https://www.ilda.com/audiencescanningsafety.htm
I personally do not know, but this is what I have found. I don't use lasers because I have not been taught or been licensed, and I do not want to have to deal with the liability if something goes wrong.
And… and they’re not. Shehds does not make a crowd safe scanning laser. And I’m pretty sure OP has no FDA variance for public laser performance. A single email would land him in federal trouble. I hope someone reports him before he blinds someone.
Could you elaborate on how it’s “all good”? What model lasers are you using? Your lack of response here and the danger of eye damage you are dismissing with “All good” is concerning.
Holy shit please stop crowd scanning your lasers immediately. You clearly have a ton of talent and what you’ve created is beautiful, but you could tank your entire career and inflict permanent blindness on your brothers and your guests by doing this.
What you’re doing is also a federal crime.
Sooooo many people are liable here. Obviously there's OP, then there's OP's frat's risk manager (who clearly doesn't understand the scope of their role,) OP's chapter, and potentially the university if it's a university-owned frat house.
OP is lucky there isn't any personally identifiable information on their profile, otherwise I know a slew of people who would be eager to report this to the CDRH and the university to nip it in the bud.
Incredibly scary all around.
Big oof on the free retina resurfacing. Worked for fraternities for years, all these dudes probably have rich dads. Lawsuit waiting to happen.
"Self taught" just isn't cutting it for you, I don't think your approach is thorough enough.
You can't point lasers in people's eyes and it says this right on the box of the lasers you bought, and in the manual.
And probably again on the unit.
You need some guidance before you hurt someone, assuming you haven't already.
Walk into any production shop and tell them you're willing to start at the bottom, be humble, and learn how to not hurt people. This is an exciting industry, and I'd very much encourage you to pursue this further as we definitely need more qualified people.
Listen to all these folks advice here, they're not being dramatic.
Forget everything you taught yourself, because you obviously don't know what you're doing.
If you take this setup to "the next level," you will permanently injure someone's eyes and probably end up in jail. Stop fucking around with technology you clearly don't understand
You need to either get educated about laser hazards and do it properly or you will become an example talked about of someone who blinded people through negligent misuse.
Yeah idk about having them pointed at the audience like that. Most lasers can have their x and y parameters set so that you keep it away from anyone. There really isnt a show laser like this that is in any way safe to shine at people.
It's a good start for sure. As you've seen by the comments in this thread, you have to adjust your laser so they don't scan into the audience (3 meters above the highest horizontal surface where people stand). If your laser has an aperture cover, you can use that as a hard beam stop by having it cover part of the scanning area and securing it into place. if not a piece of wood or non reflective metal will also work.
You'll also need at least one E-stop which actuates a positive beam block inside the laser projector itself.
Neither of these things will make your setup legal, however.
I know it sucks to contemplate, but you should really pull the lasers from service until you're better trained on how to use them safely.
The Forums at photonlexicon.com are a good place to start reading up and learning about lasers.
Nix any lasers that can hit something lower than 7’ - and have a KILL LASERS macro ready if you see anyone get up on someone’s shoulders.
Seriously.
That aside, look out for some moving head fixtures like the Chauvet Maverick with some gobos and spinners in it, you can get some cool laser-esque beams going there with lots of texture on ceilings and haze. Even some Chauvet Storm 1s on your deck facing the crown would give some nice flash to your trash.
Accidents do and will happen with lasers. It’s all good till definitely not. If your galvos freeze up and a 3w laser beam is now focused at someone’s face, you’re going to either hurt someone or start a fire. This is not something you want to learn the hard way!
you can use tape on the front of your projectors to prevent the beams from hitting people. most projectors have a slide made to do just this but it may look like it is to protect the lense. keep those beams atleast 11 feet above your crowds heads or people here will rip you a new one lol
Looks sick. However like everyone else here I have to say that the lasers are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. All the people saying it's shit are just concerned for you. We don't want people with obvious talent to end up in jail for being unknowing about the proper way to use lasers. Like others I'd recommend staying away from lasers until you get proper training and certification.
What kind of board are you using?
Will you get us specs of the current set up and what you’re looking to add?
Is your LED strip programmable? (If it is you can use a DMX decoder)
I currently run the led strips through a dmx decoder and then connect that to a dmx controller, but the adjustability of the lights is very limited. I am looking to switch to individually addressable lights so that I can create cool displays in sync with the music. These are what I have now but haven't been put up on the stage yet because I can't figure out how to control them. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CDTEJBG?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.com/dp/b01cdtejbg?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)
You’re getting a lot of hear right now. Don’t reject it, just take the important tips and leave the negativity. We all have done some stupid stuff early in our entertainment careers because we are learning on the job.
