How laser projectors work

One of the questions we get all the time at X-Laser is "How do laser projectors actually work?" so we made a short video explaining how scanning and color mixing work together to create the shapes we all love.
We go through the layout and basic components common in most modern semiconductor laser light show projectors, then talk a bit about the specific signals used to control galvanometer scanners and laser diodes while showing you exactly how a circle is made.
Laser Spirograph - QuackmasterDan - www.instructables.com/id/Four...
Music - Weero & Mitte - Our Dive - / weero-mitte-our-dive-n...

[@spencerguinn3469]

I went through 15 videos to just see a break down of the mirrors in action. You are the best. Simple description for it all. You get a like.

[@mr.g-sez]

same reason i gave him a like too

[@jonnda]

I’m amazed that separate ‘circles’ can be drawn fast enough by one point from two mirrors, and have these shapes able to move independently. I get why it can work, but it blows my mind that it does.

[@Antimonkat]

it's crazy just how fast the scanners can move with such pinpoint accuracy. It was very cool wathcing it slowly move then speed up to where you can't even see it moving with the naked eye. This was exactly what I was looking for, thanks.

[@kbwx]

this is the video i was looking for... man you have done the great job!.. thanks for sharing

[@Xlaser]

Thank you for watching!

[@droninadventures1401]

This is everything I was looking for! Clear, fundamental (or basic) operating principles, the hardware, and how they are applied! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@wiilillad]

Wow, this video is very underrated.

[@impero101]

This was excellent! Been wondering this for years, ever since a couple of co-students built their own laser projector back in electronics class in high school.

[@pathologicallydead7210]

I searched for a video explaining this for weeks. Great explaination, thanks

[@anthonyjj89]

Great video! Thanks for breaking it down

[@tobydurrant4035]

Awesome video thanks - really helpful.

[@halcyondaystunes]

Recently bought my first laser projector for my events and learning with Pangolin software but this is one of the best videos I've seen. So thanks

[@Xlaser]

Thanks for checking it out! We have some tutorials on how to use the Pangolin quickshow software too if it helps. kzbin.info/aero/PLfVbV7iuDkrReTfQUSQYl-csgwDF-seho

[@spyke098]

Thank you so much for this. I've seen so many lasers, but never really understood what makes them look like that

[@SineEyed]

Excellent overview, thank you..

[@moritz_p]

This is so interesting! Cool!

[@fyttirackarn]

I kinda always wondered how this stuff works, and always always kinda knew/guessed it was working with mirrors - so really cool to see this video on it, thanks :)

[@mathaeis]

This is rad. Thanks for this!

[@1495978707]

Absolutely fantastic video

[@thomasweidmann259]

Great explanation, thank you Sir!

[@stimpyfeelinit]

neat, thanks for the video!

[@BellowsSqueezer]

Great explanation. Thanks👍

[@sunilm1000]

GREAT EXPERIENCE &KNOWLEDGE

[@Bianchi77]

Nice video ,thank you for sharing :)

[@Stefanosinf]

Great video. Thanks

[@adamtucker1392]

Great job!

[@saemranian]

So useful, thanks for sharing.

[@Xlaser]

Glad it was helpful!

[@farzadk.2633]

fantastic job

[@sarielhachem9312]

Best Teacher 👨‍🏫

[@MickeyMishra]

Genuinely, thank you!

[@kinsung85]

The key idea is 1) combine 3 lasers of different colors into a color 2) project this combined laser into the spot on the screen 3) do it fast enough for each point on the screen to represent a single image 4) do it successively for each image and you have a movie Your video summarizes all this very well.

[@Ag89q43G0HyA]

i can imagine a projector of this kind projecting some video, but i bet that solution will be expensive as hell. i guess the dlp solution is better now a days.

[@jhrlasers]

@@Ag89q43G0HyA those are a different things.. this is not a Video Projectors as it's different from a regular one.. instead this kind of Projectors use a very raw profiles of the actual dots from the array of all optics of the beams inside and use the Galvos to move the beam.. and eventually to produce such a complex graphics as you can see right there in this vid^

[@jhrlasers]

@@Ag89q43G0HyA it could produce a video tbh, but I think that would fucked the Scanners inside 🙃

[@jhrlasers]

@@Ag89q43G0HyA or maybe a better solution are to do a distribute scanning on multiple lasers Projectors scanners to produce such a complex video right away 🙃

[@TheOleHermit]

@@jhrlasersRotating multifaceted mirrors are used to create horizontal lines, plus another vertical one spinning at slower (frame) rate to produce video raster scans. But, they must be very precisely in synch for a stable image. Recently saw a small commercial model on YT.

