New To Lasers Help For A Mac user...

[bigaldo]

Hi All
Sorry if this is not posted in the correct place or if this seems a stupid question, I have recently purchased a small my effects programmable laser to try and project my band's name at gigs etc so just basic text in a good font is all that's required, unfortunately it does not seem too easy, there is a basic program with the device which we have tried running on my guitarists windows machine and it seems fairly easy just to type in the text and create the ild file but when we add it to the folder on the sd card provided and select it to run we just get a very bright rgb do flashing on the wall approx every three seconds.
I can open all the files on my mac and drag and drop ild images I've found online but can not open the file creator that came with the device as its windows only.
Is there available anywhere a basic program that I can just type in my text and create an ild file from that will work on a mac?
Hope this makes sense all a bit new to me but any help gladly received
CHEERS
ALDO

[White-Light]

If you can post details of the laser and the software, it probably help people assist you.

[bigaldo]

Hi Thanks
Laser is chinese made is called MY EFFECTS Programmable laser and comes with it's own software but it does not seem to work so well, apparently I should be able to drag most ild files to a folder then play, that's why I wondered if there was a program available to create basic ild files which will work with a mac
Cheers for the reply
Aldo

[taggalucci]

I suggest you use VMWare Fusion and gain yourself access to a whole range of Windows software. There is a fair amount of free and also cheap software you can try.

There is very little yet for the Mac, though this will change in future.

[White-Light]

TBH I think I'd send it back, save up some more money and think again.

No offence but it looks poor to me - unless the text is meant to be drawn like that, those scanners are terrible. Its basically a posh laser crab.

Its also RGV not RGB (Red, Green, Violet) - 405nm is virtually invisible in beam shows unless in large quantities but can be seen in graphics as in your application. Blue it isn't though and even the advert states purple although most of us would say violet was more accurate a description:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/My-Effect-...item1c1e29506c



Also, you haven't said where you are. If in the US, such a laser is also probably illegal (US guys can fill you in on that one if you are).

If you're at the cheaper end of the market and not in the USA, (there's no real cheap option in the USA that's legal that I know of) then you'd probably be better off with something like this:

http://www.laserknowhow.co.uk/produc...-2gap-ohof.htm

750mw, and true RGB. They're also well made for the price albeit 2-3 times what you paid at the moment (£550) (depending on which ebay seller you bought from) but way more powerful and visible.

If thats still too expensive, you could ask about an RGY (red, green, yellow) or a smaller RGB.

You can make yourself a soundcard DAC to control it and get a copy of Spaghetti software (see John Yayas on here) for around $100 extra and I believe it supports text display provided you get a laser model that has an ILDA in port. There are also some free programmes out there that will work with the soundcard DAC.

Of course, if you decide you want to throw some money at it, then Pangolin QS at @ £500 is unrivalled for the money in most people's opinion and will keep you happy for years, plus its really simple to use! Like all external software, you do need an ILDA input on the laser though for it to work.

[White-Light]

Edit. just re-read and realised you're on a Mac. Doh - on my behalf. Check any software I mentioned is MAC compatible before buying if you go down the return and new laser route.

[taggalucci]

But Mac's run Windows, either natively (Bootcamp) or virtualised. Best of all worlds (including Linux of course)

Eventually more software/hardware will support OSX, this is in progress.

[mccarrot]

Yeah, a Windows machine can only run windows, a mac can run everything.

And with apple being one of the most valuable company's in the world its just matter of time for native OSX support.

[gashead]

Just to butt in here,

Being a full time OSX user, and running Pangolin on my Macbook pro.. I noticed only commercial Virtualisation software was mentioned and reading the post I assumed you probably don't want to shell out the 100 or so dollars / pounds / euros it costs.

I use both Oracle Virtualbox (Free) and Vmware fusion and to be honest I can't find much of a difference in performance, both support a "Seamless mode" (for having your windows software running in a window within osx, as opposed to the entire desktop in a window (but you can do that too)

The only thing I'd recomend is 4GB of ram, assign 2GB to Windows and leave the other 2GB to your macbook.

Obviously if you're running a Xserve with 16Gb or ram.. you wont have an issue.

I think you'll be impressed, my XP starts up in virtualbox in under 3 seconds.. fastest XP started I've ever seen!

Anyway - enjoy.

N.

[bigaldo]

Thanks All
I'm based in the UK and only paid £190 for the laser, to be honest for what I need some of the built in stuff is pretty good for pubs and clubs (we are only part timers in the band) so I'll have a look around at some of the software suggested and maybe run virtual windows as there does not seem to be many other options.
Cheers for all the advise