YOU CAN 3D PRINT A HOLOGRAM BALL THAT PLAYS DOOM
Multivox is a DIY volumetric display: a spinning screen paints a true 3D image you can walk around — and yes, it runs Doom in 3D.
by AncientJames
Optics-illusionsGaming
Built withRaspberry Pi3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a few weekends
- license
- MIT
- repo
- repo ACTIVE708 stars
●●●●○ · a few weekends · MIT · 708 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
This is peak 'looks impossible, is actually buildable'. Two LED panels spin fast enough that persistence of vision turns them into a real volumetric image floating in a dome — and the creator has run Doom on it in 3D, which is the kind of flex that makes engineers grin. The driver and demo code are MIT licensed; the printable parts have no stated licence, so ask before selling hardware. The catch is the spinning assembly: balance it well, guard it properly, wear eye protection as the creator advises, and respect the RPM. Software side is clean and open. One of our favorites.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —The driver and demo code are MIT licensed; the printable parts repo has no stated licence, so ask the creator before selling builds.
- —Spinning hardware at speed — mechanical safety matters
Parts to buy
10 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
High-RPM spinning parts — eye protection and a secure mount are non-negotiable.
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
More builds like this
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the repo README (how persistence-of-vision volumetric works)
- 2.Order the screen + motor from the BOM
- 3.Print the core, panel frames and casing from the STEP file, and cut a 300 mm post-top lamp globe for the dome
- 4.Build and run the driver and the bundled demos (light cycles, lander, tesseract, model viewer) — the Doom and GTA ports in the videos are not in the repo
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Rotor balance is everything — an unbalanced spin wobbles the image and stresses the bearing
- Power reaches the spinning panels through a slip ring salvaged from car alternator parts — sourcing and mounting it is one of the fiddly bits
- Balancing the spinning assembly is the biggest time-sink — the creator uses lead fishing weights as counterweights and warns you'll spend a lot of time on it.
- Code is hardcoded for Raspberry Pi 4 (mmap GPIO), audio only over a Bluetooth headset — read the notes before buying parts.
Is the 3D real or a trick?
It's a true volumetric image built by a spinning screen and persistence of vision — you can look around it, not a flat illusion.
Does it really run Doom?
Yes, the creator demos Doom rendered volumetrically. It's the classic 'if it runs Doom' badge.
Can I sell one?
The code is MIT, so you can build, modify and sell software built on it. The printable parts have no stated licence, so ask James before selling hardware based on them — and credit him either way.
Do people actually build this?
Yes — a builder in the repo's issue #31 finished a full replica after about a year and shared their parts list and PCB gerbers. It's involved, but real.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
AncientJames balances the spinning display with lead fishing weights and warns it eats more time than any other step. What's your go-to trick for balancing fast rotating assemblies?
AncientJames
Built an open-source volumetric display (Multivox) that paints real 3D images with spinning LED panels — and famously got Doom running on it in 3D. The driver and demo code are MIT-licensed; the printable parts are published without a licence.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.