Ultra's recording of the ignition, hum, clash, and retract!

[Kyp Durron]

http://www.ultrasabers.com/UltraSound/UltraSoundProtoTest02.wav

This was recorded with a mic by Ultra and sounds damn good to me!

There are no other selectible sounds because he said that it would raise the price and delay the release even further, but who gets tired of Luke ROTJ sounds anyways, lol. 8)

I can't wait for Yoda to convert my ESB Graflex with this!! :twisted:

BTW, he said that he's gonna be fine tuning the ignition to hum transition a bit more, but it's nothing that should interfere with the release of these sometime in mid-late May.

*Edit*

He just posted a list, so here it is, in quote form:


I found the features list I posted a couple months back, I'll just edit it to reflect the current design. Please ignore the inevitable typo

Jumperless board
Every option on our board is controlled through the switch and the saber "talks" you through the options in a soothing female voice. It's very nifty and sets our board apart from anything else out there.

Sound board basics:
Ignition sound, retraction, idle hum, impact, motion sounds . You can hear the demo a few posts up.

Sound board details:
Motion and impact detection don't rely on simple vibration switches and ball-bearing switches. Instead, a single velocity sensor is used to detect both motion and impact based on speed. For motion sounds, the board modifies the idle hum dynamically based on the speed of the saber. Either the pitch, volume, or a combination is modified based on velocity.

//change in design from previous design doc//
the motion sounds are now augmented with additional algorithms to make the motion sound more apparant whereas before I thought the motion sounds were too subtle.
//---------/

Our sound mixing is very advanced as well, the board fades one sound into another and fades the sounds in and out so they don't sound recorded. If you change directions rapidly and then hit something, it's combined into a smooth sequence. The impact sound shuffle algorithm ensures that rapid successive hits will not repeat the same impact sound over and over.

On-board 1watt amplifier
It's loud. Like, really loud. If you're going to build a saber around this board, having a volume control might be a good idea. I know I'm going to install mute buttons in my personal sabers just so I don't wake up the whole house when I want to do some midnight spins.

4 different types of Luxeon LEDs supported
Luxeon III White, Blue, Green, Cyan, Royal Blue
Luxeon III Red, Amber, Red-Orange
Luxeon V and Luxeon V Portable (Lux V requires at least 7.2v input)
Luxeon K2 High Current White, Blue, Green, Cyan, Royal Blue

*note* Luxeon K2 Red, Amber, and Red-Orange are NOT supported until a high current version of those LED's are released

Selecting a Luxeon is done in the menu. During initial setup, the Luxeon is disabled until you select the correct type.

Pulse Mode
Gives the blade the "movie flicker" effect. This can be enabled and disabled in the voice menu.

Fade-on, Fade-off
When activated, the blade fades on, when deactivated, the blade fades off. This can be used in conjunction with a Corbin Film blade to give the illusion of an extension and retraction.

ADP - Accidental Deactivation Prevention
Another original UltraSaber design. The saber will turn on with one press of a momentary contact switch. It will stay on until the switch is held down for approx one second. Then it will turn off. This will help prevent accidental deactivation.


Requested Features that did not make it into this version:

Flash on Impact
This is actually more complicated to do than it sounds. The proper implimentation of this effect is to have the saber flash *brighter* upon impact, not dimmer. This requires the saber to under-drive the Luxeon and then spike the current when it detects a collision. This would also need to be user-selectable as alot of people would prefer their saber to be as bright as it can be all the time, not just during an impact. Every Luxeon color has a certain thresh-hold of luminosity where a spike would actually be noticed and that can also vary depending on bin code. There is simply no nominal code for that could be used universally to cover every luxeon type and color. For instance, you will notice a definate change in brightness if a blue Luxeon is spiked from 700ma to 1000ma, but you would not notice it at all with a green Luxeon. However, a Bin 6 blue would not show a 700ma to 1000ma spike nearly as well. So the menu would have to contain options for every Luxeon type, color, and bin code. Long story short, it would have required too much time and money to implement correctly. Not trying to make excuses, just

Selectable sounds
Very possible, however, not very feasible without a removable media option or USB interface option. Bottom line is, it's too expensive. This feature would have broken my price point, so it didn't make it into the board.

