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Advance Technology
Workshop
Puts Latest Display Technologies
In the Spotlight at ILDA 2000
The Advanced Technology
Workshop opened the ILDA 2000 Conference in Stuttgart with a
series of presentations that highlighted the latest advances
in laser display technology. A record 18 presentations covered
virtually all aspects of modern laser display technology—from
A (acousto-optic modulators) to Z (zone control laser safety
systems). The following summaries were compiled by William Benner,
Jr., chair of the ILDA Technical Committee, with the aid of Frank
Plughoff and Kelly Plughoff of Full Spectrum Lasers.
Scanners
Cambridge Technology
Model 6220, 6230 Scanners
The ATW opened with Martina Casey presenting new Cambridge galvanometers
that can accommodate the larger diameter beams produced by solid-state
lasers. The new 6220 and 6230 models offer large mirrors that
support aperture sizes of up to 10mm. Despite the larger mirrors,
performance is superior to the Cambridge 6810 model. The new
scanners are an extension of the Moving Magnet with Advanced
Optical Position Detector product line, which was launched last
year with models 6200 and 6210.
(+1) 617-441-0600
www.camtech.com
Projectors &
Projector Components
NEOS Technologies
Inc.
PCAOM
Warren Seale presented a technical review of PCAOM issues including
filtering, bandwidth, throughput efficiency, RF drive frequency,
optic cell size, light polarization and acceptance angle. The
review also discussed the new NEOS PCAOM, which offers an acceptance
angle that is increased by a factor of 10 over previous models.
The larger angle translates into easier alignment and the ability
to handle larger, more divergent beams. The new, horizontally
mounted PCAOM is also smaller in size and is less subject to
thermal blooming.
(+1) 321-676-9020
www.neostech.com
A.A. Sa Opto-Electronic
Division
PCAOM
Franck Darde discussed a polychromatic modulator and driver for
up to 12 lines, a driver with RS232 functionality and an AO modulator
for doubled YAG applications.
(+33) 1 3052 87 17
www.a-a.fr
Lighting Systems
Design, Inc.
Zone-Control
Greg Makhov unveiled the new Zone-Control safety system which
features electronic masking of up to nine preselected zones within
a scanfield. LSDI developed Zone-Control to help laserists who
in the past have been forced to drastically reduce, and sometimes
completely shut down, an outdoor laser show whenever aircraft
approached the scanfield. The new system allows laserists to
configure a scanfield in a 3 x 3 matrix, and then to selectively
shut down one or more zones while the rest of the show continues
normally.
(+1)407-299-9504
www.lsdi.com
Laser Entertainment
S.R.L.
Remote Scanning Head
Alberto Kellner Ongaro reported on his company’s lightweight
360-degree remote scanning head that uses a modified Clay Paky
moving light chassis and Cambridge scanners. The scanners are
fed light via fiberoptic cable, which allows the use of a remote-controlled
focus lens. The scanning head’s functions are controlled
by DMX-512, allowing it to pan, tilt and rotate through a full
range.
(+39) 02 27007064
www.laserent.com
Csoft
ScanMater2
Dirk Apitz discussed the ScanMaster2 projector control board.
It provides a completely digital network to control all of a
projector’s internal functions, using Ethernet (TCP/IP),
DMX-512 (I/O) and ISP. The presentation included a discussion
of the open performance network protocol used for network communication
and its implementation, the internal dataflow, and the structure
of the open source software component running on the board’s
DSP.
(+49) 721 9850083
www.csoft-laser.de
Aura Technologies,
Inc.
Microprocessor Controls
Steve Heminover demonstrated a new microprocessor-based special
effects control system for laser projectors. The system was created
to control LightWorld optical effects and gratings produced by
Creative Laser Production. The control systems are made possible
by extremely inexpensive microchips that Heminover has successfully
used for such applications as blanking and motor lumia control.
All of the processors accept a 0V - 5V dc input and can be used
with DMX-512 or non-DMX systems.
(+1) 312-466-0181
aura@evl.uic.edu
Creative Laser Production
Gratings
Peter Mayer discussed Lightworld digital computer-generated gratings
and Lightworld Polygrating multi-effect gratings. The digital
gratings improve efficiency for diffractive optics and are a
flexible tool for developing customized effect patterns. The
Polygratings contain several different effects placed on one
substrate.
