NEW GUY - 1st buy X-laser MobileBeat RGB mk5

[VelvetThunder]

Finally I made it here after saving money and researching what to start with I made the move and purchased a slightly used X-laser MobileBeat RGB mk5 a few months back.

Just wanted to say hello and look forward to wasting all my extra cash buying new stuff and chatting about it. I am just a hobbyist that started playing music with my buddies and ended up being a 'band' for a while so I started buying lights here and there. Long story short, not playing music with those guys right now but have a pretty good light show that I use to help my DJ buddies on their gigs as needed for side cash. I have done a few weddings, proms, homecoming dances, band gigs, etc. and it's ended up pushing me into the laser realm although I've always been interested. I took a laser class when I was studying for my mech. engineering degree as an elective and loved it (except for all the matrix math stuff).

So now I have the Mobile Beat and I've been pretty happy with it while running Quickshow so far. More power, better scan rates would be nice so I'm already planning another move but for now it's good to have such fun stuff to play with.


Cheers

[buffo]

Congratulations on the laser purchase, and welcome to PhotonLexicon.

Where are you located? There are several Laser Enthusiast's Meetings scheduled throughout the year in different areas. If one is close to you, it would be a good learning experience to attend one. Also, if people know where you are, they may be more inclined to offer assistance - assuming they are nearby.

Adam

[Bradfo69]

Welcome to PL! As Adam said, please post your location as there are a bunch of us all over the world and yes, you DO want to plan a trip to a Laser Enthusiast Meet. SELEM which you will here about, is the one to aspire to get to and it's held every August in the greater downtown thriving metropolis of Newton, North Carolina. (We bump up the population of the town a measurable amount. )

X-Laser is and was a great choice. Have you also gotten or filed for your EZ-Variance kit? If you're going to be using the new laser for public performance, you really should do that to be legal and it's only $49.

[VelvetThunder]

I believe my profile is updated now to show Chicago.

X-Laser was my first choice for the fact that they make it ez with the variance kit being so ez to fill out and only $50. It was very convenient.

Is the normal variance paperwork a lot of work? (Just took a look at the application, I believe its the same thing that X-Laser had but they just had portions filled out... is this correct?)
I was looking at something in the Laserworld DS-1800RGB ballpark for down the road.

[Bradfo69]

BEFORE you order ANYTHING from Laserworld.... PLEASE! Put it in the search block in the upper right hand corner and read everything concerning Laserworld. By the time you are done, at least you can make an educated decision on if you'd like to own a misrepresented, underpowered, piece of fecal matter. I don't know if they've improved any but, I wouldn't risk it on anything they make that's not uber high end.

That being said, if you're looking for something else that's still US legal, something else from X-Laser would be a good but expensive choice. Another thought is Walt Meador who is the US rep for Lightspace which is actually a Chinese company with a growing stellar reputation. Walt is making the necessary modifications to make them US legal and, they have some projectors in the same range as what you're looking at with Lightspace. His company is Laser Rentals, Inc.

I know there are some other members from around the Chicago area who may very well chime in. There are also some from that neck of the woods who come down to SELEM. (You would also have a chance to meet the folks from X-Laser there in the first place too. Great people!)

[dsli_jon]

Hi VT -

Welcome to PL.. Glad to see you 'taking the High-road' (Legal, etc..) Kudos to ya, and yes, X-Laser (USA, NOT '.hk' will take good care of ya.. re: 'Lazerverld', ya, if your 'goal' is to..

...wasting all my extra cash..

..that's pretty-much exactly what you'll do, buying from them.. Even for the 'high-end stuff' (which, btw, are the *only* Pjs that the FDA *has listed* as "Approved", on Regs.gov.. ALL their 'low-end crap' - appears - to still-be unCert'd, so.. Word..) And, especially since..

...wouldn't risk it on anything they make that's not uber high end.

..They (LW) don't even MAKE those 'high-end' systems (SwissLas / RTi) they simply 'bought out' those Co's, so.. It is really of NO 'credit' to LW, if those systems are well-compliant / well made, etc.. Still, I'd, personally, be skiddish to get even one of those 'high-end' systems from them, for fear they "fixed something" inside, before shipping.. Would not put it past them..

..So, like Brad said.. 'Measure FIVE times, Cut once', when it comes to that "Co."...

fwiw..
j

[VelvetThunder]

Understood... That's why I wanted to get on this forum, to ask the people that have been thru it so I don't have to repeat those mistakes. I did do some reading as you have suggested. They seem to fudge specs amongst other issues so I will rethink the suggestion my friend made about the Laserworld DS-1800RGB.

The good thing is that time is on my side and there is no immediate need to run out and buy the first thing I see so I will keep looking at some of the suggestions listed above. I do some animations and occasionally mess with skywriting but the main thing I wanted was basically everything LOL, brighter beams, better scan rates, and analog fading capability. This leaves the door open to lots of expensive toys but I will say the most I can squeeze out the wallet at this time is probably around $1800-2000.

[DanG]

Hang tight Velvet.... I think we will have just what you need in the near future. We have a LOT of things cooking.

But for now, thanks for being an X-Laser user! We appreciate it.

Dan

[buffo]

They seem to fudge specs amongst other issues so I will rethink the suggestion my friend made about the Laserworld DS-1800RGB.

They do a lot more than just fudge specs. They do not produce compliant projectors. The FDA handed down a massive recall notice back in 2012 because they (Laserworld) had several compliance problems with their products. Then, just last September, the FDA sent them another warning letter for many of the same mistakes. Here's a link if you're curious.

Bottom line: avoid Laserworld like the plague.

Adam

[drm916]

Bottom line: avoid Laserworld like the plague.

Adam

I agree! And you made a good choice going with X-laser. Be glad you were not fooled by laserworld into purchasing them first. You would have been stuck with a projector that probably isn't compliant and you would have never gotten your variance approved.

So now.. Dan at x-laser has me wondering what he has cooking. When can we expect these new things?