FUNDAMENTALS OF

LASER DISPLAY FOR

HOLIDAY DECOR
Adam Raugh, 2017

www.x-laser.com
 CONTENTS
Introduction 3
About the author 3
What is a LASER? 4
Lasers are distinct 4
Spatial coherence 4
Temporal coherence/monochromatic 4
High energy density 5
How do laser projectors work? 6
What are laser projectors used for? 8
What do lasers do well, and what are they not suited for? 10
How safe are lasers? 12
Laser classifications 12
Class 1 lasers 12
Class 2 lasers 12
Class 3R lasers 12
Class 3B lasers 12
Class 4 lasers 12
Laser hazards by class 13
Wait, what? The FDA? 14
Class 3B and Class 4 require variances 14
Variance rule 1: Use legal, compliant laser projectors 15
Variance rule 2: Prevent human access to the beams 15
Variance rule 3: Do not run unterminated outdoor shows 15
Variance rule 4: Have a laser light show variance 15
What kind of effects would I use a laser projector for in a holiday light display? 16
How big of a laser do I need? 17
How do you program and control a laser? 18
Control hardware and software 18
Laser control interpreters 19
Pangolin laser control software (Quickshow, Beyond) 20
Control schemes 21
Direct computer control 21
Triggering computer control via DMX 22
Triggering DAC directly with DMX/Art-Net 23
How do I get the laser to make me money? 24
What did we skip? 25
Conclusion 25

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 INTRODUCTION
This is an overview of the fundamentals of laser projectors including how they work,
what theyre capable of and how to use them to display laser graphics specifically for
holiday decor. At the end of reading this guide, you will have a solid understanding of
what laser projectors do well, what they dont do well, how to specify laser projectors
for holiday decor projects and how laser projectors can integrate with existing light show
control systems.

Please note that as this is a quick introduction of the fundamentals. Some of the topics
here have been simplified to their barest elements. Like all technical topics, there are
thousands of minor details, but the purpose here is to focus on the core elements of the
subject matter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam Raugh got his start in the event production industry as a carpenter, welder and
rigger at CenterStage in Baltimore, Md. From there, he got into other aspects of event
production such as lighting and sound. Then, he spent a few years designing fire alarm
systems and fell into designing laser projectors in 2009. Like everyone else reading this,
Adam takes his holiday decorating seriously. For Christmas and New Years celebrations,
he has three lasers affixed to the roof, projecting a coordinated show that ties into a
custom-built LED strip controller that matches the set of LED strips to the laser show. For
Halloween, one laser on the roof complements the projection-mapped pumpkins, five fog
machines, several moving head lights, strobes and a home-built flame tower.

Adam is the President and owner of X-Laser. X-Laser was formed in 2007 when the
founder discovered it was extremely difficult to get into laser projectors. They were
large, expensive, complex to use and service, and their use carried large legal challenges.
Currently, X-Laser is the largest manufacturer of laser light show systems in the U.S.; over
half of all new laser variance holders over the past six years have been X-Laser users. This
is something were very proud of and we have made it our company mission to make
lasers accessible. Today, laser projectors are smaller, cheaper, safer, more rugged and
easier to use than ever, thanks to X-Laser and our partner companies in the industry.

X-Laser provides laser projectors for everyone from wedding DJs to Walt Disney
Imagineering, and were proud to offer the largest support network of any laser projector
manufacturer in the world.

www.x-laser.com
 WHAT IS A LASER?
We could easily fill pages and pages with this portion alone, but for our purposes,
were going to go with the most basic of overviews here.

LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. There are a
few different ways that LASER (frequently de-acronymed as laser) beams are generated,
but the most common method today is through the use of small semiconductors.

WHAT MAKES LASER SPECIAL?

Spatial coherence
Laser beams are comprised of coherent light, which makes them inherently very tight
and directional. A collimated laser beam of high power can literally be seen from miles
away. Some kinds of lasers are naturally lower in divergence (the basic measurement
of beam spread) than others. Gas or plasma lasers using elements like Helium Neon,
Argon or Copper Bromide naturally have extremely tight beams, whereas a Gallium
Arsenide semiconductor diode may produce laser light that appears more like a
flashlight. The property of spatial coherence is what makes a laser beam so distinctively
tight. By contrast, a light bulb is an example of light with little spatial coherence, as its
omnidirectional and light spreads in all directions from the source. The spatial coherence
of laser is so extreme that with the proper equipment, you can target retroreflectors on
the moon with a laser beam and determine its distance from earth by measuring the time
it takes for the laser beam to return to earth.

