Anyone have any experience with a "Laser Star Projector"?

Saw this in Sharper Image tonight. Stars are green (not a good thing), but looked good and an inexpensive way to create a star ceiling.

Did not appear to generate any ambient light as long as the "cloud effect" is turned off.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/8ed4/

Very inexpensive for a large star ceiling.

db

im wondering if this would look crappy on a black ceiling

Yes - not sure how the Green would look on black either.

Green is just cheezy for stars.

Wonder if there are any other star projectors available with very low ambient light cast (i.e., super high contrast ratio). There are laser show type projectors available with white laser light (actually RGB Mix). In theory, one could program one of these for any star pattern one would like - could even track the actual sky.

I have a friend in the laser scanner (used for light shows) biz. Will ask him.

db

What about the Sega Homestar?

What about the Sega Homestar?


http://the-gadgeteer.com/review/sega_toys_homestar_planetarium

Didn't have 3 posts yet. :D

I don't think I've ever seen any quality product come from the "Sharper Image".

Intersting - I wonder what the contrast ratio is and if it will work on a black ceiling!

Perhaps that is the magic of an emmision (rather than reflection) based start ceiling (e.g., fiber or led) for HT - inherently uses the black backround with point emission for a massive contrast ratio. Like peering into deep space.

db

My Neighbor had one of these - I think they got it from amazon for 140.

I was turned off by the idea, it sounded stupid.

His wife insisted on showing me.

WOW - I wasn't expecting this.

HUGE Starfield of MOVING stars (Yes they are green, but they are still VERY cool looking)

It also had a bluish "Cloud layer" projection.

This thing was cool, and I'd certainly try it out.

- Jack

basementjack2 - are you able to borrow it and try it on a black ceiling?

I just got one of these from sharper image for 45% off, since they are going out of business...dbbarron, they work better on a white ceiling and are recommended not to be used on a black ceiling, in the instruction booklet...my star tiles are black and they do work, just not as bright as on a white ceiling...even though the stars are green, these things are REALLY cool...I TOTALLY recommend, if you don't mind the green stars...

I just got one of these from sharper image for 45% off, since they are going out of business...dbbarron, they work better on a white ceiling and are recommended not to be used on a black ceiling, in the instruction booklet...my star tiles are black and they do work, just not as bright as on a white ceiling...even though the stars are green, these things are REALLY cool...I TOTALLY recommend, if you don't mind the green stars...

anyway you can post a pict? I will like to see that result... thanks

anyway you can post a pict? I will like to see that result... thanks

The picture over here (http://www.lightenergystudio.com/novelty/laserstar.htm) does a reasonable job of representing the unit. It's hard to capture it completely because many of the stars are very, very dim and the darker you make the room the more you see. Also it's a very "active" display with the stars all flying around in various directions and patterns. The bright ones in the middle of the blue cloud are the main exception: they just rotate in a circle around the really bright one in the middle, which doesn't move at all.

Also bear in mind it has no resemblance to the night sky. It's a [very cool] light show, not a planetarium.

I was playing with one in the mall yesterday debating about getting it. I did point it at a black laminated sheft about 4 feet above the unit with the lights on and it seemed plenty bright. If the light had been white instead of green I would have picked it up right then and there. I still keep going back and forth on it even at 40% off.