And there you have it folks!! :)


-Kyp

[987654321a]

dude that is so cool. i hope it comes out soon, i want one before c4

[Jay-gon Jinn]

It sounded just about perfect to me, I can't wait to get my hands on one or more of them, myself!

[987654321a]

im def getting this and buttered toast.

[Ryma Mara]

I got to do some reading and sence the dental blue led has the same forward voltage as that of a 5W my guess is that sence it will work with corbins driver it should work with ultras.

[vortextwist]

what has that got to do with ultras board?

[Ryma Mara]

That the dental led will work with ultras boad. just incase someone wanted to spend the 60$ on teh led then they can have options on how they want to run the thing.

[vortextwist]

yes but the conversation wasn't even about led's. sheesh :lol:

[Ryma Mara]

4 different types of Luxeon LEDs supported
Luxeon III White, Blue, Green, Cyan, Royal Blue
Luxeon III Red, Amber, Red-Orange
Luxeon V and Luxeon V Portable (Lux V requires at least 7.2v input)
Luxeon K2 High Current White, Blue, Green, Cyan, Royal Blue

[vortextwist]

eh, I don't care about that. I just care about what it sounds like.

[Novastar]

ah, but it's great that Ultra is supporting numerous LED configs...

[GFORCE13]

Wow I think I finally found a excellent replacement for the unreliable hasbro boards, I know what will be going in my next saber. 8)

[Kyp Durron]

A small demo of his board in action. 8)

http://www.ultrasabers.com/demo1.wmv

I can't wait to see this in a saber hilt! :twisted:

Youtube link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6No7p_Ggzo

-Kyp

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Very cool, looks simple to use, too!

[Ryma Mara]

Do you have to select the led and blade style every time?

[Tenric Starkindler]

I wouldn't think so. He had to enter the selection mode on purpose.

Yup...This and Buttered toast.......

[GFORCE13]

Ultra: "Impresive most Impresive" well I finally found the sound board for my next build, it totally rules and I really like how it can support many types of Led's and no more wiring 2 boards together.

[Kyp Durron]

The only times you will have to go through the set up menu is if you change LED types and every time you have to unplug the battery pack to recharge it.

But as you can see, getting it set back up is quick and easy so to me it's not that big of a deal. :wink:

I edited my last post for the youtube link to the demo, but will put it here too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6No7p_Ggzo

-Kyp

[Novastar]

This is semi-off-topic, but I'm curious as to how much power is consumed by the board during its "off/idle" times.

In other words, if you see this Alex--when you shut the saber off... how much current does the board continue to draw from the batts while off?

Finally, is there a way to disable the "hold button down to shut saber off" thing? My guess is... that won't be working with any type of latching switch now will it! :(

[Lord Maul]

nope novastar...it was designed for a momentary. you wouldn't even be able to select the led type if you used latching

[Ryma Mara]

what about the momentary spst switch or switch #7?

designed for momentary well forget that.

[Ryma Mara]

ok what it is is the board actually controlls the on off the switch is just used like a signel to tell it to turn on off.

[Strydur]

Even though I am usually against the idea we are going to start taking pre-orders for the ultra sound board. More info to follow.

[Ryma Mara]

kool

[xwingband]

I know for some a momentary switch is a turn-off, but this is where I like to get creative. Run a safety switch! It's a simple interupt like in Corbin's diagrams for his board.

[UltraSWG]

Ok, this is how it works, the button is just like a key on your keyboard, it sends a signal to the board to tell it to turn on or off, it doesn't handle the power flow directly. This is how the switches on an MR, Hasbro, and Corbin Driver works, even though some use latching and others use momentary, it's still the same principle.

A momentary setup is better than a latching setup in many ways. Even a latching can be accidently turned off while dueling. It will be difficult to turn a saber off by accident while using this board since the button must be held down for 2 seconds to deactivate the saber.

