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Thread: OK, so this had to happen someday...

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by dsli_jon View Post
    Yeah, when I saw that post, I was pretty , at first - thought, 'uh, whats that term, 'circle-jerk'?? ...but, actually, in the 'larger picture', I think the 'approach' ILDA has-taken
    is 'wiser'... you know, 'mafia-wisdom': "keep your friends close and your enemies, closer'... if all they did was simply publicly-blast 'Wanton-Lasers', there, that would more likely-serve to just fuel-them to act more 'stubbornly'...

    ...but by 'befriending' W-L, ILDA has been able to actually make more 'progress in educating' them, and, it-seems, encouraging them to actually 'change' (probably as-much as they ever-will...

    Nice *thourough* review, Mr. G... but, certainly for anyone here, I can't see the point of why you wouldn't simply just DIY... I still opin, these, marketed / sold the way-are, they're an irresponsible-menace and should not be available.... and I do-mean simply 'not sold'; not-saying 'banned' - more Gov Regs are not what we need.. just 'smarter' / updated and enforced.

    peas...
    j
    Yeah, WL's advertising/marketing campaign was one of the worst out there- most of us over there were quite worried about where it was going at first too.

    At least they've somewhat shown they care about safety. They're still dangerous, but it's an improvement. How long it'll last, though, we'll never know. They'll probably never change their ways (old habits die hard), but at least now they're somewhat headed in the right direction.

    Most people who do want 445nm either go for a Spartan (from DL, which actually hits 1W stable), or go down the DIY route. The A140 diodes are capable of putting out 2W, but the diodes in the Arctics are A130s, and I guess WL has them set extremely low to help lifetime.

    Their marketing is horribly irresponsible- and the fact that they provide no safety documentation, or proper goggles for that matter, make it no better.

    EDIT: The re-render finished, here's the video.

    Changes included an easier-to-read safety warning, and a clarification on why a beam-dump is a good idea. Some people thought having 20 seconds worth of safety warnings was silly, I thought it was necessary. Enjoy!

    Last edited by goninanbl00d; 12-03-2010 at 16:30.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by goninanbl00d View Post
    Oh, the irony.

    I'm re-rendering the thermals video, and I've fixed most of it up (hopefully).

    The pics are hosted on Windows Live, hence why it might be a little slow. It seems to work well for some, and breaks for others.

    This review was also split over 12 posts back on LPF, to make for easier navigation. Speaking of the other forum, work done properly seems to fly straight over their heads. So it seems you have to be rather popular (or do f$cktardedly-stupid builds such as the 2W 3x18650 handheld that looks like an overgrown maggot) before people pay attention to your work.
    Just curious mate, do they do an ILDA interface for these light sabers?
    This space for rent.

  3. #13
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    Personally I think this is the most stupid thing ILDA could have done.

    Pre this if there was an accident involving a laser pointer, ILDA could just turn around and say "We don't endorse or approve of the use of high power laser pointers. ILDA are concerned soley with Projector regulation and we have a safety record second to non in this area".

    Now reading between the lines, if WL are giving ILDA prizes then I'm presuming WL have been allowed memerbship of ILDA, if an accident were to occur now then ILDA can no longer say this. Further is an accident occurs and it happens to be with WL pointer, then assuming WL have been allowed membership, its now an ILDA member company who were responsible for selling high powered pointers many in authority consider dangerous and which may actually be illegal to be sold in any case in many countries.

    How is this going to look for ILDA if an ILDA member has sold a high powered pointer to someone in a country where the sale of such pointers is illegal?

    How does it look if an ILDA company are selling lasers that many consider to be dangerous and without and practical use and an accident occurs with one of these pointers?

    What happens if such a pointer were eg to distract a pilot and cause and air crash?

    If regulation results, its likely in this scenario to be directed at the whole laser industry not just the pointer industry, as ILDA are the regulator for Projectors as well.

    To me this is a very bad move and now puts projector ownership in much more jeopardy.

  4. #14
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    mixedgas is offline Creaky Old Award Winning Bastard Technologist
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    Reviews are OK, as far as I'm concerned, as long as you are not "paid" to do the review. Reviews become a problem when they degrade the signal to noise ratio of the forum.

    Anyways, just before the 445 mess, when blue was still blue, and not 445 nm blue violet....

    WL offered to sent me a "Blue 473" pointer for review, which I agreed to do if it was certified, met the safety requirements, and the accession number checked out. No, Non, and Nyet, of course.

