Hello again! I hope I have been keeping everyone's suspense up. The development of this board is an everyday thing for me. I work on it 24/7 (Yes, even in my sleep) so it would seem that an update would be appropriate.
During the past couple of weeks we have been designing the device drivers for the USB user interface (PC side). Things have been going smoothly and we've come pretty far. There's a lot of classified stuff regarding this, but it is our intentions to provide full speed USB connectivity, with multiple devices. This means that you will be able to initiate transfers between multiple light saber controllers (LSD-X4) and the host simultaneously and achieve ~8Mb/s data rate. The "multiple" part and the "8Mb/s" might not matter to most, but this would be especially beneficial, for example, to those who will be distributors and must load huge amounts of data before shipping out their finished products. So, just how much data can each board hold? We're anticipating a capacity of 2GB internal FLASH (permanently installed (not a card)), although that might be cool too. This memory will be used to contain all user developed scripts, a capability mentioned in a previous article, as well as CMS light patterns, tolerance settings, and the sound / music / voice files. It is conceivable that a user could potentially write a script for the LSD-X4 that could specify thousands of sound files and long pieces of music, complicated conditional effects based on the movement, etc. which was the reasoning behind the 2GB installed capacity. For the majority, this may not be the case. Remember, the device will be ready out of the box, and many may never tap it's true potential.
We have also been developing the graphical user interface (used for quick "drag and drop" changes of sound files, scripts, and settings). Once you have all of your settings perfected you can save the entire workspace to your computer for use later or to copy to another saber. You can make as many customizations as you'd like! This graphical editor also will also include visual representation of the light sabers beam (color, brightness, and pattern) and sound effects (as they'd sound through your speaker. That's all I'm going to say right now. There's GOING to be more but this is the stage in development that we are currently at.
I'll post again soon.
We read the comments everyday and try to respond, but at the very least consider them. Talk to me.
Take care,
Jesse Randall
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thats fantastic jesse!!! the USB is just going to be perfect. and its going to be so cool for the CMS programing. being able to hear the sounds, and see the blade as you program it. wow im psyched. i allready have a saber waiting patiently for this saber.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if the LSD-X4 is attached to the USB the lightsaber itself (assuming there is power attached) will also be able to show the effects and sounds before you actually commit them to memory (sampling the effect) if the board is not powered or is not attached at the time, you will still be able to sample the virtual device on your computer. The computer side software will probably be available before the physical device is complete, which will allow users to start creating customized effects and at least demoing the functionality.
ReplyDeleteJustin you already have a saber for a saber? :D
ReplyDeleteSounds too awesome, I really can't wait!
lol i mean a saber waiting for this board. oh jesse that will be awesome! yeah i plan on learning everything there is about this board. lol haha. at least to my limits that i can understand.
ReplyDeleteHello jesse,
ReplyDeleteI am interested in receiving information from these new sabercard. good job from Spain
YESSS!! Everything is brilliant! Now let's have some pics!
ReplyDeleteAnother thought. Can we have a sound option for colour changing? Say you had a button set up to switch colors on an RGB, when it changes it could play that sound, as if a crystal is switching or something. I quite like this sound for a crystal chamber rotating: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1237687/open.WAV
ReplyDeleteHi Skott,
ReplyDeleteI like the sound file! Yes, you will be able to easily implement this function. You will connect the LSD-X4, by USB, to your computer. Then, using the supplied application interface, you will be able to do something along the lines of:
File->New Trigger, this will open up a menu for creating triggers. You will set: If button X is pressed, PlaySound:"open.WAV" and Rotate:ColorPatterns.
Then, when you're done customizing the design, you can either save it to your computer's hard drive (File->Save Project, like most every application) or install it into your device. If you install it, the software will load all associated color patterns and sound files, in this case "open.WAV" into your LSD-X4's Flash Drive.
OH NOW THAT'S JUST AWESOME! So we can literally create our own features! This will be legendary!
ReplyDeleteCrystal Focus will have a hard time topping this.
ReplyDeleteJesse: any chance of a voltage + amperage increase? Some people are still using Lux3 reds, P7s, LuxVs, K2s and may want to use it with the LSD-X4, but find it impossible due to the voltage cap being at 3.7v, and the amp cap being at 1000mA
ReplyDeleteSurely you could just wire 2 LED outputs in parallel, or series or whatever?
ReplyDeleteAs of now, the prototype circuits work well with voltages exceeding 20 volts. We are designing this system to allow high resolution control to the LED outputs from 2 to 20 volts, but don't be surprised if we exceed this! Of course this is an automatically decidable value. The system will either attempt to detect the required voltage of the light or can be manually programmed to supply a fixed current, in either case the voltage will dynamically compensate to maintain constant current.
ReplyDeletekeep in mind this will also have 4 pos outputs and one negative inputs. and the programing can put any amount of voltage to any of the pads, devide it evenly, anything. the four + pads are for the RGBs and RGBAs that are on the rise. this is what will make the CMS so unique. so yeah you can wire it in series or in parrallel, or you could just program a single pad to put out what you need. this board will have nearly endless features.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how accent LEDs will work, but for a truly random effect, could the x4 pick 2 random numbers between 1 and 10 000 (10 seconds), and give that to an accent pad? So each pad would turn off for at most ten seconds, and be on for at most ten seconds?
