Welcome to PhotonLexicon!
As others have already said, you are in the right place to learn more about everything on your list. Go ahead and post your questions.
Also, it would be very helpful if you filled out your user profile so people can see where you are located. Often if someone is close, they will offer to meet up for lunch or something so you can chat about lasers.
Then too, there are several "Laser Enthusiast's Meetings" (LEMs) scheduled all over the globe, so if one happens to be close enough for you to attend, that would be an excellent way to jump-start your progress with this hobby.
Finally, the answer to some of your questions will depend on where you live. For example, in the USA the laws that regulate laser projectors and laser shows are very restrictive compared to other nations. So it's important to know where you're located (at least in general terms) so we can provide more accurate information.
Learning how to set up a projector and control it depends to an extent on what you want to do with the projector and what sort of control scheme you'll be using. Regarding control schemes, at the most basic level, there are projectors that can operate in stand-alone mode with no outside control. Then there are projectors that can be controlled via DMX commands from a lighting desk.
But when most people talk about "controlling a laser projector", they're referring to a combination of software running on a computer that is linked to a laser controller that converts the digital signals from the computer to the analog signals that the projector needs. Even so, there are several software and hardware options to choose from. Here's a link to a legacy website (
LaserFX.com - no longer actively maintained) that has some good basic information about laser shows that you might appreciate. Just keep in mind that the site is 15 + years out of date, so while the basic concepts are still valid, technology has improved...
Before you buy anything, it would be good to list your goals first. Think about your answers to these questions:
1) What do you want to do with your laser projector? Are you mostly interested in graphics shows (that is, animated line-art style images), or abstract shows (geometric patterns and spirograph-style images), or beam shows (aerial effects with fans and sheets of light)? Or perhaps you are interested in all types of shows?
2) How much are you willing to spend on this hobby? Because lasers are very expensive... True, they used to be
ruinously expensive before all the recent advances in solid-state diode lasers, but even so it's not uncommon for someone to spend several thousand dollars on their first projector. (And that's before you consider the cost of the control software or the controller hardware to go with it.)
3) Do you want to try to build your own laser projector? Building your own projector is a great way to learn, especially if you are interested in some of the more technical details behind how lasers and laser projectors work. You don't need to be an electronics expert, but you do need to know how to use a voltmeter and basic hand tools. Being able to solder is also helpful, but not strictly required.
4) Are you interested in creating your own content (images, animations, and aerial effect or beam sequences) and choreographing those effects to music to create your own shows, or would you rather just watch shows that others have created? Or are you interested in "live" laser show performances, where the operator creates effects on-the-fly to accompany a band, orchestra, or DJ?
5) Do you have any desire to perform laser shows commercially for the general public? (Warning: it is quite difficult to be profitable doing laser shows commercially. Also, as soon as you cross the line from hobbyist to commercial laserist, the regulatory rules change,
especially in the USA.)
Once you've got an idea as to what you want to accomplish, share your thoughts here and we can suggest the next step(s).
Adam