There's also a plethora of momentary pushbutton switches available, so the variety is huge. You can even make your own switch easily. There are literally only a handful of latching push buttons available, so in the end, everyone uses the same button.

As for passive draw, I don't have the exact figure, but it's no worse than the passive draw of an MR.

[Kyp Durron]

^Good to know about the passive draw on your boards. I had been wondering about that.

-Kyp

[Ryma Mara]

Yeah I read the thing about it not to long after I posted the mom button thing.

I dont like holding my saber on but this setup is pritty interesting the switch dosent actually turn the board on/off but it does.

kinda weared butintresting.

[UltraSWG]

Yes, it is interesting. :D Every modern computer works the same way, the on/off switches don't actually control the power, it's just another key.

Oh, just so we're clear, you don't have to hold the button down for the saber to be on, you just gotta tap it once to turn it on. To turn it off, you press and hold for 2 seconds.

[Tenric Starkindler]

Time to root through the sofa cushions. lok under the floor mats in the car, go bottle collecting.......... :wink:


I prefer Mom switches for the reason stated above...there are many to choose from in many sizes and shapes.

Question?
will there be an option to order a board with a rechargeable battery already connected?

[Lord Maul]

tenric, i don't think so, but ultra will be selling 7.2V packs with chargers for something like 25 bucks :shock:

[UltraSWG]

Question?
will there be an option to order a board with a rechargeable battery already connected?

I'm sure Strydur could you hook you up with something. :wink:

[Ryma Mara]

Iam sure the final board will be all plug and play

[Strydur]

There will be many things built around this board. We have all been waiting a long time for a good working good priced readily available board. I will be making special drop in housing that will hold the speaker/ultrasound/battery packs eventually.

[Ryma Mara]

sweet

[vortextwist]

There will be many things built around this board. We have all been waiting a long time for a good working good priced readily available board. I will be making special drop in housing that will hold the speaker/ultrasound/battery packs eventually.
That will be the snitz!!! 8)

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I just ordered and paid for two of the boards on Ultra's site! I can hardly wait to install one in my custom saber and finally see the K2 at full power! Now, if Ultra could produce a 3/4" Ultra blade, I'd be in 7th Heaven!

[Ryma Mara]

So ah J make sure you do a very detailed review. as detailed as a medical exam.

[erv]

Is this something you know for sure, or something you figured out ?
Cause on my side, I'm supposing ultra's board is using a microcontroller with NON volatile memory, and that he's storing the presets that will be recalled each time you power the saber on.
Ultra, could you tell us more about that ?
Also, I come back with my "current servoing" question... in a simpler way : is the brightness of the blade maintained when battery voltage is going down ?
Could you also let us know about the power draw when iddle by just connecting an amp meter in serie with the battery + wire ?
(I'm just wondering if it's about 10 mA or < 1 mA).

very nice work and cool board!!!
Erv'


The only times you will have to go through the set up menu is if you change LED types and every time you have to unplug the battery pack to recharge it.

[Strydur]

I just ordered and paid for two of the boards on Ultra's site!

Sheesh thanks for the support :?

Just playing with ya. If you order them here or via Ultras site you will get it the same time and for the same price.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Oh, you can count on that Ryma! I'll do a full review and take pictures of the install, too!

Erv, I think I remember reading in the forum on fx-sabers/ultrasabers that it uses a volatile memory, and loses the settings only when the batteries run down or are removed. It got mentioned on this page:
http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=6144.375

[UltraSWG]

Is this something you know for sure, or something you figured out ?
Cause on my side, I'm supposing ultra's board is using a microcontroller with NON volatile memory, and that he's storing the presets that will be recalled each time you power the saber on.
Ultra, could you tell us more about that ?
Also, I come back with my "current servoing" question... in a simpler way : is the brightness of the blade maintained when battery voltage is going down ?
Could you also let us know about the power draw when iddle by just connecting an amp meter in serie with the battery + wire ?
(I'm just wondering if it's about 10 mA or < 1 mA).

very nice work and cool board!!!
Erv'


The only times you will have to go through the set up menu is if you change LED types and every time you have to unplug the battery pack to recharge it.

