Newbie question on ILDA control

[ElektroFreak]

Answer to #1:

There are several different factors that effect how you perceive the output such as optical losses in the combining optics and mirrors and the fact that the beam is being pulsed rapidly which is necessary to produce clean images. The only way to be sure about the output of any one laser is to run it CW and measure with a laser power meter.

#2: For cleaning galvo mirrors I use >90% isopropyl alcohol (available from Walgreens) and a piece of lens tissue (available at any camera shop)..

[jfloots]

Thanks for all the useful info and warm welcoming! :-)

I have in the meanwhile determined that the cable I am using doesn't indeed have all the pins connected... So I'm out on a cable hunt tomorrow!

[LASERGUY]

Awesome find!

Let us know how you make out =)

Good Luck!

[jfloots]

Alright, the cable was the problem. I got a new cable now and the software is controlling the laser well. Apparently if the ILDA is plugged in, it takes priority over the DMX settings. Anyway the problem is this now... The red laser isn't working can u believe that. But on sound/auto/dmx mode it is working, only in ILDA mode not working. So I thought maybe it is the cable and I measured the output voltage for the red laser (pins 5 and 18) and it showed about 2.5V, similar to the green (pins 6 and 19) and blue (pins 7 and 20).

I suppose that's an error inside the projector... So I checked for loose wires etc. but couldn't find anything. Now I have mailed the supplier again who will probably only reply on Monday.

Anyway it was fun playing with the software for the first time! Although I'm not too sure about the 30kpps spec of the galvos... Pictures are way out of shape on 30kpps and only looks good although flashy at about 12kpps.

[LASERGUY]

The 30k specs on these china projectors are questionable.... Many play tricks with the numbers to say the scanners accomplish 30k or state that they are greater then 30k.
Thats a whole other thread..

The scanners MAY be able to project at 30k scan rates but this is at a much smaller scan angle. The projector most likely has been tuned to the largetst scan size possible.

To acomplish true tuned 30k scanning the scan angle will not exceed 8 degree's... I bet the projector is producing much larger scan angles (Large image size at close distances)..

Tuning of scanners requires the ILDA test pattern that may be available thorugh your show controller. This pattern is projected typically at 8 degree's at 30k... The ILDA test pattern is vey taxing on the scanners ... When all aspects of the pattern are adjusted and tuned properly it is often possible to increase the image size or scan angle and still maintain decent 30k image quality.

I would avoid playing with pots on the amps until you become more familiar with the projector. COntinue experimenting as you are and learn along the way. Tuning scanners can take several hours and patiance. I am not sure how easily accesable the amps are in the already made projector.

Also, not sure about this suggestion but if the red laser is not modulating then maybe ther leads are reversed on the input to the red laser. May work fine for the internal controller but the pins at the ILDA input are wrong... Possiblly revesing pins 5 and 18 may get the laser to light.... Maybe someone else can chime in on thi one.

Keep up the good work!

[jfloots]

May work fine for the internal controller but the pins at the ILDA input are wrong... Possiblly revesing pins 5 and 18 may get the laser to light.... Maybe someone else can chime in on thi one.

Ok, I will try reversing that, but won't that blow a circuit or something inside? I was also thinking - what are the chances that somewhere one of the wires just doesn't have a good connection? I'm going to start searching for a typical wiring diagram, maybe I can spot some similarities and check the wires.

You would think checking that the ILDA is working properly would be part of a company's QA process?! I mailed the supplier but to no avail... They suggested I reinstall the software and slow down the scanning rate... Which I both did knowing it won't make the slightest difference. I also had a support chat with the guys from Phoenix - was impressed with that though - opened a little chat/support program which comes with Phoenix, mailed them a code and would you believe it, a minute or two later - up pops a chat window! And that was late at night.



LASERGUY thank you very much for all the assistance so far.

Here is a photo of the projector's inside.

[LASERGUY]

Really cool support from Phoenix!!! Also good that you isolated the troubleshooting from the cable and the controller. Leaves us with connections to the laser.

The reason I suggested flipping the connections this is because I came across Chinese lasers that flipped their color coding (Red/Black) on the wired inputs. I spent hours troubleshooting my own equipment when I added a new green system.

Changing the polarity of the input should not "blow" any circuits... But it’s very good you are moving cautiously and slowly. Its moving to fast that always makes smoke =/

I myself sometime move to quick.... sometimes I win.... many time I loose.

Lets get someone on the forum to confirm that.. I am quite experienced but I far from the expert on the electronis side yet. =)

Not sure how assessable it is to flip the input... Is their some JST type connector?

My concern is if this does remedy the problem it may not work for the DMX side....

[jfloots]

I've made some good progress tonight, detail will follow shortly.

[jfloots]

The supplier sent me this image, let's call it the 'control circuit' for lack of a better word:



So they say they think the wire between the red on this circuit and the power circuit for the red laser is not connected. So I checked it and it is.

Next I turn around the cable (my circuit doesn't have the white blocks which force you to put it in one way only) and still no luck.

Next, I swop the Red and Blue wires, and then the red laser was working on the Blue channel and now the Blue laser is dead. Repeat the procedure by switching Green and Red just to confirm and it confirms - Red working, Green dead. Ok, so now I know the wire to the red laser is fine.

Next I measure random points, on the end of the ILDA IDE cable that goes into the circuit above, and find on these points 0 to 5 Volt when I switch the values of the Red Green and Blue to 0 from 255 and all the values in between.



So my conclusion is that the problem lies somewhere on the 'control circuit' between the white 'Red' control output and the incoming ILDA IDE slot. Do you agree?

[norty303]

Seeing as you get red when running standalone DMX, it's clear that the combined controller board (looks like you've got scanner drivers, laser drivers and DMX all in one there) is working ok. I'd put some money on it being the ribbon cable coming into the board from the DB25 breakout on the rear panel. Have you tried connecting 2 jumper wires directly from the ILDA connector to the blanking input on the laser?

Also, have you tred wiggling the ribbon cable along its length to see if its a small break?