Glossary, Definitions

Show Laser Glossary, Definitions & Explanations This Glossary shall provide general definitions for terms used on this website as well as give some background information on terms and topics used in show laser and entertainment industry.
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Accessible Radiation

The Accessible Radiation (AR) specifies the laser power that is emitted form a laser system directly at the unit. The Laser Class assignment refers...

Festival Laser

What show lasers are suitable for festivals? Festivals usually require strong laser light power for long distance projection, but they should also...

Laserlight

What is laserlight? Laserlight is another spelling for laser light. See the definition of laser light.

Acousto-optic Modulator

Usually abbreviated as AOM>>> Definition Acousto-optic Modulator see AOM >>>

Front Projection Screen

What is a Front Projection Screen? To make laser effects visible, a projection medium is always required. For laser beams fog or haze is...

LaserMan

What is a LaserMan? A LaserMan is a show performer who dances inside a laser suit and among laser beams. The LaserMan and the laser beams will move...

Analog Modulation

What is Analog Modulation? In the show laser industry 'analog modulation' defines the ability of a laser source to "dim" the output power of the...

Galvo

See >>>scanner>>>

Lasershow Software

With a laser show software, users can perform various tasks: control a show laser live from the computer, produce custom content for display via a...

Animation

A show laser generates animations by reproducing several individual images (frames) in sequence at a certain speed. Animations can be used for...

Gauze Screen

What is a Gauze Screen? The term "gauze" denotes a thin textile material which has got many very small holes similar to a fishnet. A gauze screen...

LSO

LSO is the abbreviation for Laser Safety Officer>>> see definition Laser Safety Officer >>>

Animation Laser

What is an Animation Laser? The term "animation laser" denotes a show laser system which is able to create animated effects, graphics and texts. To...

Gobo

Gobos are an integral part of professional show lights. A gobo is a type of mask in the form of a glass disc that is placed in front of a light...

Mainboard

A mainboard (also known as a motherboard) is a printed circuit board that contains the main electronic components of a computer or any other...

AOM

AOM is the abbreviation of "Acousto-optic Modulator". In the show laser industry this term defines a component which makes a static, non-modulating...

Graphics Show

What is a Graphics Show? Laser shows may either be designed as graphics or as beam shows. Beam shows project the laser beams into the room, while...

Master/Slave

In its basic form, the master/slave concept derives from information technology and regulates the communication and management of access rights. In...

API

API ("Application Programming Interface") refers to an interface at source code level which allows two software applications or hardware systems to...

Hydro Shield

What is a Hydro Shield? As well as water screens hydro shields are projection surfaces made of water used to make laser graphics and effects...

Maximum Permissible Exposure

The Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) is the highest laser power that is considered safe for the eye. This value usually ranges in the allowed...

AR

AR is the abbreviation for Accessible RadiationSee Accessible Radiation for details.

ILDA

What does ILDA stand for? ILDA is the abbreviation of "International Laser Display Association" and thus the name of an association of laserists....

Mesh Screen

What is a Mesh Screen? A mesh screen is used to display laser graphics, logos, patterns, etc on it. Without any projection surface, fog, haze, etc....

ArtNet

ArtNet is a network protocol for sending DMX512 and RDM data via Ethernet in an IP-based network. Compared to sending DMX via a XLR cable, with...

ILDA Award

What is an ILDA Award? ILDA is the International Laser Display Association, a non-profit organization with the intention of increasing and...

MPE

Abbreviation for: Maximum Permissible ExposureSee Maximum Permissible Exposure for further details

Audience Scanning

"Audience scanning" means a volitional, momentary projection of visible laser light into the crowd of spectators. It is used for special effects...

ILDA cable

What is an ILDA cable? ILDA is a data transmission technology developed by the International Laser Display Association for interchanging image data...

Multimedia Show

What is a multimedia show? A multimedia show is an entertainment event where several forms of media, such as audio, video, light etc. are included....

Automatic Mode

The term "automatic mode" or "stand-alone mode" is a general term for various modes that allow lights and show lasers to output pre-programmed...

ILDA connector

What is an ILDA connector? ILDA describes a data transmission protocol developed by the International Laser Disyplay Association for transferring...

Music Mode

Music mode is also known as "sound-to-light mode" and is a specific form of automatic mode. In music mode, a lighting fixture or show laser is...

AVB

AVB (also named TSN for industrial purposes) stands for “Audio Video Bridging” and describes a standard for real time, lip synchronous digital...

ILDA Laser

What does ILDA stand for? ILDA is the abbreviation of "International Laser Display Association" and thus the name of an association of laserists....

