Using the Open Laser Show DAC (OLSD) with LSX laser show software

http://www.fab-favreau.com/wiki/uplo...UINO_SMALL.jpg

Not everyone may realize, a little over a year ago cfavreau released his open source projector controller DAC, called OLSD. This is a neat little DAC built on an arduino duemilanove, which can be had for $20-25, plus a 'shield PCB' that performs the DAC function and can be purchased or built from the open plans. This little device works with all OSes and has good performance - MUCH better than an iShow DAC.

It can be used with a lot of community software, including
LSX
ILD SOS
LaserCam
Spaghetti
Mamba Black (through the MLD Interface)
HE_Laserscan (through MLD)
and probably others.

Now, it's not a 24-bit true color DAC like an EtherDream and most others (iShow is only 3-bit color) it's 9-bit or 15-bit color for 512 or 32,768 colors, depending on the version you buy/build.



If you are building or buying one and want to use it as-is with LSX, with shows that you create, just drop the OLSD.dll into the LSX install folder. Simple!

However if you want to play protected shows from LSX, do not change OLSD.dll as above. Some PCB modifications will be required to turn your OLSD V3 into an OLSD-LSX device. There are a few benefits to doing so:

-Max point rate increases to 50kpps from 30kpps
-Point output smoothness improves
-Can play protected shows from LSX

You will need:
Soldering iron
Drill with thin bits
OLSD-LSX Arduino chip (PM for details)
Thin wire


Here are the instructions for doing the mod

1) download FTProg
http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Utilities.htm
With your device plugged in, Run it, and click 'scan and parse' under 'USB String Descriptors' change product description to "OLSD_LSX_V1.0_F" (without quotes) then under 'Hardware specific, IO controls' change C2, C3, C4 to CLK24
Finally, click 'Program Devices' at the top.


2) apply the thick red wire Duemilanove modification as shown in the photos. The thin wire mod was factory-installed already. Note that on
the underside, the trace leading to the wired pin is cut right next to the socket pin.

http://innolasers.com/laser/OLSD/mod_front.jpg
http://innolasers.com/laser/OLSD/mod_back.jpg

That's it, install the OLSD/LSX chip and you should be good to go. Note, these instructions are for the V3 variant of OLSD.

That is an excellent tutorial! Thanks for taking the time to put it up here.

Hi,
How to change the product description, if i want to use several OLSD`s simultaneously?
Will it work with v4 DAC variant?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bbe

Hi,
How to change the product description, if i want to use several OLSD`s simultaneously?
Will it work with v4 DAC variant?

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You do not have to change the description. The OLSD driver should open more than 1 at a time with no modifications.

Yes it will work with the V4 DAC variant... however you have to copy/install the correct OLSD.DLL to work with the V4 or V3.

I thought that if i was assigning a different ID to boards, it will make it easier to configure the show in LSX.
For example,
OLSD DAC#L,
OLSD DAC#R,
OLSD DAC#Center, etc...

That is an interesting thought. They do not currently do that. I am not sure of the order that they get chosen in. They might be loaded in the order that they are plugged in. It would not be difficult to change it so that they definitely are opened in the order they are plugged in.

Assigning a specific number to them will be difficult considering how they work currently.

I wonder how to implemented the identification process in EtherDream?
About OLSD:
If I understand correctly, instead of using 16MHz internal oscillator we use signal from the FTDI chip. Is a specific signal, or it can be replaced, for example, an external oscillator? I also see that the pin GPIO2 GPIO3 shorted. Is it normal?

Not sure how EtherDream works...

OLSD detects all of the OLSD boards that are attached... it just doesn't bother to identify them to its host. They are simply presented as DAC 0 to (count - 1).

About OLSD->
Yes OLSD is using the stock 16 MHz crystal. You could put in a faster one however you would need to modify the firmware so that the baud rate and timers were setup correctly for the new clock. That is how DrLava's modification works... however he uses the 24MHz clock output from the FTDI chip + he has some really nice firmware mods.

GPIO2 and GPIO3 are not shorted.... they are part of a R2R DAC on V3 and they are switch and LED on V4. Yes what ever you see in the schematic is "normal". It has all been tested.

Quote:

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GPIO2 and GPIO3 are not shorted....

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Oh, sorry, i meant CBUS2+CBUS3 shorted

I dream of to control the OLSD through rs232 directly, without FTDI bridge, in this case would be possible to use the ethernet-rs232 bridge and virtual COM ports on PC...:rolleyes:

The CBUS2 and CBUS3 that belogn to the FTDI chip on the Arduino? I am not sure what planet you are getting your schematics from... but those pins (pin 13 and 14 on the FT232R) are not connected to anything.


You can dream... but why not just make it a reality get yourself a simple Arduino like the Boarduino or what not that just has TTL serial... or just find a micro controller with ethernet built in (even better) and hookup the OLSD shield. You would be much better off just doing that so you don't have the Serial interface middle man.