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Thread: Just getting Started - Need help please

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimBo View Post
    You are going to need to look at the HSG95 guidelines
    Wooah! I totally neglected the safety angle there...

    As Jim pointed out, understanding the HSG95 and liasing with the local authority is essential before any public show. Some venue's have lasers and strobes specifically excluded on their entertainment licenses.

    MPE, beam masks, interlocks, safety shutters, safety key switches, scanner failure detection techniques and liability insurance will all become part of your day, if you go pro.

    Pit.
    A little bit werrrr, a little bit weyyyyyy, a little bit arrrrgggghhh

  2. #12
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    As previously mentioned, it's unlikely that 'I' would go pro for two especial reasons...

    1. I'm only just getting into this thing and have Soooo much to learn, but hey, that's part of the fun and attraction isn't it? The only reason I mentioned it at the time was that somewhere there's an entrepreneur in me that's itching to get out. I've had quite a few 'hobbies' in my lifetime that eventually ended up as a business of some sort.

    2. You mentioned late nights...6:00am... been there and done that. I was a mobile DJ from 1976 to 1985 and eventually ended up running another 3 mobile shows working for various breweries. When I think what I used to cart around - Massive bass bins, speaker stacks, 8,000 7" singles etc. A laptop and some nice Bose speakers is all you need nowadays (i'm not bitter!)

    No, I was more thinking along the lines of finding an enthusiastic young 'techie' who had some sort of decent qualification in whatever, and getting him or her to do all the hard work and late nights. As always in business, a fair and equitable financial arrangement solves many problems ;-)

    I would of course just tag along during sociable hours to enjoy the show - Oh, plus I get to tinker with my <err...> equipment :-)

    Cheers

    Jem
    Last edited by Jem; 02-23-2007 at 08:08.

  3. #13
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    Smile

    Lots of great information in this thread! Thanks Jimbo and Pit for bringing up the safety aspect of a commercial laser show. Great call guys!

    Jem, I'll be sure to post something as soon as I get back from Florida about the new Pangolin setup. In the mean time, I'm sure you'll have fun playing with that Lambda Pro unit!

    The downside of this hobby is that everything is so damned expensive. And while some people have managed to turn their hobby into a business, it's a rare thing. Then again, if you're well and truely hooked on lasers, you'll spend pretty much whatever it takes to get your coherent light fix, and to hell with the financial consequences!

    I think you're on the right track though... Experiment as a hobbyist, kibitz with folks that are doing commercial shows, soak up knowledge, and slowly build your equipment arsenal. And maybe you might decide to go pro one day. But even if you don't, I'm sure you'll have a ton of fun...

    Adam

  4. #14
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    Hi Adam

    Fun is definately the word. I'm just approaching 49 and still know how to have fun like a kid in a sweet shop, it's just that my 'toys' are getting ever more expensive :-)

    Thanks for taking the time to get some info on the Pangolin setup, i'll wait for your reply!

    The LambdaPro turned up this morning, i've just set it up pointing down my garden into some (Wet) bushes at the bottom (it's quite safe there and will cause no harm to anyone).

    WHAT A BEAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    My wife took one look and said "so what does it do" - she was totally unimpressed Tch, women eh!

    Really looking forward to taking the next step now, in the meantime I'll test its stability for mode hops, coherence length etc and perhaps get some green sensitive plates to try making some holograms with it :-)

    On another note, i've been pulling a few strings today amongst business colleagues in the optical world. Should have a few safety lenses (that will block 532nm) arriving next week for me to fit into some safety goggles. I also took the opportunity to speak with our lens coating Lab, they do a nice broadband anti-reflection coating for glass(n1.523) and plastic(n1.498). Transmittance is increased to approx 99.2&#37; between 500nm and 700nm.

    Cheers all and thanks for the great info!

    Jem

  5. #15
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    Hey Jem

    My brother works in Wakey !

    I have a two or three units with Pangolin FB3 boards in.

    Your welcome to have a look at what they can do. I also have several laser softwares you can peruse, to help you decide. Mamba, avatar, Pangolin, Neo, Itop and a couple of others.

    Lots of other bits a bobs which may help you.

    I'm in Leicester , if you're interested.

    Fluff
    The light at the end of the tunnel. Its' a white laser.
    www.rocknite.co.uk

  6. #16
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    Hi Fluff

    It's a small world isn't it? I'm always amazed when I join worldwide forums that there's always someone 'just down the road'!

    Thanks so much for your kind offer. It would be very nice to perhaps arrange for me to have a look at some of your stuff and learn along the way. Perhaps you could PM me and let me know roughly where you are. I guess it may be possible for me to travel down after work one evening, unless you are visiting your brother in Wakefield of course, in which case I would make you most welcome up here. Just let me know.

    Cheers

    Jem

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buffo View Post
    I'll be sure to post something as soon as I get back from Florida about the new Pangolin setup.
    Adam
    Hey Adam!
    Is this the new hobbiest version that you're referring to?

  8. #18
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    Cool

    Yeah...

    I was hoping to sit down with Bill and talk at length about it, but he's going to be tied up with the ILDA convention in China. Fortunately, Hayden agreed to meet with me on Sunday before he flies to China to help Bill...

    I don't know how much time we'll have, and it may be that he won't be able to answer many questions anyway. (I don't know if Pangolin is ready to release a bunch of details about the product yet or not; we'll see I guess...)

    We already know that it will be based around the Flashback 3 controller, and that it will be running a heavily modified version of the LA Studio software, but that doesn't really tell us much.

    I'd really love it if I could see the thing in operation at Pangolin (hint hint), but if not, then I've got a bunch of questions about the hardware and software, such as:

    Will the Flashback board retain the SD-card slot for playing back shows from a compact-flash memory card?
    How many simultaneous tracks will the software support?
    Will there be a "live pro" type feature with the new software?
    Will the software support music playback and syncronization of a show to music?
    What sort of abstract generator (if any) will be included?
    Will the package come with any pre-made shows? (How many?)
    Will the software use the Pangolin file format or some other custom format for show files?
    What other software tools will be included?

    If I get answers, I'll post them on PhotonLexicon!

    Adam

  9. #19
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    I'm sure we'll all have our eyes glued to our monitors awaiting that post..

  10. #20
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    Smile

    Yeah, I know what you mean... I'm quite curious myself as to the features of this new product. (It almost sounds too good to be true!)

    When Bill first mentioned it here on PhotonLexicon, I don't remember him stating a price. But when he talked about it at the recent gathering in Florida, he said that he was looking to release it at or near the $500 price point. If this is true, and if it has most of the features of - say - Mamba Black, then it will be a *killer* deal for hobbyists. (Especially since this price was for the hardware AND the software!)

    The only thing I'm worried about is that they (meaning Pangolin) might not be ready to release more details about it yet. I know they were initially planning on a Spring 2007 release, but who knows if that is still the goal or not. If they've run into a delay, they might not want to tip their hand too early.

    Nevertheless, I'm going to ask lots of questions when I meet with Hayden. (I've got some other things I want to talk to him about as well, so even if he has to remain tight-lipped about the hobbyist product I'll still get a chance to pick his brains about other topics!) I should have something to report by next week Tuesday, March 6th.

    Adam

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