Looking for cheap laser software

[laser777]

I currently have ishow which I bought off Fleebay and I can not get the software to work. I just get a blinking dot. no X or Y scanning.

I am looking for a cheap software program that I can do text with. I would like to have different messages play in a loop on a wall for my partys.

I am currently looking at pangolin quick show with flashback3 controller for $599. Is there anything out there that is cheaper? Should I go cheaper?

Thanks in advance.

[Grix]

http://hingednewt.com/Spaghetti.aspx

It is only $50

EDIT: Oh wait. Missed the text part.. Spaghetti doesn't have a text feature yet, afaik.

[badger1666]

i use a riya dac and lds pro and its fricking awesome and a very good price at $479
theres not much you can't do with this software once you master it
dr larva the guy on here that sells them and a very helpfull guy he is too

[KevSki]

Hi and welcome to PL!

Depends what else you want to do...besides text?

Moncha lite is ok:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NRG-MONCHA-LIT...LEDsStrobes_RL

Pangolins Quickshow on FB3 is excellent value - you wont be dissapointed.
K

[stanwax]

and as I say over and over again - If we knew where in the world you were it would be of use!!!

Rob

[laser777]

I am in the US. (Oregon)

[KevSki]

I am in the US. (Oregon)

...you will get the best out people if you introduce yourself and take a bit of time to put some info on your profile......This is a friendly place...and there are some very brainy, clever and experienced people who frequent these pages...who will offer some of that experience and opinion too....

... so dont be shy... tell us a bit about yourself
Kev

[mixedgas]

[QUOTE=laser777;161374]I currently have ishow which I bought off Fleebay and I can not get the software to work. I just get a blinking dot. no X or Y scanning.

Sounds like a wiring problem, ie single ended controller and differential input scanners.
If you decide its not, you can do well with Pangolin or LDS with a Riya.


Steve

[laser777]

Thanks steve. How can I fix this problem?

I can tell that the interface is working with the laser, the beam will blink at different rates when I change the size of the animation or change the scan rate. But its nothing more than a blinking dot. No X or Y scanning at all.

Would you be able to call me to talk me through it?

[White-Light]

Pangolin QuickShow is very capable for live performance.

There are other options though as other have mentioned although a lot of people on here (including me) swear by Pangolin Products.

The Quick Show website is here:

http://www.pangolin.com/QS/

I can't put a screenshot up of QS 2.0 for you as its not yet released and I don't want to disclose anything I shouldn't. There are some screenshots on the official web page and you could try pming Bill for a demo.

There is a new version of the FB3 hardware coming, which Bill has previously mentioned, FB3-QS.

[laser777]

so here is the story now that I have time. I bought a laser and some software off ebay (2 different sellers from china) The laser works fine on music and auto mode. The text and animation are smooth and the blanking works fine. But when I try to use ishow I can not get it to work. I asked if there had to be a dongle but the seller of the software said you do not need one. Great communication from the guy though, we have tried to make it work several different ways with the same outcome.

I am thinking it is the software, but im really not sure because I have no way to test the ILDA input on the laser to make sure it is working properly. Is there a way I can send in a voltage through the ILDA port on the laser just to get some movement on the scanners? What is the voltage input? can I hit the wrong two wires and harm something?

This is really frustrating because of all the time that I have spent just trying to get this thing to work. I plan on using this laser for weddings, to put the bride and grooms name up on a wall. I think it could be very glamorous on someones special day. I am a wedding photographer by trade so obviously this would make great pictures too!

SO any help would be great. This is going to be a fun and expensive adventure I can already tell.... and I thought my RC airplane and helicopter hobby was expensive.

[White-Light]

You have to be careful with buying software from China on ebay because sometimes its pirated. I'm not saying yours is, but rather just be aware that it does happen.

Several people have previously posted on here having bought pirated software.

Always safer to look up the company and buy direct from them or one of their agents.

[dstar]

look here, but you must buy two additional satellit-laser for full fun ;-)
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...ditional-Shows

[mixedgas]

Ok, quick question. Do you or a friend own a oscilloscope?

Single ended is one wire and ground per axis.

Diff is two wires and ground is just a shield.

The idea is single ended picks up electrical fields over long distances.

If you have two wires and they are immersed in the same electrical field they both pick up exactly the same noise. So if you send a mirrored copy of the signal down the two wires, you can do some electronic math to cancel the noise but only see the signal.

