help noob choose a projector

[Stiffler]

Hi Dream,

I watched your videos, and I seriously doubt you fill find a ready made laser that can perform as well as the ones in the videos for less than a couple grand. I also think buying a laser from ebay is a TERRIBLE idea! They are going to be cheap, chinese junk, and with lasers you really do get what you pay for. If you want something cheap my advice is to go through the forum and find the threads pertaining to the several Chinese manufacturers that several of us have bought from, and contact one of them directly; keep in mind that in many places most of what is for sale will be illegal to use. Regardless of what you do, you will need to do your due diligence, and make your own conclusions.

[silentgloves]

That's strange, I didn't know you need a PC connected to the projector until now. I mean it seems illogical when they claim to load frames from an SD card. If you're going to stream some data from the PC to control the projector, what's the point of having an SD card inserted in the projector with the frames, can't you just stream the frames from the PC as well? Is it possible that you're talking about projectors with no SD card slot? I'm kind of confused.

Yeah, ok so as I understand, the SD Card thing is kind of just a selling point and not very useful. You really want real-time control of the projector. As I understand, you need several pieces of software to generate the required files... like QuickShow and LaserBoy, and even then, using the SD Card is kind of hit-or-miss. If you have QuickShow, it comes with the FB3, so there's no point in putting in an SD Card and it just running through frames at a set rate, when you can control the projector in real-time right from the computer.

Maybe some of the more experienced people can explain this better.

[icecruncher]

Glad you found your way over here from LPF

[buffo]

Okay, so as I understand you can either have a computer stream the frames in realtime or store all the frames in an SD card beforehand and use the projector without a PC, correct?

There's more to it than that. Using a PC and some laser show software allows you to synchronize the show to a pre-recorded audio track that you load in the software when you load the show. Then everything plays from the PC.

If you store the frames in the SD card on the controller, all you can do (at best) is use a beat-sensor to randomly flip through images. It looks pretty boring.

If you want to play along to "live" music (that is, a DJ or a band), then you definitely want to use the PC and the laser show software. You load up lots of different cues (short animations and so on) and then trigger them from the computer in real time as the music plays. This is completely different from a pre-choreographed show, however. (And both require a PC with laser show software and a laser show controller.)

Regarding not wanting to set up your laptop and wires for a show, well, that's how it's done. Period. To do otherwise would be like a DJ showing up and saying "I don't want to set up my turntables and my CDJ's... Instead, how about I just hook up my I-pod and hit play?"

If we knew were you were located, we could pair you up with an experienced member (or maybe direct you to a Laser Enthusiast's Meeting near you) so you could see how it all works. But trust me on this - setting up a stand-alone projector with pre-loaded frames and letting it run all night on random-select is NOT a laser show. It's a lame show at best...

Adam

[White-Light]

Flowing on from what Adam has said, I also think you're asking a lot for your budget. That's not a criticism, we all have financial restrictions, it's more of a statement that quality lasers are very expensive.

If you had to look at a Goldenstar RGB laser for around the $1K mark then I'd suggest maybe this: http://www.goldenstarlaser.com/nrgb820-p-445.html (Winnie is on this forum)

It has 637nm red, and DT 30 scanners which are both pluses.

On the negative side, it's probably around $1.4K delivered and the beam sizes are quite fat and not all the same size or divergence. Not ideal for graphics where ideally you want razor thin beams of uniform size.

However, you get what you pay for. It looks like a decent case (without knowing the alu thickness) so provided there's enough space inside, you could in theory upgrade items in the future - the fact their 1.8W version uses the same case suggests this is possible, at least with their components.

Eightonlight also do this projector (Omar is on this forum): http://www.eightonlight.cn/products/.../0927/167.html

Price of this is unknown although with more power and 50K scanners it may be out of your reach.

Either of those would probably be better than a typical ebay system but neither is perfect. If you want perfect graphics, if you ideally need a lot more money or need to start building.

BTW the rear projection you show in the video above uses a scrim. Not a major expense but something else to budget for.

[silentgloves]

If we knew were you were located, we could pair you up with an experienced member (or maybe direct you to a Laser Enthusiast's Meeting near you) so you could see how it all works.

I want this. I live in Dayton, OH. Please PM local expert to me.

[buffo]

Steve Roberts (Mixedgas) used to live in Ohio, but he travels a lot these days and isn't at home base very often anymore. (Actually, he may have moved - not 100% sure though.) Still worth meeting up with him if you get the chance. He is the guy who wrote close to 90% of the Ion Laser section of Sam's Laser FAQ.

James Lehman (James) is the creator of the Laserboy software, and he definitely lives in Ohio. Look him up. (He's got a sweet solid state projector and lots of other cool toys at his house, including some awesome home-made speaker cabinets...)

Dean (Dchammonds) is also in Ohio, and is also active on PL. He's written a few different apps, including one that creates abstracts from mathematical formulas that are plotted as wave files and sent to a sound-card DAC. He and James live pretty close to each other, so you could probably meet up with both of them at the same time. (They even had an Ohio-LEM several years back I think.?.)

There are several other Ohio members, but I can't think of who they are off the top of my head. Also, there are several members in Michigan (Polishedball, CDBeam, and DocJohn, to name a few).

As for the next LEM that will be close to you - that's a bit more complicated. There is a LEM coming up in Texas in December, if you can make the trip. Also, we will probably have another FLEM in Florida sometime early next year, but again - that's a long haul. SELEM will probably be the closest event to you, but you just missed it. It's held every year in the middle of August in Newton, North Carolina. So you'll have to wait 11 months for the next one.

Adam

[Bradfo69]

So you'll have to wait 11 months for the next one.

Hey..... that's ten and a half months for those of us that count it down!!

[buffo]

HAHA! Good catch, Brad.

Actually, the planning for SELEM 2014 has already begun... In contact with Olivia and the school board to see about extending the event by 1 day (load-in on Wednesday, start up on Thursday). No answer yet though.

Also, just as a teaser - lots of planning going on in the background right now for Caribb-LEM Mark II, currently scheduled for early March of 2015 on the island of Utila. (Start saving your vacation now folks!)

Adam

[Stiffler]

Why is there not a midwest LEM? In addition to the members that live in Ohio, there are several that live in Michigan and the surrounding areas, plus we have airports. lol