anyone know of laser software that will work with the ishow dac?

[A1pyro]

hello, i am looking for some software that will work with the Ishow DAC or that is compatible with the DAC?? the Ishow software really sucks. I have downloaded the spaghetti software but for some reason it has issues with my computer. keeps coming up with error messages.

[JohnYayas]

There is no other software that works with the iShow DAC other than Spaghetti.

Are you the one that sent me an email about some DirectX issues?

[A1pyro]

ya it was me. i really want to try your software cause everyone i have talked to said it is great. my directx is working on games i have, and my computer is only a couple of years old. i have 2.5 gig of memory with a 2793hz processor. i don't know what else to do. lol, i am about ready to pull my hair out..

[michelrietveld]

spaghetti runs great on ishow dac and, in my opinion, even better than ishow.
i have tested it on several notebooks and except for one, which also gives me errors, it runs great.

Michel

[allthatwhichis]

Spaghetti is the best you are going to get with the iShow DAC; I'd try to install it on a fwe computers to see if you candetermine what is causing it to error out on the one PC. To me it would be worth the effort of troubleshooting for the value of the application.

[JohnYayas]

i'll try to help troubleshoot the problem. i recently switch to a different graphics library to make things better but there have been some snafus and am still trying to hammer them all out. So, getting it to work on your computer would be good for everyone.

[A1pyro]

i forgot tell you that my video card is an ATI RAYDION 9250 400MHZ INTERNAL DAC. i don't know if that matters. i had the a ati 9250 in another computer that crashed. spaghetti worked on that one but i never got a chance to try it on that one. but the computer crashed before i got the ishow dac.

[drlava]

Just a caution to people that might look at this and think hey, I'm getting an iShow DAC.. that's a bad idea. Being TTL laser and only 8-bit (256 levels out), it's not suited for graphics and just mediocre at beams.
There are a lot better options out there available, that cost less, too.
It's nice that Gary has given you poor souls who have purchased iShow a new lease on DAC life, but if you don't already have one, you've been warned!

Carry on

[JohnYayas]

Also keep in mind that drlava sells competing DACs and software so he is just trying to steal some biz. Carry on.

[drlava]

Also keep in mind that drlava sells competing DACs and software so he is just trying to steal some biz. Carry on.

Steal some biz? From the Chinese? STEAL biz? Anyone can jump in and confirm what I said is true. If that was a sales post, there would have at least been a mention of what was being sold, wouldn't one think? As it stands, what anyone else sells would be better than the iShow.

[masterpj]

The ishow dac and software is crap.. never buy it again. it's like a turd in a case... same thing..both are crap and work like shit.

[JohnYayas]

The iShow DAC most definitely does not provide the quality that other DACs do. The problem has nothing to do with the fact that it is an 8 bit device. The problem is in the firmware but the worst of of it can be worked around and that is what I did when I wrote the custom iShow driver for Spaghetti. But even still the quality suffers because the iShow firmware attempts to optimize the frames even when that isn't what you want. The microprocessor architecture that they use requires uploading of firmware to the device and one day when I have time I am going to write my own firware for it so that it performs as well as it should.

8 bits and TTL is not the best but it looks pretty good in small settings (eg your house). I and many others used Popelscan 8 bit TTL DACs for a long time before there was much else available at hobbyist prices. So, to say that 8 bit TTL dacs aren't adequate for laser display is retarded. Especially since they are and have been used in large quantities.

I don't use my ishow DAC normally but back when I was developing the driver for it, there were times when I forgot that I had it plugged in and only realized it when I noticed I didn't have analog output.

So, to say that the iShow is inferior to other DACs is fair. To say that it is crap or inadequate is not considering that it is quite capable of meeting the modest needs of hobbyists who only have TTL lasers and just want to play around. You can get a complete iShow setup for under $100. It comes with a lot of ILDA frames to get you started. The ILDA frames alone are worth the cost in my opinion.

I have seen a new version that has ethernet capabilities. I have not used that one so I don't know anything about. My driver doesn't support it anyway.