Nightclub Laser

What is a nightclub laser? A nightclub laser is a laser system for entertainment purposes especially used in clubs and discotheques. These single...

Beam Attenuation Map

What is a Beam Attenuation Map? As laser beams can be harmful for human skin and eyes, when not operated correctly, laser show software offers the...

ILDA Projector

What means ILDA projector? ILDA is the abbreviation of "International Laser Display Association", a non-profit organization to increase and expand...

OPSL

What is OPSL? OPSL is an abbreviation for optically pumped semiconductor laser which describes a technology that is used by Coherent for their...

Beam Show

What is a beam show? A laser show may be designed as beam or graphics show. Whereas a graphics show displays graphics, patterns, aninmations, etc....

ILDA Streaming

ILDA Streaming is the real-time signal transmission of an ILDA signal via a combination of sender and receiver over network (LAN).The ILDA signal...

Optically Pumped Semiconductor Laser

Optically Pumped Semiconductor Laser is a laser light technology which is used by laser sources manufacturer Coherent in its Taipan and Viper laser...

Blanking

What is Blanking? Blanking is the capability of a show laser system to rapidly turn on / off the laser when displaying visible lines, graphics and...

International Laser Display Association

International Laser Display Association is the long version for ILDA. >>>See here: ILDA>>> More information on ILDA Glossary -...

Outdoor Laser

What is an outdoor laser? An outdoor laser is a show laser system especially suited for open-air events. Outdoor lasers are being used for...

Brightness Map

What is a Brightness Map? Laser can be harmful for human eyes and skin, when not operated properly. Professional laser show software allows for...

KPPS

What does KPPS stand for? KPPS means Kilo Points Per Second and describes the speed of show laser scanning systems. That's how many thousand laser...

Outdoor Laser Lighting

What is outdoor laser lighting? Outdoor laser lighting means ambient lighting in gardens, parks or other outdoor locations displayed by laser...

Club Laser

What is a club laser? A club laser is a show laser light system for entertainment purposes especially used in clubs, discotheques, pubs and bars....

Landmark Laser

What is a landmark laser? Show laser systems are used as landmark lasers to highlight a specific location to be seen from a long distance.The...

Outdoor Laser Show

What is an outdor laser show? An outdoor laser show is an open-air event for entertainment purposes, consisting of displays of constantly moving...

Color Balance

What is Color Balance? Color balance describes the intensity of the source colors in relation to each other. Typically the laser sources are red,...

Laser Animation

What is a Laser Animation? A laser animation is an animated effect created by a show laser systems, for example a graphic, logo or text. For laser...

Party Laser

What is a party laser? A party laser is a show laser light system for smaller entertainment events, for example in clubs, discotheques, pubs, and...

Colour Correction

Colour correction (or "colour calibration") is used to align the single colour sources (R, G and B) of a show laser. This allows the colours of a...

Laser Beam

Laser beams are electromagnetic waves between 400 nm and 700 nm wavelength, created through stimulated emission. Light is a wave consisting of short...

PCAOM

PCAOM ist the abbreviation for Polychromatic Acousto-Optic Modulator. Unlike an AOM (acousto-optic modulator), which can only deflect a single...

Continuous Wave Laser

Continuous Wave (CW), also Continuous Waveform, refers to a continuous, temporally constant laser radiation within the laser range. The opposite is...

Laser Display

What is a laser display? Laser display is a term used to describe the application of laser light for entertainment purposes. Show laser display...

Polychromatic Acousto-Optic Modulator

A Polychromatic Acousto-Optic Modulator (PCAOM) was used for gas lasers in the laser show industry in order to control blanking and color fading...

Corneal Reflex

The term Corneal Reflex refers to the protection mechanism of the eye when the eyelid reflexively closes as soon as foreign objects rapidly move...

Laser Effect

What is a laser effect? Most show lasers come with integrated lighting effects which are displayed automatically or manually. Such laser effects...

PPS

What does PPS stand for? PPS means Points Per Second and describes the speed of show laser scanning systems. That's how many laser points per...

CW Laser

CW Laser is the abreviation for "Continuous Wave Laser"See: "Continuous Wave Laser"

Laser Graphics

What are Laser Graphics? The term "Laser Graphics" refers to animated effects, graphics and texts, displayed by a graphics-capable show laser...

Rainbow Laser

What is a Rainbow Laser? A rainbow laser is a show laser light system that is capable of multi colored beams that look like a rainbow. For that...

DAC

What means DAC? DAC stands for Digital Analog Converter. What is a Digital Analog Converter? A DAC is a hardware device that is able to convert...

