The laser bug , how did we get it ?

[weakstation]

What started the laser bug in me was the December 1969 issue of PE :





Curious as to how other's cought the bug ?

Dave

[MechEng3]

8) Watching science shows and episodes of the original Star Trek. There was a few things that were brought home by my father from Southern Bell and Western Electric during their days. Mostly Hene stuff. Then the DPSS stuff crept out ......can't wait to see how this hobby evolves from here!

[DZ]

1994, Museum of Science and History's Planetarium. AVI's LaserDrive in 3D! Hooked ever since... Thier setup was pretty sophisticated, 4 G-120 scan heads with many scan through effects per head that were controlled via pnuematics. Each scan head also had its own G-120 for optical leverage blanking. The main beam was from a Coherent Purelight, went through a prism so that the four main lines (red, yellow, green and blue) would end up at each scan head. Oh and before the main beam hit the prism it was deflected by another G-120, which would sweep the beam across the prism, making for a rather ingenious color modulation scheme. Yet another cool aspect of the whole setup, was that the entire show, all the analog data for each scannner in the unit as well as the control signals for the pnuematics, were all recorded to VHS cassette tape and used in a modified VCR. The good 'ole days! Just throw a tape in the VCR and enjoy about an hours worth of laser shows, not saying that ADAT is bad, but you can't record 13 analog scanner signals, 2 audio tracks and 24 TTL control signals to one ADAT, not a blackface alesis anyway...

David

[carmangary]

Someone gave me a laser pointer at a trade show a couple years back. It's been downhill ever since.

[aijii]

Lasershow at a club back in 97/98...

[chad]

Museum of nature and science, Denver,co Gates Planetarium 1984 started volunteering age-14.

AVI then Laserium then Laser Fantasy then laserium, then fantasy, I think...

Most of the systems were 5 scan set systems similar to the description above. Back then most of the show data was analog from an 8 channel Trashcan (tascam) reel to reel. Two sets of X<Y<I with audio L and R. A good percentage of the imagery was generated live via synths. Each of the rgby scan sets weren't given their own signal they were one scan data flipped to mirror the 4 quadrants. The systems were giant analog nightmares, but they still could produce the level of shows i haven't seen since then. I much prefer funky scan glass and analog synths to just animation. Laser scan animation is fun but you can do much better with cgi and video. I like laser to do what can't be done with video- at least with a color gamut and contrast ratio that video just can't do...

Chad

[allthatwhichis]

Back in 95 or 96 a friend at a party house I hung around had a Laser FX Laser Light Show by With Design in Mind. It used... uses an early xenon type bulb some rgby cellophane and a mirror attached to a speaker coil. That and some... :roll: color enhancers got me hooked. I picked up a couple of Laser FX's off eBay and have been butchering them and lasers for almost a year now... Now I have a set of 30K scanners and my three lasers in a ghetto projector...

[Misebeam]

Yup, Pink Floyd laser, that did it.... then it was onto my first Heath kit, 1mw HeNe modulated laser...

[JimBo]

I saw a laser display show in Blackpool back in '85 and was amazed at what they could do with the graphics.
The only other place that had lasers at that time was 'Wigan Casino' (Northern Soul Nightclub) but they only had static beams and mirrors, I tried to talk the owner of the nightclub I worked as a DJ at to invest in some but he wouldn't.

In summer this year I was getting remarried and my son was going to do the disco at the reception so I decided it was about time to upgrade some of my gear and so bought my first RGY laser.

Jim

[buffo]

I read a book in 7th grade called "The Story of the Laser" by John M. Carrol. Never could shake the bug after that. (FWIW, this was back in 1978) I finally broke down and bought a used copy of the book last year. Ah... Memories!

Adam