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leib10
05-01-2018, 11:59 AM
Have a chance to buy a saber with the V3 installed. Is it worth it to upgrade it to a V4, or are the features between the two not sufficient to justify the upgrade?

Tom Tilmon
05-01-2018, 01:14 PM
Better motion sensitivity, color mixing, and an additional font on the NBIV. I think its worth it, but it depends upon whether or not you are happy with it as is. Good luck.

TOm

bigkevin61
05-02-2018, 05:23 PM
NB v3 doesn’t need a PEX for FOC, but other than that, the NB v4 can do a bit more, if you choose, including pixel blades.

PCModulus
05-03-2018, 05:11 AM
NB v3 doesn’t need a PEX for FOC, but other than that, the NB v4 can do a bit more, if you choose, including pixel blades.

V4 doesnt either? Or did you mean the V4 doesnt need PEx for FoC?

bigkevin61
05-04-2018, 12:28 AM
V4 doesnt either? Or did you mean the V4 doesnt need PEx for FoC?

Sorry, I wrote that and didn't read it back to make sure it made sense.

The NBv3 has 2 standard LED configurations:
A single Main LED off the "High-Power LED Pad L-"
OR
A Tri-LED in which you could wire TWO of the 3 LED's in parallel off the "High-Power LED Pad L-", AND you could wire the 3rd LED off the "FOC LED pad L-"without of use of a PEX (not needing a PEX for FOC was a change from the NBv2, and a welcome change!).

The NBv4 now has 3 pads, has 3 standard LED configurations:
A single Main LED off the "High-Power LED Pad L1-"
OR
A Tri-LED in which you could wire TWO of the 3 LED's in parallel off the "High-Power LED Pad L1-", and the 3rd LED off the "High-Power LED Pad L1-"without of use of a PEX, in which you can use as FOC.
OR
A Tri-LED in which you could wire ONE of the LEDs off the "High-Power LED Pad L1-", the SECOND off the "High-Power LED Pad L2-", and the THIRD off the "3rd Channel Remote PEX" pad, allowing the board to do "Color Mixing", which includes configuring FOC.

From the NBv4 Manual:
"The 3rd channel of the board controls an external and remote Power Extender and is required only if 3 channel color settings are required, or to drive an more important load. A single color LED with a white Flash on Clash (BBW tri-cree for instance) could be wired with the 2 identical dice on the first channel (L1-) while the FoC die goes to the second channel on L2-"

So like Tom said, the NBv4 has better components, and can do "more" (like control 3 separate color channels, or control Neopixels).

PCModulus
05-04-2018, 05:23 AM
Sorry, I wrote that and didn't read it back to make sure it made sense.

The NBv3 has 2 standard LED configurations:
A single Main LED off the "High-Power LED Pad L-"
OR
A Tri-LED in which you could wire TWO of the 3 LED's in parallel off the "High-Power LED Pad L-", AND you could wire the 3rd LED off the "FOC LED pad L-"without of use of a PEX (not needing a PEX for FOC was a change from the NBv2, and a welcome change!).

The NBv4 now has 3 pads, has 3 standard LED configurations:
A single Main LED off the "High-Power LED Pad L1-"
OR
A Tri-LED in which you could wire TWO of the 3 LED's in parallel off the "High-Power LED Pad L1-", and the 3rd LED off the "High-Power LED Pad L1-"without of use of a PEX, in which you can use as FOC.
OR
A Tri-LED in which you could wire ONE of the LEDs off the "High-Power LED Pad L1-", the SECOND off the "High-Power LED Pad L2-", and the THIRD off the "3rd Channel Remote PEX" pad, allowing the board to do "Color Mixing", which includes configuring FOC.

From the NBv4 Manual:
"The 3rd channel of the board controls an external and remote Power Extender and is required only if 3 channel color settings are required, or to drive an more important load. A single color LED with a white Flash on Clash (BBW tri-cree for instance) could be wired with the 2 identical dice on the first channel (L1-) while the FoC die goes to the second channel on L2-"

So like Tom said, the NBv4 has better components, and can do "more" (like control 3 separate color channels, or control Neopixels).

That makes more sense lol, i was still mostly asleep when i read that yesterday and i could NOT make sense of it lol.

k6gad
06-18-2018, 09:58 AM
Question RE: NB-V4...If you wire a RGB LED to pads L1, L2, L3 what are the standard parameters? What I want to know is a particular color is associated with each pad and sound font? Switching sound fonts changes the color? Or does this have to be done in the software configuration?

jbkuma
06-18-2018, 10:21 AM
It would typically be RGB but that's just convention. You can use any color LED so the color on the pads is irrelevant, although keeping to convention makes it easier to remember later if nothing else.

