Rebuilding my old analog console

[Kevint]

Thanks for the input. You are correct my drawing is simplified and your comments makes me think that I have to stop procrastinating and draw up my full schematic to date to continue to make progess. I've been wanting to do this for a while - i think it's time

[mixedgas]

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Steve

[dchammonds]

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Steve

That is very informative- thanks for sharing, Steve!

[lasermaster1977]

That is very informative- thanks for sharing, Steve!

"15" was no doubt the most profound for sure, for sure.

[Kevint]

Ok. Here is the first part of the system. Oscillators, switch matrix and summing amps. I will be posting the scan amp sections this weekend.

[laserist]

The switches on the inputs to the summing amps give you a whole lot of complexity for very little effect.

[Kevint]

It's kind of like playing guitar chords. In this case you get really good at memorizing certain switch patterns and switching them quickly with muliple fingers.

[laserist]

I'm not saying it's too hard, just too little variation for the amount of control panel real estate for me. But to each their own.

[Kevint]

I totally agree. That's why I'm here. I am no expert in this stuff, so any and all feedback I get from this forum is greatly appreciated. I'm hoping that when I post the scan amp section (which is working the greatest) I could get some guidance on how and where to improe it and add other features to the system. I honestly respect your feedback and welcome it. What would you recommend as an alternative to the switch matrix or any other changes to the circuit posted?

[laserist]

Okay let's start with something from laser performance 101. Don't design with a pot for x axis gain and another for y. Yes you can do symmetry as well as gain, but you can't do gain well. Use a dual pot or a single pot with multipliers for gain, and a second control for symmetry. That way either function only takes one hand, and you're totally unlikely to use both functions at once. A control console is for performing live. Try to get the most bang for each movement. If you want to have different joystick gains for each scanner don't use a separate pot for each, design something to have equal gains at 10 and the variable effect you want at zero. Throw a switch in for different gain effects if you must.

Your switches yield a lot of variations, 50% for each oscillator are just lines @45° or 135°. Switching them produces a sudden change unless the gain is at zero, and that kind of thing doesn't always fit the music, and it's a "look" that might trigger the "it was all too much of the same stuff..." kind of complaint.

You've got 4 quadrature oscillators with gain and symmetry. Just run the x from each into and x summing amp, and the y into a y summing amp. If you take two oscillators and kick over the symmetry either way you've got lissajous figures. You'll want some sort of fixed z axis rotation for each scan pair in addition to variable z axis rotation.

I can't stress enough that it was Laserium's data channel that really made the difference. Some times you need more than two hands to get the job done. Having RYGB gain, master xy gain, spiral stuff, lissajous rate, offsets, and 48 bits for housekeeping allowed the laserist to do the "lead guitar", so to speak...