FB4 Released!

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It used to take an electronics whiz to run lasers, now it just takes a lighting co. With gear..

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Much of this discussion passes smoothly, right over my head. The communication standards and advanced features of this new release sound promising, but I wouldn't know. But, I do agree with carlos. The complexity of the light sources at many events is so great, that the fact that one source generates coherent light, but is otherwise just another sophisticated "black box" of components, makes the laserist pretty redundant. Now, that so many of these projectors are just assembled components, often by a commercial supplier, and no more complex than a custom gaming comp, the laserist will have to be involved in the lighting design for the whole show or have no role.

If you ask me, that's progress, and is a good thing. Maybe not for "laserists" but for those who enjoy laser shows and who want to get involved it is. There is a safety aspect to this that some might moan about but that can be overcome.

Lets predict the future...... Laserprojectors in the low price range will increase in power and the price has dropped so low that every schoolguy can afford it. They will do lasershows for "fun" and more like a hobby. 95% will be a china box with this new FB4 in it so everyone can operate it. Eventually there will be accident where multiple people will loose partial their eyesight because some schoolguy could control and afford a few 10 watt rgb that are being used at an event with a 20 x 20 meter size venue. After this the goverment takes notice and they introduce laws and regulations where you need to do an exam and get a license. That license will not be cheap and so the lasermarket will be in the hands again of real operators. Hopefully this will happen sooner then later. Not the accidents but the laws and regulations ;). Its a nice product i must say but to make a statement that its some kind of new thing is of course typical american. Showtacle and Riya has similar products;)

Having a license or certification is not a bad idea but it doesn't have to be expensive. A person can go online and become certified to buy HVAC refrigerant in a few hours. I think that level of training would be sufficient for buying a laser projector. After all, there really is only one rule that you need to know: Don't shine it at people or at shiny things. If you obey that rule then no one is going to get hurt. It's really pretty freaking simple. No matter how much a person knows or pays they can still break the rules. So, why make it super hard for smart/honest/responsible people to buy projectors?

I agree that the FB4 doesn't seem to be anything new. But, if it works with Pangolin products then it is news worthy... at least to Pangolin users.

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Eventually there will be accident where multiple people will loose partial their eyesight because some schoolguy could control and afford a few 10 watt rgb that are being used at an event with a 20 x 20 meter size venue. After this the goverment takes notice and they introduce laws and regulations where you need to do an exam and get a license. That license will not be cheap and so the lasermarket will be in the hands again of real operators. Hopefully this will happen sooner then later.

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Good Lord! This sure is a detour from the high road. And, once again an appeal to government to protect "my interests from others". How long before there is sharia law in Veenwouden I wonder. Not that I would wish that on anyone...just say'n.

John is right. The principals are simple. Don't point it at any one (much the same rule as for a "pointed stick") and don't point it at a shiny object. Also, don't throw it at someone, don't drop it off a bridge, don't eat it or inject it, but I could go on and on. How many nail and grease gun injures are there per year by unlicensed (shudder) users.

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Originally Posted by planters

How many . . grease gun injures are there per year by unlicensed (shudder) users.

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So I read this and think . . 'how does one injure themselves with a grease gun'? A quick Googling and minutes later I'm freaked out at accidental and intentional injections with these things. Ban 'em! Ban 'em! ;)


In all seriousness, I've watched the 'OMG, the future of lasering is dead' conversation pop up here again and again since I started watching this forum well over a decade ago. Why don't the lighting industry guys freak that everybody and anybody can buy lighting equipment (cheap Chi to the high end stuff) and do what they will with it? Doesn't safety, scale, skills and new technology/effects keep the medium and big guys going? Why doesn't this model apply to laserists?

It seems to me many laserists / operators have been slow to change other than increasing power, migrating to cheaper/easier laser technology, and increasing the number of projectors they own. Yes, the software has greatly improved, but that isn't thanks to the vast majority of laserists.

Wouldn't adapting to change, finding new and innovative applications for coherent light in the entertainment (and other) industries, continued attention to safe operation, and increased integration / interaction with non-coherent light sources place professionals at a competitive advantage just as similar practices are employed to be successful in just about every other established industry on Earth?

Longing for the days of lasers being big, expensive, difficult to acquire, and requiring rare skills to operate strikes me as counter-productive to success and could leave laserists standing in the shadow of LDs that strive to do new and different things.

Just my $0.02 from a hobbyist laserist/LD perspective.


Oh - and back to the point of this thread, I really enjoyed seeing the FB4 in person at FLEM. It looks like a cool device and something that will allow laserists and LDs to further progress their craft.

-David

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Good Lord! This sure is a detour from the high road. And, once again an appeal to government to protect "my interests from others". How long before there is sharia law in Veenwouden I wonder. Not that I would wish that on anyone...just say'n

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No! I,m very much for that people can buy a good projector for a competitive price and that anyone can start up a lasercompany. But not when corners can be cut. So When the power goes up , price goes down and even a noob can control these dangerous equipment i,m a supporter of license and regulations. The second amendment states that everyone in the US should be able to defend itsself and have easy access to buy and own a gun without a licence. Well we sure know how great that is. ;) Guns can be bought widely and cheap. so the result is lots of murders and shootings at schools etc. Great that accessebillity!!!

I don,t care what competitors do as i have my own sources, projectors etc. But things have to be done safely no mather what the cost are. Its great that Pangolin comes with an FB4 that makes projectors allot easier to control. But this has also has a downside. Not that its a bad thing at all, its a side effect when things get cheaper and easier for the average schoolguy. Eventually we will get rules and regulations that,s for sure. Lets hope they come sooner then later so only the serious hobbyists and professionals will do lasershows.

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The second amendment states that everyone in the US should be able to defend itsself and have easy access to buy and own a gun without a licence. Well we sure know how great that is.

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Yes, that is correct. WE do.

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Eventually we will get rules and regulations that,s for sure. Lets hope they come sooner then later so only the serious hobbyists and professionals will do lasershows.

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No, that is incorrect. WE don't

Guys, just remember:

Lasers dont blind people, people blind people ��

Ahhh , the ole' gun argument., lol

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Eventually we will get rules and regulations that,s for sure. Lets hope they come sooner then later so only the serious hobbyists and professionals will do lasershows.

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I mean in Europe or the netherlands. Just a mather of time that,s for sure. When only serious hobbyists and companies do lasershows at least there is less chance an average person will loose his eyesight. Imagine someone losses his eyesight and the answer he gets yeah but i didn,t know because i,m only doing this for a hobby.... a
safety course is the minimal people should do before doing a lasershow. Lasers are dangerous esspecially in the hands of people that don,t know the danger. Now that the power goes up and the control is so easy projector manufactures should deliver a safetylens as standard with the projector. Then at least they did something to make it a bit more safe. :)