please help me out-a fan of laser shows

[fortheluvoflasers]

hello i'm tyler i am in a great need of help trying to find information on laser show projectors or shows themselves.

basically what i am looking for are companies that can sell good priced laser shows and equipment for home use. i rarely ever get to see the laser light shows at planetariums anymore then i used to and miss them so much. i know there is probably not much anyone of you can do but i am asking for you to please provide as much information as possible about what i can do as far as finding laser shows for use at home. i am a 16 year old guy and unfortunately do not have as much experience working with lasers and have no experience whatsoever with playing with laser software to create shows of my own.

if those of you who are reading this and have answered before about this just please understand that this is really hard for me and last time i posted a similar question about this type of topic people were in my opinion not willing to help and very impatient with me as i was just trying to get simple info on this so i can figure out ways to find laser shows and equipment.

i also have contacted several music laser show companies on possibly purchasing laser shows from them such as(AVI,Laser fantasy international, and others).
unfortunately none of them were able to sell shows to me because of FDA rules.
i know it may seem to you guys i am trying to cause trouble but i am certainly not.
one person went out of their way to tell me i have a bad attitude. please if you are going to reply i would greatly appreciate it if you can act somewhat kind and certainly professional towards me when i am still learning and learn things differently then other people would.
and those of you who are reading my postings again i am sorry if i am acting very immature but i am very overwhelmed and need as much help as possible.

i am just looking for laser shows for personal use at a reasonable price as money is tight for my parents right now.

thanks!

[DZ]

My advice would be to build a projector yourself, it's the best way to learn. Buy a cheap set of scanners off of ebay, a cheap red diode laser. A simple enclosure and bam, you have a very basic but functional projector to run single color shows. Next, buy Spaghetti and whatever DAC it supports and your in business. From what I understand Spaghetti has a number of shows available for free. Not sure what Spaghetti costs or how much a DAC for it costs, but I imagine you could build this setup for around $400.

Nearly all the shows available from companies like AVI or Firstlight-laser are in the Pangolin show format and do not work with Spaghetti. The point here is, start small and learn how it all works together, then build up to a Pangolin system and you'll have access to as many shows as you want. A QM2K from Pangolin includes over 100 free shows.

edit- Just wanted to add that my first projector was built on a piece of wood, with wooden mounts for G-124 scanners and a bare tube HeNe laser, which was tied down with wire ties. The G-124's were attached to a regular stereo amplifier (the good 'ol days) and connected to a couple oscillators that I built with parts from radio shack.

[colouredmirrorball]

First of all you are going to have to think of your budget. How much can you spend on this? Can you look for a source of income? The more money the better! And you can spread your expenses in time. The problem is that if you try to cut expenses, you always end up spending more money in the end! Sure second hand modules are cheap but they tend to break very quickly...

Second, lack of experience is no longer an excuse. This is a great way to build up experience, which can come in very helpful in later situations (and career options!). Lots of people here had the same level of experience as you when they were your age. Here people tend to not point and laugh at the noobs, as long as they are willing to learn from their mistakes

Besides, once you have an ILDA compatible laser projector, you can download shows from the FTP and learn from them.

Unfortunately, nothing is free in this hobby, not even software.

I believe others have said this already...

[JohnYayas]

My advice: make your own shows and sell them.

[gabe]

yo tyler!
I'm 16 too and would love to help you out if I can!

PM me or add me on skype!
gabriel.letourneau2

Hope to hear from another young laserist!

[buffo]

i am asking for you to please provide as much information as possible about what i can do as far as finding laser shows for use at home. i am a 16 year old guy and unfortunately do not have as much experience working with lasers and have no experience whatsoever with playing with laser software to create shows of my own.

As others have already posted (both in this thread and the other one), the best way to learn is to build it yourself. There are ample resources here to guide you through the process and many knowledgeable people here to answer questions when you get stuck. No one is born with experience working with lasers; you learn by reading and by doing.

Now, if you absolutely don't want to try to build it yourself, that's OK, but it's going to cost you more money if you go out and buy something off-the-shelf. That's your choice, however.

if those of you who are reading this and have answered before about this just please understand that this is really hard for me and last time i posted a similar question about this type of topic people were in my opinion not willing to help and very impatient with me as i was just trying to get simple info on this so i can figure out ways to find laser shows and equipment.