[@adezrtj32]

Thnx pal for the explanation

[@UCmDBecUtbSafffpMEN3iscA]

Thanks for this video, I can now understand why Funky Cirno Fumo is possible in the laser show

[@SandMProductions]

Great video! Thanks for this information.

[@Ag89q43G0HyA]

ive been searching for this for so many years, and finally found it, i finally understand it. incredible. but what if those projectors could reach 300hz of refresh rate? i bet the animations will look astonishing!

[@originalfallinggirl]

Great video

[@ambrosekillpack4841]

Galvonometer based projecters can do a lot of things ordinary LCD mask projectors just can't do because of their versatility and flexibility. They can dynamically change image positioning without distortion, or image sizing, they can draw in true vector graphics without the pixelation artifacts left behind with ordinary displays. Fast enough ones can actually be used for raster graphics of limited resolutions.

[@RedValkyries]

Thank you!

[@csabakustyan8536]

Thx!

[@sonu-hk3rq]

Thanks ❤

[@tamkinneda6259]

thank you !

[@cetubuth7461]

Im trying to build a large scale 3d resin printer using laser setup. what program do you use to create the 2 animation and link it with the galvo?

[@brad6317]

Respect

[@skepticfucker280]

Could you project old vector games using this method or is it limited to circles? Tempest comes to mind. :)

[@manjunathn9827]

Hii.. How can we set the frequency in LPS to avoid flickering during layup..

[@freizeit.gaming.modellbahn6764]

Nice video, i just think you forgot to mention the blank out or "blackout" of the beam. like if you have a straight line, and gives all colors at specific points a zero-value, youll get multiple "spots" in a row.. as you showd us the white circle, you mentioned that you can create even 4 (and more) .. but at this point, the scanners doing one circle, then all colors set quick to full off, while the scanners jumps to the next point, colors turn on again, and the next circle will be drawing.. And that have to be done for all 4 circles.. What i want to say is, this llittle fact is the most important feature that you even can draw multiple "objects"

[@justinchey2281]

Awesome explanation. In the video the lasers flicker a little. Is that noticeable in person or just a camera illusion?

[@TheOleHermit]

The flickering is due to the video frame rate, combined with the laser beam's scanning frequency. It's called 'video banding' and not noticeable in person. The intensity and colors of live laser imagery is also lost on video.

[@arbjful]

Where to get the Galvano mirror units?

[@sunilm1000]

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT

[@minimen2394]

hi, can you help me? i broke the galvo of my laser and bought a new galvo but now just the red laser is low visible and the galvo it self does nothing

[@mcwooley]

Thursday, June 30, 2022 CE, 20:53 EST Is there some way to do this without noisy, slow, breakable mirrors? I read somewhere that optical phased arrays do something like that, which, if true, would be awesome for vector games, animations, and illustrations

[@Xlaser]

Hi, there are different types of scanners that can be faster allowing for clearer animations. It depends on the laser!

[@patrickeckstein7249]

Sehr gute Erklärung. Geiler sh**t

[@sharkyigor]

cool! How precise does the -10/+10 V need to have in order to have precise positioning? how is it not affected by interferences?

[@Xlaser]

Great question! The more precise, the more repeatable/"cleaner" the image. Interference is reduced by using differential signaling to the scanner amplifier, so each axis gets a +/Ground/- control signal over 3 conductors, similar to how DMX reduces interference by using a positive data line, a negative data line and ground.

[@sharkyigor]

@@Xlaser holy moly your answers are faster than the galvos itself! :D thanks for your answer. Are galvos used also on laser engraver and things like that? they have a precision in the order of thenths or hundreds of mm.. i could imagine that engraving an image at half a meter distance (like some engravers do) would require really high precision and repeatability.. I'm trying to build my hobby laser engraver and am facing quite some difficulties in deciding how to position the mirrors in an affordable way...

[@Xlaser]

@@sharkyigor Another great question! There are two types of laser cutter/engraver typically. Galvo based and gantry style. Gantry style typically cost much less to buy/build and have much larger work envelopes, but are slower in operation. Galvo based systems are crazy fast, but require a special optic called an f-theta lens to quickly refocus the beam so that the focal point of the laser is always at the engraving point. Engraving systems focus the beam to a super small point so you get great precision and super high energy density for efficiency in engraving, but this means the focus distance is super important to get right. Gantry style systems typically move the piece you are engraving up and down to set focus. Here's a great video that shows this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5TYn4SaeN6HZtU If you haven't already, check out photonlexicon.com and tell them Adam at X-Laser sent you. Lots of very helpful, very smart people including some who have built their own engraving systems.

