Laser show software & frame creation, WIP

[kiyoukan]

Okay so over the years of playing with my lasers i moved up to my first set of scanners.
Now when i first started it was a bit confusing to learn all the in and outs of my new hobby.
This is a thread im compiling with all the information and some questions.
Also for someone starting up finding these resources can be a bit difficult.

Laser show players
LFI player (Free) LFI PLAYER
Spaghetti Laser Show (119$) Spaghetti
LSX (129$) LSX
Pangolin ($$$) Pangolin

Frame creation and conversion.
ILD SOS (29$) ILD SOS This software is a must! It will make your frames look alot better!
BMPTOILD (free) location PL FTP
Monkey Tools (free) Monkeytools
LaserBoy (Free) laserboy
LaserWave (Free) Laserwave
HE-Laserscan (free) HE-LaserScan
OLS (Free) OLA
Heathcliff (free) Heathcliff
Sergy's tools (free) Sergy

Now when it comes to player software you first reaction may be to go with the free one.
That is certainly what i did.
LFI player is a bit limited tho its more for playing already created shows or doing live effects.
Now Spaghetti and LSX are the big two competitors.
LSX is 129$ but you get ild sos so its 100$ for LSX and 29$ for ild sos.
I do not own LSX or LFI, but i have talked to alot of people that have.
Spaghetti is 119$ and has been around longer than LSX and has been rated as a great player and a decent learning curve. I have seen amazing shows made by this software and they are stunning.
It also has TrueType Laser Text. Creating text is one of the harder things so having it built into the software is a very big plus. Also allows you to control multiple scanners at no additional cost.
Blind Spots: Allows specifying laser projection exclusion areas to create safe zones. This is a must for showing shows with people around, this allows you to get the lasers as close as you can but know that the laser will never be on where the people are standing.
LSX is a bit newer and i have yet to even see a video of its interface or how it works.
But from the feature list. Full-featured frame creation and frame animation tools (plus ILD SOS included). So its a two for one deal.
It uses a similar timeline based system to Spaghetti.
This software is not just a player but also a frame creation tool as well.
So you can using the free tool's but think of LSX like a all in one sweet.
But it is also limited by versions. there is a lite, basic, and pro.
The lite copy is what the average hobbyist needs, but it limits you to 1 Scanner, 1 Target world, 1 Optimization parameter set. The other versions offer more but cost more.


But one tool i have yet to find.
Software to make animations.
Theres one from pangolin but i cant afford it.
If any ones got a swf to ild or even swf to vector based art let me know.

 

[ARG]

Add monkey tools for frame creation, it's also free.

Edit: Link: http://www.fab-favreau.com/laser_show_software.html

 

[Crazyk187]

This is something I'm beginning to look in too. Can you point me in a good place too start.........(my learning curve)

 

[kiyoukan]

copying the whole ftp sever is taking some time.

 

[kiyoukan]

Sorry for the double post meant to edit
there is a projector that is full rgb for only 250$
It has a set of 10 to 15k galvos.
It is perfect start up for a beginner.
http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/reke-500rgb-65851.html

 

[ARG]

copying the whole ftp sever is taking some time.

I tried it, it's around 80gb with videos and everything. 30gb without all the multi-media

 

[kiyoukan]

yup but i will have it soon enough. i will then upload it to one of a servers with any useful things and sort out the crap.

 

[Guyfromhe]

Sorry for the double post meant to edit
there is a projector that is full rgb for only 250$
It has a set of 10 to 15k galvos.
It is perfect start up for a beginner.
http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/reke-500rgb-65851.html

The Reke is under 10K for sure... but if you don't mind distorted images you can force it to scan as fast as you want... I just found 15k to be my acceptance for distortion to flicker.
For the ILDA pattern to show properly it's somewhere between 4000 and 7500... Still a great little unit for the cost!

I use Inkscape to trace images into DXF and then Laserboy to convert the DXF files to ILDA.

EDIT: There is a HUGE learning curve to using a tracer and tracking software like Spaghetti so don't get frustrated with it right away. And the Audio DACs can be a pain to get working but once they are working they work great.

 

[carmangary]

I'm not sure I understand.

 

[kiyoukan]

I think i can do that no problem.
But first i have to know all the software features.
Currently i have only been able to play with a few of these.
And not all of them list every feature for me to know.
Dont worry i plan on rating them.
For software that is a must have vs software that is bloat ware.
I just have no idea how to rate pangolin software, i doubt ill ever have a copy and the only thing i ever hear from people is that its a god. and you need a human sacrifice to buy one.
Did i say human? i meant a bank account.

 

[LSRFAQ]

I own LSX, it has frame creation tools, for classical laser art.

It also has some tools for "instant" beamshow artwork creation that are unique and fast.

ILDSOS lets you use Inkscape for more modern work.

Art creation is hard and time consuming no matter what software you use, no matter if its freeware or LaserGraph DSP or Pangolin. At least to those in today's "Instant, Right Now!" society.
That is why its art. LSX is every bit as complex and capable as a mid level Pangolin.

Steve

 

[kiyoukan]

i wished i owned as i would write a review and then do the same for the others.
It seems there is great software but no place all the information regarding all of it.
Yeah i think once i get the cash i might go with LSX then a bit later buy sph just for having it.

 

[LSRFAQ]

i wished i owned as i would write a review and then do the same for the others.
It seems there is great software but no place all the information regarding all of it.
Yeah i think once i get the cash i might go with LSX then a bit later buy sph just for having it.

Laser show software, for the most part, is too complex to objectively review. Most owners will tell you to travel somewhere and gain access to try, rather then to rely on the words of others.

LSX is/was available as a demo, but it can take months to learn any of the major packages. Seeing output does matter.

Steve

 

[whatsupadrian]

I managed to score spaghetti when it went on sale for $20. Im sure glad I did. I have been very tempted to buy LSX but unless it goes on sale I cant justify getting it. Since I would be that much closer to getting Quickshow, which is what I really want. I have been playing with the demo and it is loaded with features but has a very easy to use interface.

 

[Guyfromhe]

I managed to score spaghetti when it went on sale for $20. Im sure glad I did. I have been very tempted to buy LSX but unless it goes on sale I cant justify getting it. Since I would be that much closer to getting Quickshow, which is what I really want. I have been playing with the demo and it is loaded with features but has a very easy to use interface.

Lucky you... I think QS is quite a bit off from LSX though...

 

[whatsupadrian]

Lucky you... I think QS is quite a bit off from LSX though...

QS is 499 which includes the FB3, LSX is 129 for the lite license + you are forced to buy a dongle, unless you spend money on the Riya DAC which puts you at $274. But im really interested in the beat matching features and the on the fly show aspect.