Please recommend searching for lasers!

[psyscope]

First off I don't know anything about lasers, basically I run night club events in london, along with (small) fire, light and sound shows around the UK, I basically require a laser that would hopefully attract more people to my events. An RGB laser would be nice if not just green and red, it should be able to be controlled via a PC and have DMX, I don't really know what size I require, for the indoor clubs, a venue can hold anything up to 1,000 people so something for that? For the fire shows, I require something for up 200 people?

Another thing can you control the laser via MIDI, and does anyone know anything about building them yourself?

andrew

[pbolger]

You can buy little Chinese red+green DMX lasers, but they would look pretty pathetic in a room with 1000 people. They also have stepper motors instead of proper scanners and have a limited number of patterns. If you remember the club scene in the second series of The Office, there was one of these chugging away in the corner - not very impressive.

If you want to make an impression I think you need to seriously consider getting someone to 'do lasers' for you. Operating one is a full-time job, and a large part of that is coordinating the rest of the show so the laser is used for maximum impact (sparingly, and hopefully with the rest of the lightshow pulled back to give the laser show some space).

I think maybe you are asking the wrong question: you don't want a laser, you want a laser light show at your events. Get someone who knows what they are doing to come along and provide one. If you are still keen to run your own a bit later at least you'll have a better idea of what is possible.

[Tim Walsh]

Excellent answer, pbolger! I meet many people who want to get a laser, when what they really want is the show, and they have to travel a difficult road to figure that out.

Tim Walsh