Lighting Show in The Bedroom

2StepSteve

2StepSteve

2StepSteve

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SE England
I posted a photo in the 'Your desk' thread of some of my lights and people seemed to have the same buzz I have for them :D.. So thought i'd better make a new thread as didn't wanna throw the desk one off track.

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The basic idea.. You want a rave in your bedroom! Be it alone on your lonesome :o ..or with mates :D.

It can be done for not as expensive as you may think. Lasers can be had quite cheap off the bay ~£100. They come in all sorts of power outputs and colours some DMX-able some just sound to light. Green is the classic colour and the best value for money. Our eyes see green as the brightest compared to the other typical laser colours, so it makes it for a better deal. ~50mW will be fine for a small room.

I don't think I even need to say it as im sure your all aware lasers can be very dangerous to our eyes! Just looking directly for a fraction of a second can do perm damage.

Its not just a laser on it's own that makes the effect happen, the thing that makes it look decent is the smoke.. lol if your a heavy smoker though you might be able to do away with a smoke machine and close the door and windows :D. But seriously you will need a smoke machine to get an effect. Otherwise you won't see any beams. Even with a laser thats 100mW you won't see the beam in clear air.. a small smoke machine will do fine for your bedroom or small room and show the beams of light cutting through the fine smoke. Lasers play just a part of the whole effect of the club scene, when your next out in a big club look up and see what they are using... Blinders, strobes, moving heads, rollers, scanners...

Most light units out there will have a sound to light mode where the inbuilt microphone will pick up the sound and move through the inbuilt programs of the unit. This goes for lasers and all general light units.

If you would like more control then DMX is the way. DMX is a way of communicating with equipment, much like MIDI is, it is very closely related to MIDI. There are dedicated DMX controllers on the market that allow programming of DMX, allowing you to tell that certain light what gobo (filter) to choose, what brightness to set to, if to strobe the lamp etc. A computer can be used as a DMX controller, along with a DMX interface with DMX software. With something like the Entec USB together with DMX Control software it is possible to program any pattern you like for the lighting device for x amount of time, and make your show how you want it. DMX is not always needed though. It is a lot less complicated and easy using sound to light. All depends how much effort and time you have to spend programming each light.

This is a deep subject.. there are lots of information out there :)..

Heres some more pics and a video http://2stepsteve.smugmug.com/gallery/3997917#232525884
 
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As i said in the other thread, very impressive. :cool:
Can you provide links of where to buy DMX lasers apart from t'bay? (Assuming you have to bid?)
 
http://www.gvgdiscolighting.com/lasers.php Are not bad at all I have one of their 80mw units.

Its worth mentioning the diode in all laser units has a number of hours life expectancy, just like the lamps inside a projector. But unlike projectors they are more like throw away units and are not really ment to be user replaceable.... unless you really like to dig in and open things up :D
 
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2StepSteve said:
http://www.gvgdiscolighting.com/lasers.php Are not bad at all I have one of their 80mw units.

Its worth mentioning the diode in all laser units has a number of hours life expectancy, just like the lamps inside a projector. But unlike projectors they are more like throw away units and are not really ment to be user replaceable.... unless you really like to dig in and open things up :D
Click to expand...

Can you order online? What are the prices like? Is it worth ordering a catologue? :)
 
Build your own co2 laser and use that instead. And watch as it burns the house down, plus you'll be able to see the beam too. :cool:

I don't know where I get these disturbing ideas from, but I just think it would be great for someone to fire a 1000W laser at a disco ball and watch as everyone burns to death. :D
 
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Does it not get on your nervus after awhile really? I find my pc case's led getting on my nervus even lol.
 
All I keep thinking is someone coming to visit:
"Hi! *cough cough* how are you today *cough cough* This looks really AAARRGGHH I'M BLIND!!!!"
 
That second pic reminds me of being downstairs in the Republic... and there's not much else can remind me of that :)
 
steve steve FIREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN THE HOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, theres smoke in your room GET OUTTTTTTTTTT BABYYYYYYYYY....no mom its just my disco
 
They look pretty cool

How much would it be for fairly good one in a large room, 25 x 25 ft also what power would be needed.

I did have a look on ebay a while ago but someone told me the cheap ones would be out of sync with music because they use servos instead of something else to move the mirrors?
 
Looks nice, but I'm afraid it's people like the OP who turn the novelty of laser shows at clubs or special events into an every day thing, which is tacky enough to be used by chavs.

Sometime ago, I personally assisted in the programming of DMX lights, etc, at a club. Let me tell you that until you've done that, a couple of lasers in your bedroom is about as it's going to get for you. They're just a couple of lasers, with your own smoke machine (all of which probably from eBay, or cheapo internet retailer).

Tinker with a computer that controls a couple dozen lights, lasers, smoke machines and whatever else, all in a massive room of about 100x75ft - then you'll know what a lighting show looks like.
 
basmic said:
Looks nice, but I'm afraid it's people like the OP who turn the novelty of laser shows at clubs or special events into an every day thing, which is tacky enough to be used by chavs.

Sometime ago, I personally assisted in the programming of DMX lights, etc, at a club. Let me tell you that until you've done that, a couple of lasers in your bedroom is about as it's going to get for you. They're just a couple of lasers, with your own smoke machine (all of which probably from eBay, or cheapo internet retailer).

Tinker with a computer that controls a couple dozen lights, lasers, smoke machines and whatever else, all in a massive room of about 100x75ft - then you'll know what a lighting show looks like.
Click to expand...

Wow, why are you so bitter about it? Just because you've helped out with the lighting at a small venue doesn't qualify you as some expert. If you're so good then why aren't you doing it full time instead of working in a call centre?
 
basmic said:
Looks nice, but I'm afraid it's people like the OP who turn the novelty of laser shows at clubs or special events into an every day thing, which is tacky enough to be used by chavs.

Sometime ago, I personally assisted in the programming of DMX lights, etc, at a club. Let me tell you that until you've done that, a couple of lasers in your bedroom is about as it's going to get for you. They're just a couple of lasers, with your own smoke machine (all of which probably from eBay, or cheapo internet retailer).

Tinker with a computer that controls a couple dozen lights, lasers, smoke machines and whatever else, all in a massive room of about 100x75ft - then you'll know what a lighting show looks like.
Click to expand...

Haha quality; you're my hero. :p

Back on topic: tis a pretty sweet setup, how long do they last for though? You mentioned a lifetime, but didn't specify any numbers :)
 
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