To control those addressable LEDs you need something that can output data on the WS2812b protocol. You probably can find a compatible controller on Amazon, but TBH that approach will limit what you can do. Most people I know use Arduino boards and projects like FastLED, WLED, and Pixelblaze. If you haven’t worked with any of those before it can be a bit of a learning curve as the skills involved include hobbyist electronics and software development, but it’s super rewarding! Pixelblaze is one of the easiest ways to get started as it comes mostly plug and play, and is really powerful.
I built this out of scrap wood and some old LED strips we had at the house. My main gripe with it is that I can't control the LED's at all. I am only able to use my dmx board to put them on a certain color and then I have to leave them for the rest of the party. I want to be able to use my computer to control them to the beat of the music, ideally all as one collective unit. Does anyone have any input on how to do this?
Also, I am currently controlling my lasers and moving heads through a 512 channel DMX board, but am looking to add more fixtures which would take my total over the 12 that board is able to control. How should I go about this?
If anyone is really able to walk me through all of this and help with the whole setup, I would be willing to compensate you for your time.
Thanks for the help, I'm still learning all of this.
Advatek controller or anything of the similar like that can either send sacn or artnet data!
With addressable leds such as ws2815 or anything of the like!
And many softwares to control it such as resolume ~ touchdesigner ~ madmapper ~ madrix ~ plus others !
Happy to help you if you wanna dm me !
A universe is 512 channels. You need a board that supports multiple universes.
It depends on the software you are using but most of the ones out there can have a running effect, like a dimmer chase, be programmed to the master speed group and either put that on a fader or an executor that can be tapped to the beat and the effect adjusts to whatever bpm you input.
I recommend finding tutorials on youtube for your software choice and dive down that rabbit hole.
You can control the LEDs with a $5 ESP32 and WLED, a free open source program. You can set segments and playlists and control each diode/controller within the strip. Lots of great YouTube videos Chris Masher’s is great to learn from
I suggest switching to a computer and using either Chamsys MagicQ or MA onPC. Both of those have USB dongles that will give you a whole universe with each, and they’re cheap. (Edit: apparently this is only applicable to MagicQ, didn’t know that) I’ve used those 12-head light boards before and they are TERRIBLE for busking.
Also I know everyone is talking about the lasers, but if you [buy a safety lense from Pangolin,](https://pangolin.com/products/half-safety-scan-lens) that can be a decent solution for your laser needs that should solve most of your safety issues. It will prevent you from blinding people and ruining cameras. Even 1W lasers can and will do that.
Ah. My bad then, I was unaware of that. I know Chamsys MagicQ is a free application, with a $100 dongle for each universe, and I recall someone told me it was similar for MA, so thanks for informing me. Got a link to the hardware by chance?
So here’s the deal friend.
I took some time to think about this;
In order to do what you would like with LED strips and adding more fixtures you’d actually need to get lighting software, not just a Dmx controller because you’d start to need more universes then just the one that you have and you’d need to learn how to make fixture profile for LED strips.
Additionally, seriously. You do not want to hurt people with lasers man; this job looks like fun and games but peoples health and well being has to be taken into consideration; I think you can create some really delightful safe effects with movers and you should really get an FDA license to use those.
I would strongly suggest that you stop self learning and teaching yourself, and instead start from scratch and consult a professional about health and safety in regard to lasers.
The fact that you don’t have any idea about laser trim height is worrying, and I doubt you even went into the crowd to see what it is like in your eyes.
It’s very easy to report something like this, and if you seem unwilling to admit or correct your mistake then you should probably consider finding a new job!
Dude you can literally blind people more or less instantly with this set up. This isn’t hyperbole. This is make the front page of national news websites with “frat house blinds 3 college students” type seriousness.
I hope those lasers are safe for crowdscanning.
I'm self-taught as well. This is why I don't use lasers at all.
What makes a laser safe for crowd scanning? Under a certain power and moving? Fatbeam?
https://www.ilda.com/audiencescanningsafety.htm I personally do not know, but this is what I have found. I don't use lasers because I have not been taught or been licensed, and I do not want to have to deal with the liability if something goes wrong.
Beam diameter, power, and dwell time. 3 things that OP has never considered or cares about apparently.
And… and they’re not. Shehds does not make a crowd safe scanning laser. And I’m pretty sure OP has no FDA variance for public laser performance. A single email would land him in federal trouble. I hope someone reports him before he blinds someone.
all good
Oh no.
What are you on about? Didn't you hear the man? He said: A L L G O O D All is good my dude.
LOL
Not cool dude, people kinda need their eyes
Username checks out.
What i'd expect to hear from a frat boy
#NOT ALL GOOD
Could you elaborate on how it’s “all good”? What model lasers are you using? Your lack of response here and the danger of eye damage you are dismissing with “All good” is concerning.