(+49) 89 4705611
www.creativelaser.de
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Specialized Products
Laser Entertainment
S.R.L.
Inflatable Screen
Alberto Kellner Ongaro discussed a large, affordable and extremely
light inflatable PVC screen structure for use with outdoor laser
displays. His company’s inflatable PVC structure is 15 meters
wide, 9 meters high, and 1.5 meters deep. It features a fireproof
gauze screen.
(+39) 02 27007064
www.laserent.com
LDS Light Design
Tune-It
Marcus Schmieder demonstrated the Tune-It-Unit, a stand-alone
testing device that outputs ILDA test patterns for display by
laser scanning hardware. With its small dimensions and a choice
of battery power or an external power adapter, it is an easy-to-use
tool for optimizing laser scanning hardware without having to
set up a computer system.
(+49) 40 853 743 03
www.lightdesign.de
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Laser
Playback and
Show Control Systems
Audio Visual lmagineering
Record/Playback Device
Walt Simmons presented the PDL8 A/D D/A converter and the DMX-Rx
receiver/interface board. The PDL8 (Projector Data Link) is a
stand-alone ILDA-compatible eight-channel A/D and D/A converter.
The PDL8 interfaces with just about any record/playback device
that has an ADAT-compatible optical interface. The DMX-Rx is
an optically isolated DMX-512 receiver/interface board, which
features 24 open collector output bits arranged as three groups
of eight bits.
(+1) 407-859-8166
www.av-imagineering.com
LOBO electronic
Modula DMX Module
Micha Hoffmeister discussed Modula’s new DMX module. The
module expands the functions of the Modula-5 controllers to act
as a DMX-512 device, so that lighting designers can program laser
shows from any professional lighting console without needing
to touch the laser system. Modula-5 emulates up to eight independent
moving lights and features a special smooth-movement algorithm
along with many laser-specific functions.
(+49) 7361 96 87-0
www.lobo.de
LaserLight Show
Design, Germany
LaserLight Show Control
Patrick Dietzel presented LaserLight ShowControl, an inexpensive
all-in-one software solution for advanced automated performance
of Pangolin shows together with other media such as sound and
video.
(+49) (0)2225 947 124
www.show-laser.com.de
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Software
Pangolin Laser
Systems
LD2000 New Features
Patrick Murphy’s presentation focused on the new features
of LD2000 software, including DMX control of lighting fixtures,
a new clipart browser, TrueType font support, web page publishing
and updates to the CD2000 playback system.
(+1) 407-299-2088
www.pangolin.com
Laservision Macro-Media
Dot.Monkey
John Eustace and Brett Starkey demonstrated Dot.Monkey, a file
converter capable of taking generic computer file formats and
turning them into laser frames. Using a standard desktop computer
scanner, they converted line artwork directly from the scanner
to a laser projector as the audience watched. They also drew
applause for their “Lucky Lloyd” video, chronicling
the life of a typical laserist overburdened with artwork assignments
that require hand-digitizing.
(+612) 9658 1000; www.laservision.com.au
Pangolin Laser Systems
Lasershow Converter Max
WilliamBenner, Jr., and Dave Oxenreider presented Lasershow Converter
Maz, a plug-in for 3D Studio Max that allows users to make frames,
scenes or complete laser shows within 3D Studio Max. Using the
plugin, artists can work with any 3D Studio Max object and render
it directly to laser light using Pangolin’s LD2000 board
to generate and store laser data.
(+1) 407-299-2088
www.pangolin.com
CSoft
Avalon
Dirk Apitz presented the Avalon laser animation system. The system
and components (server, user interface, and editors) provide
real-time processing, scalability, standard PC hardware, open
interfaces, and reliable data transmission.
(+49) 721 9850083
www.csoft-laser.de
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White Paper Presentation
Vincent Lubeckk
High School
Felix 3D
Klaas Oltmann and Daniel Bezecny presented a white paper on the
Felix 3D Display, a volumetric laser display system created by
a group of students and teachers at the Vincent Lubeckk High
School in Stade, Germany. The Felix 3D system is designed to
display images created by standard CAD applications. These images
are easily imported and interactively transformed in real-time.
(+49) 4141 87146
felix3d@aol.com
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