Laser projector add on effects?

[Stuka]

Hey DZ -

If you decide to go the servo route - and especially if you need to control more than one servo - don't forget about these:

http://home.att.net/~northlightsyste...2toRCservo.htm

That's what I was using to "host" my Poly-20 wheel at SELEM, using a standard (inexpensive) model plane servo.
Worked great - and at a nice price and quick turnaround on order!

Not sure if Dave is selling multi-channel servo controllers...?

I kind of have the same ideas in mind for my RGB -
if I ever get around to it.....

[dsli_jon]

Hey DZ -

Jon! How could you?! I'd have to sell one of my kids for that thing! What a work of art though. Is that what you guys are running over there in the Laserium thing? I'd love to get out there to see that.

Hahl your kids, lol - nah, not quite - you could prolly cover it with just a kidney..

RE: using now? No, this was the 'ultimate' Laserium Projector, the 'CSX', at Griffith in later-years... RE: 'work of art', yes - the more I have studied these projectors, the more I see where / how other Co's were really just 'copycats' - Not to say that they did not come-up with their own, fine innovations / ideas, etc - they certainly-did, but what I mean is, I see the 'traces' of many of the 'Big-co' designs / ideas (ie: Laser Media / Fantasy / even Mobolazer) having 'roots' in Laser Images designs / concepts - in some cases, it was former employees of LI, Inc. basically leaving and just up and 'copying' (but not necessarily cloning/infringing) designs / concepts (ie Mobolazer...) - truly, this place is the 'Crib of our Craft' - it could be a museum... hey wait - 'Laseum'

If someone would waterjet or cnc me some wheels, I will come up with a AVR based driver...See attached.

Wow, Steve - you have got such an incredible memory - you're amazing, Cap'n... see below...

This is what they did, here - magnets in 'binary' positions to give feedback thru what they dubbed 'the Hall Effect' - that little circuit, there - so the operator could 'see' / select which turret-fx he wanted, even in the pitch-black of a pre-show planetarium-dome - Yes, we certainly could 'modernize' this feedback circuit quite nicely, but as-to making the wheels - well, I know that many aspects of LII's projector-designs are Patented, in some way, and at the very-least, Trademarked - but not sure to what-extent this particular design is - certainly, someone who, say, 'bought a wheel' would have little trouble finding a way to make 'something workable', while-maintaining 'respect for any proprietarity' in the design...

But, to DZ's point, they were a bit 'slow' on the rotation, which usually was not a problem, since motor-speed could also be controlled by the Operator.

Side-comment: IMO, the whole 'live-performance' aspect of the Laserium shows is something so-wholly 'under-discovered' by 'todays' laserists - even-those who have discovered the 'magic' of LivePro, without a 'full-set of toys' TO control, (besides content output from the galvos) like these projectors (as sometimes clunky and fussy as they could-be) gave their Operators, today's lads and lasses (and especially the Pros who barely have time to crap, let-alone 'explore' the light!) - just don't know what they're missin'... Which is why, I, for one, am so super-stoked to see this 'renaissance' of 'beam-table builders' and 'lumia-wheel threads' and 'turret-driver design' suggestions - absolutely fantastic!

...THREE CHEERS FOR THE OLD SKOOL! But certainly, when the best of yesterday (ie Ivan, et-al's legacy-designs/concepts) can merge with the best of today (ie: 7-8 lines of OPSL in one, affordable box) then we will finally be able to achieve 'true enLIGHTenment'... (sorry, I know, that was bad... )

Anyhoo, DZ - what if, in the spirit of 'enlightening' all the East-Coast 'brethren', for starters / all those who follow you / look to your guidance (you are 'da Man.. ) I could arrange to make your 'wish' come true (and without having to sell one of your kid(neys) - see the last picture then PM-me...

Steve - I need you to PM / call me asap, too, when U can...

...and remember fellas, these 'designs' are at-least Trademarked by Ivan / LI, Inc., so, please... draw 'inspiration, not blueprints'... word...

j

[Displaser]

Old skool drool...

Thanks for the photos Jon.

[mixedgas]

I'm not too worried about Patents. Most of them were 17 year duration and are expired. The secret is in the materials, most of which are no longer made.

