Firework Replacement

[djpeterlewis]

Has anyone ever tried to use lasers as a firework replacement option.

What size projectors were used. Do you have pics or video.

I want to try to promote something like this here in South Africa, to replace days like DIWALI which is a festive of light but they never use lasers, always fireworks .................

If you have any ideas , I would really like to work on this type of project.

Thanks

Peter

[kiyoukan]

Well the effect of lasers vs the effect of fireworks are very different.
Fireworks go boom and lasers make colorful beams in the sky.
You would need about alot big projectors (5W to 15W range) to even get near the visible effect of fire works.
But even still lasers are more impressive with fog.
And with the fog you could use a projector of less power.
So it would be a good idea to use the fireworks to create a fog/smog cloud high in the sky then switch to lasers then once the air starts to whisp it away more fireworks.\
I was playing with the idea here in MI when we do our firework on the river.
The fog made my lasers look alot brighter, but that was a ton of fireworks making that fog.
Also the sounds of the booms and shock waves that can come from fires works are great and add to it with lasers you just cant get it.
But if you do a good balance of both you could have an amazing show.

[djpeterlewis]

Thanks for the reply.

The aim of the exercise is not have have the shock waves and booms.

possibly some sort of particle drops would help with the lasers

[kiyoukan]

but without them there is alot less excitement.
ive seen several laser show and i have seen lots of firework shows.
One generates alot more excitement than the other.
But good luck.
The lasers will be a huge kinda onetime expense.
VS the fireworks always buying new one to blow up.
i think you will want both if you go just lasers your audience will not be as impressed. unless you go super crazy with the amount of projectors and have huge sound system.

[White-Light]

You can display them against a screen as graphics as there are several firework cues out there. You could even sync some sound effects using a timeline. But it would be screen based.

See Pangolin QS for examples of projected firework graphics.

However, in terms of projecting lasers into the sky to simulate fireworks, you're going to struggle as the only thing you have to project onto is the cloud base and then we're talking huge powers and I doubt you'd get a worthwhile effect.

[kiyoukan]

Thats why i was thinking use the fireworks to create a mid level air smog for the laser to shine threw it should get the same effect.
However if it was a windy day it would make it alot more unimpressive or if it was raining.

[dsli_jon]

dj Pete -

All due-respect to the other opinners - the ONLY chance you stand of having a laser show even come close to a *fraction* of the same 'breathtaking' result as a fireworks-show, will be with HUGE power systems - 5-15W?? sorry, maybe in someone's back-yard in Miami in July... Not trying to 'slam' that comment, but for a large crowd (anything over 500-1000 peeps...) you really need something like a KTP, doing 45W+ of Green, or an I-400 doing 35+ W of Argon-lines.. or a 45W+ Copper-Vapor - even a Sabre or 171 WL, doing 16-18 Watts of Full Color, in an amazingly-tight beam, can be 'thin-looking' if the atmosphere is not just-right...

..You want HUGE power, Man...and a BIG, wide, open-area, so the lasers can 'stretch-out', visually - which, obviously you'll have to get clearance-for from your local aviation-authority, there - but if you 'fight' to secure that, vs all 'low-level terminated' fx, which end-up feeling like a 'tempest in a teapot', it will be well-worth it, if trying to 'sub' for fireworks..

And, too - HUGE sound - that will help - yes, you can do 'animated fireworks' synced to sound-fx, which, also helps - but trust me when I say, if the beams / fx aren't jaw-droppingly bright, as a foundation... there will be disappointment.

As one of our very-seasoned PL-members wisely says - 'Go big or Go home'...

Picture ©19something, Centrak Lasers - not our werk - posted as an example of "HUGE"... Here's another, from 'Burning Man' in NV, USA..
..again, not our pic / werk, but.. makes the 'point' yah?

cheers...
j

[LaNeK779]

Picture ©19something, Centrak Lasers - not our werk - posted as an example of "HUGE"...

cheers...
j

oh fook!!!!!
who lit up the sphinx like that???
and just imagine huge lumia on all four sides of the pyramids

[mixedgas]

When I worked for a theme park, they had 2 SP171 Argons and a SP171 Krypton. 171K is 7 watts of red, and Argon is 20 or more watts of blue green.

They later switched to two 13 watt 171 whitelights for better color modulation, and I think the high power AR/KR show was more optimum under some circumstances. The two whitelights could be combined for a hotter beam.

Small amounts of moderate sized pyro was fired during the show for the nights when the extreme humidity/dust of Ohio in the summer was not enough enough to "seed" the air for good beams.

So you can reduce pyro, but you may not eliminate it.

If you do a beam show in Winter some place, be very careful, there may not be enough particulate in the air to see any scatter at all, under certain conditions when its freezing out.

Modern metal halide and sodium streetlighting is a PITA for big shows, so if you have no control of the lighting around a venue, things can be iffy.

The few remaining really big shows use a mix of very high power green YAGs, and something else for graphics/color beams.

20 watts per scan head might get you some place unless you are out in a very dark desert, or in a very humid place.

Steve