Temporal coherence/monochromatic
Lasers also inherently have extremely high temporal coherence, meaning they are
extremely monochromatic. To help understand this, the sun radiates light of every
wavelength, from low ultraviolet through high infrared, and we only see light and color in
the 380nm to 900nm range. Your typical incandescent light bulb also covers a wide range
of ~400nm to 850nm. LEDs typically emit +/-20nm. By contrast, lasers are typically 1nm
long in wavelength. Even lasers that appear to be multicolor (even gas lasers) are actually
multiple monochromatic lasers combined to appear to be a wider range of colors. This
property of temporal coherence is what makes laser light so highly saturated.

Laser 1nm
Light source

LED 20nm

Incandescent 450nm

0 520
Range of visible spectrum covered (in nm)
Infographic: Comparing temporal coherence of laser and other light sources. Note the visible spectrum is 380nm-900nm.

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 WHAT IS A LASER?
High energy density
Lasers are typically very low-power devices these days. Laser output power is
measured in watts, not lumens or candlepower. While a 25-watt incandescent bulb
is barely enough to light a closet and a 25-watt LED lighting fixture is a nice parcan,
a 25-watt laser projector is a stadium-level piece of gear. This is all related to spatial
coherence. Because that 25 watts of laser is focused down into a 3mm beam, its power
density is much, much greater than when its spread out into a larger beam. Its just like
taking a flashlight and focusing it to a tighter beam to make it seem brighter. Youre not
changing the power of the flashlight, rather, youre changing the power density of your
spot of light. Its this high energy density that makes laser projectors extremely bright for
their power level, as well as what makes them dangerous if used improperly.

20,000
Brightness in lumens (lm, approximate)

13,000 lm*
*604 luminous efficacy of 532nm laser x 25W x .89 luminosity function of 532nm
604 x 25 x .89 = ~13,000

2,000 lm

250 lm
0
25W incandescent 25W LED 25W laser (532nm green)
Light source

Infographic: Comparing approximate lumen outputs of 25W fixtures.

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 WHAT IS A LASER?
HOW DO LASER PROJECTORS WORK?
Color mixing
At their core, all laser light show projectors (except starburst projectors) are built in
the same way and work in the
same fashion. Between one
and six laser beams, most
commonly three (red, green
and blue) are combined using
a series of very specialized
dichroic mirror filters. The
laser beam is directed onto
two mirrors mounted on very
precise, high-speed motors
called galvanometers. These
two mirrors move based on
the input from the controller,
and sweep the beam through
a series of points to form an
image. The human eye and our
brain can only interpret visual
information so quickly, so if the
beam moves fast enough, Photo: Red, green and blue beams combine to form a white beam,
which bounces off two scanner mirrors.
it appears to be a single image
to us and our eyes.

Persistence of vision
For example, if you take a laser pointer and point it at the wall, you just see a dot. But
if you move that pointer side to side slowly, you will see a dot moving side to side. Begin
to increase the rate at which you move the pointer side to side, and as you move it faster
and faster, youll begin to see the dot turn into a short line, and then a longer line. This is
commonly referred to as persistence of vision.

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 WHAT IS A LASER?
Scanner mirrors
So to project a square, the two scanner mirrors will move the laser beam through a
series of five points. You can see a graphical demonstration of this below:

Point 1 (origin) Point 2 (top left) Point 3 (top right) Point 4 (bottom right) Point 5 (bottom left)

1) The origin point (Point 1), bottom left, is where the image begins.
2) Point 2, top left. To get to this point, only the Y-axis mirror moves.
3) Point 3, top right. To get to this point, the X-axis mirror moves while the Y-axis
mirror stays in one place.
4) Point 4, bottom right. To get to this point, the X-axis mirror remains stationary
while the Y-axis mirror sweeps down.
5) Point 5, bottom left. This time, only the X-axis mirror moved to complete the
square. Typically this is where the pattern repeats.

