Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Noob wanting to create a simple music visualizer type setup

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    6

    Default Noob wanting to create a simple music visualizer type setup

    Ok, first, I want to thank everyone and anyone for reading this long post and offering any help..I truly will appreciate your time and knowledge.

    So, the laserdock intrigued me after owning a simple blue 500mw DMX controlled projector. No visual objects on that setup...just really amazing haze effects such as liquid sky and all the other great haze burning effects the scanner produces. So, after watching a 400mw RGB DMX only laserworld projector demo on youtube, I instantly wanted to sell my blue 500mw to get those amazing full colors. My simple DMX DAC dongle from American DJ, coupled with their free DMX software, works great with my blue laser as it has about every model light fixture on the market in the database which instantly takes you to a channel slider screen tuned to the fixture. The laserworld RGB DMX was on the list and I thought I was ready to go. Buuuut, then I discovered the laserdock and a demo of it's abstract visuals projecting onto a scrim between the projector and viewer and was sold on that setup. Just incredible looking stuff. So, I sourced a 1w RGB ILDA projector for a steal. Then I discovered the Maxwell laser synth / abstract demo on youtube hooked up to a laserdock projector. Amazing.

    So, I'd love to have music visualizer software to run, but I'm not keen on paying $300 bux for the laserdock dongle/DAC just to use their Laser OS app which has all those great looking presets that go along with the music using a selected mic / line input. I'm a house DJ of 20+ years and have a large studio / nightclub room setup with a variety of lighting so it would be great to be laying down a set while the laser projector does it's thing to the music. I'm just not interested into getting into pre-programming laser shows at all. That's what got me interested in Maxwell. Just creating interesting abstract visuals in real-time / twiddling some knobs as bluefang has quoted on the software seems up my alley. Something high impact but simple to plug and play with. I can't seem to suss out where to download presets to import into Maxwell. The one video of a wickedlasers tech testing out the Laserdock with Maxwell showed him importing a .json file off presets and tweaking those. That's, pretty much, the direction I'm wanting to head in with Maxwell. I'm just not fully understanding where to grab presets people have put out there. I'd simply like a nice library of presets to load into Maxwell and tweak around with along with just twiddling the knobs to create my own.

    I'd go with the laserdock straight out and call it a day but It's simply out of my budget at $700 and provides less power than what I can source direct from China for more than half the price. Doing tha math, I can still save $200-300 bux even with the need of a DAC. Heck, they are linking to alibaba to get direct from China as I suppose wicked hasn't gotten clearance to sell direct in the USA yet (read all the refunds that had to be initiated during the indiegogo campaign due to the US restrictions)

    So, here's where I'm at as far as what to source and gather:

    -Already sourced and ready to purchase - 1w RGB DMX, ILDA, 300mw Red 638nm, 200mw Green 532nm, 500w blue 445nm projector - scanner at 25kpps +/- 30 degrees
    -Helios DAC - now supported by Maxwell - Is there another DAC I should consider that works with Maxwell (Ether Dreams 2, etc, etc) which will perform better for my needs?
    -ILDA cable
    -40 foot Active USB (needs to be powered for that long of a run run) USB cable for the run from the DAC to my studio desk where a separate Macbook Pro dedicated for lighting lives alongside my other MB Pro that runs my DJ software interfacing with my decks
    -Maxwell Laser Synth / Abstract visual software
    -A scrim to hang such as a mosquito net or something (haven't suss'ed that out yet...what material works best to hang and where to buy - craft / fabric store?..don't want it hanging there permanently...something hanging off a large tension curtain rod I can roll up and toss in the closet after I'm done with it is what I'm thinking)
    -Some reasonably priced protective eye wear that will provide proper protection from the projector specs above (any suggestions / purchase links?)

    Am I missing anything or other open source or reasonably priced software / hardware I could use or need for the project?

    I've reached out to Bluefang for some pointers on how to best make use of his software and the hardware I'm thinking of using but also wanted to get some input from you laser geniuses out there on slapping this together based on my fairly simple needs and budget.

    Again, thanks in advanced for your help.

