As much as you need, or as much as you can afford?

[norty303]

Ok, so reading about these new multi watt diodes has got me thinking - with mass production, it is likely that in the next 5 to 7 years we'll be in a situation where it will be so cheap, anyone with a modest budget (e.g. someone who is 'serious' not just looking for a toy laser) will be able to buy as much power as they reasonably want.

So, do you think we'll be seeing mega-watt projectors being used in very small venues because people will still buy the biggest they can possibly afford, or will it reach the point where people will start to buy what they 'need', even if that is 'only' 5W RGBB for a 200 capacity room...

Or will people go big and work on the basis that it can always be turned down/limited because 'all diode' systems will modulate much more linearly across all wavelengths?

My 2W systems are still awesome looking in a 300 capacity room, but the trend is for ever bigger power projectors. Is there an end to the power chase?

[Galvonaut]

I suppose that the concern is that people will buy the most powerful that they can afford Norty. If the same people who buy the speakers and amps are buying the lasers on the same premise that they usually buy PA systems, I think the trend will be more reports of eye damage, until a point that new regulations come into place.

I have mentioned before a local night club that has 2x 3Watt lasers positioned above the DJ booth (within arms reach) with beams hitting the audience within 1 meter or so. They are laserword, so possibly over rated but still, almost certainly way above the MPE. I informed the LJ (who I know) of the risk but he didn't seem too worried - I think because he didn't install or own them.

In this particular club it would be very hard to install lasers legally above the MPE due to low ceilings and several raised stage areas.

I may set up a little laser installation consultancy as a side-line once I have more experience - at least then my advertising may inform laser users that there is a risk to using them.

I think that there is an end to the power chase. A certain london laser hire business proved that owning multi-Watt systems can result in requiring a change of underwear and a change in policy regarding power. The chase for more power will cease, I am concerned, due to the result of media attention from a disabling incident, either destroying someone's eye sight or causing fire or skin burns.

Keith

[norty303]

I informed the LJ (who I know) of the risk but he didn't seem too worried - I think because he didn't install or own them.

Try informing the license holder instead. Most entertainments licenses are granted on the basis that HSG95 is complied with - thats if lasers and 'special effects' (usually referring to pyro) are even allowed in the first place by default (a lot of clubs aren't granted that, despite having lasers installed)
And they've got scanfail right?

Being in breach of a license condition usually focusses the mind a little better...

Ultimately, you are never going to fight the tide, but education can be useful.
Even doing some rough calculations in front of an operator using LVR's excellent Laser Safety app can immediately show how far in excess of MPE a given installation is (lets face it, we can have a pretty good guess of most beam specs for known wavelengths, and we can pace out distances to crowd exposure point, so we can work out what 'dose' people are getting. In my experience, when you're orders of magnitude above MPE anyway, what does it matter if you come up with 25 times or 30 times MPE as your result, right?

[Galvonaut]

I should do that, now that I have a lasercheck

No excuses now!

[dkumpula]

In this particular club it would be very hard to install lasers legally above the MPE due to low ceilings and several raised stage areas.

Hey Galvo,

In addition to Norty's suggestion, this may be an opportunity for one or two (creating an "iris" of sorts for the safe area) safety scan lenses per pj. A higher power safety scan lens can turn a tight beam into a flashlight even over relatively short throws.

David

[buffo]

I always buy as much power as I can afford, because you can always use the beam attenuation map to turn down the power across the entire scan field if you don't need it all.

I agree that running a 5 watt projector in a room with only 200 people in it is pretty dumb, but it would be very easy to turn that power down to 1.5 watts and still put on one hell of a show. This will be even easier once we transition to all-direct-diode projectors, which will largely eliminate the non-linearity that analog-modulated DPSS lasers suffer from.

Adam

[Galvonaut]

Hey Galvo,

In addition to Norty's suggestion, this may be an opportunity for one or two (creating an "iris" of sorts for the safe area) safety scan lenses per pj. A higher power safety scan lens can turn a tight beam into a flashlight even over relatively short throws.

David

A perfect opportunity for a safety scan lens, thanks David

[planters]

Or will people go big and work on the basis that it can always be turned down/limited because 'all diode' systems will modulate much more linearly across all wavelengths?

I agree that running a 5 watt projector in a room with only 200 people in it is pretty dumb

The OP asks if the trend will continue toward ever greater power. I think it will. Like computers there are two tracks:1) higher power "high power systems" and 2) less expensive moderate power systems. Think of SELEM. How many watts were running in a lunch room that can't even hold 200 people? Rather than one 3W system from yesteryear a club can now afford 3, 5W systems and it will look much more impressive. Not to mention the need to compete now with brighter non-coherent sources such as LED screens.

The question of safety is a little less direct. A badly managed beam from a 3W will be less dangerous than the same beam from a 15 watt, but only to a degree. Both can burn. One just does it faster. The protection methods will be similar.

Eventually, the brightness of the high power systems will just become annoying and this will undermine the wow factor. A 100W projector in a small club even if perfectly safe will be like a 10,000W (RMS) audio system: possible but too painful and not worth a cover charge.

[norty303]

In some events I'm already turning down or using less 'in your face' colours with 3 and 4W projectors.

[WookieBoy]

I agree with Planters. Here.

Higher Power will always be what sells to the average 'promotor' or high street night club. Bigger numbers are always better, right?
As to the licensing... Well, in my experience here in sunny Bedfordshire, not much notice is taken by the relevant authorities to the 'temporary' use of lasers in clubs/pubs by mr. Dj or whatever... I've seen at least one local DJ dumping his shiny new "chiser 3W RGB" box on the front of the DJ table aiming straight into the crowd.
There's only so many times you can try to explain nicely before you have to bring out the attitude adjustment clue-by-four... But then your the "party pooper"/arrested for aggregated assault...

But seriously though. Bigger is always better to the average joe, so that's how it'll be, much like LED walls, right up to the point where, like LED walls, the beam is so bright it washes out everything else in the rig or the atmosphere in the venue.

The only thing that'll disrupt this advance will be if the number of reported eye injuries increases because of the influx of the 'chi-laser RGB' multi watt DJ wank boxes...
Or some of the eBay sellers of them take some responsibility and EDUCATE their buyers into basic laser safety!
Like that'll ever happen! :/