holy crap how does 500mw burn!
Ha ha, it looks that you have not read all threads about the 8x....:yh:! Sorry for you, but a 500mW 8xBR burns.....
BETTER than what is shown in the video!
Well, stop joking now, let me explain: if you give a look at the "8x Diode Users" datasheet:
http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/pioneer-8x-blu-ray-bdr-203-a-36790-16.html#393
you'll see that Pseudolobster has set his 8x at 300mA; without an LPM he has not been able to measure the output in mW, but if you see the annexed curves, it is reasonable to argue that the relevant output is around 370mW, and that's the power used to cut the tape.
The picture of the four beams is a Daguin picture, exampling how the different power beams look, and he (Dave) is actually the only 8x owner that has left his laser set at this power, exceeding more than 20 hours of usage.....:beer:.
But Dave is really expert and careful, and as he wrote recently, he used the "500mW monster" less that one time a day and for very short strokes.....