Wicked Lasers' new lasers

[liteglow]

Rumor has it that Casio is aware of Wicked Lasers' new product, as well as where they are getting the diodes from. Care to guess what Casio's next move might be in that situation?
Adam

Hmmm.. Usually when you talk about rumors, I dont wonder where you heard about the rumor.
It`s usually you that ARE the rumor
And if you have yet not told Casio manufacture about this wicked crazy stuff, I think you SHOULD do asap !

Well I dont think Wicked got the time and (money) to pay everyone back the money ??
To be true, my friend have already ordered one and the money is gone to wicked long time ago!!

And wicked says that they are supposed to deliver the lasers in 2-3 weeks.

Some rumors I have heard have told me that the Chinese ppl is standing in lines and unmount the Casio projector lasers..


Well I`m curious to see what happen.
This will NOT float away into nothing, that is for sure!

[ElektroFreak]

I'm more concerned about how many of them will show up at events I'm doing, and what the correct course of action should be.

Should it be to immediately shut down and contact the client and request the offending article/person be removed, and the show will recommence afterwards? Someone earlier raised the issue of burden of proof over whether it was the laser display that caused the injury, or the pointer, and this concerns me greatly....

At any event here people are searched prior to entering. If they have a laser pointer it is either confiscated or they return it to their car. If one does manage to get in, the person with it is removed as quickly as possible.

[colouredmirrorball]

I agree with Norty's concerns.

Take me for an example. I am a LJ for very small events, 100 - 200 people max. Some effects, a few spots and a fog machine, nothing more.
For sure the visitors to those events don't get checked for pointers. They don't get checked at all, and the benefit would not outweight the costs of doing that.
So what should I do when I notice someone with their new toys of WL?

[ElektroFreak]

I agree with Norty's concerns.

Take me for an example. I am a LJ for very small events, 100 - 200 people max. Some effects, a few spots and a fog machine, nothing more.
For sure the visitors to those events don't get checked for pointers. They don't get checked at all, and the benefit would not outweight the costs of doing that.
So what should I do when I notice someone with their new toys of WL?

Start by searching people (I know it costs money to do so, but if you want security you must provide it) and posting signs at the entrance that say that pointers are not allowed. If you see someone with one in the event, throw them out. It can be hard to catch people in a crowded venue, but have your security try very hard to do so anyway. It's the best you can do. If you don't want to deal with the costs of maintaining security, you can't complain when people are out of line.

[norty303]

Start by searching people (I know it costs money to do so, but if you want security you must provide it) and posting signs at the entrance that say that pointers are not allowed. If you see someone with one in the event, throw them out. It can be hard to catch people in a crowded venue, but have your security try very hard to do so anyway. It's the best you can do. If you don't want to deal with the costs of maintaining security, you can't complain when people are out of line.

At any event here people are searched prior to entering. If they have a laser pointer it is either confiscated or they return it to their car. If one does manage to get in, the person with it is removed as quickly as possible.

I think this highlights significant differences in countries. I'm not sure many doormen or venue people here even recognize the issue with laser pointers, and probably wouldn't recognize one as a problem during a search, or even if they did, would consider it a 'club toy' alongside glowsticks and LED products.

Perhaps on bigger events, but not in your average run of the mill backwater town club, or even unlicensed venue/squat. Wouldn't stop someone potentially wanting to claim damages though, and you generally don't have contracts with the more 'underground' promoters

[colouredmirrorball]

Start by searching people (I know it costs money to do so, but if you want security you must provide it) and posting signs at the entrance that say that pointers are not allowed. If you see someone with one in the event, throw them out. It can be hard to catch people in a crowded venue, but have your security try very hard to do so anyway. It's the best you can do. If you don't want to deal with the costs of maintaining security, you can't complain when people are out of line.

Well, there was that gig, organised by some friends of mine and I went to it as a guest, inspecting the lights set to auto mode because €100 was too much to pay for a LJ, and the local renting company doesn't like it when someone else is touching their stuff so I couldn't do the lights myself (but tried a few times with no luck).
It was a rather small gig in comparision, say 500 people in a venue that can hold 2000-ish.
Then that guy with his laser pointer, I think it was a friend of one of the organisators or something, climbed up the stage next to the DJ. He helped behind the bar previously so no one stopped him. First he used some diffraction gratings and everything was cool. Then he took the grating off and started to shine around with a stray beam. For sure the beam had more power than 5 mW (although perception is subjective of course).
The security was standing by and did nothing.
I could go to one of those security guys and told them that what he was doing was dangerous, but I don't think they'd understand me in a venue with such loud music and think I was one of those drunk party goers and kindly direct me to the exit.
If I tried to climb up the stage in order to reach that pointer guy the security guys would intercept me and lead me not so kindly to the exit. Remember I am just a party goer causing problems and that pointerhead was one of the "crew".

Those security people just don't know the danger of pointers. I don't think anybody else at that gig did.

What would you have done in this case?

[ElektroFreak]

If you're working the show and are concerned about pointers, you should meet with the show director/promoter/producer prior to the show and make sure that your concerns are addressed. In other words, if you inform the show director/producer of your concerns and request that pointers be banned then they can make sure that security fully understands the importance of enforcing the rule. If the promoter refuses to hear your concerns then either you can not do the show out of liability concerns or you can do the show with the written understanding that any liability is assumed by the production company/individual. I do not recommend doing a laser show for anyone who refuses to hear, acknowledge and act upon your concerns. This is all about being prepared beforehand.

[sbk]

Some rumors I have heard have told me that the Chinese ppl is standing in lines and unmount the Casio projector lasers..

Well, that things are already on eBay for cheap. Look this one for example. And now, just imagine 1W of laser directed into audience eyes after only a few meters, like what I already see with green lasers in all small parties every week-end...


About searching people on entrance, last time I did a show laser, I saw some crazy guys with powerful green lasers shinning all the people on the way to the party. So I asked security guys to search all peoples and take confiscate lasers if they find one. But security guys, just stupid as they usually are, said me that they won't because they didn't ever received order about lasers from their boss.
So if you want to be sure, it's better to ask directly their boss or the promoter before the day of the event...

[buffo]

Hmmm.. Usually when you talk about rumors, I dont wonder where you heard about the rumor. It`s usually you that ARE the rumor

Sorry Phillip, but I can't reveal my sources. I can tell you that I've been involved in this discussion with at least a dozen different people over the last 24 hours. That's as good as it gets. If you don't trust me, there's nothing I can say to change your mind that I haven't already said.

If you have yet not told Casio manufacture about this wicked crazy stuff, I think you SHOULD do asap !

Casio has already been contacted by ILDA about Wicked Lasers. Several other agencies of the US Government are also involved now.

It is not time for us to get involved. Not by a long shot. The best thing we can do is to watch quietly from the sidelines and see what ends up happening.

my friend have already ordered one and the money is gone to wicked long time ago!

He may end up having his money returned to him. As I said, no one has seen one of these pointers in the wild. Draw your own conclusions from that fact...

This will NOT float away into nothing, that is for sure!

I agree. But various companies and/or agencies can still make life difficult for a lot of people if they choose. Tell me something: Could you defend yourself if a company decided to subpoena you? Do you have the money to hire a lawyer to defend yourself in court? No? Well, the same thing applies to a lot of people.

Now do you see why everyone is asking people to be calm about this?

In short, let's cool it and see what happens first, OK?

Adam

[norty303]

I hope they don't force a recall of all projectors due to safety problems.

The thought of poor Dan resoldering all those diodes back in doesn't bear thinking about....