[@Xlaser]

We have used a laser system from www.epiloglaser.com/ kzbin.info for years in our own manufacturing processes to engrave anodized aluminum and cut acrylic/cardboard and it's been incredible.

[@sharkyigor]

@@Xlaser thank you very much... now i'd like to come there to spend some time in a tech-vacation.. :D guess its difficult since i am in italy.. :D i already built a laser a few years back with cartasian system like the cinese ones.. but its not stable enough and soooo slow.. (i built it from scratch) and used a 2W laser.. i dont need to cut but just to burn images on wood. but it takes forever its a pain.. thats why i wanted to make it with mirrors like the tiny new lasers you can buy.. didnt think of the focussing problem.. plus those galvos are quite expensive.. they cost a third of a finished commercial hobby grade engraver..

[@pianoschmiddy]

Is it actually possible to play videos with these projectors? I would like to use my computer via HDMI and connect it to this kind of laser to project pictures or videos to a wall. The resolution and color is not a big issue.

[@Xlaser]

Good question, so these kinds of laser projectors can't do that kind of projecting. They don't work the same way as say, an Epson projector.

[@michelsoares562]

How can use this for construction projects my guy??? I would love to use this to build architecture archway

[@Xlaser]

We're always happy to discuss projects, feel free to send an email to [e-mail]

[@thomaskaldahl196]

Interesting how we still use motorized mirrors instead of a solution with less moving parts

[@arbjful]

MEMS are the latest, micro moving mirrors

[@jmkaarchitects1936]

can the laser be used to put images such as clouds on a ceiling or wall?

[@Xlaser]

Yes, you can project images, but they act like gobos that a moving head might have, or you can use animations from something like Quickshow as well.

[@karandeepsingh3209]

What is price of Laser Phosphor for approx 5000 lumens

[@kipliethurlow9091]

Hi Adam can u tell me how my neighbors have faces showing on walls inside my house?

[@araugh]

Hi! Do you mean like this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3W4h4Cvh5mtb8U You can make faces and animations using the Lasercube, made by Wicked lasers and distributed by X-Laser in the US. The control is simple from Mac, PC, iPhone or Android

[@justind1213]

Could lasers be used for toll signs?

[@Xlaser]

Lasers can be used for signs, but you do need to check with local authority to make sure they are being used safely and legally, which can differ depending on which state/country you're in.

[@mathipable]

Thank you for this video ! There is still something I don't understand : a laser is either on or off. It's not like a lamp with what we can low the intensity by lowing the voltage. So my question is : what do you actually low by lowing the voltage at 4:53 ? As long as it can't be the laser intensity. Thank you for you answer. Hope I made it understandable, my English is not perfect.

[@StanleyProjects]

It uses a principle called pulse-width modulation (PWM) such that the laser is turned on and off at a very fast rate. The rate at which the laser is switched on and off is called switching frequency and is often constant. In every cycle, the ratio of laser's on-time to the whole period (on-off) is called duty cycle (often represented as %). Adjusting the duty cycle allows to control the amount of power delivered to the laser, only using one stable power supply. This not only reduces the complexity of the circuit, but also avoid a huge power loss.

[@mathipable]

ST4N thank you very much I’m glad I know that know!!

[@nahidosen]

laser shows are now more like math classes in the air.

[@loayloay7096]

Hello teacher, I love this device very very much. How much is its price and how is it delivered to Iraq? Is this device against water? Please respond in the Arabic language through a translator

[@EricPenn1147]

The next step is software...

[@emmalightlaser5652]

everyone can DIY laser

[@Xlaser]

One important note is in the U.S. class 4 lasers need to be certified in order to comply with FDA regulations

[@kidcharlemagne7450]

This would be a perfect video without the background "music." Unfortunately, that decision makes this video unwatchable.

[@Xlaser]

Thanks for your feedback. Unfortunately, as this is one of our best-performing videos, we will do nothing to change it

[@alanpickering4204]

Had to turn this great video off because of the HORRENDOUS BACKGROUND NOISE , WHY ? is your good taste in noise meant to enhance it ?

[@TheOleHermit]

🖐😎