    -J

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    308

    Default

    Just a comment: remember that even though you can find projectors from china claiming to be the same specs as the Laserdock projector for much cheaper, they are usually worse in quality with crap scanners, crap beam specs, underpowered and unreliable. But I guess if anything else is out of your budget then it can't be helped but I might want to reconsider if I were you. If you do get one from china though, you should make sure it has analog color modulation. Most of them only have TTL which is much more limited (only 7 color combinations possible)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Thanks so much for your feedback! So, the unit I'm looking at denotes. TTL/Analog Laser Diode. When I search for "rgb analog color modulation" there are a ton to pick from but it's odd. There are no 1w lasers. There are 500mw and then everything else is just ridiculously over-powered for me such as 2-3w+ - I'll keep searching around but at this point, for what I want to do, the laserdock now looks like the clear choice as I can use Maxwell with is and don't have to buy a DAC.



    Thanks again,
    -J
    Last edited by crazyj4488; 02-19-2017 at 13:01.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    308

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by crazyj4488 View Post
    So, the unit I'm looking at denotes. TTL/Analog Laser Diode.
    That's... ambiguous.. Just another sign that the quality is probably not the best when they can't even write clear specs.
    I think you will be happy with a laserdock for your purposes.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    6

    Default

    I spoke with the manufacturer and asked why the 1W units didn't have analog color modulation and the answer was, "It would make the lasers too dim so we put those in our 3W and up units instead." The only difference I see on the laserdock is that the blue laser seems to have the highest mw at near 700 I've seen on any of these RGB units. But that "too dim" statement made no logical sense to me because other manufacturers make 500mw total power RGB units with analog color modulation. From the videos I've seen of the laserdock, the damn thing is more than bright enough for home usage.

    Ahhh, China...been there many times and their culture always makes me either laugh or cringe especially in business dealings and, err, trying to get on saaaay a train in an orderly fashion...that concept doesn't exist over there

    -J

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    East Sussex, England
    Posts
    5,248

    Default

    The reason why you see a big jump in power is because that is how the diodes are available.
    E.g. for green/520nm you can get up to 120mW then a big jump up to 700mW
    Red- around 180mW of 638 then up to multimode reds of 500mW (that can go comfortably up to 750mW)
    BLue/445nm - Osram 450nm diodes ~250mW then a big jump to diodes in the 2W+ region

    So its not that they don't WANT to make the projectors in the middle, its just that the raw materials don't really lend themselves to it.
    You go from ~500mW or so of single mode diodes (G-120, R-180, B-300) up to 3W+ of multimode diodes (G-700, R-500, B-2000)
    It is more expensive to make a 240mW 520 unit with 2*120mW diodes (including all the mounts and combining optics) than it is to just use a single 700mW diode
    Frikkin Lasers
    http://www.frikkinlasers.co.uk

    You are using Bonetti's defense against me, ah?

    I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Interesting take for sure here on how these are all config'ed. Also, interesting to think of why some of the manufacturers offers a 40k analog color modulation option in their same exact 1W config that is standard w/ TTL. I'd actually be interested to see how much they upcharge for the option. In any case, for my use, the Laserdock looks like it fits the bill for me. I'm just going to have to cough up $300+ bux extra than I planned.

    I'd like to add a midi controller for use with Maxwell. Bluefang suggests one on his website. I would assume that's the best option since he makes the software. Any other suggestions on a cheap midi controller to use with Maxwell? I may PM Bluefang to see if he suggests any other units.

    Thanks again all. I'm amazed at the level of knowledge everyone has here on laser tech, the software, and everything in between that plays nice with them. This is probably going to turn into a super expensive hobby.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    East Sussex, England
    Posts
    5,248

    Default

    For Maxwell you want a LOAD of CC controller, preferably rotary.
    I use Evolution UC-33 for the 2 banks of oscillators (and the faders for the various other controls like overall brightness, etc) and an Evolution Xsession DJ controller which gives me a crossfader for the banks, and a further 16 rotaries which I map to the colour controls mostly.

    Even with nearly 50, I still don't have enough, but its not far off...
    Frikkin Lasers
    http://www.frikkinlasers.co.uk

    You are using Bonetti's defense against me, ah?

    I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Awesome...I'll look into these pieces of hardware. Thanks so much!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •