Lasers and light setup

[eu4n]

Ok so I have been asked to DJ a private party for New Year, I have all the sounds sorted (I hope) but am lacking in the lighting department.
Don't have much idea of lighting for discos etc so hoping someone can tell me what I want.

I have 4 scanners and a couple of strobes but need some fill in lights. As a starting point I was looking at something like the 'WildTech HID-150 Kaleido'.

Was going to get some 'Geni T-Max 6 and T-Max 7 Lighting Effects' for some fill in and there cheap. What else do people have and recommend?

On to more important things, LASERS.

What do people have and what is good? Need something cheap and bright, it won't be getting used much so is eBay any good for these sort of things?
Looking at £350 for a laser and a couple of other lights.

Cheers for the help in advance,

Euan

[Penfold42]

First question - How big is the house??
That's a lot of light for a house.....IMO :)

[eu4n]

The venue is a marquee spilling out into a field, estimated a few hundred people but need to fill the marquee at a minimum.
As far as sounds go i'm using a 2.2kW PA.

Hope this gives a better idea of size,

Euan

[Shaun]

Sounds like you're in for a very chilly night.

[rob1963]

Sounds like you're in for a very chilly night.

I doubt it...they'll probably have those massive industrial heaters that you usually get in marquees in the winter months.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I doubt it...they'll probably have those massive industrial heaters that you usually get in marquees in the winter months.

So that people get too hot and then they turn them off and then everyone's cold again after a while.

[rob1963]

So that people get too hot and then they turn them off and then everyone's cold again after a while.

I know, Darren...they're brilliant aren't they!

[flatliners]

dont go for the tmax only 50w lamps good fillers look for the darby lights give lots of fill to a room

[eu4n]

OK I will give the t-max lights a miss if they are only 50w, that is poor.

What should I get as a replacement?

They had better have those heaters, I will be making sure one is near me and under my control, at least the equipment won't overheat :p

[eu4n]

So after some looking on the forum at what other people have i'm thinking:

2x ACME IMPOSSIBLED
1x 400 WATT ULTRAVIOLET CANNON
1x ACME DICROTWIN 250 WATT DUAL LIGHTING EFFECT (or equiv.)

Laser:
Still looking, any ideas? (100mW min power)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

So after some looking on the forum at what other people have i'm thinking:

2x ACME IMPOSSIBLED
1x 400 WATT ULTRAVIOLET CANNON
1x ACME DICROTWIN 250 WATT DUAL LIGHTING EFFECT (or equiv.)

Laser:
Still looking, any ideas? (100mW min power)

Why a laser?

If you're in a marquee, you are either going to need a large capacity smoke or haze machine or need it to be pitch black.

With your budget it seems a waste of time buying a laser tbh. Was there a reason you particularly wanted one?

[Vectis]

Laser:
Still looking, any ideas? (100mW min power)

Purelight PL101 or PL102 every time. You won't get better bang for buck.

UV cannons are rubbish btw. Do you REALLY need UV? If it's for the bluelight effect, consider a couple of LED PAR's instead. Much sexier. And a lot less likely to blow up as cannons have a habit of doing!

[mr rusty]

I had a look at lasers, but after reading all the health & safety guidance etc, decided it wasn't worth the risk. If the laser goes anywhere near the audience, (audience scanning) you have to get involved in calculations to determine exposure etc. see here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audience_scanning)

there are also minimum mounting heights, warning sign requirements etc.

[eu4n]

The only reason I was looking at lasers was because the guy I’m doing it for plans to have a bonfire outside and he specifically asked for some sort of laser effect in the smoke, I have never used or had any experience with lasers before and was just wanting to see what other people use, I will have to consider increasing the budget if I am going to get one though, also it would have to be sited differently to the rest of the lights so it’s still a maybe.

As for the UV, will say away from a cannon and go for the suggested LED Par's as this sounds like a more practical solution.

Thanks for the advice so far guys, much appreciated. I'm still learning.

[eu4n]

I had a look at lasers, but after reading all the health & safety guidance etc, decided it wasn't worth the risk. If the laser goes anywhere near the audience, (audience scanning) you have to get involved in calculations to determine exposure etc. see here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audience_scanning)

there are also minimum mounting heights, warning sign requirements etc.

I'm quickly beginning to think maybe a laser is not such a good idea, will take a good look at the article. Do many people use lasers?

[Vectis]

You'll certainly get limited use out of it, however it will look FANTASTIC through that smoke.

I use them all the time especially at kids gigs, just make sure the beams are well above head height at all times and you'll have no worries.

[Starlight]

Why a laser?

Why not? Very powerful effect and wont cause any problems if you use them correctly. If these mobile disco lasers were that hazardous to the general public, do you think they'd be retailing them? People seem mellow dramatic on this subject. I say that if you use it correctly, no problems :rolleyes: :)

Mendoza.

[Starlight]

You'll certainly get limited use out of it

Never, depends how busy you are.

Mendoza.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Why not? Very powerful effect and wont cause any problems if you use them correctly. If these mobile disco lasers were that hazardous to the general public, do you think they'd be retailing them? People seem mellow dramatic on this subject. I say that if you use it correctly, no problems :rolleyes: :)

Mendoza.

Er..I didn't say it wasn't a powerful effect or that it would cause you problems. Look at the context of this thread. Small budget and needs lighting.

A laser isn't the first thing that comes to mind for me. It's not exactly a room filling effect and generally rubbish if you aren't using smoke or haze.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Never, depends how busy you are.

Mendoza.

So you use lasers 2 or 3 times a week then and at every function you do? Would it be suitable for most weddings? For a dinner/dance? Are they of any use in venues that don't allow smoke or haze (which is just about everywhere that we play)

That is the point that is being made.:)

[Starlight]

The point I'm making here is that a laser can be used in a whole host of venues regardless if they allow smoke or haze machines, if the client wishes to have a laser, thats fine. If a laser is being used without smoke or haze, ok, at least you see the pretty light beams shine on the walls :D

Regards,

Mendoza.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

The point I'm making here is that a laser can be used in a whole host of venues regardless if they allow smoke or haze machines, if the client wishes to have a laser, thats fine. If a laser is being used without smoke or haze, ok, at least you see the pretty light beams shine on the walls :D



But that is just the point. Lasers are rubbish without smoke or haze and you can't tell me otherwise.

By their very nature you need to see the beams for them to have that wow factor, not a couple of dots on a wall.

I was making the point that there are a lot better and more versatile effects for the money. :rolleyes:

[eu4n]

I was making the point that there are a lot better and more versatile effects for the money. :rolleyes:

I get the impression that if used properly a laser is an effect you can get no other way and it does have a wow factor that other lights can’t match. However to be effective you have to use some sort of atmosphere (smoke or haze etc) otherwise all you will see is little dots on the wall (like any other laser).
It is a very expensive effect to only use once and I can't see myself using it often, once or twice a month maybe due to the majority of venues not allowing smoke or haze. I also realise that the budget I originally specified could be far better spent on other effects and not a laser that I am hardly going to use.

I am very grateful for the pro's and con's highlighted in this topic and it has made me seriously consider my options rather than just go and get an expensive laser I am never going to use again. This aside, as I will have to make the decision myself, are there any other lasers beside the Purelight lasers that people use or would recommend?

Any other advice is also great, what LED Par’s do people have?

[Vectis]

Lasers are rubbish without smoke or haze and you can't tell me otherwise.

I'd have agreed with you until about 3 weeks ago when I was at a new venue which had a pyramid-shaped atrium with silver-coloured venetian blinds against all 4 windows. I was told 'no smoke' so rigged 4 Purelights (2 green, 2 red) to point into the atrium from different angles... and WOW! You had all 4 running through their patterns on StL firing off of the silver blinds and the whole thing looked amazing. So much so I caught loads of the audience sitting there looking up all night!! Just brought the whole venue to life it was way cool.

But for your general run-of-the-mill social club with a 'no smoke' rule, they're rubbish :o

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Having said that about lasers without smoke, have a look at this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDOXGscnBq0

A lot of waffle first though...:sj:

[Vectis]

Hmmm....

Nice concept... can't wait to see Gen2.

2 comments:

1. Doesn't look a whole lot different to my laserball, which still gets really good comments from folks (kinda needs haze though).

2. Would worry about the static nature of the beams at certain points during the program.

[mr rusty]

There is more useful FAQ on use of lasers here (http://lasershowsafety.org/faq.htm)

[sleah]

If these mobile disco lasers were that hazardous to the general public, do you think they'd be retailing them?

You can buy lots of things that are dangerous:eek: I wish what you were saying was true; They really shouldn't be just sold to anyone, particularly retail to the public, they should be trade only.
The germans are selling a flame machine for about a grand. The thing could kill anyone too close, not to mention burn down buildings. It doesn't bare thinking about:eek: , it makes pyrotechnics look like kiddies play things....
What's worse, is that it uses DMX!!!!:eek: Even without knowing how they've implimented it, I'd be *really* scared, DMX has no error checking and is notorious for glitches and spikes, generally you don't notice all the errors with DMX, but it should never ever be used to control things that could kill or injure people with one stray bit of data.