Topic: My New Projector

[Lazerjock]

Thanks for the feedback James I love it.   

As for the beam show from the air, I think that would look amazing from the ground, but I really enjoy flying. Something tells me the FAA would frown upon that and my time as a pilot would be shortened drastically.   

[Lazerjock]

Yesterday I cut all of the holes for the fans and main power in, switch, fuse and mounted them.

I hate fiberglass. I still itch.

[BlinkenLights]

rub your skin with a womans nylon stocking.. that will help remove the fiberglass...
trust me it works..

Start by getting into a warm bath that is just steamy enough to open your pores. After your pores have been opened, take the nylon stockings and gently scrape them across the affected areas. This will help pull the fibers out of your skin.

BATH not a shower

[James]

Hmmmmm.

Have you had a bad experience with glass wool insulation?

I had one once when I was much younger.

James. 

[Lazerjock]

Thanks I'll have to remember that for next time.

[Lazerjock]

Ok
I got my 16 output USB to TTL converter today. I downloaded the application they provide, I plugged it into my USB port, and BAM!!

I have 16 controllable outputs. This is exactally what I was looking for. I plan to use it to drive relays which will control my GM20 pick off mirrors. This will give me my Lumia and Machita effects with 14 outputs left over for what ever else I can think of.

Now the trick is to get you programmer types to incorperate it into your software. It shouldn't be hard to do considering they give you all the required information.
For $30 bucks this thing is hard to beat. I see all kinds of applications other than laser control. Remember it can be configured for input or output or both.They market it as home automation, but the possibilitys are endless.

[BlinkenLights]

well it could be a shutter controller too.

besides that you could use the TTL for DMX control of a fog machine or lighting..

[James]

That USB thing looks like a perfect fit!

NICE FIND! 

LaserBoy already uses the least significant bit of the red and the green channels. And it also knows how to eliminate bits of insignificance in all channels. So it is quite possible to create a system where many of those USB bits could be banged by the least significant bits of the data stored in a wave file; however, it would require a special wave player to pull the LSBs from the wave and push them to the USB thing. But, the good news is that having those bits there would have no appreciable effect on the normal playback of that same wave from a generic wave player. You just wouldn't get the bits for your USB thing.

This is a very good representation of my ideaology when it comes to LaserBoy! Use what is there, but don't do it in a way that would ruin it from the most generic perspective. You know...... the rules; what actually works.

Lazerjock, you are doing a great job on your projector! You are really going for it. You've got all that is needed and you are going for MORE! Kick ass! 

James. 

[BlinkenLights]

WOW.. thats the worst idea ever..

its bit banging.. not friken analog anything..

yes you COULD write a SPECIAL wave reader that could separate out the LSBs and use them for bit banging the TTL board but thats a silly solution..

I dont get your thinking sometimes..

I CAN drive a 69 VW Beetle  across a lake.. it WILL float and I can even steer and get some forward thrust out of the rear wheels.. but its not designed to do that and i have to find a way to seal the passenger cabin or else im gonna get wet...

[thesk8nmidget]

little late on the reply lol

but which lasers are your 405?

home come you dont have the 405 laser last in line for the colors? you would get much less power loss that way.

[BlinkenLights]

OHHHHhh......

 look who decided he wasn't too good for us anymore.....

[James]

WOW.. thats the worst idea ever..

its bit banging.. not friken analog anything..

yes you COULD write a SPECIAL wave reader that could separate out the LSBs and use them for bit banging the TTL board but thats a silly solution..

I dont get your thinking sometimes..

I CAN drive a 69 VW Beetle  across a lake.. it WILL float and I can even steer and get some forward thrust out of the rear wheels.. but its not designed to do that and i have to find a way to seal the passenger cabin or else im gonna get wet...

Information stored in a wave is digital. It's not analog until it comes out the other side of a DAC; and even then it is a discrete, stepped, clocked signal.

Can you think of a better way to implement time synchronized bit switching?

Putting them in the LSBs would make them an integral part of the playback; absolutely guaranteeing that they will ALWAYS be perfectly synchronized with the rest of the signal streams.

As a matter of fact, this is EXACTLY why I developed bit resolution reduction for all signal channels in LaserBoy!

Kudos to Lazerjock for finding what looks like the perfect USB device to make use of those extra free bits!

James. 

[James]

If you can find some old 5.25" floppy drives, you might get lucky and get some that have those nice big 100 position stepper motors in them. The controller for the stepper is right there on the board that has the Molex power connector and the gold edge tabs for the ribbon. One of those gold tabs is TTL direction and another one is TTL step. All you need to do is provide power to the board through the power connector and you can drive the motor with two bits.

James. 

[Lazerjock]

My new projector is almost done. I was hoping to have it finished for FLEM (Florida LEM), but I had some diode troubles. That is resolved now and I have seen color graphics. Well at least a color test pattern.

The USB to TTL board is finished and working.

I was trying to set up my laptop to run everything, but the sound card driver don't seem to work on Vista. I attempted to download Vista drivers unsuccesfully. Anybody have any ideas other that dumping Vista?

James, the sound card I got from you is a 6 ch. Do I need 8 ch to play music with my shows? I asked Gary the same question for Spaghetti he said no, it uses the exsisting sound card to play misic, but I can't see how it can be done. As soon as I connect the USB sound card the internal is disconnected.

Please help. I'm sorry to dump all of this at once, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel on this project.

[James]

Yes. you will need 8 channels to play 8 channel waves that might come out of LaserBoy.

I am surprised that your laptop native sound system goes away when you plug in the USB. That should not happen. You should be able to have them both at the same time. From what I have read, that is how Spaghetti plays audio.

I'd be happy to help you get an 8 channel USB card going. I'll have to get with drlava and get some more naked LaserBoy Correction Amp pc boards. You could modify the one you have. You really only need 6 channels of correction. The audio can just pass through as-is.

James.