All of this happens quickly enough that to the human eye, it appears to just be
a square, but in reality its a single beam being swept through a few points. Laser
projectors are not limited to straight lines; a circle is easily made by moving both the X
and Y mirrors at the same time in a sine wave pattern, with a slight phase offset.

Color control is done through some electronic tricks too. With an incandescent light
source, you filter the light to remove the wavelengths you dont want, like putting on a
yellow filter to get yellow light, for example. With LED, you add different wavelength
ranges together in different amounts to make certain colors, combining red, green and
amber in different amounts to get yellow. Laser projectors function in exactly the same
way, but generally with fewer available wavelengths. To get yellow in a laser projector,
you turn on red and green, and to get orange you would turn the green down. You can
do this color mixing manually, or let the software figure it out for you. To get blank spaces
in laser lines, all the laser diodes have to do is turn off.

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 LASER APPLICATIONS
WHAT ARE LASER PROJECTORS USED FOR?
Aerial beams
By far, the most common usage of laser projectors is for aerial beam effects in
nightclubs, at concerts, in theatrical productions and in similar entertainment applications.
These types of shows are ones where aerial laser effects are programmed to produce
certain patterns, typically in sync with music or other visual effects such as video.

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 LASER APPLICATIONS
Graphics, signage and more
Today, there are also a large number of cases where the graphics capabilities of laser
projectors are starting to stand out. Laser projectors are used in industrial applications to
point out cutting patterns or fastener order, in digital signage and advertising for writing
on the side of large buildings, in art for abstract effects like onto waterfalls, and for
planetarium-style shows.

www.x-laser.com
 LASER APPLICATIONS
WHAT DO LASER PROJECTORS DO WELL,
AND WHAT ARE THEY NOT SUITED FOR?
Living neon
In the context of graphics projection, lasers are unbeatable at living neon-style
projections. Laser projectors create effects that are inherently ultra high in saturation, so
producing incredibly vivid colors is simple. The infinite contrast ratio of laser projectors
helps them pop even further. When it comes to simple graphics that need to stand out or
even be animated, theres nothing better than laser projection.

Works great! ...not so great

Simple shapes Complex shapes

Scrolling text Long, static text

Basic logos Intricate logos

Living neon Filling space

Photo: An example of a living neon type Line art Raster graphics

laser image, with minimal complexity

No frills, no fills
What laser projectors arent very good at is complexity and filling a space. While
a video projector doesnt care how complex an image is and its projecting the same
number of pixels at all times, a laser projector works completely differently and sweeps
a single beam through a number of points. This means that laser cant do area fills or
raster graphics well like a video projector can. Its best to consider the laser as being
an infinitely reconfigurable neon sign. Anything that would look good as neon is going
to look great in laser, and anything thats too complex to look good in neon (complex
graphics, lots of text, etc.) is not going to work well as a laser design.

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 LASER APPLICATIONS
Operational basics
Laser projector systems are unique from other kinds of lighting fixtures, and there
are some specific characteristics about them that make using laser projector systems a
specialized skill. Here are three helpful points and technical considerations to keep in
mind when considering using a laser system in your lighting setup:

1) Laser projectors are typically more rugged than video projectors, but less so than
a basic lighting fixture like an LED parcan. Lasers love cooler temperatures and will
be happy all day long at 30F, but dont deal well with temperatures >100F.

IDEAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE RANGE FOR LASER PROJECTOR SYSTEMS

10F 100F
too cold too hot

0F 50F 100F

Infographic: Laser ideal temperature operating range, 10F to 100F

2) Laser projectors have very low power requirements, as even big 20W stadium-level
projectors draw only 3 amps at 115V.

3) Laser projectors have no focal length. Unlike a gobo projector that must be
focused and can only go a set distance from the projection surface, it doesnt matter
to the laser if its 10 feet away or 100 feet away - your image will still be sharp.

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 LASER SAFETY
HOW SAFE ARE LASERS?
Lasers exist in power levels from 0.1mW to 1000 terawatts. In laser display, most
products fall into the 5mW to 50 watt range. In the U.S., lasers are divided into classes by
the FDA based on their output power level.
Laser classifications
Class 1 lasers can be any power level, but access to the beam must be impossible.
Class 1 products include CD and DVD players, industrial cutting lasers, etc.

Class 2 lasers are lasers below 1mW. This category includes bar code scanners.

Class 3R lasers are 1mW to 5mW. This is the category many laser pointers and
starfield effect lasers live in. Please note that output for these systems is as measured
at 10cm from the output aperture of the laser projector, so a starfield laser may
have a 50mW source laser, but its measured as being less than 5mW because the
diffraction grating splits the beam into hundreds of smaller beams.

Class 3B lasers are 5mW to 500mW. This class is where many smaller laser projectors
fit, such as DJ lasers and indoor laser projection systems.

Class 4 lasers are anything above 500mW. This can be anything from a small, 1W
nightclub projector to the huge 50W lasers used in stadiums and concerts.

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 LASER SAFETY
Laser hazards by class
Please note that the following is a simplification for the purposes of developing a basic
understanding of the general risks. The effects of lasers on eye safety is a complex topic,
and these points are merely rough guidelines.

Class 1 and Class 2 lasers pose no practical eye hazard whatsoever and have no
special legal or safety requirements other than some basic labeling. These lasers do not
require a variance.

Class 3R lasers pose no practical eye hazard. More people have been hurt by poking
themselves in the eye with properly classified class 3R laser pointers than have suffered
eye damage from the laser component of the device. Class 3R lasers are not by default
safe and legal to shine at people, but on a practical level they pose little hazard, and tens
of thousands of people are exposed to Class 3R lasers every day. We do not advocate or
condone exposing people to class 3R laser beams, but there is little risk involved. These
lasers do not require a variance.

The big issue with Class 3R as a classification is that there is a large number of laser
pointers that have been grossly misclassified. Pointers labeled as Class 3R are often
more than ten times the 5mW legal limit for Class 3R. Laser pointers are inherently more
dangerous than scanning lasers because they emit only a single solid beam, which well
explain further below.

Class 3B lasers are unlikely to pose any eye hazards, but you should absolutely avoid
exposing their output to people at all times. A 500mW beam is capable of lighting a
cigarette, but only at a fairly close distance (3 feet or less), and only if its not scanning.
This ties into why laser pointers are inherently more dangerous than scanning lasers.
There are controls built into most scanning laser projectors that prevent them from
emitting a single standing beam at full power unless you intentionally override several
controls. By contrast, laser pointers are always emitting a single, solid, full-power beam,
so they inherently have a higher power density over time. You can think of this by
comparing it to a faucet running extremely hot water. If you move your hand quickly
through the water, youll barely feel it, but if you hold your hand in one place under the
scalding hot water, youll get burned quickly. In a safety sense, its all a matter of how
much energy is able to enter your hand (or eye) over a short time.

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 LASER SAFETY
Laser hazards by class (cont.)
Class 4 lasers can range from being minimally hazardous at the 500mW to ~2W level,
to being a serious eye, skin and fire hazard at the 20W level and above. Output from
Class 4 lasers should always be kept away from people unless you have very specific
controls in place that are outside of the scope of this overview. Some Class 4 lasers have
the ability to blind people nearly instantly if used incorrectly. Class 4 lasers are typically
out of the scope of what would be used in holiday decorations.

All that being said, as of the time of this writing there have been no reported injuries
from compliant laser projectors used properly in the US since 1977, which is when the
FDA began tracking this information.

Wait, what? The FDA?

Thats right; laser projectors are technically
non-ionizing radiation-emitting devices, and as such, laser projectors in the United States
are regulated by the Center for Diseases and Radiological Health at the Food and Drug
Administration. All lasers in the U.S. are regulated by the FDA, even the CD player in your
car, but its just a matter of the degree to which theyre regulated. The FDA requires Class
1, Class 2 and Class 3R laser manufacturers to provide them with compliance paperwork,
but asks nothing of the consumers using those products.

Class 3B and Class 4 lasers are illegal to own and operate by default, but you can
get a variance from the FDA to be able to vary from the law and legally own and use
one of these projectors. That does sound like an awful process, and to be frank, it used
to be. Ten years ago, it was the standard that you had to fill out 40 pages of complex
paperwork and wait two years to get an FDA variance before you could even buy or build
a laser projector.

Weve worked directly with the FDA to dramatically simplify the variance process.
Now when you buy a laser projector you also get a kit to help you apply for your laser
projector variance. You go onto a website and plug in your information, which takes
about 10 minutes, and we fill out all the technical information about your laser projector
for you. You dont need to know if the green laser in your projector is a 532nm DPSS or a
520nm GAn Direct Injection Diode - we handle all the technical details. Then, we submit
the variance application to the FDA on your behalf and you receive your variance in the
mail between two weeks and two months later.

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 LASER SAFETY
FDA variance rules
There are some rules and regulations to using a Class 3B or Class 4 laser. These
regulations can be complex if youre pushing the envelope of what can be done legally,
but they also can boil down to four simple points:

1) Use legal, compliant laser projectors. Laser projectors from overseas arent just
poorly built; theyre also usually illegal and non-compliant. If caught, the use of illegal
and/or non-compliant projectors can lead to huge fines of up to $250,000 and a max
sentence of five years in federal prison.

2) Prevent human access to the beams. This can be as simple as keeping the
projectors output over everyones heads, or as complex as having motion sensor
relays shut off the laser if anyone comes near it. Typically, laser operators control
access by mounting the projector up high or by using physical barriers.

3) Do not run unterminated outdoor shows without proper FAA clearance.

This doesnt apply to most folks interested in primarily graphics projections, but
if you are doing an outdoor aerial show, dont shoot laser beams into the open air
without proper FAA clearance.

4) Have a laser light show variance. As mentioned before, we can help you with
this, and the process is simple.

From an operational standpoint, there is a simple phrase that can help you remember
laser safety basics, as it relates to FDA rules No. 2 and No. 3 above:

Lasers: Not for eyes, not for skies.

As we explained earlier, Class 3B and Class 4 lasers like those that we produce do
pose an eye hazard. While this hazard is generally insignificant, it is always best to never
project laser beams toward anyones eyes.

The reason to never project laser beams into the open sky is for the safety of pilots.
Aircraft windshields use a special type of glass that when hit by a laser, the beam flares
and produces a blinding amount of light. The FAA enforces this with strict penalties for
anyone found to be aiming lasers skyward.

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 HOLIDAY LASER SHOWS
WHAT CAN I USE A LASER PROJECTOR FOR
IN MY HOLIDAY LIGHTING SHOW?
Bold, crisp graphics
Lasers can be used for tons of different effects ranging from stunning liquid skies to
projected Aurora Borealis-style clouds of light. For Halloween, many haunted houses use
laser projectors to make dynamic walls of red light or ghostly astral effects. The most
common usage among our Christmas decor clients is projecting basic graphics effects.

Photo set: Examples of holiday graphics created by a laser projector. The leftmost photo
shows Christmas graphics projected onto the second level of a home, while the lighting
outlining the home is LED strips programmed in conjunction with the laser show.

Wireframe replacement
The living neon aspect of laser makes it the perfect complement or replacement to
wireframe fixtures. Single wireframe fixtures can range in price from $20 to $700, but a
laser projector is capable of the same effects plus much, much more. With a laser system,
you can easily program smoother animations, color shifts, rotations, morphs and more.
The possibilities for laser as a wireframe fixture replacement are endless and limited only
by programming time. At the end of the season, a laser system takes up much, much less
storage space than wireframes, and you dont have to commit to the same content year
after year. You can even change laser content daily with ease, or even automate it with
dynamic effects such as live countdowns.

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 HOLIDAY LASER SHOWS
HOW BIG OF A LASER PROJECTOR
DO I NEED FOR MY SHOW?
Projection surface is key
The power of laser that youll need is based almost entirely on the projection surface
you are using, and what other competing light sources you have on that surface. If youre
projecting onto a 10x10 white or light grey surface with little competing light, you can
easily get away with using a 400mW entry-level projector. If youre projecting onto a
50x50 red brick wall in daylight, not even a 40W laser will work well.

For most residential clients, we recommend a <500mW RGB projector like the Mobile
Beat Mirage. Most commercial clients will be looking to use something like the 2W
Skywriter HPX or 5W Skywriter HPX Tour. Give us a call at 866-702-7768 or email us at
sales@x-laser.com, and well provide guidance on what the best laser for your application
is, or if laser is even the right tool for the job.