Hey Erv, I'll try to answer your questions, though I'm not as fluent in electronic terminology as you are, my friend, so bear with me.

The settings on the board that determine Luxeon type and blade mode are stored until you remove power completely from the board, I.E. disconnect the battery, at which point the settings are reset to default. When applying power to the board, the LED will be disabled until you select the proper type. This is done so you do not accidentally power the saber on with the wrong settings and damage the LED.

And yes, the brightness of the blade is maintained when battery voltage is going down - to a certain point. It is a step-down driver and will maintain current and voltage that is proper for the LED regardless of input power up to 12volts. If the voltage of the battery falls below the forward voltage of the LED, then you'll notice a decrease in brightness. In a typical 7.2v Li-Ion setup, though, the protection IC will shut the battery off before that point on Lux III's and K2's. Is that what you mean by servoing?

Now when you say "idle" do you mean when the saber is off or when it's on and the idle hum is going? Either way, I'll have to get with Jesse and get that answer for you. I know it's not much, I've had the same set of AA's in my prototype for over a week.

[erv]

well I'd prefer to BEER with you actually... oh well, a bit too early for that here, 9 AM :wink: Instead I'll drink a cup of coffee to your health and wealth, my friend !

you did it... perfect. Thanks for the accurate answers. Yes, servoing is exactly like that. Just like an auto cruise system in a car, or regulating the temperature with air-conditionning.
And you're right as well, since a li-ion 7.4V stops at about 5.2 V (don't know that by heart, but it should be close to it), it's a voltage perfectly sufficient to guaranty 1A for a lux III or 1.5A for a K2.
I was not sure about the current regulation cause what puzzled me was the selection in the menu of either a red lux III or green/white etc. Since it's about current, there should not be any needs to make a difference between different kinds of LED colors (the difference is in forward voltage)... while you have to make this difference between different kinds of luxeon, since the requiered current is different (700 mA / 1A / 1.5A)
But this is just my crappy EE mind path vs your concrete cooking recipe !
What is important is the result :-)

for idle I was talking about the saber off. Cause I know I have to work on this on my own, to stop justifying a kill switch in the recharge port. It's usefull, but currently, my idle current is a bit high IMO. That's why I asked the question, just because I'm concerned about that too !

Thanks for your answers !
Erv'



Hey Erv, I'll try to answer your questions, though I'm not as fluent in electronic terminology as you are, my friend, so bear with me.
[...]

[UltraSWG]

About the different Luxeon III's, I had to make a different setting for Red/Amber/Red-Orange because not only is the forward voltage lower, 2.95v, but the current is higher, 1400ma.

[erv]

mmmm, perfectly exact ! this reminds me that I have to benchmark my own stuff to 1.5A ! I "played" the security until now, but you are definitly increasing the level with that beauty !
keep up the good work !
Erv'


About the different Luxeon III's, I had to make a different setting for Red/Amber/Red-Orange because not only is the forward voltage lower, 2.95v, but the current is higher, 1400ma.

[Novastar]

Great stuff, Ultra! Hoping to pick one up if I can afford yet ANOTHER adventure into saber sound, heheh... a few questions:

1. I think Erv is asking about what the board draws when the saber is TOTALLY off. All boards draw SOMETHING, question is... how much. Erv's currently draws something like 10ma to 20ma--which can be a lot--b/c of the SD card.

2. Can you disable the accidental shutoff? It sounds as if you could not shut your saber off "immediately", and you MUST use a momentary switch (and I understand why, btw) :)

3. Does it come with a speaker? I apologize I haven't been able to get back to you about the speakers sooner!!! BOP II has kept me MONDO busy... plus, learning a butterfly twist (thing Ray Park/Maul does in Ep I... ) :)

THANKS and bravo!

