Topic: [FAQ] Laserboy for Raspberry, questions. Thanks!

[Barabba]

Hi, I'm new here, I'm going to install on my club a laser projector and I'm facing some issues, this project may let me save some money. If it can accomplish, I'll be happy to donate you!
Here are some questions, kindly breafly support me answering, thanks.

1) Is the software designed for Raspberry, and does it work better on the new version 3?
2) To drive ILDA I suppose I've to create an adaptor from GPIO, with a DAC, there is a project made and tested? (just say me the name and I'll search for it). Does it worth/be comparable to the ones on the market?
3) the software for Raspberry is working stand alone or can create effects? (a graphic interface)
4) Does the software supports the ethernet to be driven from another software? Maybe a PC version of Laserboy or another software like iShow, Quickshow.. or does it supports only effects inside an SD card?
5) Can it  be connected somehow to DMX channels to call the programs?

Thank you a lot

[Barabba]

I read now about soundcard for drive lasers, it looks a really cheap solution 
one card with 8 channels will be enough? And what about other on/off controls of the laser? Driven by GPIO?
I'm looking around some videos on youtube how Laserboy works, but can't find a lot, only these
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHxYEgamZOI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLwPewFysVU

[Barabba]

I also saw different projects about raspberry and DMX, would know if there is any integration yes to call laser sequences from DMX input

[James]

The Raspberry Pi is like any other Linux computer. So you can compile and run LaserBoy on it.

LaserBoy allows you to make frame sets and do all kinds of drawing and special effects. Then it converts that frame set into a multi channel wave file. You then play that wave file with any ordinary wave player that can play multi channel waves (in Linux it's the ALSA player).

There is no connection at all between the LaserBoy application and the DAC.

The USB SND8 sound device works on a Linux machine. So you can use it to make your own DAC. But you also need to buy or build a LaserBoy Correction Amp. That takes the signals from the sound device and converts them to work as control signals for the laser projector. These signals include X, Y and the color controls of red, green and blue. So all you need is the LaserBoy DAC (modified sound device).

There is no connection for DMX with LaserBoy or it's DAC as far as I know.

There are other projects out there that can use the LaserBoy DAC, but I don't think any of them work in Linux.

You can shell into your Raspberry Pi from any other computer on the same network and play waves from there.

I hope this answers your questions.

James.

[Barabba]

Thank you a lot for reply!
Now it's more clear, especially the DAC side, lease let me ask something more, thank you:

U said to use 5 channels, RGB and XY, what about intensity blanking? and about Z? I also hear about ude 8 channels USB audio devide, but you confirm only 5 DACs are used?
About shutter, Interlock A and B aren't connected?

As I understood the Lightboy has its own graphic developement interface, is it compatible with outpit ILDA files produced by other softwares?
Can you kindly indicate me where I can ask about DMX support and LAN/network to developers?

Thank you a lot

[James]

It only takes 5 channels to control a laser projector. The color channels give you analog voltages from 0 to +5V. Zero volts turn the lasers off. +5V turns the lasers on full. You don't need any other control.

You can choose what signal gets put into the 6th channel, if you want. You can put monochrome intensity there if you only have one color of laser or you can put Z information there for 3D file storage. But that does nothing for you with your projector. There is no Z input.

The LaserBoy Correction Amp kit comes with a standard 25 pin connector for ILDA and it connects pin 4 to pin 17 for the safety interlock.

Yes. LaserBoy can read and write all forms of ILDA files.

You can ask here on this forum about DMX control.

James.

[Barabba]

Thank you, it's clear!
What about the remote controlling? There is something aleady developed about it?

I already posted about DMX in "other hardware",
are you the developer of the LB software?

I would suggest a project about DMX, based on Arduino (there are already libraries developed for DMX input) and Raspberry:
Arduino is sniffing the DMX looking for some particular addresses, for example 200 to 205 DMX address, and transmit  to Raspberry by I2C the values of bytes received at those addresses when those are being trasmitted on the dmx channel, using Interrupt Raspberry will acquire them. Raspberry store them into memory locations and use them like user paramenters from interface.
There may be:
address 200 and 201: two bytes for program number, LB will execute suddenly ILD file according to this number, for example 00356.ild or 65535.ild
address 202: 100 values for master intensity (0-100%) (all RGB will be reduced by amount according ILD values)
address 203: 256 values X offset for ILD file (if ILD is not executed in the desidered place, it's possible to offset horizzontally the sequence)
address 204: Y offset
address 205: speed, 128 leaves the ILD speed without changes, 0 increase by some% (max) and 256 slower down to min (some %, for example 1000% ten times slower)

I don't see other useful parameters. How you consider this? I think it will substitute controllers which at least cost 200$ on the marked, future donations should consider that.

Raspberry allows load ILD files remotely by LAN interface.. so we can just create ILD effects offline and upload them to Rasberry, then edit offset and speed by dmx.

Thank you for kind attention

[James]

Yes. I am the developer of LaserBoy.

I don't know very much about DMX.

You must remember, LaserBoy opens ILDA files and converts them to wave files. That's what it does. It does not play the waves. YOU must play the waves using a wave player.

You could write a wave player that does some effects during playback. But, at this time, nothing like that exists.

[emanuel]

I'm using this for DMX laser http://www.qlcplus.org/

[Barabba]

Thank you Emanuel for posting, actually qlcplus is a "light sequencer" and I need the opposite, something for read the DMX line and pass the commands to laser.

Thank you James you opened my eyes, I got in trouble because I see u talking about USB DACs and I supposed your software "play" through USB waves and directly drive laser.
Then I should find the software for playing it, and ask the developer to integrate it with Arduino DMX.
It's a bit of messy to look for the player, can you please suggest me something for Rasberry? Thank you

[James]

The Raspberry Pi uses ALSA, Advanced Linux Sound Architecture. There is a suite of applications that are all part of that. aplay is one of them. It works from the command prompt. It can play multi channel wave files.

[AshenLight]

Hi James,

Besides using a modified sound card with LaserBoy on the Pi, do you know if anyone has successfully used an EtherDream?

Thanks,
Ash