I went optical instead of Hall because PLers understand optical and can get the parts easily enough. There is a wide variety of photodiodes, but few standardized hall sensors, But I will set up the program to take either.
You can get Hall sensors out of hard drives and brushless motors in CD/DVD players.

Oh well, and I doubt Mr Dryer would object to Lumia making a comeback. He did perfect it!. I've read a story about 1 employee paid to do nothing but go around town looking for lumia materials.

Steve

[norty303]

Re: the guts from the Martin 518 - one of my pet hates of this particular fixture is the slowness of the gobo and colour wheel when changing. Personally I'd look for something a bit snappier like a Robe XT or similar, but then there's probably a few less of them around for breaking currently.

[chad]

I remember hearing a story that laserium had a chili frost.

Apparently Wendy's had a plastic container that chili was served in, the clear plastic cover made the perfect frost for scanners.

chad

[cyberb0b]

Only looking at the pics in the topic is woth it

[dsli_jon]

Hey P'fessor -

I'm not too worried about Patents. Most of them were 17 year duration and are expired. The secret is in the materials, most of which are no longer made.

I went optical instead of Hall because PLers understand optical and can get the parts easily enough. There is a wide variety of photodiodes, but few standardized hall sensors, But I will set up the program to take either. You can get Hall sensors out of hard drives and brushless motors in CD/DVD players.

Sure thing - yeah, I was not 'defending' using 'Halls' just 'splainin to the 'new kids' how it was done in the old days, there - yes, agreed, optical is quite easy and makes more sense... for all thier 'virtues', believe you me, that every single Laserist that worked at Laserium (and had half a brain besides just for performing shows...) has just 'jonesed' to modernize / improve certain weaknesses / cumbersomeness in the 'CS' designs - I have thought of several ways certain CS beam-paths could be much 'cleaner' - but I've also seem some real brilliance - ideas, that, while old, just really haven't been 'topped', nor do they need to be, ie: the Lamborghini Countach even-though, yeah, somewhat 'chunky' design...

Oh well, and I doubt Mr Dryer would object to Lumia making a comeback. He did perfect it!. I've read a story about 1 employee paid to do nothing but go around town looking for lumia materials.

Yeah, you got that right! - nobody 'chopped-up' laser light like Laserium - I will post some more pix when I get some time (yeah, right..) of the PLETHORA of materials they found / experimented with - what a killer-fun job it must have been to work here in the early - mid 80s... ...imagine, getting paid to PLAY with laser-light all-day - not WORK with it, like most 'Corporate gigs' are today - Uggh - THOSE guys, back then, had some SERIOUS fun playing / experimenting / 'what-iffing' all-day... alas, perhaps too-much fun...

I remember hearing a story that laserium had a chili frost.

Hah - lol - Lemme see if I can find one in the back... you're probably dead-on...

Anyhoo, hope to post some other pix, and - Stay Tuned - post some of this legendary stuff FOR SALE, that will, in-part, directly go to benefit PL... I'm also working to post, on YouTube, a full-length video of a classic Laserium show, that will showcase some of the mind-blowing fx they produced, and at the same time, provide some inspiration / ideas for others to 'germinate' / get you in big trouble-over with your wives / girlfriends...

peace..
j

[dave]

You absolute did, Dave! That's a fantastic idea. I'll have to pick up a couple servo's and see how well that setup works. These driver boards were for a single servo?

edit- would this work with your driver?
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-x-9g-Micro-Ser...item1e598def3a

Yeah man, the board was for a single servo, however the micro code will run 8 servos with a different processor.. Just gotta find some time to do up a 8 servo board, with a few other ideas I want to add.

Sure, it will work with that servo. I use it with some Chinese servos I bought on eBay.

[mikkojay]

It seems like rotary motion is pretty natural for switching these types of effects, but has anyone seen much in the way of linear actuation?

Here is a neat linear actuator on allelectonics.com with a motor and encoder for 36 bucks. There is a guy who commented in the customer comments section that says he as a pic driver for it.

The travel distance might be a limitation, but the positioning would be very accurate.

Great Stuff!

-Mike