Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!gvgpsa!gold.gvg.tek.com!grege From: grege@gold.gvg.tek.com (Greg Ebert) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: Laser show controllers? Message-ID: <2491@gold.gvg.tek.com> Date: 10 Jun 91 16:23:04 GMT References: Organization: Grass Valley Group, Grass Valley, CA Lines: 23 In article mrapple@quack.sac.ca.us (Nick Sayer) writes: >Let's say I was crazy enough to want to design and build a lazer-show >controller. > [...] Some off-perpendicular mirrors mounted on several (inexpensive) DC motors work great. You 'cascade' the motors so that the beam strikes 3 or 4 motors before projecting onto your wall. We used some smashed mirror pieces (about 1/2" diameter). Get some pots so you can vary the motor speed. For $10 at Radio Snack you can make a pretty good display. To mount the mirrors, cut some 3/8" dowel, sloppily drill a hole through the center, press onto motor shaft, and glue-on the mirror. Very easy. The shapes resemble something made with a Spirograph (remember those ?) : complex elliptical forms. Subtle changes in motor speed make vivid changes in patterns. The smoothness and patterns are especially pleasing to the eye, even more-so if you are a bit inebriated. We also glued mirror fragments to speakers in an attempt to syncronize to music, but the motion is too random. (Optional) Pink Floyd backgound music, perhaps a few 6-packs....