FB3 / LA FREAK Evaluation

[Lasermad]

Hi Denny
You can order here http://www.pangolin.com/orders , note theres no prices listed you tell them in the comments box LA FREAK $500 , please advise shipping and they will get back to you with total.

I have purchased 3 kits so far for friends and I have always received an evalution CD , and can download the LA FReak package as discused in post one of this thread .
ALso in all cases I have recieved a 128mb card in the kit , i think buffo may be mistaken in saying you dont get a card in th kit .

Hey its fantasti value anyones who does not buy this is CRAZY !

The package you could almost say is in beta at the moment as they are still working on the official LA FREAK software package so i think the evaluation software Cd is maybe a bonus that wont be around in the future , this Cd contains Livepro , what can i say ..i am a pangolin convert
PAUL

[DZ]

what can i say ..i am a pangolin convert

Welcome to the club! Now you are an official PUG. (Pangolin User Group)

[buffo]

ALso in all cases I have recieved a 128mb card in the kit , i think buffo may be mistaken in saying you dont get a card in th kit . i think the evaluation software Cd is maybe a bonus that wont be around in the future , this Cd contains Livepro

Hi Paul;

Cool! Thanks for the updated information. Bill Benner told me that he wasn't going to include the 128 mb memory card with the LA FREAK package because *his* cost on the cards was $35 each. But that was back in May of this year; maybe he's found another supplier that is cheaper since we talked. (Indeed, some of the other memebers here have been able to find several different vendors that still sell the older compact flash cards.)

The big news is that the LA FREAK package still comes with the FB3 evaluation CD with all the other software on it. (But not Live Pro... That's extra.)

Adam

[werner1619]

Hi Guys,
Why so many posts about the FB3?
I am starting to get confused here, does it come with a mem. card or not?
Why do you get a evaluation version of live pro? does this product not have a full version of software?
Starting to make me wonder what you are paying for...

[buffo]

Werner;

The Flashback 3 "Evaluation Kit" is a package that Pangolin sells. (It used to sell for $695, but I think the price just came down to $595.) The "Evaluation Kit" comes with a CD that has software you can use with the FB 3. One piece of software on that CD is Live Pro, which is a *very* nice live player. (allows you to use the keyboard to trigger effects. Also supports midi triggers and a whole bunch of other features.)

Since the FlashBack 3 was originally designed to be installed INSIDE a projector to enable people to build stand-alone laser projectors (that is, without a computer controlling it), they developed the "evaluation kit" to allow developers to buy a controller and the software so they could play with it to see how it worked before they committed to buying a bunch of them to install in their projectors.

Note that the FB3 normally comes with a DMX daughter board and a 128 mw memory card to hold frames and show files.

Now, the LA FREAK project is a separate package that is aimed at hobbyists. Bill was looking to offer a low-cost alternative to the QM-2000 system, and he figured that the FB3 controller would be the ideal hardware to use. However, he wanted to keep the price down, so he decided to remove the DMX daugherboard. Also, he initially said that he would not be providing a memory card, though some members here have stated that when they bought the LA FREAK package it came with a memory card.

As for the software, you get the entire LA Studio software suite when you buy the LA FREAK package. This is not an evaluation package, it's a complete suite of tools. Also, it appears that Bill is also including the FB3 Evaluation CD with the LA FREAK package. This is a bonus, because that CD has the full version of Live Pro on it. But even without that CD, you still have TWO different live players to choose from with the LA Studio software.

I think you're getting hung up on the name of the "Evaluation Kit" and the "Evaluation CD". The software is not a demo version or a crippled version - it's the full meal. They call it "evaluation" because it's designed to allow laser projector developers to evaluate the FB3 controller...

Now, as to why there are so many posts about the FB3: The fact is that it's a *hell* of a good deal. It's easily $300 cheaper than the next closest competitor (Mamba Black w/ Easylase USB DAC), and it offers a lot more features.

Adam

[werner1619]

Adam,

Great, thanks for the complete explination!
I will contact Pangolin and order my Fb3 now, but before I do, should I take the fullblown pack or the freak?

Werner

[p1t8ull]

Adam,

Great, thanks for the complete explination!
I will contact Pangolin and order my Fb3 now, but before I do, should I take the fullblown pack or the freak?

Werner

Werner, depends if you want to do commmercial displays or will ever need DMX. The LA Freak package is aimed at hobbyists, and such isn't licensed for commecial use.

[werner1619]

ok, don't worry, I have ordered the Evaluation version...
would like to use the dmx function

thanks for the infos
werner

[buffo]

Yeah, if you want DMX, then you want the full evaluation kit. Be sure to ask for the license file you'll need for the LA Studio software. (You can download the software for free from the Pangolin website, but you need a license file, which is also free, in order to run it.)

When you get everything working, post a couple pics here and give us your thoughts on the software!

Adam

PS: Welcome to the Pangolin user's club!

[werner1619]

I am waiting for the parcel to arrive, but will post comment and pic's
isn't it nice to know that you have something new on its way in the mail?

just imagine that you have everything that you would ever desire in your life, wouldn't that suck? wouldn't have anything to look forward to in life...