LaserCam: A brand new live webcam to laser projection application

[michelrietveld]

Thank you for your report michelrietveld. For future reference, the fastest way to register reports with me is via PM or email where they go directly into my inbox.
1) You are testing a new easylase 2 dll with lasercam, a setup that hasn't been tested before. Although claims are that the new dll should drop in and work, life isn't always so perfect. Try renaming the extension of the vendor-supplied DAC driver dlls RiyaNetServer.dll, StclDevices.dll, and easylase.dll to .dlo in the drivers folder of lasercam one by one and note at which one if any the problem goes away. If none of these fix it, go to your graphics card vendor website and download and install the latest graphics drivers for your system.

I put the easylase.dll that would make the easylase II compatible with Easylase I software in the driver folder of lasercam.

2) Because it works on your netbook also with windows 7, this makes me think the issue may be graphics driver related on your other machine. LaserCam uses openGL graphics acceleration and while on XP driver developers have had time to make this work close to perfectly, they may have not had enough time yet to iron out the bugs in windows 7.

My HP Compaq nc6400 notebook uses an Intel (R) 945 Express Chipset and the drivers are up to date.

3) Here you are running into one of the many reasons why XP is still so popular. Things just work on it, while Vista and 7 have been a mixed bag with driver compatibility. Finding a new win-7 webcam shouldn't be too difficult, just be sure its drivers are still directShow compatible (they should be).

When i have no dac connected lasercam fails to start
With the dac connected it starts correctly

I just connected a Logitech HD Webcam C510 and was able to put my face in laser on the wall.

Then i renamed the drivers that i did not need,
RiyaNetServer.dll, StclDevices.dll, and easylase.dll to .dlo
Lasercam stil won't start without the easylase connected but does run with it.
renaming the files made no difference.

[michelrietveld]

Hi, could you give some additional explanation for all the options in the tool?
Perhaps a pop-up if you hoover over settings that explain what they do.
This will shorten the time to get familiar with all the settings.
Michel

[Lassie]

Well i just ordered it...cant wait to try it out!

[Nagilo]

Hey there.

I'm completely new to laser projection but I need that kind of a scenario (record by webcam and project by laser) for a project. Can anyone tell me whats a good starting laser product to test LaserCam software? and how your really use ILDA for programming it? Is there any good introduction or book to that?

Thanks

Matthias

[buffo]

I'm completely new to laser projection but I need that kind of a scenario (record by webcam and project by laser) for a project.

Welcome to PhotonLexicon. You've come to the right place for your answers. Unfortunately, the project you have mentioned is not going to be easy, or cheap. Are we talking about a school project, or is this something for a business? Also, where are you located (it makes a difference because the laws for lasers vary from one country to the next). Finally, how much money and how much time do you have for this project?

Can anyone tell me whats a good starting laser product to test LaserCam software?

Let's slow down a bit. In order to use LaserCam, you need an ILDA-compliant laser projector and a laser show controller that is supported by the LaserCam software. Assuming you don't need the projector to be compliant with any laws that might apply in your location, you could purchase an off-the-shelf full-color laser projector for around $1000. A low-end laser show controller will cost another $250 or so.

However, since you mentioned that this is a project, you may want to consider building the laser projector yourself. This is not something you will complete in a weekend, mind you, but it will be a rewarding experience that will teach you a lot about how laser projection systems work. It will also save you a good 40% on the cost of the projector (possibly more than that if you are very creative). Likewise, you can build your own laser show controller by modifying a USB sound card. Both of these tasks are well documented here on PhotonLexicon, and there are many members here who can advise you throughout the build process. (Indeed, building home-made laser projectors is one of the primary reasons behind this website's existence.)

how do you your really use ILDA for programming it?

You've got a bit of a conceptual error here. ILDA refers to the International Laser Display Association. They have developed a number of standards that most laser show hardware and software use. One standard is the ILDA file format. This is a computer file format that specifies how to store vector artwork in a way that all laser show software can read. Another ILDA standard is the projector / controller cable standard. This is a 25-pin cable that has specific signals assigned to different pins on a standard DB-25 connector.

The basic parts that come together to create a laser show are as follows: The computer, the controller, and the projector. The computer runs software (which usually supports the ILDA file standard for laser artwork, among other formats) that allows you to string together frames and animations with effects to create a show. The computer then sends these digital signals to the controller. The controller is a digital-to-analog conversion device that generates the separate signals needed by the projector. Almost all laser show controllers conform to the ILDA standard for their output connections. Finally, the analog signals from the controller are received by the laser projector (which again almost always uses the ILDA standard for the cable connection). Those analog signals are then passed internally to the scanners and the laser driver modules to move the mirrors and switch the lasers on and off in order to re-create the original vector artwork as a drawing with light on the wall.

To "program" a show can mean many things. Most of the time, this involves working with the software that came with whatever laser show controller you purchased. Most laser show editing software uses a timeline interface similar to audio or video editing software. The user drops frames, animations, and effects onto the timeline and adjusts the duration of each item to match the needs of the show. Many times there is an audio track that plays with the show, and the effects are timed to coincide with the music.