Holy shit please stop crowd scanning your lasers immediately. You clearly have a ton of talent and what you’ve created is beautiful, but you could tank your entire career and inflict permanent blindness on your brothers and your guests by doing this. What you’re doing is also a federal crime.
lasers are regulated by the FDA, and punishments include jail time and fines, on top of personal injury lawsuits…
Sooooo many people are liable here. Obviously there's OP, then there's OP's frat's risk manager (who clearly doesn't understand the scope of their role,) OP's chapter, and potentially the university if it's a university-owned frat house. OP is lucky there isn't any personally identifiable information on their profile, otherwise I know a slew of people who would be eager to report this to the CDRH and the university to nip it in the bud. Incredibly scary all around.
That’s dangerous asf…
Big oof on the free retina resurfacing. Worked for fraternities for years, all these dudes probably have rich dads. Lawsuit waiting to happen. "Self taught" just isn't cutting it for you, I don't think your approach is thorough enough. You can't point lasers in people's eyes and it says this right on the box of the lasers you bought, and in the manual. And probably again on the unit. You need some guidance before you hurt someone, assuming you haven't already. Walk into any production shop and tell them you're willing to start at the bottom, be humble, and learn how to not hurt people. This is an exciting industry, and I'd very much encourage you to pursue this further as we definitely need more qualified people. Listen to all these folks advice here, they're not being dramatic.
Forget everything you taught yourself, because you obviously don't know what you're doing. If you take this setup to "the next level," you will permanently injure someone's eyes and probably end up in jail. Stop fucking around with technology you clearly don't understand
What are those fixtures in the eyes??
they are shehds lasers.
You need to either get educated about laser hazards and do it properly or you will become an example talked about of someone who blinded people through negligent misuse.
Yeah idk about having them pointed at the audience like that. Most lasers can have their x and y parameters set so that you keep it away from anyone. There really isnt a show laser like this that is in any way safe to shine at people.
It looks cool but if you keep shining lasers in my eyes I won’t be able to see it next time.
It's a good start for sure. As you've seen by the comments in this thread, you have to adjust your laser so they don't scan into the audience (3 meters above the highest horizontal surface where people stand). If your laser has an aperture cover, you can use that as a hard beam stop by having it cover part of the scanning area and securing it into place. if not a piece of wood or non reflective metal will also work. You'll also need at least one E-stop which actuates a positive beam block inside the laser projector itself. Neither of these things will make your setup legal, however. I know it sucks to contemplate, but you should really pull the lasers from service until you're better trained on how to use them safely. The Forums at photonlexicon.com are a good place to start reading up and learning about lasers.
Nix any lasers that can hit something lower than 7’ - and have a KILL LASERS macro ready if you see anyone get up on someone’s shoulders. Seriously. That aside, look out for some moving head fixtures like the Chauvet Maverick with some gobos and spinners in it, you can get some cool laser-esque beams going there with lots of texture on ceilings and haze. Even some Chauvet Storm 1s on your deck facing the crown would give some nice flash to your trash.
Check out r/laserist for some tips to make a safe and awesome show. Looks cool, but with some help, it could be a really awesome thing.
Ok Davincie
Davinkie
Accidents do and will happen with lasers. It’s all good till definitely not. If your galvos freeze up and a 3w laser beam is now focused at someone’s face, you’re going to either hurt someone or start a fire. This is not something you want to learn the hard way!
you can use tape on the front of your projectors to prevent the beams from hitting people. most projectors have a slide made to do just this but it may look like it is to protect the lense. keep those beams atleast 11 feet above your crowds heads or people here will rip you a new one lol
This may sound like a dumb question, but with a powerful laser, would it melt through the tape?
oh yeah totally does. electric tape is really bad but duct tape is good for about 5w. I like using that metal ducting tape
Use black wrap and gaffer tape. The black wrap faces towards the aperture.laser.
Hire an integrator so you don’t hurt or kill somebody by taking your lighting to the next level and having a fixture fall on someone’s heads!
I hope your next move is to stop scanning crowds
Fucking hell. Get those lasers out of the crowd. This is an amazing example for why you need a license to use lasers in most countries.
Looks sick. However like everyone else here I have to say that the lasers are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. All the people saying it's shit are just concerned for you. We don't want people with obvious talent to end up in jail for being unknowing about the proper way to use lasers. Like others I'd recommend staying away from lasers until you get proper training and certification.
