Pangolin LD Version Comparisons

There are three versions of Lasershow Designer. The names describe the intended use: LD Professional, LD Basic and LD Intro. The table below contains details about how they differ, plus a comparison of LD Intro with two other low-cost programs.

LD Professional, LD Basic and LD Intro

Here is some general information about the three versions:

All three versions can playback any LD show, with full effects. This means that even LD Intro can play an LD Pro show, with all of its advanced features. Thus, if you just want to playback a Lasershow Designer-created show, your best buy is LD Intro.
Not only can you playback shows, but you can edit them – for example, to replace a logo with your own. However, you can only use the editing features available in the particular program. For example, in LD Intro, you can edit just the first three tracks of a show. In LD Intro and LD Basic, you can edit a frame's X and Y coordinates, but not the Z coordinates (since these programs are 2D-only). So if you need extensive editing of a show, consider LD Pro or LD Basic, instead of LD Intro.
LD Intro is ideal if you need a simple digitizing station, to support an LD Basic or LD Pro workstation.

All three versions act as "slaves" for each other, in a multi-scanner setup. You can put an LD Pro and LD Intro into a computer, and the LD Intro will act as a slave to the LD Pro (including all LD Pro tracks and features) so you can run a two-scanner-head show.

Please see the chart below for more details, or contact Holo-Spectra or Pangolin if you're still not sure which version is ideal for your particular situation.

For more details about the points of comparison listed in the first column, click on the underlined link

Frame Creation	LD Professional	LD Basic	LD Intro	X29 Lite	Lasermax 3
Drawing coordinates	16000 x 16000	16000 x 16000	16000 x 16000	506 x 344	4096 x 4096
Draw true 3D frames	Yes	No	No	No	No
Draw using Beam Brush	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Bitmap raster-to-vector conversion (auto-trace)	Yes	Yes	Yes	$1500 extra program (RTV)	No
Additional Accessory Programs	Yes. SpectraScan Suite of Graphic Converter & BeamWizard for conversion of PC format graphics and RealTime play of beams, graphics, scrolling text, and shows.			RTV	No
Digitizing tablet input	High-resolution (tablet direct), screen resolution (tablet as mouse)	High-resolution (tablet direct), screen resolution (tablet as mouse)	High-resolution (tablet direct), screen resolution (tablet as mouse)	Screen resolution (tablet as mouse)	High-resolution (?), screen resolution (tablet as mouse)
See laser output while drawing/editing	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Number of colors	256 out of 280 trillion possible colors	48 fixed shades (12 basic colors, 12 lighter, 12 darker, white, "black", 10 grays)	24 fixed shades (12 basic colors, white, "blacK", 10 grays)	16 fixed shades	16 colors with 16 levels
Color output	Analog color (can be faded), digital color (color is only off or on)	Analog, digital	Analog, digital	Digital	Digital/analog (16 colors with 16 levels)
Number of undos	5	5	5	1	1
Raster (TV-type) picture frames	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Vector (high performance) frames	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
True abstract frames	Yes, 3 oscillator banks, color modulator, ability to use any frame as a waveform	Yes, 2 oscillator banks, color modulator, 4 fixed waveforms	Yes, 1 oscillator bank, color modulator, 4 fixed waveforms	No (pre-generated static frames)	No
Number of fonts	25 standard, plus ability to create and use custom fonts	25 standard	25	4	3, plus ability to create and use custom fonts
Pre-computed morphing between frames	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Real-time morphing between frames (no need to store in-between frames)	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Recolor tools	Paint roller, paint brush, rainbow line & point, smooth colors	Paint roller, paint brush, rainbow line & point, smooth colors	Paint brush, rainbow line & point	Paint brush	None
Movement tools	Manual, quick, numeric	Manual, quick, numeric	Manual, quick	Manual	None
2D tools	Mirror horizontal & vertical	Mirror horizontal & vertical	Mirror horizontal & vertical	None	None
2D warping	180 & 360 degree curve. Fisheye lens. Spiral.	180 & 360 degree curve. Fisheye lens. Spiral.	Spiral. 180 & 360 degree curve.	None	None
3D tools	Extrude, spin (lathe)	None	None	None	None
3D warping and surface mapping	Cube, sphere, hemisphere. Cylinder, hemicylinder. Cone, hourglass, black hole. Bump map from bitmap. Stretch Z.	None	None	None	None

