Topic: Totally in the dark..Newbie DAC ?????

[pyrotech]

Hello, I'm a total newbie (54 y.o English )to the world of lasers, I'm getting a fairly basic green laser for Christmas, to fit in with other bits and pieces I mess with.

I know little of the model etc, but I do know it has DMX and ILDA port. The DMX is not a problem, but reading up on ILDA, I find I need a DAC.  As I'll be using free software, (only need a few basic patterns) .I like to obtain a DIY DAC suitable for use with the free software avaliable or a PCB and BOM. 

I'm not to bad with a soldering iron following directions, but have no idea exactly why I doing what I;m doing if you know what I mean.

Ideally I'd like to slave the software to a full midi show control programme

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Ian

[meandean]

 Hi Ian!
 
 Welcome to the forum! I would like to get some more info on your green laser before giving any advice.
 
                                                                         Dean

[pyrotech]

Thanks for getting back:

I'm not absolutely certain, as my better half has it stashed away as part of my Christmas Gift,   but I think it is this one or very similar spec;

I'm UK voltage 240VAC and 50Hz

Green 150mw
Rated voltage: AC100V-240V/50Hz-60Hz
Power consumption: 10W
Laser wavelength: Green 532nm
Laser source: solid semiconductor laser generator
Laser colour: Green
Laser class: 3B
Scan speed: 20Kpps scanner system
Scan angle: ±40° degrees
Laser graphic frame images: 100+
Control modes: ILDA, DMX512, Sound-activated, Auto, Master/Slave
DMX channels: 10 x DMX512
ILDA: 25pin Sub-D adapter
Cooling system: forced fan

Oh another question, can the preset patterns in these basic set ups be swapped out and replaced?  Reflashed?

Ian



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Laser power:

[meandean]

 Hi Ian!
 
 I'm a big fan of modified USB soundcards for projectors, and there are many articles on how to employ them
on this and other laser forums, but I would not recommend them unless you have a fair amount of electronics
background and plenty of patience...
 
 This alternative might be the easiest way to get your foot in the door without spending too much money:
 
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/showthread.php/12790-RIYA-Multibus-Lite-Controllers
 
 
 
                                    Dean
 

[BlinkenLights]

really dean... with the plethora of knowledge on this site, your gonna send an obvious DIY guy over to the PL? pyrotech, send an email to james@akrobiz.com and tell him what it is you are looking for, he designed it and can get you started very easily

[pyrotech]

Thanks guys, no fighting now.  If DIY = Cheap then thats me,,,, Actually I do wish to Do it Myself.   Basically I'm stuck home all day after an industrial accident, was 25 years plus a pyrotechnician and special effects tech. 

I've got into the animated lights and prop scene to pass time. Doing as much myself as possible as my income is pretty reduced.

I have no theoretical knowledge of electronics, but I do solder my own boards if not too complex.  I think I've a usb 8 channel sound card in the loft, somewhere that I don't mind butchering. I also have PICkit 3 and MPLAB

My main controller is DMX with the ability to do 16 universes via 4 slaves. Using hyper DMX updates at 25ms intervals.  (in theory)

I'd like to do two things or at least one of the two.

run the laser via the ILDA interface using a script, or rewrite some of the patterns held by the laser, then DMX them.

Hope this helps..




 

[meandean]

Actually I do wish to Do it Myself.   Basically I'm stuck home all day after an industrial accident, was 25 years plus a pyrotechnician and special effects tech. 

I've got into the animated lights and prop scene to pass time. Doing as much myself as possible as my income is pretty reduced.

I have no theoretical knowledge of electronics, but I do solder my own boards if not too complex.  I think I've a usb 8 channel sound card in the loft, somewhere that I don't mind butchering. I also have PICkit 3 and MPLAB

My main controller is DMX with the ability to do 16 universes via 4 slaves. Using hyper DMX updates at 25ms intervals.  (in theory)

I'd like to do two things or at least one of the two.

run the laser via the ILDA interface using a script, or rewrite some of the patterns held by the laser, then DMX them.

Hope this helps..

 OK, good enough for me (I noticed James hasn't jumped in yet, so I guess I'm on my own)...
I would like to know what kind of USB soundcard you have (6 or 8 channel); I know of 2
common types: cmedia's CM106 (6ch, small blue case) and CM6206 (8ch, a bit larger).

 You will need to find the DC blocking capacitors located near the audio out jacks, and
tap your drive signals BEFORE the capacitors and route them to a correction amp that you
will need to build- I'll get into that later. I assume you have a voltmeter...

 The other issue is that your projector is green only. Can the drive signal be ramped up
and down (analog) or TTL (beam on/off)?

 Sorry, I have ZERO knowledge of DMX, so I can't help you there...

                                         Dean

[pyrotech]

Dean,

Probably best till wait till after Christmas, my wife is a stickler for keeping her mouth shut, so I'll know very little about it till she hands it over Xmas Day, my fault I know , I married her. 

And by then I'll  probably be able to tell you if it "Can the drive signal be ramped up and down (analog) or TTL (beam on/off)? "

I bet my knowledge of Lasers is less than your of DMX.  I'm learning that as well as I go.  To to bad on midi show control, well the pyro bit anyway.

Ian

[meandean]

Dean,

Probably best till wait till after Christmas, my wife is a stickler for keeping her mouth shut, so I'll know very little about it till she hands it over Xmas Day, my fault I know , I married her. 

 Cherish that!!!

[James]

You definitely want to build a sound card DAC! That is the only way you would be able to play wave files directly into your laser projector. Get the 8 channel version of the USB thing. You will not regret it. Then you will have all of the signal channels you need to do full color and sound!

I have a few correction amps that are fully built and tested. I could also do the sound card mod and put it a nice box for you!

James. 

[pyrotech]

Thanks James,

 as soon as I know what I've got I'll get back to you, and see what the best option for my situation is.

Ian

[mooljacc]

Hello everyone ,
I'm new here I want to build DAC but I can find circuit diagram ... can you help me with that ....






sorry on bad english ...




thank you

[meandean]

 Hi mooljacc!
 
 Welcome to the forum. Take a look at this thread:
 
  http://laserboy.org/forum/index.php?topic=277.msg3002#msg3002
 
  Feel free to ask any questions.
 
 
                                    Dean

[mooljacc]

thank you.... I find this shema


http://www.akrobiz.com/laserboy/graphics/huge/laser_h_95.jpg


I wan to make 3chanel amp for my green laser.... 

[James]

Go for the whole 8 channels. You will not regret it. It will do everything you need for right now and it will serve you well into the future.

That schemo will work OK, but there have been quite a few additions and modifications to that basic idea that make it all work much better for just about any kind of computer sound device you might want to use it with.

James.