All Things LaserBoy

[heroic]

There are actually some pretty good reasons not to use a soundcard as a DAC. One of them is that it's actually really easy and cheap to build something like the Pangolin FB3 (which actually has < $100 of parts on it) these days. I daresay one could get all the functionality of that with just a single AVR processor, one of the FTDI USB chips, some SPI DACs (about $1 a pop) and a few connectors... and in fact, I have such a device on my bench right now. PCB layouts and schematics will follow when I've resurrected my poor abused scanners (software testing is bad for scanners ) and fixed it all up. I haven't implemented DMX512 yet because, personally, I think DMX512 control is going to go the way of the dinosaur; USB all the way, yo.

On another note, seriously, and no kidding: James, you HAVE to put a decent GUI on that thing. It's by far the most capable open source laser software. Please, please, please, put a WIMP interface on it. Please. That should be your main focus now. Not getting your name put on things you didn't design.

[James Lehman]

There are actually some pretty good reasons not to use a soundcard as a DAC.

On another note, seriously, and no kidding: James, you HAVE to put a decent GUI on that thing. It's by far the most capable open source laser software. Please, please, please, put a WIMP interface on it. Please. That should be your main focus now. Not getting your name put on things you didn't design.

A clear horizon with a light of possibility on it is always a great motivating factor for anyone. Even if a budding laserist never uses a hand modified sound card, it still stands as an example to the world that it can be done with commonly available, generic stuff. It is proof that the concept is all that matters.

No, I did not design the sound card. Never claimed to have.

What!? I just cleaned the GUI off my thing!

....Yeah, I know.

James.

[James Lehman]

Here it is:
Let's put this on the circuit board.

"dchammonds"
"James Lehman"
"drlava"
"LaserBoy"
"photonlexicon.com"

...All in the same sized font in no particular order on the silk screened surface.

And nothing else but the parts identifications.

Other than that. I do not endorse it, will not support it or recognize it's existence.

That's my final word. For real.

James.

[drlava]

Interesting discussions here.. As James has said, (with a little back and forth) we have completed a simple PCB layout geared toward low cost, flexibility, and simplicity. The boards have been made and are on their way to me, all this was done to be finished in time for SELEM.
My opinion is that it could be called the AudioDac 1, as that doesn't suggest it's tied to any particular software (because it's not). Either that, or LaserBoy could become a brand name, necessitating that the software be called the LaserBoy *something*. (Vector Studio?)

There are actually some pretty good reasons not to use a soundcard as a DAC. One of them is that it's actually really easy and cheap to build something like the Pangolin FB3 (which actually has < $100 of parts on it) these days. I daresay one could get all the functionality of that with just a single AVR processor, one of the FTDI USB chips, some SPI DACs (about $1 a pop) and a few connectors... and in fact, I have such a device on my bench right now. PCB layouts and schematics will follow when I've resurrected my poor abused scanners (software testing is bad for scanners ) and fixed it all up.

Very interesting

[James Lehman]

My opinion is that it could be called the AudioDac 1, as that doesn't suggest it's tied to any particular software (because it's not). Either that, or LaserBoy could become a brand name, necessitating that the software be called the LaserBoy *something*. (Vector Studio?)

I asked you to help me lay it out in a PC board CAD program so we could get it done. I knew you had already done boards, so I knew you could do it. I also knew you have a vested interest in the existence of such a thing because of your driver. Dean designed it. I laid it out and routed it. You put it up in OR-CAD. What you did was a service. You had nothing to do with the design or concept. That all existed well before you started writing your driver; which DOES tie directly to it; just as my LaserBoy application DOES and Dean's LaserWave application that no one else has ever seen DOES. As a matter of fact you developed your driver using a LaserBoy correction amp that I made with my own hands. I tried to get that point across to you in PMs and phone calls. Apparently you didn't get it. Your opinion was never needed.


James.

[heroic]

Lads,

Steve Jobs had it right:

Real Artists Ship

if you don't stop arguing and just kick this thing out the door, you're not going anywhere.

[drlava]

Your opinion was never needed.


James.

:x I thought this was an open thread. I'm a PL member, just trying to help.


Don't worry, it IS coming out the door, this discussion has not slowed Fedex down at all.

[carmangary]

If I am not mistaken, I was the first to mention adding balanced outputs to the circuit. And the way I see it is you can name something by adding a few components to a sound card then I can also rename the whole shebang by adding my components to that. So, once the balanced output thingies are added I want to make sure that it is called the "LaserMAN+ Super #1 DAC". Make sure the MAN is capatilized. I will go ahead and modify my Spaghetti software so that is says "LaserMAN+ Super #1 DAC" on the scanner settings form.

[SteveG]

Using a computers sound output to drive laser scanners has been going on since at least the late 80's. Bill Benner at Pangolin designed circuits and modifications that had to be done to the Amiga computer in order to run Pangolin's software. Back then it was the same as today- you had to DC couple the sound by bypassing capacitors, and you had to make the signal bi-polar. Bill Benner is an electonics and control systems genius- I've been amazed by his work!

Now then, this does not and should not take away from the fact that Laserboy is cool!!!

Regards,
Steve

[Dr Laser]

Like I said before I love Laserboy DXF to ILDA ability. I don't really need anything else. I would be more glad to see a multiformat converter. But this is just me.