Help, No laser output, FB3, Quickshow

[CRFultz]

Hello all, I managed to get all my components mounted and somewhat aligned. When I click on a cue in QuickShow I can hear the scanners (DT-30's) running but I have no laser output. I am using DZ's ILDA BreakOut Board. I checked for voltage at the + and - pins and it's showing zero volts. The lasers (LW640, LW658, and LW532) all work in CW mode. I have the slide switch's set at MOD and AS. I have played with the software quite a bit the last few month's and I'm thinking that since I have zero volts at the breakout board, maybe there is a setting in QuickShow that i have clicked on that has disabled the output to the lasers only. Should I uninstall and reinstall the pangolin software? I also tried it in LiveQuick with the same results. I'm also wondering about the "Loop" and "Loop Return" on the breakout board. Does it have to have a live circuit attached? Right now there are no connections at these terminals.
Thanks in advance.
Chuck

[gottaluvlasers]

you do have "enable Laser Output" clicked in QS correct? I guarantee you this is just a silly overlook. We've all been there before...

also, what pin #'s are the loop and loop return? This isnt the interlock or shutter circuit is it? if so, then yes...they should be shorted (or better yet)- hooked to a shutter/interlock circuit

[CRFultz]

Thanks Marc for responding.
Yes the laser is enabled (top right Icon in QuickShow). The scanners activate and they respond by pitch to the different cues selected. The pins on the breakout board don't have a number designation assigned (printed) they just say Loop and Loop return. I put a jumper wire between the two but the results were the same. DZ had mentioned that a voltage could be applied to the loop and if all is good it would pass thru and back to loop return, the red LED would light. I don't have a 5volt source on my projector to use so I left it disconnected. I intend to add a complete interlock circuit at a later date but I need to make sure I have everything else working first.
Chuck

[DZ]

Thanks Marc for responding.
Yes the laser is enabled (top right Icon in QuickShow). The scanners activate and they respond by pitch to the different cues selected. The pins on the breakout board don't have a number designation assigned (printed) they just say Loop and Loop return. I put a jumper wire between the two but the results were the same. DZ had mentioned that a voltage could be applied to the loop and if all is good it would pass thru and back to loop return, the red LED would light. I don't have a 5volt source on my projector to use so I left it disconnected. I intend to add a complete interlock circuit at a later date but I need to make sure I have everything else working first.
Chuck

Hi Chuck, the "loop" and "loop return" have no effect on the color outputs of the breakout board. They are intended to pass the interlock loop thru to the controller and back to your projector. Not having it wired makes no difference. It's interesting that you have 0V between +color and -color lines. Setup the software to output a test pattern (ILDA, Lasermedia or whatever) and test voltage between +R or +G or +B to GND. I'm wondering if you're wiring to the -color line and there may be physically no connection to the -color lines on the controller. If you end up with voltage and don't want to have to rewire your connections from -color lines to GND, just turn on switch 3, 4 and 5 which will internally connect the -color lines to GND on the breakout board.

[KGB]

That loop wont be what is causing your lasers to not turn on. Are you sure you have the correct modulation setting selected on your laser drivers? I had to play with mine a bit to get them to work.


EDIT: DZ's too fast :P
-Brooks

[CRFultz]

I just checked it, between R+ and ground I read -2.374 volts and the green reads +.1280 vdc. This is with the dip switchs in the off position. With the switchs (3,4,5) in the on position I read 0 volts between R+ and gnd and +.1230 between +G and Gnd.

I will check the as/ mod switchs again on the driver PS

Should I disconnect the -R,-G terminals and leave the wires unhooked?

I powered down and toggled the CW/AS switch back and forth. same thing...they do work in cw mode...
This isn't looking good

[Synce]

Set up a pattern to run through QS and click "enable laser output". Then try all combinations switches until the pattern is displayed. I can't remember exactly but it seemed like on of my switches was backwards. Or maybe I'm just lysdexic???

On my setup (only green at the moment), the +G and -G are hooked up to the ILDA board.

Also, just check to make sure you have the screw dust covers taken off the end of your lasers. (Yes, I've left mine on before and couldn't figure out why the hell it wasn't working.)

[CRFultz]

I took the white wires coming from the driver/ps and tied all three together and connected to "GND" on the breakout board. Now I have zero volts. This is with the switchs 3,4,5 in the off position.

[CRFultz]

Set up a pattern to run through QS and click "enable laser output". Then try all combinations switches until the pattern is displayed. I can't remember exactly but it seemed like on of my switches was backwards. Or maybe I'm just lysdexic???

On my setup (only green at the moment), the +G and -G are hooked up to the ILDA board.

Also, just check to make sure you have the screw dust covers taken off the end of your lasers. (Yes, I've left mine on before and couldn't figure out why the hell it wasn't working.)

I'll give it a whirl...the LaserWave units do not come with dustcovers....the lasers work fine in CW mode.

[Synce]

I'll give it a whirl...the LaserWave units do not come with dustcovers....the lasers work fine in CW mode.

Really? Mine came with a screw on cap over the aperature.

[CRFultz]

well it would seem that there is a very faint output coming from the green, i would not have seen it except i placed a small piece of white cardboard in front of the aperture. The image at the scanner is of the nature of a scope signal. The cue selected is a simple cone. Nothing at all from the two reds

[CRFultz]

Really? Mine came with a screw on cap over the aperature.

i have the lower end units(ie cheapest) maybe it is standard on the better models. They do all three provide a nice dot across the room in cw mode.....

