Displaying video games with lasers

[jtnichol]

Ahh thanks Swami...BTW I really like your videos on YT. I'm in awe by this industry. I'm learning a lot and getting dumber by the second at the same time if you know what I mean....

Anyway. Marc from CT is shipping me a cable and FB3 this week to use on my X-Laser RGY. Just gets me excited to think about an upgrade to faster scanners down the road. But for now I just want to get comfy with the software. Love reading the posts on here. Hard to understand all the words but I'm tryin'! LOl...

thanks,

[swamidog]

thanks jtn!

i use an ether-dream DAC (http://www.ether-dream.com/) and LSX (Laser Show Express http://hacylon.case.edu/ebay/laser_diode/LSX.php) to do all my laser work.

the fb3/quickshow combo works well, is easy to use, and is simple to start making pretty light with, but LSX with an etherdream is more flexible and feature rich. the fb3 lacks an SDk (software development kit) so it's impossible to use with third party applications like echelon's video game.

Ahh thanks Swami...BTW I really like your videos on YT. I'm in awe by this industry. I'm learning a lot and getting dumber by the second at the same time if you know what I mean....

Anyway. Marc from CT is shipping me a cable and FB3 this week to use on my X-Laser RGY. Just gets me excited to think about an upgrade to faster scanners down the road. But for now I just want to get comfy with the software. Love reading the posts on here. Hard to understand all the words but I'm tryin'! LOl...

thanks,

[Murudai]

Sounds like you're more into the technical side of things echelon. I'm personally more interested in the game design aspect, but I'd love to see how you progress since it sounds like you're doing some useful stuff! Using two projectors to make even more complex scenes sounds really interesting indeed.

Now I'm having a bit of dilemma. I found out that the Moncha.NET DAC is only installed in the projector if you request it, and you have to pay extra for it. This would be great to have installed, except that this DAC has a limit of 40kpps, and I'm paying a lot extra to get the best scanners for 60kpps.

I could just use the Moncha DAC for beamshows and simple graphical things and the Ether Dream for the games, but now I'm paying for two DACs. But having one installed directly in the unit with those features sure is handy. On the other hand I could not have it installed, grab an Ether Dream and get LSX to use with it.

It comes down to software really, LSX vs whatever software comes with Moncha.NET. Any thoughts?

[dzodzo]

i would ditch the Moncha.NET DAC if you don't really need 2 DACs maybe for later use. LSX can do so much more than Moncha software, compare the timelines, in LSX you can stack much more effects becuse it has more cues for adding effects. Also LSX you can buy in lite version that's much cheaper and later upgrade to more advanced version, with Moncha if you want something better, you have to get Fiesta and that costs another buckets of money

Moncha interface:



LSX interface:

[Murudai]

Wow, LSX sure looks complicated. The software can handle 60kpps, right? Is LSX actively supported, with updates and bug fixes?

Hmm, seems it's locked to a USB. That's awfully backwards, slow and expensive for something that could be downloaded in minutes over the internet. Especially since I'm an international customer. So I have to spend an extra $60 to get the USB and have it shipped to me, that's ridiculous. Not to mention the waiting.

But yeah, it seems like the software that comes with the Moncha.NET DAC isn't all that good (only good for show playback, not show creation), and upgrading to something that is useful (Fiesta) will be really expensive. So at the end of the day it'll be much more cost effective and easier to go with Ether Dream and LSX.

[swamidog]

that's a pretty extreme example. lsx is timeline driven and events can be grouped to simplify things. lsx can be locked either to a dongel (26$ USD), or to the serial number in your dac (no extra charge). lsx is actively support with free updates and bug fixes.

there are package deals available: http://www.ebay.com/itm/LSX-EtherDre...item2ec09bd51e

here are a few shows i've made with it:

http://youtu.be/eqqBG-F0BWQ

http://youtu.be/pz3bc9ACG80

http://youtu.be/uVSskBoxyjs

http://youtu.be/nLhs5k40ulk

Wow, LSX sure looks complicated. The software can handle 60kpps, right? Is LSX actively supported, with updates and bug fixes?

Hmm, seems it's locked to a USB. That's awfully backwards, slow and expensive for something that could be downloaded in minutes over the internet. Especially since I'm an international customer. So I have to spend an extra $60 to get the USB and have it shipped to me, that's ridiculous. Not to mention the waiting.

But yeah, it seems like the software that comes with the Moncha.NET DAC isn't all that good (only good for show playback, not show creation), and upgrading to something that is useful (Fiesta) will be really expensive. So at the end of the day it'll be much more cost effective and easier to go with Ether Dream and LSX.

[Murudai]

Ah, thanks for the eBay link. Has everything I want and is much simpler. Purchased it just then! So it's settled then, no Moncha.NET DAC for me.

[dzodzo]

i'm not sure as what scanspeed is LSX capable of but Etherdream DAC is capable of 100k or so
it doesn't even matter so much as most shows and graphic ilda files are using 30k as it's some kind of unwritten standard
the main difference is that it's suitable for different use (hobby vs. hobby+professional)

[White-Light]

Actually, I'm surprised no one's ever done space invaders.

Classic game and not too demanding graphically.

Actually I take that back. The more I think about it the more I've realised there are actually quite a few invaders on the screen at anyone time.

BTW most people use 60K scanners at 30K anyway. One of the advantages of 60K scanners is they give you the ability to run wider scan angles at lower speeds.

[Murudai]

Yeah, that's true about the 30k standard thing. So in that sense the Moncha.NET DAC would have been okay, but still the fact that I'd need to pay a whole lot extra to get software on the same level as LSX is what clinched it for me.

Now I just need to get my projector!