Lasers

[Illusion]

Has anyone had any experience with using lasers? I have recently been given 4 lasers to use at a DJ concert; however I have no experience with them.

Can they run of DMX and therefore be controlled from a board eg. a Pearl 2004?
Will they all come with their own controllers?
How hard is it to sync more than one together?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[farmerjo1111]

What type of units are they? The ones that I have used were not that much different than a moving light and that is how I treated them. Just remember to stay away from the eyes and haze in the air helps alot.

Dustin Strobush
ETC Systems Group

[DarSax]

Yea, I'd recommend just flying them over the audience's heads, down to the floor, or up to the ceiling, with lasers I'd personally recommend just avoiding (coming close to) hitting any people whatsoever

[jbeutt]

Be very very aware of laws regarding the use of lasers in public. They exist and should be followed. Obviously there are penalties for noncompliance, but no one's likely to cite you. The importance is understanding the dangers of lasers simply to keep your audience safe. Find the codes/laws and read them.
EDIT: while not relevant to entertainment lasers, it's still a good primer: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersaf.htm#saftoc

On to your question. How the heck should we know if they're DMX controlled? That's like asking "I just bought a car, is it automatic or stick shift?" There are certainly devices that are controlled by DMX, but just as many aren't. Some have seperate proprietary systems altogether and if the system is big enough, there's a seperate "laser operator".
Your question about sync and control really depends on the answer to your first question. If they are DMX controlled and are moving mirror fixtures as a DMX Laser will most likely be, they should be just as easy to syncronize and control as any moving mirror fixture.
That first question should be pretty easy to determine on your own; just look at the thing. Next, let us know the model so we can let you know what the possibilities are.

[FxDrew]

As previously stated, you should check with local law and regulations. For most states, if it is less than a 5mW Laser, you need to keep the beam 10 feet off the ground. You can't have it on the same ground as the audience if you are planning on pointing it up (someone could look down into the laser).