Your problem may be you have diff inputs and a single ended drive, in which case the diff inputs will see the signal as noise,

Color is almost always single ended Chinese projectors, so you can see color and no X-Y in some cases, depending on the wiring.

If another Laserist is nearby, there are options.

Speghetti software is supposed to work with ISHOW, so you might want to get in Touch with The Hinged Newt. But its a 50$ lottery if your hardware is not working.

Also,it can be as simple as a miswired cable. Some Chinese projectors may not work if 5 volts is not on the shutter pin at the right time before or after startup.
Some need to see 11 and 17 shorted as a interlock.

You either need to find a scope, possibly a DMM, or another laserist.

I don't know if ISHOW will draw a just DOT at the corners, one corner at a time.

Think of the ILDA output as graph paper.

If you have a voltmeter and you draw a dot with a lot of points at one corner at a time, you should see on single ended wiring:

Ground is pin 25, X is pin one, Y is pin two
If DIFF, there will be a signal on 14 and 15 as well.


SO if you draw 4 frames, and each frame has a dot in a different corner. Make the dot have 25-50 points in exactly the same spot. With the meter set for DC you should see:

With a voltmeter, measured to ground.

IF single ended:
-5 on one, 5 on two Nothing on 14 or 16
5 on one, 5 on two Nothing on 14 or 16
-5 on one, -5 on two Nothing on 14 or 16
5 on one, -5 on two Nothing on 14 or 16

IF differential, measured to ground:

-5 on one, 5 on two AND 5 on 14 , -5 on 16
5 on one, 5 on two AND -5 on 14 , -5 on 16
-5 on one, -5 on two AND 5 on 14 , 5 on 16
5 on one, -5 on two AND -5 on 14, 5 on 16

This will take us a while to go through all the combinations of trouble, unless you can find a scope or another laserist.

Steve

[laser777]

That is really confusing. I have a volt meter but thats it. I hardly know how to use it. Is there anyone into ILDA around Portland, Salem, or Eugene Oregon on this board?

Either way, I have decided to go with Pangolin quickshow. I will see if this works, if not I will fix the problem with the laser.

[Stuka]

That is really confusing. I have a volt meter but thats it. I hardly know how to use it. Is there anyone into ILDA around Portland, Salem, or Eugene Oregon on this board?

Either way, I have decided to go with Pangolin quickshow. I will see if this works, if not I will fix the problem with the laser.

Concerning other members in Oregon -
You might want to start a separate thread in the "Lounge" section asking that specific question...and congrats on the decision to go with the Pangolin gear!!

[mixedgas]

That is really confusing. I have a volt meter but thats it. I hardly know how to use it. Is there anyone into ILDA around Portland, Salem, or Eugene Oregon on this board?

Either way, I have decided to go with Pangolin quickshow. I will see if this works, if not I will fix the problem with the laser.

Yeah, I know its confusing, thats what it says first of many discussions at the bottom of the thread. Good decision on the pangolin.

Steve

[laser777]

Can I take a 5 volt power supply and put it into the pins to just get movement on the scanners?

[laser777]

Here is the ILDA input on the laser. Does this look remotly correct?

[JohnYayas]

That's it? Looks like you only have XY & R and they are all wired expecting pin 25 to be ground. I know for a fact that won't work with certain DACs.

Correction, you have XY and Intensity wired up. I am not sure if that will work either. I'd rewire to use pins 14,15,16 for the XY and I negatives/ground. Just hook pin 25 to the power supply DC ground.

[laser777]

So move the green and 2 reds over one pin to the right and ground the blacks to the ground on the laser?

[JohnYayas]

No, the green and red wires are where they are supposed to be. The problem is that the (-) sides are connected to pin 25. With some DACs that will work. With other's it won't. The proper way to have it is to have the (-) sides of connected to pins 14,15,15 for X,Y,I. Do a search for ILDA plug and you'll find the way it should be connected. But, before you go ahead with any wiring changes, make sure you understand what you are doing so that you don't short something out and cause damage.

[laser777]

So move the black wires to 14 15 16?

So 14 is x
15 is y
and 16 is I

how do I know what wire is what? And there is 4 black wires. What do I do with the last one?

[laser777]

Ok I think I figured this out. I found x and y. The other 2 grounds go to blanking. One on the laser and one on the board. I hook both thoes to 16 right?

[JohnYayas]

Double check the two wires you say go to blanking. That makes no sense. Most likely, one is the main ground and the other is blanking. Most likely the one going to the board needs to stay connected to pin 25 and the one going to the laser goes to pin 16.