Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 18 of 18

Thread: ScannerMax Saturn 1 & DSP Amp Video

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    3,702

    Default

    "And we've already got hooks in there for our FB4 to communicate directly with this."
    KVANT Australian projector sales
    https://www.facebook.com/kvantaus/

    Lasershowparts- Laser Parts at great prices
    https://www.facebook.com/lasershowparts/

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Orlando, FL - USA
    Posts
    1,770

    Default

    Hi folks, thanks for the comments!

    Regarding "tune from BEYOND", we haven't really thought about that. We have the separate program (shown on that video) for that, and keeping it separate is fine I think.

    Regarding "dynamic tuning", we HAVE thought of that and some industrial clients actually do that (for example, one tuning for the raster portion of a logo, and a separate for vector parts when doing laser marking) but I am really hoping that will not be needed. We have nonlinear correction tables built into the software (which are fully editable by the user) and so my hope is that a single tuning will cover substantially all circumstances for a single show scenario.

    HOWEVER, there are "multiple show scenarios" where multiple tunings will be handy. For example, I was talking with the folks from AVI who have 20 years worth of older, 30K shows that can't be edited since they are on ADAT tape. Playing them with 60K scanners makes everything look hot-dotty. So our software has four, instantly-accessible tunings. I showed this to Planters. Literally one single click and now you're operating at 30K. (And it really is a completely separate tuning, not just a filter put in front of the 60K scanners as has been done before.)

    Regarding "direct connect", this is something I am still contemplating. With the amp itself being connectable to a PC via USB port (or via high speed serial port to another processor), it means that there is really no strict need for a QM2000, FB3, FB4 or anything else. You can just send data directly to the amp and it will scan the data. I think initially we will use this for test patterns and custom waveforms, but there will certainly come a time when people will take advantage of this direct, digital connection and bypass the D/A -> A/D process.

    Bill

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Switzerland
    Posts
    1,410

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pangolin View Post
    it means that there is really no strict need for a QM2000, FB3, FB4 or anything else. You can just send data directly to the amp and it will scan the data. I think initially we will use this for test patterns and custom waveforms, but there will certainly come a time when people will take advantage of this direct, digital connection and bypass the D/A -> A/D process.

    Bill
    Maybe that's easily imaginable for the scanner control but we were wondering about laser color signals?
    As I believe it won't be anytime soon that all laser drivers will have a direct digital modulation input instead of the analog one... and if that happens, it would be mandatory to use a single standard for that control. That's no problem for scanners as you are manufacturing both amp and software, but there is plenty of laser manufacturers "out of control".

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Orlando, FL - USA
    Posts
    1,770

    Default

    Good question! Our Mach DSP amp has six analog outputs too, fed from an on-board D/A which is synchronized with the sample outputs going to the current amplifiers. Right now those six analog outputs can select six separate "scope test points", so internal states and values within the algorithm can be output and monitored by an oscilloscope. But in the scenario where data is being directly fed to the amp, those can be used for color outputs. There are also two optically isolated inputs and outputs. One of the outputs can be used as the shutter output, so just this one single amp could, one day, serve as both the laser controller and servo driver for the scanners.

    Bill

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Switzerland
    Posts
    1,410

    Default

    As simple as it can be Great one! Future seems exciting. Can't wait PLS Frankfurt to discuss about this and see a real demonstration of the existing setup.

    Also the must would be some network connectivity to directly control the amp+color outputs, i.e. a ethernet/digital converter...

    And out of interest, what is the timing resolution of the onboard D/A?

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    3,314

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by loopee View Post
    Or dynamic real time adjustment based on content
    Dont think this would be a good option personally. It will cripple the majority of shows that aren't ment to be exactly looking as their on display illustration.
    On top of this it would require recognition of sorts where to ramp up gain and where not. Could be resolved If the drawings are exactly made with a lot of points so the system can easly translate that but you'd severly cripple show programming techniques (aka not good).

    Bill if you are going to implement this feature please do give the option to turn dynamic tuning off.
    The Dynamic tuning however would be favourable when switching from pure raster to none raster.
    Perhaps just implement a seperate setup tab for raster and then in BEYOND that you can mark a frame block as a raster (which then lets it pick that particular tuning for that particular frame block during a show).

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    5,704

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by masterpj View Post
    Dont think this would be a good option personally. It will cripple the majority of shows that aren't ment to be exactly looking as their on display illustration.
    It seems to me the best way to implement this would be a manual speed setting in the cue itself. That way if you have a cue that needs to be scanned faster or slower, you can set it in the cues setting and it applies irrespective of whether it's used in Live Play or time line playback.

    The only issue I see with this is there needs to be a safety system whereby the cue cannot override the maximum scan speed setting in the master scan speed control found in the Beyond Projector settings menu.

    Maybe what's needed is another setting slider in the settings menu so you have a normal scan speed and a maximum scan speed setting. This would ensure cues normally ran at the normal scan speed setting unless the cue was set to a different speed, in which case it would run at the different speed up to the max setting in the master control ie. If the cue had 60K set but the max control in the projector settings menu was 40K, it would be capped at 40K. That way you could stop shared cues / shows etc from damaging scanners, well at least if the angles used were reasonable. Obviously if scanners were at max angle at the default speed, then no amount of speed cap would prevent over driving, but the operator has to assume some responsibility somewhere. The advice would have to be always set your scanners to their maximum angle at the max speed not the default speed.

    Another thing that could be done to minimise issues, is to actually have the ability to turn the dynamic system off in the Projector settings - so Max speed slider greyed out and cues non dynamic unless system specifically enabled via a check box. I would suggest the default state would be "off" although any change in setting would have permanence.

    It would also be useful if the cue itself actually had a set speed indicator on it (maybe eg a small 60, 50, 40 ,30 etc in the top corner)?
    Last edited by White-Light; 02-20-2014 at 10:00.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Cleveland Ohio
    Posts
    2,599

    Default

    I don't know if this can be done but the enhanced reality view could also mimic the scanning speed so you actually see how much flicker a frame has. It would be based on parameters set by the type of scanner you have.

    Looking majorly to getting my hands on these drivers!

    BTW: Bill you've outdone yourself on this one!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •