Messages

1

LaserBoy !!! / Re: Back in the laserboy biz!

« on: July 27, 2009, 03:37:34 pm »

Hi!

I got it to work finally!
I had forgotten that my soundcard was inverting so I had to find that setting and then I also modded the card for +/-15V power and doubled the input gain to get +/- 10V from the X & Y!

I have (yet) another question.
the output flickers, is there any way to increase the speed (PPS) to get a smoother animation? My galvos are supposed to be 30k so they should take some more abuse.

2

LaserBoy !!! / Re: Back in the laserboy biz!

« on: July 23, 2009, 03:49:50 pm »

I hope you get well soon and can travel to your mad deciples!

numner 06 where the letters fade out inteo black is very stylish!

I'll try to explain what I mean about the rotation:
I want the top letters to always point upwards and that the word rotates completely around its Y axis only.
Is is possible to limit rotation to only a few degrees in X?

I can get it when I push "l" and use only "orbit Y" but I can't get it to stay that way, when I push shift+0 it rotates anyway! I want to try maybe a slight orbit in X to accentuate the "wavyness".

I long for this Sunday when I can go to my lab and put together the USB-dac enclosure so I can try this!

I have a small bug-report too: If i write the wrong filename like "norbergfestival_1" the next load sometimes fails even though I spell it correctly. Solution: restart LB
No biggie but maybe good to know?

3

LaserBoy !!! / Re: Back in the laserboy biz!

« on: July 22, 2009, 05:51:50 pm »

wow, that twisty style is totally new, never seen that! Wonder how my projector will handle that, poor chinese el-cheapo galvos...I sense another upgrade comning!

Is it possible to easily limit the "propeller"-turning of the letters and just have them turn and twist around their own vertical axis?

I´ll try the mask, I read about your colour masks a while ago but never got this use!



This might sound like i´m sucking up but you are an amazing person, customizing your software for a crazy guy halfway around the planet that wants to do a weird installation!

THANKS again!   

4

LaserBoy !!! / Re: Back in the laserboy biz!

« on: July 22, 2009, 04:02:21 pm »

Wow, those wavy effects are amazing and also the exploding text!!!
You have really added a lot of functions to Laserboy since I tried it last time (November 2008), I get some of new stuff but not all, so many functions!

I need some tips how to customize these files:

I do not really get how to "program" the orbit.
Since I´m projecting on a tower I would like the vertical axis on set 01 set to be locked so that the text stays more or less in place on it, maybe with a slight tilt to accentuate the waves.

I would also like to make a set that just is stationary and then slowly revolves around its axis left to right

The exploding with bouncing letters is so cool, how can I get it to stay together for like 1 minute and then explode? Maybe limit its excursions to half or one third of the projection are to stay on the building?
I managed to reverse the fram order but I didn´t to make a blank frame in the beginning and then copy the unexploded frame there a few times.

This is so cool that I want instant gratification and propably miss a lot of obvious steps! aaargh!

A big thank you, James!
Hey, find a cheap flight to Stockholm next weekend and I´ll hook you up with transportation, a free ticket, tent and lots of beer!

5

LaserBoy !!! / Re: Back in the laserboy biz!

« on: July 22, 2009, 04:16:44 am »

You are a sick man (in a good way)!
I'll try it tonight when I get home from work!

THANKS!

6

LaserBoy !!! / Re: Back in the laserboy biz!

« on: July 21, 2009, 06:10:22 pm »

Wow, thanks! You are as quick as usual James! My friends tell me I have a lot of energy but you seem to have even more!

7

LaserBoy !!! / Back in the laserboy biz!

« on: July 21, 2009, 06:25:00 am »

Hi,

I used LB a lot about a year ago and hassled James with questions and built and used a 6ch DAC but then my interests took a turn into building more powerful projectors so I left the software part for a while.
My "big" projector is not finished yet (400mW 532, 100mW 473, 500mW 405, 1W 650 + maybe 200mW 635, 30k scanners) but I decided to take my 400mW 532 + scanners out for a test-spin in two weeks.
I'm also "upgrading" my USB DAC to +/-10V outputs.

I'm one of the people behind a Swedish festival for alternative electronic music, www.norbergfestival.com that takes place in an old abandoned iron mine with huge concrete buildings.


I'm thinking of writing "NORBERGFESTIVAL" vertically with the letters on top of eachother on the big tower.
How do I create this with Laserboy, is it possible?
If it is i'm thinking of having them sit still for a while and then slowly rotate around its own vertical axis for added "WOW" effect. I think this will be nice promotion for LB!
If anyone wants to help me I'll be happy to pay back this favor in the form of help with electronics or optics, i'm better with those kind of things!

8

DACs / Re: USB DAC WARNING !!!

« on: July 08, 2009, 01:02:18 pm »

Been there, done that! The galvos goes *KLONK*!
A quick fix would maybe be a couple of relays that ground the X/Y & blanking signals through a resistor when 5V from the USB isn't present. One relay usually have two poles so it shouldnt take too much room with 2 or 3 relays since they can be very small.
Or just use analogue switches instead.

9

Laser Agent / Re: Laser Agent

« on: February 03, 2009, 04:35:41 am »

Sounds interesting, do you have any pictures to share?

10

Construction / Re: A very small green projector.

« on: January 29, 2009, 04:59:01 am »

Yes, it works very good with the USB-DAC, it will be nice to try them in tandem!

11

Construction / Re: A very small green projector.

« on: January 28, 2009, 08:33:48 am »

Good eyes!
It is going to be controlled by a DMX-card, USB-DAC or from my Serge modular synthesizer.
This is going to be one of a pair that will display the same  patterns.

12

DACs / Re: Anyone tried the 6 channel card with +/-12 or +/15V?

« on: January 28, 2009, 05:17:20 am »

I think you can draw as much as 500mA from a USB2 if you request this from the port, that requires some extra data communication though.
If you are up to the programming you  should be able to put the port into battery charging mode and get more current.

From the USB specs:
"In Battery Charging Specification, new powering modes are added to the USB specification. A host or hub charger can supply maximum 1.5A when communicating at low-speed or full-speed, maximum 900mA when communicating at hi-speed, no upper current limit when no communication is taking place."

I would like to power the whole thing of USB but if I have to I'll use a real +/-15V supply to get the full +/-10V output.

How have you guys implemented balanced outputs? Cant you just invert the output signal with another OP and use that as the + signal (since the output from the 6-channel card is inverted)?

13

Construction / A very small green projector.

« on: January 27, 2009, 01:53:27 am »

I get a slight case of "projector envy" when I see the other project in this category...
I'm also working on a little RGBV projector, more details later...

This is going to be one of two auxillary 50-100mW greens that I'm going to do some beams with.
Only cheap stuff in there, Aixiz/DX lasers, 10k galvos etc.

14

Construction / Re: aaaahhhhhh the journey begins...

« on: January 27, 2009, 01:44:35 am »

Wow, that thing must weigh a ton! 

15

DACs / Anyone tried the 6 channel card with +/-12 or +/15V?

« on: January 27, 2009, 01:42:58 am »

I tried to exchange the switcher with a +/-15v one but it didn't work, I think it had to low current output. The negative rail dissapeared when I turned the scale pot to far down.
I'll make some new tests soon.