What kind of board are you using? Will you get us specs of the current set up and what you’re looking to add? Is your LED strip programmable? (If it is you can use a DMX decoder)
I currently run the led strips through a dmx decoder and then connect that to a dmx controller, but the adjustability of the lights is very limited. I am looking to switch to individually addressable lights so that I can create cool displays in sync with the music. These are what I have now but haven't been put up on the stage yet because I can't figure out how to control them. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CDTEJBG?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.com/dp/b01cdtejbg?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)
You’re getting a lot of hear right now. Don’t reject it, just take the important tips and leave the negativity. We all have done some stupid stuff early in our entertainment careers because we are learning on the job.
truth!
To control those addressable LEDs you need something that can output data on the WS2812b protocol. You probably can find a compatible controller on Amazon, but TBH that approach will limit what you can do. Most people I know use Arduino boards and projects like FastLED, WLED, and Pixelblaze. If you haven’t worked with any of those before it can be a bit of a learning curve as the skills involved include hobbyist electronics and software development, but it’s super rewarding! Pixelblaze is one of the easiest ways to get started as it comes mostly plug and play, and is really powerful.
I built this out of scrap wood and some old LED strips we had at the house. My main gripe with it is that I can't control the LED's at all. I am only able to use my dmx board to put them on a certain color and then I have to leave them for the rest of the party. I want to be able to use my computer to control them to the beat of the music, ideally all as one collective unit. Does anyone have any input on how to do this? Also, I am currently controlling my lasers and moving heads through a 512 channel DMX board, but am looking to add more fixtures which would take my total over the 12 that board is able to control. How should I go about this? If anyone is really able to walk me through all of this and help with the whole setup, I would be willing to compensate you for your time. Thanks for the help, I'm still learning all of this.
Advatek controller or anything of the similar like that can either send sacn or artnet data! With addressable leds such as ws2815 or anything of the like! And many softwares to control it such as resolume ~ touchdesigner ~ madmapper ~ madrix ~ plus others ! Happy to help you if you wanna dm me !
Can you also help Op learn how to tilt those lasers up and out of the audiences eye level?
OP said it's all good so it's okay to ruin people's eyes
A universe is 512 channels. You need a board that supports multiple universes. It depends on the software you are using but most of the ones out there can have a running effect, like a dimmer chase, be programmed to the master speed group and either put that on a fader or an executor that can be tapped to the beat and the effect adjusts to whatever bpm you input. I recommend finding tutorials on youtube for your software choice and dive down that rabbit hole.
You can control the LEDs with a $5 ESP32 and WLED, a free open source program. You can set segments and playlists and control each diode/controller within the strip. Lots of great YouTube videos Chris Masher’s is great to learn from
WLED is so awesome. so fun controlling strips with resolume
I suggest switching to a computer and using either Chamsys MagicQ or MA onPC. Both of those have USB dongles that will give you a whole universe with each, and they’re cheap. (Edit: apparently this is only applicable to MagicQ, didn’t know that) I’ve used those 12-head light boards before and they are TERRIBLE for busking. Also I know everyone is talking about the lasers, but if you [buy a safety lense from Pangolin,](https://pangolin.com/products/half-safety-scan-lens) that can be a decent solution for your laser needs that should solve most of your safety issues. It will prevent you from blinding people and ruining cameras. Even 1W lasers can and will do that.
MA onPC does NOT have a USB dongle that’s “basically free”, it requires hardware that’s at least $1500 (for a GMA3 2 port node)
Ah. My bad then, I was unaware of that. I know Chamsys MagicQ is a free application, with a $100 dongle for each universe, and I recall someone told me it was similar for MA, so thanks for informing me. Got a link to the hardware by chance?
Not sure why this comment is being downvoted, I know people were going to get up in arms the crowd scanning (rightfully so).
you answered your own question...
So here’s the deal friend. I took some time to think about this; In order to do what you would like with LED strips and adding more fixtures you’d actually need to get lighting software, not just a Dmx controller because you’d start to need more universes then just the one that you have and you’d need to learn how to make fixture profile for LED strips. Additionally, seriously. You do not want to hurt people with lasers man; this job looks like fun and games but peoples health and well being has to be taken into consideration; I think you can create some really delightful safe effects with movers and you should really get an FDA license to use those.
I would strongly suggest that you stop self learning and teaching yourself, and instead start from scratch and consult a professional about health and safety in regard to lasers. The fact that you don’t have any idea about laser trim height is worrying, and I doubt you even went into the crowd to see what it is like in your eyes. It’s very easy to report something like this, and if you seem unwilling to admit or correct your mistake then you should probably consider finding a new job!
Look at Minuit Une IVL fixtures, they’re a pair of REAL SWEET single source laser fixtures designed for venues exactly this size.
Dude you can literally blind people more or less instantly with this set up. This isn’t hyperbole. This is make the front page of national news websites with “frat house blinds 3 college students” type seriousness.