But, no, I don't recommend anyone go out and by an iShow as a primary display DAC because there are better DACs at comparable prices. But, as a 2nd or 3rd DAC to control a 15K green satellite scanner they work fine. You could use them all with Spaghetti which supports and unlimited number of DACs and projectors, DMX devices, TTL devices, video display, and more for a basic price. Or you can spend the extra money so that you can write math functions to make laser pictures. That's always useful.

[A1pyro]

hey john, i tried an old version of spaghetti 1.8 and it does the same thing as the newer versions do. what else could i do to try to fix the problem. it has to be something with the computer. what would it be????

[JohnYayas]

Old video drivers perhaps? Try getting latest. Someone was having a similar sound problem and replacing the drivers fixed it.

[nuphotonix]

If your laptop uses intel extreme graphics your screwed. I just bout this. * and a few more cpoies soon) and I LOVE the program

[flecom]

one day when I have time I am going to write my own firware for it so that it performs as well as it should.

that would be cool, considering the thing is so cheap if someone could hack it and write some open-firmware for it, could be a pretty decent device for people that want to get their feet wet

[JohnYayas]

Yea, I learned a lot about it when I wrote the Spaghetti driver for it. It does have problems and they can all be corrected with new firmware, which is not too difficult to do. The hardware design itself is pretty solid. New firmware could even make the iShow application behave correctly.

[pablozamek]

Hello.
I have a problem with Ishow controller.
spaghetti program (demo version) does not detect dac's (ishow)
if anyone knows it is dependent on the version of spaghetti?
or just the full version of spaghetti will detect dac's?
please help. Ishow program sucks.
I use a computer with windows 7 64bit so I install VNWare and windows7-32 bit, and window XP. Ishow program detects dac's but the program spaghetti, does not detect the controller dac's. Is this the fault of the driver Dac's??
I tried on XP and spaghetti win7.32bit but just does not detect the dac's. ; (

[JohnYayas]

The demo version of Spaghetti does not detect ANY DACs. The full version of Spaghetti works with both old and new iShow DACs.

[skacutter]

The ishow dac and software is crap.. never buy it again. it's like a turd in a case... same thing..both are crap and work like shit.

DITTO- Bought it because I am getting old and lugging around my Pangolin QM32 is getting difficult. Ifigured IShow has got to at least provide some good beam effects and word scroll. I can't even get Ishow to project an image on screen and there are no projector settings like in Pangolin. The settings in Ishow seem to alter the size of the image on screen but not my projector. Ishow is super buggy. Its like a 4 year old coded it.

[JohnYayas]

Its like a 4 year old coded it.

I wouldn't say that. It's actually somewhat sophisticated but put together in a careless way. Reminds me more of a prototype than a finished application. I would be interested in talking to the developers of iShow. They clearly knew what they were doing. Maybe they just sold the rights to the Chinese and took the money. It is strange that this is such a mystery. Maybe it is a Pangolin secret project so that they can sell very cheap DACs to those who won't pay for the good stuff. haha.

[White-Light]

DITTO- Bought it because I am getting old and lugging around my Pangolin QM32 is getting difficult. Ifigured IShow has got to at least provide some good beam effects and word scroll. I can't even get Ishow to project an image on screen and there are no projector settings like in Pangolin. The settings in Ishow seem to alter the size of the image on screen but not my projector. Ishow is super buggy. Its like a 4 year old coded it.

Get yourself a FB3-QS instead.

Its about the same size as a mouse:



In this picture you can see it on the white leaflet and a standard CD case is pictured to the right.

It only weighs a few ounces and both QS and the new Beyond software will run on it.

[geeeee12345]

Ok so reading through all the posts here has helped a little but could I have some advice here if any?

I run on Phoenix 4 Live(upgraded from 3), at present only have the one DAC, works great with the rig I have however with a project I bought two green 100mW lasers with the intent to change to 500mW... they came with the iShow DAC's (not yet delivered) wondering if I will be able to use them with Phoenix4 software or if I will still need to buy a Phoenix DAC or even if there is a cheaper equivilant that does the same job???

[lorena]

Hola Me Gustaria Contactar con vos Por Favor Ubicame, dj-ali@hotmail.com.ar