40k scanners... Best prices & types?

[dkumpula]

Ohh, so I get to feel special as I have a couple sets of the 506's too! I specifically didn't mention them because they are 30K super-wide scanning scanners. That is not what VibrationsOfDoom was requesting, but if super large beams combined with super wide scanning (and no immediate need) was the request, I would have suggested 506's OR if time was a factor, DT-40Ws.

I can't wait to own a pair of Saturns though. (I wonder if I REALLY need that other kidney.) Then I'd REALLY feel special!

-David

[VibrationsOfDoom]

So, how wide are you wanting/expecting your "40K scanners" to scan at 40K? 5 degrees? 30 degrees?

Sheesh, I wish I knew more about that... I would assume 30 degrees would be better, all I know is I can adjust "picture size" up to about 120; I usually leave it around 85 so as not to have to draw huge images... Don't know how that correlates to "degrees," but the projector sits about 12 feet from the wall on which it projects...

Still, that being said, with 40k scanners vs. 20, I can do more complex images with more point counts, which is one of the things I'm going for. That and I think some of the images will "clean up" a lot nicer, since some images I create tend to look a little more rounded when they should look a bit sharper... Don't really know how else to explain that, but sometimes the images look off and I can only assume it's due to low scan rates...

[tribble]

This is more of an academic point, since I think Dave summed your real choice up nicely towards the top of the thread here, but the Kvant clubmax series comes with 506s installed; they are just running with Kvant's amp. They claim 35K at 8 degrees with their stock tuning.

[VibrationsOfDoom]

WOW... maximum deflection angle 80 degrees with the 506's? Damn...

Actually, Laser World has these in stock, per their website... $309 doesn't sound very unreasonable compared to what everyone else is asking!

I think it's pretty obvious that 40k scanners are ALWAYS going to be better than 20k... Especially since I'll not only be able to up the point count on some of the homemade images (and animations) I'm going to do, but the images will hopefully overall LOOK Better, I'm having a great deal of issues with some images (though not all) not looking like they should, or like I made them...Sometimes it rounds sections that shouldn't be as round (like I explained above)...

The other thing too is, I've already talked to a user on here who said he had a power supply that he could use in conjunction with the scanners... That, and I was hoping to do this at the Mini LEM thing that is tentatively scheduled for sometime in January (same place as the last one I hear!) I figure I've put off the upgrading long enough!!

Someone has already offered me a set of PT-40k's for a pretty good price, so unless I hear anything else I may jump on that... Dunno about the ethics of saying who or how much, but if that guy wants to chime in I'll leave that to him...

And thanks again you guys for the help and support... By the way, here's the link to the place where those 506's are a-sellin'!

https://www.laserworld.us/shop/pango...canner-upgrade

[planters]

Thanks for the link. The amps make a difference and a power supply with sufficient current to maintain voltage when delivering brief surges of several amps, matters. Also, they don't seem to list mirror dimensions and if the mirrors are from Pangolin. I tested a couple of dozen mirrors for Bill and even which epoxy glue is used makes a big difference.

[BlueFang]

Sheesh, I wish I knew more about that... I would assume 30 degrees would be better, all I know is I can adjust "picture size" up to about 120; I usually leave it around 85 so as not to have to draw huge images... Don't know how that correlates to "degrees," but the projector sits about 12 feet from the wall on which it projects...

Still, that being said, with 40k scanners vs. 20, I can do more complex images with more point counts, which is one of the things I'm going for. That and I think some of the images will "clean up" a lot nicer, since some images I create tend to look a little more rounded when they should look a bit sharper... Don't really know how else to explain that, but sometimes the images look off and I can only assume it's due to low scan rates...

Here is a table for converting projection size to scan angle (the math isn't too terribly difficult, but in the heat of the moment, its much better to just look at a table):

http://www.pangolin.com/userhelp/scanangles.htm

I wish this information was easier to find for newbies like myself... I actually looked through the Sam's Laser FAQ and couldn't find this info - but I didn't spend a lot of effort looking. Now that I think about it, maybe I should print this table out and laminate it and keep it in my laser "tool" box.

Here is another good resource - Pangolin's explanation of the ILDA Test Pattern:

http://www.pangolin.com/ILDAtest.html

[neutrino]

That looks like an upgrade price when you buy one of their laser projectors.

[daction]

laser world does it again!

[norty303]

Dkumpula, not sure why you didn't think 506's weren't relevant. They aren't specifically 30k wide angle scanners, I've got sets here tuned to 50k (with the Darth mirror) and they look better than the 30 and 36k tuned sets in every circumstance.

[dkumpula]

Hey Norty!

I didn't think the 506's were relevant to this conversation because Bill advertised them as (true) 30K scanners. What scan angle are you getting with the 50K tuned pair running at 50K?

My two sets have the huge 5mm mirrors and I'm afraid to push them over 18K at full scan angle so far. This may be irrational fear on my part due to lack of experience with large mirrors and perhaps I'll get braver in time. (I've only just completed those projectors two weeks ago.)

To Brad's point though, it does take some patience for most of us to get 506's. It was two months to get my 506's. I had a combination of mirror delays and other issues, but Bill took the time to tune them for me which I appreciated.

At US$250 plus ~$50 shipping for PT-40s and at most a week for them to arrive, its hard to pass them up for many cheaper home-built projectors. That said, its nice to have several scanner options in the low-mid range.

-David