Vienna, Virginia will use lasers instead of fireworks for 4th of July

[platinum]

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0708/533182.html


Lasers would be a nice addition with the smoke and all, but to replace fireworks with lasers.. That's a little much.

[LASERGUY]

Screw my towns fireworks.... I AM GOING TO VIRGINIA!!!!

[gottaluvlasers]

i agree.

as beautiful as lasers are, and as amazing as some of the big companies are at putting on awe inspiring shows, i would still like to see lasers *IN ADDITION* to fireworks!! NOT in place of!

not to mention, you could have the biggest, baddest, super duper multi-megawatt laser system in the world...

if the air doesnt cooperate with haze or humidity, it WILL NOT look too impressive. at least with fireworks, youre pretty much guaranteed to have some good smoke in the air. even if its only temporary.

i would be VERY nervous to be the laser company to put on a "fireworks replacing" type of display! whether i had 2 lasers or 20 lasers.

HOWEVER-

i'd give my left thumb to get to virginia to see the show! i am sure its going to be GREAT. just not a fan of replacing fireworks. i still love the BIG BOOOOMS!!!!

-Marc

[platinum]

I just noticed, at the bottom of the article:
"The Baltimore company's laser show will cost more than twice as much as the $10,000 fireworks display."

Damn. I'd really like to know what kind of lasers etc they're offering for $20,000.

[gottaluvlasers]

its a 250mW RGB from China...



lol. could you imagine?

IM GUESSING:

2X 60+ WATT Yags (beams)

2X 12+ WATT Ar/Kr (1 effects, animations. 1 beams)

20 WATT Argon. (for what? i dont know. but, gotta have an argon in there! )

[dar303]

haha,
""I've seen a laser show. I don't need to see another one," resident Mary Suriani."

I think most of the forum members agrees to that...

[mixedgas]

As someone who worked at a very safe combined laser and fireworks show, they are missing half the fun. And if they have a night with no humidity (rare in virginna,but...) it will be borrring ! And that comes from a guy who will sit through hours of graphics shows.

I once skedded a outdoor show in Ohio in the winter. NO particulate in the air all
thank God we had gpaphics!

Of course, the park where I worked, had a ski boat from the ski show come off the lake and through a fence at speed high into into the audience in the laser/ski stadium after I left. Supposedly A foolish contractor installed a control cable to the jet pump nozzle without a cotter key and the boat decided it could stear and throttle itself. So much for safe......

Steve

[Lasermad]

So anybody manage to spot ny vid of the night anywhere on the net ?

Paul

[soforene]

There's a link on the news page.
Seems like they chucked a few fireworks in after all but it looks (from the editing of the news video) like they let 'em off after the laser show.

DOH !!