The problem is that there is no "simple info" on this. Laser projectors are complicated, expensive, fragile pieces of equipment. You've got tiny mirrors moving back and fourth at speeds far faster than the eye can see, yet their position is precisely controlled. You have multiple lasers that must be aligned with precision optics while being turned on and off thousands of times per second, all with perfect timing. And everything is housed inside a large, heavy metal box, with all sorts of wiring inside to connect it all together. Then you have a computer that is controlling everything, and an interface of some sort to connect the computer to this magnificent metal box. All that tech doesn't come cheap.

You said that you want to see the same awesome shows they run in a planetarium. OK, I can understand that. But do you understand that the planetarium probably spent $50,000 to get the equipment, software, and content needed to do that show? That's important. They have a *lot* of money tied up in the gear needed to put that show on. What made you think that you could do the same thing in your house for just a few hundred dollars?

Up until just a few years ago, to even THINK about doing a laser show in your home that would be anything close to what you see in a planetarium, you would need to spend between $5,000 and $10,000. Fortunately, the technology has changed drastically in recent years, so now you can get something that looks pretty darned good for less than $1,000. Is that still expensive? Yes, I suppose it is. But it's not likely to get much cheaper.

We can't show you how to build a full color, computer controlled laser projector for under $200 any more than we could show you how to build your own Corvette in your garage for under $200. There are some things that are just expensive due to their very nature. You need to accept this fact. And please remember: This isn't me being mean. This is me stating a fact. Facts are neither friendly nor mean; they don't have emotions or motives, they are just facts.

i also have contacted several music laser show companies on possibly purchasing laser shows from them such as(AVI,Laser fantasy international, and others).
unfortunately none of them were able to sell shows to me because of FDA rules.

Again, as others have said - even if they could sell to you, you wouldn't be able to afford them. They are the Caddilac, the Mercedes, the BMW of the industry. I don't drive a BMW because there's no way I could afford it, and even if you gave me one, I couldn't afford to fix it the first time it broke.

Instead, what you need to try to do is to buy (or better yet, build) a small, low-power laser projector. Then start with inexpensive (or better yet, free) software, and start experimenting. There are some free shows available for just about every laser show software package out there. That should get you started. Soon, you'll learn how to put together your own shows... Or maybe you'll decide to buy a better controller that has more people making shows for it. (The FTP server for this forum has quite a few free shows, for several different controller and software combos, all made by the members here and available for everyone for free.)

This is like buying a used Honda Civic, and maybe putting a new stereo in it along with some seat covers, and driving it around for a while. Eventually you might decide to have it painted, or to put some fancy rims on the car to make it look better. It's never going to be a BMW, but you can make it look pretty nice, and feel pretty comfortable, with just a little work. And you'll enjoy driving it every day.

i know it may seem to you guys i am trying to cause trouble but i am certainly not.

We don't think you're trying to cause trouble, we think that you aren't listening to us. You mentioned that you don't learn things the same way as others, and I think this is part of the problem. I understand what you mean, and it can be very frustrating. But you need to figure out a way to work with that. We can't figure it out for you.

I suggest you go back and re-read those other posts, because the answers you have been looking for have been posted several times already.

Regarding someone's comments about your attitude, please consider this: When an expert in the industry tells you that lasers are expensive, and you argue with him that they shouldn't be, what is the message here? Do you know more about the cost of lasers than an expert? Of course not. But you didn't like the answer you got, so you kept asking the same question. That is rude. I don't think you realized it at the time. But when you don't know what you're talking about, and you start arguing with someone who does know what they're talking about, that is rude. Try to keep that in mind.

I'm sorry that lasers appear to be too expensive for you, but please understand that this is as good as it gets. There are some very bargan-basement projectors available for around $300 that will get you started. (Like the RKE-500 that several people suggested.) The image quality won't be very good, but it's a start, and you can upgrade as you go.

An external USB sound card can be modified to function as a controller (the interface between the computer and the projector). If you do the work yourself, it will cost you around $100, or you can buy one already assembled for $200. Also, you might be able to find a commercial controller on the used market (think E-bay, or the buy-and-sell area here) for about the same price.

