversion lenses available for projectors, however cost removed the possibility. One particular option was the Navitar HemiStar 180/360 degree fisheye lens, which they own the patent to. The price however was in the thousands. I looked to astrology forums for help, as amautuer astronomy enthusiasts often like to create their own planetariums, covering the sky. This led me to dome projection techniques. Ordinarily, the image would be bounced from the projector, onto a mirror just in front, which is angled slightly, which deflects the image onto a dome mirror. The dome mirror due to its convex shape, throws the image outwards, stretching the pixels but covering a greater area. There is a loss in quality, however this can be compensated using projection mapping, being aware of how the dome will fit into the selected shape. The most cost effective yet applicable solution was to use a dome projection technique. Ordinarily, as the name would suggest, this method lends itself to dome shape structures. I could not find any examples of usage in a cyclindrical shape. However, from UV Mapping experience in Maya, which allows spherical mapping to be applied to a cylinder, mimicking the scenario of a dome projection within my installation, I could plan a UV map which dictates where the projection will fall, and once rendered, change my final animation to fit. To change how the projection system works, I will suspend a full hemisphere dome in the centre of the installation, and project from below directly onto it, covering the surface. This will throw the light out across all the walls and the floor. Detail will tail off at the top of the walls as this is the edge of the image, however adjusting the UV map can counter this. I have contacted a warehouse security company in Plymouth, who make full hemisphere dome mirrors, and placed an order for one, measuring 60cm in diameter, weighing 2.4kg.