Photo: A 2W laser projecting a large logo, approx. 25 x 25

Photo: A 500mW laser projecting a small graphic, approx. 5 x 5

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 LASER CONTROL
HOW DO YOU PROGRAM AND CONTROL
A LASER PROJECTOR SYSTEM?
Control hardware and software
There are many available laser control options. Weve created systems using
everything from custom controllers that change the LED lighting based on the output of
the lasers automatically, to MODBUS to SMPTE timecode programming, but the most
common control solutions are direct computer control or DMX.

There are three elements to every laser control setup for holiday decor.
1) The laser projector
2) The laser control interpreter (DAC)
3) The laser control software

For most of our clients, the DAC (Digital to Analog

Converter) they are going to want to use is an FB3 or
FB4. These are products made by a company called
Pangolin. Both FB3 and FB4 interfaces are compatible
with Quickshow and Beyond laser control software,
which Pangolin also makes. Quickshow is free with
both FB3 and FB4 DACs and will work well for many
designers, but Beyond is available as an upgrade for
anyone interested. For more advanced programmers
who want a DAC that they can interface with custom
or open source software, we recommend the Ether
Dream 2 control solution.
Photo: Assorted Pangolin DAC units and
software packages.

The FB3 and FB4 DACs function as a closed ecosystem with Quickshow and Beyond.
This makes them easy to use and hard to break, but difficult to integrate with custom
programming and custom interfaces. The Ether Dream 2 is separate from any software
package and is compatible with any software that uses the EzAudDAC standard. This
makes it possible to do more customized integrations, but this is quite advanced. We do
not provide support for the Ether Dream 2 DAC outside of basic functionality, due to this
potential complexity.

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 LASER CONTROL
Laser control interpreters
Here is a comparison chart including the laser control interpreter hardware weve
mentioned, including Pangolin FB3, Pangolin FB4 and Ether Dream 2:

Pangolin FB3 Pangolin FB4 Ether Dream 2

Cost $535 $1,140 $199

Manufacturer Pangolin Pangolin Ether Dream

Ethernet, USB, Ethernet,

Inputs USB only
DMX, Art-Net TTL*, DMX*

ILDA, DMX via

Output ILDA ILDA
internal header

Storage None MicroSD MicroSD

Compatible Quickshow, Quickshow, LSX, ILD SOS,

software Beyond Beyond LFI Player, others

Recommended Beginner to Advanced to

Beginner
skill level advanced expert

External power None 5-30V DC 8-25V DC

*optional

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 LASER CONTROL
Pangolin laser control software
For the vast majority of clients seeking to project holiday graphics and decorations,
Pangolin Quickshow or Pangolin Beyond programs are the best software solution. Heres
a chart comparing the two:
Pangolin Quickshow Pangolin Beyond

Versions - Essentials, Advanced,

Ultimate

Cost Free with FB3/FB4 DAC $795 to $3,495

Compatible with FB3, FB4 FB3, FB4, QM2000

Can trigger/be triggered by

DMX with Enttec DMX USB Pro DMX with Enttec DMX USB Pro,
DMX/Art-Net Art-Net Native (in Advanced)

Can be triggered by MIDI Via APC40, APC40 MK2, APC Mini Using any MIDI input

Pangoscript
Scripting None (depending on version)

Basic, advanced (in

Frame tools Basic Advanced), 3D modeling (in
Ultimate)
2 audio or video (in
Timeline media tracks 1 audio Essentials), unlimited (in
Advanced/Ultimate)

10 (in Essentials), unlimited

Connected DAC limit 9 DACs (in Advanced/Ultimate)

60 (in Essentials), 200 (in

Projection zones 30 Advanced/Ultimate)

80 (in Essentials), 250 (in

Workspace pages 32 Advanced/Ultimate)

UGC grid w/ keystone, pincushion, UGC grid w/ keystone,

Geometric correction pincushion, shear, formable
shear, etc. projection mesh, etc.
Setup for multiple monitors,
Other Much less complex interface multiple projectors, enhanced
reality previews, much more

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 LASER CONTROL
Pangolin software control schemes
For the purposes of this guide, we are going to focus on using the FB3/FB4
interpreter with Pangolin Quickshow, because thats by far the most common control
combination. Pangolin software only runs on Windows systems, but can run on Mac when
using a virtualizer such as Boot Camp, Parallels or VMware Fusion.