    I really think Wicked should be glad I did not review the 473 nm blue. I'm not going to go into the non-compliance. Not going to cover the danger stickers being non attached. Nor the fact that the stickers would not peel off the backing without ripping. Nor the details of the letter in the box offering lots more free hardware/dosh for a good review, to persons with "significant influence in the laser industry" after reading that, I offered to send it back. No response. So in go the batteries, new ones, as the included cells were dead. Have to borrow batteries from the company president, so he cant wait to see 473. The whole staff of my employer at the time was gathered around to see a 50 mW 473. I hit the button.

    Wait for it.
    Wait for it.
    Wait for it.
    wait for it.


    Is that pic not the most beautiful 473 nm beam you have ever seen? A impressive 180 mW of beautiful blue.

    Steve
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 100_0454.JPG  

    Last edited by mixedgas; 12-04-2010 at 07:33.

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by White-Light View Post
    Now reading between the lines, if WL are giving ILDA prizes then I'm presuming WL have been allowed memerbship of ILDA, if an accident were to occur now then ILDA can no longer say this. Further is an accident occurs and it happens to be with WL pointer, then assuming WL have been allowed membership, its now an ILDA member company who were responsible for selling high powered pointers many in authority consider dangerous and which may actually be illegal to be sold in any case in many countries.
    That's a pretty big assumption, they do publish a member list and Neither Wicked nor Steve of Wicked show up
    http://www.laserist.org/Directory_MembersMaster.htm

  6. #16
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    Well I did say I was presuming, not that it was fact. Its pretty unusual for a company to donate prizes to a governing body its not a member of, but obviously it can happen, assuming the list is up to date.

    My point was that from ILDA's POV, I'm not sure that accepting High Power Pointer Manufacturer's memberships would be a good idea because of the position they'd be in if anything went wrong. But thats just my 2 cents.

    BTW to the OP, nice review.

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by mixedgas View Post
    Anyways, just before the 445 mess, when blue was still blue, and not 445 nm blue violet....
    I have to agree and disagree with that... blue was 473 which while closer to blue it was also kind of a teal color... think 457 is really the most ideal blue as far as solid state... but I will tell you this, my mix of 1W 445 and 400mW of 473 makes a really really beautiful spectrum of blue's

  8. #18
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    mixedgas is offline Creaky Old Award Winning Bastard Technologist
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    Quote Originally Posted by flecom View Post
    I have to agree and disagree with that... blue was 473 which while closer to blue it was also kind of a teal color... think 457 is really the most ideal blue as far as solid state... but I will tell you this, my mix of 1W 445 and 400mW of 473 makes a really really beautiful spectrum of blue's

    We kinda need to disagree there.

    My problem is when I am seeing 457, which I see as a beautiful violet, I am looking at a argon, which means both 477 and 465, which are true blue to me, are there, and 488 is running which is a blue that wants to be a green.

    So to me 457 is a violet or purple, but I see 447 as a light violet that wants to be a blue.

    A example I often use to prove my point:

    I cannot see 752 well, but a former coworker walked up when I was trying to align a 752 nm Krypton, and said, " Steve, I do not mean to interrupt, but can you not 'see that BRIGHT red flash". I said no. He took over the knobs and screwdriver and showed me what to look for, he had it cw in seconds. I can see it, but it is faint, to me. I had been looking for the line for a hour or two. There were other variables besides alignment, like the field and current, so I do not know how long I had been missing it, but I missed it.

    So there is quite a bit of variability in the human eye, and NO, I am not colorblind.

    I read a airline pilot forum. They complain about the wide variation in whom sees what color, when. Evidently some people fail one portion of the simple color pattern test, and then pass when shown standard aviation green light and standard aviation red light with a color projector, which is a rare, more expensive test. Since the color test cards result in a failed score, its hell to prove you have no problem, even once you pass the "lantern".

    Fair enough?

    Steve

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by White-Light View Post
    Well I did say I was presuming, not that it was fact. Its pretty unusual for a company to donate prizes to a governing body its not a member of, but obviously it can happen, assuming the list is up to date.

    My point was that from ILDA's POV, I'm not sure that accepting High Power Pointer Manufacturer's memberships would be a good idea because of the position they'd be in if anything went wrong. But thats just my 2 cents.

    BTW to the OP, nice review.
    I fully agree.

    8chars

  10. #20
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    Hey P'fessor...

    Quote Originally Posted by mixedgas View Post
    Is that pic not the most beautiful 473 nm beam you have ever seen? A impressive 180 mW of beautiful blue.
    Umm, maybe I'm 'missin somthin', here.... but the laser in the 'pic' you posted, there is Greener than Shrek...

    Or, am I 'making your point', about the 'perceptional color-shift' thang here?

    peas..
    j
    ....and armed only with his trusty 21 Zorgawatt KTiOPO4...

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