ReplyDeleteJustin -- Jesse -- You guys want 4 negative outputs..... The negatives supply the current! But please, I'm hoping the max current per pad will be something closer to 2800mA rather than 1000mA. 2800 seems to be the max current an LED usable in a lightsaber would require at this time (and thats for a P7, which is a near disaster to put into a saber as you cant use standard optics)
ReplyDeleteHey NovaC, I know my suggestion is kinda weird, but can you change the name to something more... easy to remember? Like a word? You guys might develop newer versions in the future, and that would only complicate the name even more.
ReplyDeleteErr... not really. I can remember LSDx4 perfectly fine. Just call it LightSaber Driver x4 if you want a word. I like the name, but perhaps a 'nickname' will unravel itself.
ReplyDeleteI.e. Crystal focus = Buttered Toast
I agree with skott.
ReplyDeleteAnd Im eager to test this board.
No, I feel that a shorter, catchier name, yet related to its manufacturer would be better, Something with Nova in it, like NovaForce.
ReplyDeleteDo take note that there are many newcomers in this hobby, calling it a "LightSaber Driver" is too general a term and will confuse them into thinking that this is something like the "Corbin's LED Driver" and other general LED drivers which can be used for Lightsaber-related purposes.
I look foward to the release of this card. I have a sabersound 1.0 in my current saber and it's disapointing. Will LSD-X4 have adjustable sensetivity levels for when you swing and clash the saber? Will order one as soon as I hear they're released. unfortunatly missed the 50 mark by a small number to get a free one.
ReplyDeleteAwesome...Awesome...Awesome! I can't wait to get my hands on one! If this board is capable of the features you are describing, the customizable capabilities will be virtually endless. For those of us wanting to Fully Customize our projects...OUTSTANDING!!!
ReplyDelete@ Jonathan:
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that with the ability to change the scripts of the board, changing sensitivity won't be an issue.
i guess four negs would work better. i totally forgot about the current going through negative and voltage going through positive. i mean if we need we can always just have a max of like 15-20 volts come off the single positive, wire all of our LED dies is series, then wire each negative. yeah that would deffinatelty work alot better. jesse did you catch this? this sounds like the WAY better way to go.
ReplyDeleteBut then you wouldn't be able to have 1 die on at a time, surely?
ReplyDeleteAny updates??
ReplyDeleteThis is great! Wish I could think of some good suggestions, but you seem to have it all planned out already!
ReplyDeleteskott: Your right. lol. or you you could close of ths circuit on one of pads. thus not lighting that LED. wait that wouldnt work i dont think. wait no it would. :P
ReplyDeleteJesse, can you give us any new updates?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I get the comments about the Negs Vs Positive? It doesn't really matter what side you regulate the current on.. you don't get voltage from one and current from the other.
ReplyDeleteIf it holds a constant current, the voltage will automatically vary to keep the current at whatever it's set for. It doesn't matter what side of the circuit that happens at.
The only effective difference is do you tie all the LEDs to Gnd on one side and a pad on the other, or do you tie all four to a Positive on one side and a pad on other. It's just a wiring detail.
Its not just a wiring detail. If you tie them all to ground on one side, you'll end up having the LEDs sharing the resistance (not equally). Each LED has its own internal resistance, and if its not provided the current individually, you end up with the one with least resistance sucking up the most current.
ReplyDeleteExcuse me.. Sharing the current.
ReplyDeleteJesse, I don't know how far into the layout of the board you are, but I want to make 2 suggestions.
ReplyDelete1) Can you put the pos/neg battery pads reasonably far away? I recently melted a battery pack trying to work with the tiny solder pads on an MR board and shorted them in the process.
2) Do you think that if we could have a solder pad on the top and bottom of the board for each wire that would make connections stronger? It would also help if people want/need to position their board in a certain way that would make it easier to solder wires to either the top or bottom of the board, or having some wires on top and some on the bottom.
And how far are you?
Skott
Jason... as long as one side or the other (The pos or the neg) is current controlled, it just doesn't matter if the pos or neg is the one tied together.
ReplyDeleteIf, for instance you have all the grounds tied together and a seperate current controlled postive side for each led, you are fine.
You can just as easily have all the positive leads tied together and have a seperate current controlled ground for each LED and you are still fine.
I've designed, built and tested my own 4 channel high current PWM controlled driver that uses a common Pos, it works just dandy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YowVHboU-oQ
I have a question on the physical size of the board. How big exactly will it be? This may not be an issue for many people, but I have a tendency to like smaller diameter sabers. (The ones I'm working on only have 1" inside them, so a CF would just barely fit.)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that Jesse will follow the convention of 1" by 2". If not I'm sure the board will be somewhat similar.
ReplyDeleteUpdate?
ReplyDeleteIt has been over a month since the last update. Even a small update will go a long way to keeping people interested.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so great. Hopefully this new soundboard will become reality. I'm ready to buy a bunch of them!
ReplyDeleteHi!!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Gabriel, I wanted to know if Jess has some problem. I have bought him two soun boards US 2.5 and I have received only one in my postal Address.
I have tried to communicate since then (3 weeks) to all the address that he have and he does not answer me. I thought that he might be having some problem but at the same time I saw published on Ebay more Sound board US2.5 in selling.... Someone can contact with Jess and comment to him on my problem, I do not want to think badly about Jess.
Really Thanks
Gabriel.
Hi Gabriel, I hope you got my e-mail but I'll post here in case you didn't. I must have sent two to someone else by mistake! Well in any case I'll get this resolved.
ReplyDeleteToday is August 26 and you did not solve anything. You have US2.5 for sale... and so?
ReplyDeleteI would not have to be asking for this.
Regarding the sound boards you have selling, I would like the reason by which you never send them to me.
I already performed payment of sound boards but you never accomplished with shipping of them.