There are three ways in which most people will control their laser projectors for
holiday decor:

1) Direct computer control

2) Triggering computer control via DMX
3) Triggering the DAC directly via DMX/Art-Net

Direct computer control

Direct computer control is the simplest and most common control system. With direct
computer control, the control computer is connected to the DAC, the DAC is connected
to the laser projector and all commands are entered into the control computer. Shows are
run from the cue grid or timeline within the software.

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 LASER CONTROL
Triggering computer control via DMX
DMX triggering of the control computer offers the greatest flexibility, but also the
greatest complexity of the three options. Direct DMX control allows you to control the
software live using DMX, and using a keyboard and mouse or a MIDI controller. This
method allows you to use your computer clock for countdown timers and such as well.

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 LASER CONTROL
Triggering DAC directly with DMX/Art-Net
Direct DAC triggering with DMX or Art-Net is the tightest integration option. With
direct DAC triggering, you dont need a computer involved at all after uploading your
content to the DAC. The disadvantage is that this option is only available for the FB4
DAC. Once youve uploaded your content to the MicroSD card that goes into the FB4
DAC, the FB4 DAC functions as a media server for your laser projector.

There are many other potential laser control combinations, but these three are by far
the most common. For a more in-depth look at how these options integrate with specific
controllers, keep an eye on our YouTube page (youtube.com/xlasers).

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 LASER ROI
HOW DO I GET THE LASER TO
MAKE ME MONEY?
Residential users want to put on a top-notch show for their neighbors and friends, but
for commercial clients, there are a few things we must note about the incredible ROI for
using laser projector systems:

Lasers are a premium product in this space, and can do what no other lighting
fixture can do. Typical commercial rental rates for laser projection are 15%-25% of
your hardware purchase cost PER WEEK.

The ability to rapidly enter custom text and graphics makes it easy to offer up-sell
services for corporate sponsor logos and custom messages.

The living neon effect can be scaled to the point of writing on the sides of
buildings, providing huge effect impact in a way your competitors cant.

These projection services are not holiday specific. Make it clear to your clients that
you can project their custom logos and messages for any large events theyre having.
You can incorporate laser effects for board meetings, open houses, fundraisers, etc.,
to maximize year-round ROI.

The same hardware that does graphics projections is very capable of aerial
productions, too. You may have some cross over into the house of worship market,
and they LOVE lasers for graphics and aerials these days. We have laser content
packs specific to house of worship available by request.

For more details on how to sell your laser services to your clients and get big returns
on your equipment, contact info@x-laser.com.

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 CONCLUSION
WHAT DID WE SKIP?
We could go on and on about lasers and graphics projection for holiday decorations,
as it truly is a personal passion of ours, but in the interest of keeping this guide
approachable we focused on the fundamentals.

In doing so, here are a few of the things we glossed over:

Aerial and lumia effects Aerial effects are the most common usage of laser and
a great way to make money on your equipment out of season. There are many
practices and procedures for aerial effects that we did not get into here. If this is
something you are considering, simply contact us at sales@x-laser.com

Technical details Theres a lot of complexity in the interoperability of the

components of these systems and how that potentially affects your projections. If
you go by the living neon rule youll be fine, but if you want to project images of
greater complexity, we can help you learn how to push the limits of the equipment.

In-depth programming What we covered here is just the tip of the iceberg.
Theres even software functions within the Beyond program that gets into full 3D
modeling with camera paths and even more advanced effects.

Using laser with other effect sources. Your creativity is the only true limit, and there
are ways to combine effects like laser and video, laser and pyro, and aerial beams
with graphics projections. If you have a unique effect idea, let us help you create it!

Mercury. Our Mercury laser control system for use with lighting consoles is not
quite ready for use with projected graphics or custom images. We hope to have
Mercury ready for that workload by the 2018 Halloween/holiday decorating season.

In conclusion and next steps

Thank you for reading through this guide. Well be releasing a video series that
follows along with this guide and shows how to start programming your own laser shows,
but by far the best way to get a feel for the incredible capabilities of lasers and the
software is to try out a demo of the Quickshow or Beyond software. If you would like a
link to download the full-featured demo, please email us at info@x-laser.com.

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