Projection mapping, minus the mystery.

Projection mapping is the craft of aligning images or video onto a real surface — a wall, window, garage door, or prop — so the visuals appear to wrap the object. Browser-based means you do it in a normal web browser like Chrome instead of installing desktop software. SquirrelCast runs entirely in the browser: design a scene, open a second projector window, and your visuals land on the surface.

Yes. SquirrelCast needs no install and no account to start. Open it in Chrome or Edge on the computer driving your projector, build a scene, and project. Everything runs locally in the browser.

Almost any projector works. Plug it into your laptop as a second display over HDMI. Brighter projectors (2,500+ lumens) look better outdoors or in lit rooms; for a dark room or a window scene, a budget projector is fine. SquirrelCast renders at your projector's native resolution — up to 4K when the projector supports it.

Yes — windows are one of the most popular surfaces. Rear-project onto a sheet of tracing paper or frosted film inside the window, load the Haunted Window template, and drag the corners to fit the frame. It's a classic Halloween effect.

Absolutely. SquirrelCast ships with a Haunted Window template and a Portal Wall template built for spooky scenes, plus animated effects that bring them alive with no video files needed. See the Halloween guide for a full setup.

The editor loads from the web, but once it's open your scenes are saved locally in your browser and projection runs locally. For a show somewhere with no Wi-Fi, open SquirrelCast first while you still have a connection, then keep the tab open.

It's in the same family but aimed at a different person. MadMapper, HeavyM, Resolume and TouchDesigner are powerful desktop tools for professional VJs. SquirrelCast trades the deep feature set for speed and approachability: no install, ready-made templates, and a guided first project so a beginner can map a surface in about ten minutes.

Not yet. The current focus is fast, beautiful mapping with generative effects and your own images and video. Hardware triggers like MIDI, game controllers, and Arduino are on the roadmap for performers and makers.

Yes. Because there's nothing to install, SquirrelCast suits locked-down school laptops. A teacher can run a complete projection-mapping lesson in one class period with a single laptop and projector. See the classrooms guide for a lesson plan.

The editor is built for a laptop or desktop driving a projector, where you have a second display and room to design. Phones and tablets can view this site, but you'll want a computer for the actual mapping work.