There are a few free software packages available that will work with a modified sound card. So for $500 total, you could get started if you really wanted to. If that is still too much, then it's too much and that's the end. (Just like a BMW costs too much for me, so I don't drive one.)

i am very overwhelmed and need as much help as possible. i am just looking for laser shows for personal use at a reasonable price as money is tight for my parents right now.

I understand that money is tight. It is tight for many people, especially now. But let me tell you a story that might put all this in perspective:

I have wanted a laser projector ever since I was a young boy in 7th grade. But I couldn't afford one, and neither could my parents. I waited 16 years before I had enough money to buy my first laser. 16 years! I was married, with a house and 2 kids, before I bought that first laser (way back in 1994!). Then I waited another 7 years before I bought my first projector. It took me 5 more years to add a computer and a controller to the mix so I could do graphics, and I finally made the jump to full color a little over a year later.

So from the day I first got interested in lasers until the day I had a full color projector was a time span of 29 years! I've been waiting 29 years to realize the dream of having full color laser graphics in my living room. I've spent more money that I can possibly remember on lasers over that period of time. (Surely enough money to buy a BMW!) But I didn't give up, and now I've got a very cool toy that I can play with whenever I want. And I really do enjoy watching shows in my living room, when I have the free time to do it, that is.

What I'm trying to show you is that most people my age or older have been waiting for a majority of their life for laser technology to get this cheap. We are all very excited now that it is possible to display full color graphics in your house without the need for tens of thousands of dollars in equipment. And when you asked your questions, we gladly told you about how you could get started for much less money than ever before. But instead of thanking people, you argued with them, because you wanted it to be even more affordable.

None of us control the price of things. We do our very best to get the most performance for our money, but in the end, we pay what we have to so that we can have our toys. We will help you if you want to buy or build one for yourself. But we can't change the price of things.

Adam

[fortheluvoflasers]

ok fine i guess i have been a little rude to people but i am hurting right now because i am getting the impression that you guys think i am really that stupid by me not fully understanding what you guys are telling me.

i understand that you guys think i am not listening but as i said i am very frustrated and this is something(lasers) i want in my future.

i know this is not an excuse but i really think that you guys need to understand more about how Aspergers disorder affects me as a person. please look it up.

you are really not seeing how i feel about things and i don't expect you guys to do things for me. however i am really unhappy with the way i have been treated on this forum and i do not appreciate it. i know i have not exactly been peachy keen towards you guys but please don't take what i am saying as an insult.
take it as something to help you guys help me.

[Bradfo69]

Tyler,

I only know a small amount about Aspergers but, I don't believe anyone here thinks you're stupid. And you're not going to find a group of people more willing initially to help you learn. Most of us have only responded with some suggestions on how you might be able to get into this hobby but, at the same time try to emphasize that it can also be a very expensive proposition.

[buffo]

We do understand how you feel. Many people here on the forum also have Aspergers syndrome. It's an affliction commonly associated with highly technical people. You are not alone in your feelings, especially here.

We see that you are hurting, and we understand why. We are just trying to explain to you that it's not our fault you are hurting. There is nothing we can do about the high cost of things, and you need to understand that it's rude to blame us when we are trying to help you.

Also, we do not think you are stupid. If we thought you were stupid, we would never suggest that you try to build your own laser projector.

Adam

[JohnYayas]

Assburger syndrome is another common syndrome amongst technical people. Mainly from eating burgers and sitting on their ass all day.

As said, no one thinks you are stupid, but at 16 we all assume you are naive. Also, forum members aren't customer service for some product you paid for. We're here voluntarily mainly to satisfy our own curiousity, not to satisfy the curiousity of others. All of your questions have already been asked and have been answered. Search the forums and you will find most of what you need. If you need elaboration or aren't sure what to search for then ask, but don't expect someone with an Indian accent to prompty assist you. I'm not saying this to be rude or smug. I'm just telling you how it is here and on every other forum. In fact, you will find that this is how it is in life in general. The most important thing to remember is that no one outside your family cares about you. So, you have to use your personality and talent to get what you want. Sometimes luck helps. Generally speaking, people don't mind helping out as long as all that is required is few sentences. And then there's Buffo.

Good luck!