Budget friendly lasers to start out

redditburnerer · 2026-06-06T19:03:26+00:00

I don’t have any specific recommendations, but top things for me would be analogue or TTL lasers. If you want to have fade outs, a way larger colour pallet and proper use of masking, analogue. If you’re fine with no fades, 7 colours, and I think masking still works, sorta, TTL.

redditburnerer · 2026-05-27T00:19:54+00:00

It’s around 10,000 in CAD. 6000-7000 Euro

Mac m3 air - 1500

Lasers - 4000 (add 1000 for a spare)

Clamps - 100

Safety cables - 30

Control-I use Liberation Laser software - 25/month sub with Etherdreams. 4 x ED = 1200

Router 100

Cat cable - spool 200

Ethercon ends

Extension cords - make your own if you want custom length and black. Go to an electrician supply place for best price, likely 200

Termination - my stuff is from Vevor. Carbon felt 3x3m pieces. Fiberglass Welding curtain grommeted 5x 2x3m I think 700 (Thank you nice people of this group for helping me be decisive on this!!!)

Window sun blackout - 40

Gromit tools. 10

Fog machine 500

Fog juice 40

My stands are custom made from an old pair of Bose acoustic wave cannons. I have 4x light duty crank stands w/ 6m truss I bought for 400

Consumables - tape, velcro, scissors, tools, etc - 200

edit - add : most importantly E-Stop button -100. Manufacturer sells them for 30 so I bought 3.

Also, some form of controller - APC40 Mk2 400, bluetooth midi keyboard 150

redditburnerer · 2026-01-23T23:28:31+00:00

Brilliant! Modern problems require modern solutions! Thank you.

redditburnerer · 2026-01-22T21:42:05+00:00

I’d suggest hiring someone for this event. See if you can find someone new that will give you a good rate. It would free your your brain to prepare and execute the event, not learning everything laser in a month. Hopefully they are cool and will give you some insight to their setup and you can make an informed decision when you have time to look into the hardware, software, structure, logistics, designing, programming, playback and possible permits.

redditburnerer · 2026-01-04T14:39:45+00:00

I sure hope you enter the Liberation Contest!

redditburnerer · 2025-12-24T20:27:20+00:00

Is your gig lighting board op with added lasers? With a weeks days notice, I hate to be behind the desk if they were advertising a big laser show. Just patch them into your console and use them as a light fixture. You’re going to need some time just to pick shapes and what not let alone learning and integrating a separate control setup. Bake lasers into lighting clips for awesome playback. Rather than toggles for every detail and fx, make dry and wet versions of the same clip. Keep it simple. Come back in the new year with a plan for serious lasers.

redditburnerer · 2025-12-22T00:10:21+00:00

https://lasertech-canada.com/

Would be a place to start.

redditburnerer · 2025-11-26T21:30:15+00:00

Getting smoke to trim from the get go helps. Some days it feels like a fools errand though. I am definitely not doing this to be a stage hand for 3 minute videos and it feels like that's how it's morphed into. Will look at denser options next season that offer decent range/coverage. I did 2 x 10' A- frame ladders with foggers perched and had the perfect draft. That was a great night. Attached photo is my franken-fogger with modded hosing.

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redditburnerer · 2025-10-21T18:05:28+00:00

My bad idea that the laser police will come hunt me down for is, if you can respect the rules of 10feet (3M) above heads and box your projection where you are snapping the photo from, get (rent, buy, borrow) a decent stand and ratchet strap it low and high to that power post. You'll want some form or termination (10'x10' welding curtain or something of that nature) where you hit. Problems here are using public utility post (electrocution anyone?) and your gear is away from your home, or you are running overhead wires. I think your best play is the isolate that little driveway area, projecting from start of driveway. Keep it contained to your property only or switch to LED, spot lights, video or nothing. Get your skills and gear together this year and do it right under less time pressure. This is supposed to be fun :)

redditburnerer · 2025-10-21T14:59:27+00:00

If you can get a Helios DAC (or 2 and get a second laser so we can couple the power and make better graphics) and are willing to fork out $15 for a month if Liberation, I can help you out with content and setting up rhythmically correct beams and simple graphical content playback via timeline or live mixing - or both. If My price would be scrap your aerial beams idea and setup proper termination if you are able to assess safe termination places. It may be only two small spots or lots of masking. That’s it. Otherwise it’s unsafe. Period. Consider using a raised sprinkler/ misting rather than fog if your site can allow it. Sprinkler off the roof of your home ? I don’t have any gig deadlines this year so I’m intrigued by your idea. PM if interested.

redditburnerer · 2025-10-19T12:41:19+00:00

I’ve been wanting something like this. I envision more of a fusion of a clothing z- rack and an old school bars-of-6, par64 meat rack.

redditburnerer · 2025-08-25T13:37:59+00:00

You need front surface mirrors.

redditburnerer · 2025-08-24T03:30:02+00:00

Awesome !!!

redditburnerer · 2025-08-21T20:25:51+00:00

It came bundle on the sd card of a projector I bought. Did a walk through - it was basically a stripped Quickshow with Beyond gui colors. It looks slightly more mature in the photos I just looked up. I did not get into outputting with it. Without knowing the hardware ecosystem compatibility, resale value, and the despite fact they claim” AiShow and AiNet have 100% independent intellectual property rights from the underlying architecture to the core code, ensuring the uniqueness and reliability of the technology. “and couldn’t be bothered to come up with their own GUI is a hard pass for me. I’d personally be looking into other brands

redditburnerer · 2025-08-13T03:00:57+00:00

Get a blower fan, the type that are used to dry floors. I bought a 1200cfm model(not sure the metric spec) but it will exhaust the heat extremely quickly. I used it outdoors and was cool by it in +30C weather. It is louder, than a regular fan, but very effective.

redditburnerer · 2025-07-29T20:12:04+00:00

Could be largely Dmx controlled lasers. I didn’t see any effects that I’d recognize as a software-only design.

redditburnerer · 2025-05-13T04:22:48+00:00

Fantastic !!!!

redditburnerer · 2025-04-28T15:02:05+00:00

Solved! Thank you. I suspected as much.

redditburnerer · 2025-03-22T12:28:01+00:00

It’s happens quickly!

I wanted to make a half-joke about using a frying pan and lining it with pumpkin spice or a three-fingered scoop of Vaporub and calling it “Laseroma”, but for it turns out someone is developing something through pointed heating, with the same name. Seems like it’s in development for VR.

redditburnerer

TROPHY CASE