[CRFultz]

Set up a pattern to run through QS and click "enable laser output". Then try all combinations switches until the pattern is displayed. I can't remember exactly but it seemed like on of my switches was backwards. Or maybe I'm just lysdexic???

On my setup (only green at the moment), the +G and -G are hooked up to the ILDA board.

Also, just check to make sure you have the screw dust covers taken off the end of your lasers. (Yes, I've left mine on before and couldn't figure out why the hell it wasn't working.)

will it damage the lasers if i switch them to cw mode with a analog signal coming in?

[DZ]

will it damage the lasers if i switch them to cw mode with a analog signal coming in?

Can't respond in detail at the moment, can you disconnect mod wires from breakout board and connect directly to a 5v source?

[300EVIL]

Are you sure your DB25 cable is straight through?




If not, you could be using a null modem cable like this...

[DZ]

I just checked it, between R+ and ground I read -2.374 volts and the green reads +.1280 vdc. This is with the dip switchs in the off position. With the switchs (3,4,5) in the on position I read 0 volts between R+ and gnd and +.1230 between +G and Gnd.

That is very odd to read a negative voltage on +R to ground. What sort of cable are you using between the DAC and the projector? Would it be at all possible to connect the DAC directly to the breakout board, eliminating the cable all together? Do you have an oscilloscope?

Should I disconnect the -R,-G terminals and leave the wires unhooked?

Probably not, the Laserwave modules that I've played around with in the past require both being connected to work properly. My suspicion is that there's an optop coupler on the front end of a Laserwave module. This may have changed recently though as I remember a thread about input impedence issues that were resolved.

This isn't looking good

We'll figure it out, hopefully it's just something simple. If you could try what I posted earlier, connecting the modulation wires directly to a 5V source, that would rule out the laser itself if it works.

[CRFultz]

WOW! ya R freakin awesum. Thanks DZ and 300!
Swapped cables with the Correct one and I have output. This is my first glance at a laser projector and I am impressed at how clear it is. It would seem my green is totaly overpowering my reds cuz thats all thats being shown on the wall, all though the reds are putting out. I need to figure out how to turn down the green in the software. I'm sure there's a slider bar somewhere.....Outstanding

[CRFultz]

Well the reds are working correctly, I had the Green CW MOD sw set to CW, it shows the graphics but of coarse there is no blanking and it runs at full intensity. So powered down and switched it back to AS and now there is no output from the green. I moved the slider bars for color choice and I still only have the reds when selected. Under "projector settings" I clicked on the middle tab and both color sliders are at 100%. I checked the voltage between G+ and ground and got .072 vdc. I will try LiveQuick and see what I get with it. I'm hoping it's something in the software and not my green Driver/PS.

Thanks again for your help

[Synce]

Well the reds are working correctly, I had the Green CW MOD sw set to CW, it shows the graphics but of coarse there is no blanking and it runs at full intensity. So powered down and switched it back to AS and now there is no output from the green. I moved the slider bars for color choice and I still only have the reds when selected. Under "projector settings" I clicked on the middle tab and both color sliders are at 100%. I checked the voltage between G+ and ground and got .072 vdc. I will try LiveQuick and see what I get with it. I'm hoping it's something in the software and not my green Driver/PS.

Thanks again for your help

Are you sure that the other dipswitch (located under the TTL input) is selected correctly? See Dave's (Lasershowparts) LW manual here. P1 (TTL) to the right, P2 (Analog) to the right?

...just trying the easy stuff here

[CRFultz]

I unwired the two reds that are working correctly and wired in the green in their place. The green is now working. So I know my lasers are ok, so that leaves the Breakout board or the FB3 or the software. I'm hoping it's the software...

[DZ]

I unwired the two reds that are working correctly and wired in the green in their place. The green is now working. So I know my lasers are ok, so that leaves the Breakout board or the FB3 or the software. I'm hoping it's the software...

Hmm, I thought we had this kicked. Probably the next thing to check would be the palette. Maybe it's set to output red only? If it's setup to RGB, how about attaching the green laser to +B/-B and see if you have output. Let us know.

[CRFultz]

i hooked up the green to the blue terms but got the same thing. the pallet is set at rgb so it should have shown something. im going to try a different computer when i get home. ill let you know what i find. looking like the fb3 is mucked up.

[CRFultz]

I took the laptop and the FB3 to work and hooked it to the scope. The Red and Green channels were flat lined. BUT, while the scope was hooked to the green channel I tapped the top and I got a flicker on the scope......So I opened up and the pins on the upper board were half on....I can't believe how simple a fix that was. Now all three channels work!!
I spent the rest of the day tweaking the alignment and then checking out the cues.
Tomorrow I will take good pics and post them so I can be evaluated by you guys. I have a Blue mount and the FlexMods waiting for me to assemble something, now if I can only find a couple blue diodes....... I think if I look hard enough I might find a couple for sell....if not I might have to swing for one of those fancy projectors......

Thanks DZ and the rest who helped me get this going.....

Chuck
Sorry for the lousy cell phone pics....I'll post good ones tomorrow

[Things]

Haha, I always have troubles getting those connectors off, I can't see how yours just decided to fall off

[CRFultz]

I'm pretty sure it came that way. I mocked it up on the bench when I first got it just to see and I remember the laser blanked off when i moved it, but it came back on right away. I thought at the time it was a loose signal wire. Anyway it's all good now.