Show Creation	LD Professional	LD Basic	LD Intro	X29 Lite	Lasermax 3
Timeline-based motion (stretch or shrink to change effect timing)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Number of X-Y scanner pairs controlled	4	2	1	1	1
Number of tracks (simultaneous frames doing different things)	32	16	3	1	1 (separate utility can merge frames to simulate multitracking)
On-screen preview	Yes. Can output to computer screen and laser projector simultaneously.	Yes. Can output to computer screen and laser projector simultaneously.	Yes. Can output to computer screen and laser projector simultaneously.	Yes. Cannot play preview and CD simultaneously.	Yes. Preview plays at different speed than show.
Realtime (not precomputed) animation capabilities	Time-based (animate for X seconds), refresh-based (draw frame X times)	Time-based, refresh-based	None	None	None
Realtime (not precomputed) morphing between frames	Morph between any two frames; sequential morph between any number of frames	Morph between any two frames; sequential morph between any number of frames	None	None	None (separate utility can create precomputed morphs)
Rate-of-change for animations and effects	Linear (smooth), accelerate, decelerate, accelerate then decelerate, ping-pong, oscillate, random.	Linear (smooth), accelerate, decelerate, accelerate then decelerate, ping-pong, oscillate, random.	Linear	Linear	Linear
Parameters that can be controlled	Size, rotation, position, 3D perspective, viewing distance, scan speed, window-wipe, brightness, color cycling,draw-out, erase-in, depth cueing, master screen size and position, 16 TTL outputs, 1 aux. voltage output.	Size, rotation, position, 3D perspective, viewing distance, scan speed, window-wipe, brightness, color cycling,draw-out, erase-in, depth cueing, master screen size and position, 16 TTL outputs, 1 aux. voltage output.	Size, rotation, position, 3D perspective, scan speed, window-wipe, brightness, color cycling,draw-out, erase-in, 16 TTL outputs.	Size, rotation, position, 3D perspective, scan speed, TTL outputs.	Size, rotation, position (others as special effects)
Automatically synchronize to audio CD in computer	Yes	Yes	Yes	Partial (CD can play with show, but not hard-synchronized)	No
Automatically synchronize to sound files (.WAV and .MIDI formats)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Automatically synchronize to SMPTE timecode (incl. offsets)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited	Partial (requires extra-cost software add-on)
Mark music beats and see visual marks	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Output show (or parts of show) as a sequence of frames	Yes	Yes	No	No	No

Output Capabilities	LD Professional	LD Basic	LD Intro	X29 Lite	Lasermax 3
Playback any show created on LD Pro, LD Basic or LD Intro	Yes	Yes	Yes	n/a	n/a
Hardware output board	Dedicated laser computer	Dedicated laser computer	Dedicated laser computer	I/O board using PC computer's processor	I/O board using PC computer's processor
Output status at startup	Beam is centered; blanked; shutter off.	Beam is centered; blanked; shutter off.	Beam is centered; blanked; shutter off.	Beam is blanked.	Beam is visible and can be anywhere in scan area.
Can run other programs during a show	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Scan speed remains the same no matter how fast or slow the PC computer	Yes	Yes	Yes	Partial (needs software adjustments if changing computers or importing shows from other)	No
Show continues even if PC crashes or freezes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Actuator output (TTL lines)	16	16	16	8	16
MIDI output to control special devices	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Stereoscopic output and control (requires additional hardware)	Yes	Yes	No	No	No

Miscellaneous	LD Professional	LD Basic	LD Intro	X29 Lite	Lasermax 3
Import file formats	LD Windows, LD Amiga, Aura/Laser Fantasy, ILDA	LD Windows, LD Amiga, Aura/Laser Fantasy, ILDA	LD Windows, LD Amiga, Aura/Laser Fantasy, ILDA	X29, Laser Media, Lasermax, LSD Co., ILDA	Lasermax
Export file formats	LD Windows, LD Amiga, Aura/Laser Fantasy, ILDA	LD Windows, LD Amiga, Aura/Laser Fantasy, ILDA	LD Windows, LD Amiga, Aura/Laser Fantasy, ILDA	X29 only	Lasermax (ILDA requires additional software module)
Ability to write custom programs using C, Visual Basic or other languages	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Windows screen mode	Any	Any	Any	640 x 480 only	DOS-based - does not run under Windows
Executable program size, bytes	LD drawing program, 1,475K. Showtime program, 1,325K. QuadMod board firmware, 590K. Total: 3,390K	LD drawing program, 1,475K. Showtime program, 1,325K. QuadMod board firmware, 590K. Total: 3,390K	LD drawing program, 1,475K. Showtime program, 1,325K. QuadMod board firmware, 590K. Total: 3,390K	303K	250K
Help file(s) size, bytes	6 files; total: 4,500K	6 files; total: 4,500K	6 files; total: 4,500K	56K	20K
Number of shows (songs) included	26	26	13 (13 additional shows available for $910)	10 (?)	3. Shows flash "Laser Production Network" periodically.
Money-back trial period (satisfaction guarantee)	90 days	90 days	90 days	10 days	None
List price	$6995	$3495	$1995 (includes bitmap autotrace program)	$1495 (bitmap autotrace program "RTV" $1495 additional)	$1895

Disclaimer: Information presented herein is accurate to the best of our belief. Data on X29 Lite and Lasermax 3 is based on our best impression from reading advertisements, listening to users, trying it briefly, etc. There may be some inadvertent errors; we welcome any clarifications and corrections. In addition, programs are subject to updates so features may change. ©1998, Pangolin Laser Systems. All rights reserved.

Link to

Send mail to bill@lasershs.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 1999 Holo-Spectra Inc. Last modified: January 06, 2000

Send mail to bill@lasershs.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1999 Holo-Spectra Inc.
Last modified: January 06, 2000