However, if you are keen on writing your own software, you can certainly do that. It's much more difficult, but the results can be very rewarding. The "LaserCam" software you mentioned is a project that DrLava (Andrew Kibbler) started on his own. It's actually very nice software, and it replicates features that are also found on a few of the higher-end commercial laser show software packages. Likewise, there are other "home-grown" software packages out there that allow you to create your own abstract patterns (such as rose-curves or lissajous patterns), as well as "plug-in" software that can be used with music players (like Winamp) to generate real-time, beat-synchronized laser beam effects to whatever music you are playing. Finally, a few people have written their own laser show editors from scratch. Spaghetti software from Harper Ingenuities is one such example.

Is there any good introduction or book to that?

I'm not aware of a book that explains how to write your own laser show software, but there are several programmers here on PhotonLexicon who would be able to give you some direction, if that's really what you are interested in doing.

However, there is a great deal of information available here on PhotonLexicon, concerning a wide range of topics surrounding laser shows, laser show projectors, and laser show software. I suggest you spend some time browsing around and familiarize yourself a bit with the topics. Then you will be in a better position to ask more detailed questions about your project.

Another website you might find helpful is the laserfx.com site. Although it is not being updated anymore, it does have some good information in it's archives that should help you flesh out your basic knowledge.

Adam

[Nagilo]

Hello Adam.

Thanks for your very long and detailed introduction. I really appreciate it.

I'm evaluating an idea that deals with tracing movement and projecting it for different issues. Though I'm thinking to make a business out if that idea, I can't give you all details here. Currently I'm struggling with the projection part though a Beamer does not fit my requirements. And I'm also checking laws on laser and so on. But this is still in progress.

The project itself has nothing to do with laser show, music or dancing. Therefore it's not so easy to find suitable information. The programming of the data to be displayed is done on the fly. By different graphic algorithms. This is why the LaserCam software is so interesting. It overlaps with my desired functionality. Thanks to your information I now have a rough idea of how much money and time I need to prototype. I will definitely spend more time on checking this forum here.

Greetings from Austria and thanks again.

Matthias

[sbk]

BTW, does anybody has any experience with LaserCam and Fiesta .NET version? Does it matter if it's a .NET or a USB version?

[buffo]

I'm evaluating an idea that deals with tracing movement and projecting it for different issues.

OK, so you are talking about custom code that will run in real-time, rather that something that is pre-choreographed. In that case, since DrLava's LaserCam software seems to have at least some of the features you will want, I suggest contacting him in private to discuss the idea further. If you need one, I'm sure Andrew would be willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Currently I'm struggling with the projection part

Vector scanning using galvos is not the only way to create an image using a laser. There are raster-scanning applications that use rotating polygonal mirrors, and there are also DLP-like solutions that use arrays of very small mirrors. To be able to point you in the right direction, however, it would be necessary to know more about the requirements of the projection system - in terms of speed of refresh and image complexity. (At this point we don't even know if you're talking about vector or raster projection.)

The project itself has nothing to do with laser show, music or dancing.

That's OK. The physics behind the operation of a laser projector don't change just because it's being used for entertainment. Unfortunately, there are some pretty severe limits on what you can do with vector scanning, at least with current technology.

The programming of the data to be displayed is done on the fly. By different graphic algorithms.

Right. Custom code. That's not a problem, assuming you or someone on your team knows how to program. But you do want to be careful which controller you pick. Some of the open-source controllers based around sound-cards would probably work well, but they have limits on their performance because they're designed for sound reproduction, not fast scanning. There are also some commercial controllers that have software development kits available for them, which might make your job a little easier. Most commercial controllers have higher output speeds as well, though that's not really an issue if you're going to be using current galvo technology.

This is why the LaserCam software is so interesting. It overlaps with my desired functionality.

Then I would definitely suggest you talk with Andrew. At the very least, he can probably point you towards some very useful code libraries that will help.

Also, if you are thinking about building a prototype, you probably don't need it to be full color. By sticking with a single laser (and thus monochrome output), you will save a lot of money - no matter if you buy it off-the-shelf or build it yourself.

Adam

[Nagilo]

Good morning.

Thanks again Adam for your answer. I'm currently a bit short on time but I'll contact Andrew for sure. But for a first insight your information has been really helpful. The application I'm thinking of will be vector based and a monochrome laser is suitable.

Thanks again

Matthias Heise

[sbk]

Apart speaking of the software... I believe DrLava is the LEAST responsive guy of the entire forum, right??

I sent him first a PM, but no answer. Well, ok. Then a few day later I really would had a try at LaserCam so I decided to buy the PRO version on his website and sent him 99$ to his google account. So I hoped maybe a faster answer with a licence and a link to download the software... But still nothing after 4 days!! And I'm not the only one to complain, looking at the guy's profile on PL... He went online all days, this being said.

Is there any special reason to this?