Laser Light

What is laser light? Laser light defines a laser beam in the visible spectrum (between 400 and 700nm wavelength). Often the term is used to...

Rear Projection Screen

What is a Rear Projection Screen? Laser effects, graphics, texts, etc. need projection surfaces to become visible, for example screens. Rear...

Daisy Chain

What is a daisy chain? The term "Daisy Chain" describes the connection of a signal cable to several devices in a ring or sequence structure. An...

Laser Light Show

What is a laser light show? A laser light show can mean two different things: Primary meaning is the "Laser show", emphasing here that it's a show...

RGB Laser

What is an RGB Laser? RGB lasers are show laser systems with exactly three color modules: red, green and blue. It doesn't matter if the color...

Digital-to-Analog Converter

What is a Digital-to-Analog Converter? A Digital-to-Analog Converter (= DAC) is a hardware device that is able to convert computer generated laser...

Laser Projection

What is a Laser Projection? Laser projection means animations and graphics that are displayed on projection surfaces with a laser display. For...

Safety

Show Laser Safety Laser safety is an important issue while dealing with laser systems. Laser radiation can cause damage on eyes, skin and textiles....

Disco Laser

Why are show lasers popular in discos? Discos are popular places for show laser systems. As most rooms of disocotheques are located in darker...

Laser Projector

What is a Laser Projector? A laser projector is a device for displaying animations and graphics with laser beams onto a screen. Besides laser...

Safety Button

What is a Safety Button? A laser safety button serves to interrupt the current supply manually in case of emergency. Safety buttons are mainly used...

Divergence

What is divergence? Divergence describes the expansion of a laser beam over a long distance. The value is given in mrad (milliradiant), a unit to...

Laser Rainbow

What is a Laser Rainbow? A laser rainbow defines a multi colored beam or layer projection with show laser light systems, that has the colors in the...

Safety Rope

What is a Safety Rope? A safety cable is a wire cable that secures objects like headlights, moving heads and show laser systems from dropping in...

DJ Laser

What is a DJ laser? A DJ Laser is not a specific type of laser light, but it more describes the field of use of the laser. DJ Lasers usually are in...

Laser Safety Class

Each laser system must be assigned to a laser class by the manufacturer. The basic conditions can be found in the IEC 60825-1 standard.For further...

Safety Zone

What is a Safety Zone? As show laser systems can be harmful for human skin / eyes, professional laser show software offers the opportunity to set...

DMX

What does DMX stand for? The abbreviation DMX stands for Digital Multiplex and denotes a serial signal, which carries a special protocol from a...

Laser Safety Officer

For the use of laser systems of the classes 3B and 4 it is required to designate a laser safety officer (in written form). The laser safety officer...

Scan Speed

The scan speed is specified in pps (points per second) or kpps (kilo points per second) and is used to describe how fast the mirrors of a scanning...

DMX512

Why is it called DMX512? The abbreviation DMX stands for Digital Multiplex and denotes a serial signal, which carries a special protocol from a...

Laser Screen

What is a Laser Screen? Laser effects, graphics, texts, etc. must be displayed on different kinds of projection surfaces. Also screens may serve as...

Scanner

What is a scanner? A scanner is a device that scans and measures objects systematically to generate an overall image. Laser systems use scanners to...

DPSS

What does DPSS stand for? DPSS is an abbreviation for "Diode Pumped Solid State Laser" How do DPPS lasers work? This way of generating laser...

Laser Show

What does Laser Show mean? The term "Laser show" can define two different things: In most cases it means an entertainment event where the laser...

Show Laser

What is a show laser? The term "Show laser" is used to describe laser light systems for entertainment purposes. Show laser systems are very...

Entertainment Laser

What is an entertainment laser? An entertainment laser is a laser light for entertainment instead of medical or cosmetic purposes. More common is...

Laser Show Types

There are several ways of how laser shows can be carried out. The way a laser show is perceived mainly depends on the spectator's perspective and...

Show Laser Light

What is a show laser light? "Show Laser Light" is another term to describe laser light systems for entertainment purposes. Show laser light systems...

Ethernet laser controller

What is an Ethernet laser controller? An Ethernet laser controller is a Digital Analog Converter (see the >>> definition of DAC...

Laserist

What is a Laserist? A laserist designs, creates and controls a laser show. A laserist needs at least a show laser projector. For programming own...

Show Lazer

What is a show lazer? The term "show lazer" describes laser light systems for entertainment purposes and is used synonymously for the more common...

Event Laser

What is an Event Laser? Although there is no specific definition for this term, it is often used for very powerful show laser systems that are...

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