Tom Tilmon
06-18-2018, 12:48 PM
Question RE: NB-V4...If you wire a RGB LED to pads L1, L2, L3 what are the standard parameters? What I want to know is a particular color is associated with each pad and sound font? Switching sound fonts changes the color? Or does this have to be done in the software configuration?

You really need a PEX to wire another diode to Pad 3.

k6gad
06-18-2018, 03:49 PM
You really need a PEX to wire another diode to Pad 3.

Thanks Tom-
Forgive my dense brain but exactly what the heck does the PEX do? I see the wiring diagram on page in the NB-V4 users manual but I'm not clear why it is needed. Does pad L3 not provide enough voltage?

RavenXp
06-19-2018, 03:04 AM
It basically takes the (relatively) weak signal from that particular pad and amplifies it to where it can power a die on its own.

I don't think it effects voltage, just gives the amperage needed to drive the die.

k6gad
06-19-2018, 08:24 AM
It basically takes the (relatively) weak signal from that particular pad and amplifies it to where it can power a die on its own.

I don't think it effects voltage, just gives the amperage needed to drive the die.

Thanks...

Tom Tilmon
06-19-2018, 09:50 AM
Here is a picture of the PEX:
https://i.imgur.com/vflXsHyl.jpg

Attached to a NBIV and wired up:
https://i.imgur.com/6qdijuTl.jpg

So, its running through a SMD resistor and a Mosfet. A mosfet is sort of an electronic micro switch/gate/transistor. Its fairly difficult for me to explain it; however, you don't want to wire your LED direct to L3 on the board. Erv didn't have any room left on the little biscuit to add the SMD components for channel 3, so you have to use the PEX to enable channel 3 properly. He did this to keep the biscotte very small, and adding the PEX doesn't really add any bulk to the already small board. Its as small as an SD slot, as you can see.

Tom

k6gad
06-20-2018, 07:32 AM
Here is a picture of the PEX:
https://i.imgur.com/vflXsHyl.jpg

Attached to a NBIV and wired up:
https://i.imgur.com/6qdijuTl.jpg

So, its running through a SMD resistor and a Mosfet. A mosfet is sort of an electronic micro switch/gate/transistor. Its fairly difficult for me to explain it; however, you don't want to wire your LED direct to L3 on the board. Erv didn't have any room left on the little biscuit to add the SMD components for channel 3, so you have to use the PEX to enable channel 3 properly. He did this to keep the biscotte very small, and adding the PEX doesn't really add any bulk to the already small board. Its as small as an SD slot, as you can see.

Tom

Thanks Tom....that makes sense...I appreciate your response... Gary

Tom Tilmon
06-20-2018, 08:11 AM
Gary,

PS: The blue wire to PEX is coming from the L3 pad on the bottom of the board. The white wire is coming from the GND(-) pad on the underside as well. This way I keep all my wiring pads clean on th side of the board facing camera. Also, on the PEX, the tinned pad without a wire receives my negative wire from my blue diode. I wire mine: Red to L1, Green to L2, and Blue to L3 (on the PEX). That is why my L3 wire is blue, it goes to blue diode. The wire that connects to that tinned pad will also be blue that goes to my blue diode in the star.

Tom

Seth Skywalker
06-20-2018, 10:05 AM
Gary,

PS: The blue wire to PEX is coming from the L3 pad on the bottom of the board. The white wire is coming from the GND(-) pad on the underside as well. This way I keep all my wiring pads clean on th side of the board facing camera. Also, on the PEX, the tinned pad without a wire receives my negative wire from my blue diode. I wire mine: Red to L1, Green to L2, and Blue to L3 (on the PEX). That is why my L3 wire is blue, it goes to blue diode. The wire that connects to that tinned pad will also be blue that goes to my blue diode in the star.

Tom
That's how I did it too, makes it easier to remember.

k6gad
06-21-2018, 08:28 AM
Gary,

PS: The blue wire to PEX is coming from the L3 pad on the bottom of the board. The white wire is coming from the GND(-) pad on the underside as well. This way I keep all my wiring pads clean on th side of the board facing camera. Also, on the PEX, the tinned pad without a wire receives my negative wire from my blue diode. I wire mine: Red to L1, Green to L2, and Blue to L3 (on the PEX). That is why my L3 wire is blue, it goes to blue diode. The wire that connects to that tinned pad will also be blue that goes to my blue diode in the star.

Tom

Exactly what i needed... thanks!