[Strydur]

At this time they do not come with a speaker. This will probably be something some of us bundle with it in the future though. Ultra says the speakers I have in the store will work fine.

[DACOTA]

This thing is awsome tim I cant wait to try one.

[Novastar]

Tim, I've been trying to send Ultra an e-mail regarding the sweet speakers I've found... but I don't think he receives them from me anymore.

Oh well, I'll find SOME way to get ahold of him.

But for now--whatever speakers will work.

[UltraSWG]

I'm not getting any email from you, man. Are you sending them to alex@ultrasabers? My spam is filtered on my ISP's side, I don't have any client side filters running. Don't know what to tell ya. :?:

[Novastar]

Yup... sending to there! D'OH!

No WONDER you haven't been replying, you dog, hahahha

It's ok--I me gonna contacta you onna da TFn or da TCSS... :D Dig?

[UltraSWG]

Yup... sending to there! D'OH!

No WONDER you haven't been replying, you dog, hahahha

It's ok--I me gonna contacta you onna da TFn or da TCSS... :D Dig?

LOL, stop spamming and my ISP won't block you :P

[Novastar]

You call this spam? I call it "friendly fire", lol!

In this case--maybe friendly speakers... for ALL saber users to benefit from. These really are VERY nice.

I've not heard anything like it before. Well. At least in its class/size, etc.

As Erv says... no little speaker can "win" over some giant WACK 7.1 THX sound system, hahahah

If you can fit THAT in your saber, you're a braver soul than am I. :shock:

P.S. Check your TCSS PM.

[Novastar]

bump...

Does anyone know how much the Ultra board will draw when idle/off? That is... how much ma it is still "running" unless you totally cut the power. Example, most simple circuits draw 1ma to 5ma... Erv's v1.2 draws 10ma to 20ma... Erv's v2.1 draws like 6ma I think...

Also, the Ultra board will NOT come with a speaker, although that is hardly a big deal if I was able to get Alex in contact with the right people for some cool speakers.

Maybe sold separately, maybe included... either way... it will be worth it folks! Believe me! I've checked with a LOT of folks, and they are stellar good in almost every way you slice it.

Why have a great sound card... and a chinsy $1 speaker? Methinks not. ;)

[Strydur]

Whos speakers you callin chinsy!! And why havent you sent me a E-mail with the speaker info!! Or did you and I just forgot :oops:

[Novastar]

Who said I was talking about YOUR speakers, lol!! :)

I know you're joking, but for those reading--remember... it's like buying a super-sweet computer system--way fast, great vid card, great processor, etc. etc...

...and you buy 14" monitor for $20. VGA. Interlaced at 1024 x 768.

That's just WRONG. :)

Excellent mini-hi-power speakers are very hard to come by. You are always fighting against the spacial problem--small speakers are nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get bass from, and they can NEVER compare to a large speaker.

And don't tell me they can. We're talking about 36mm or below... and like the size and width of a silver dollar or whatever. Don't tell me about a speaker that is soooo awesome yet it's 4" by 4". No kidding that one could indeed be better.

Still... I *WOULD* love to see someone attach some fairly giant speaker to their saber--just for fun--one day!

It'd be a bear to wield, but fun to laugh about and deafen the ears of all within a 20 foot radius... uh... including THINESELF!!!! :shock:

[pockets]

Who said I was talking about YOUR speakers, lol!! :)

I know you're joking, but for those reading--remember... it's like buying a super-sweet computer system--way fast, great vid card, great processor, etc. etc...

...and you buy 14" monitor for $20. VGA. Interlaced at 1024 x 768.

That's just WRONG. :)

Excellent mini-hi-power speakers are very hard to come by. You are always fighting against the spacial problem--small speakers are nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get bass from, and they can NEVER compare to a large speaker.

And don't tell me they can. We're talking about 36mm or below... and like the size and width of a silver dollar or whatever. Don't tell me about a speaker that is soooo awesome yet it's 4" by 4". No kidding that one could indeed be better.

Still... I *WOULD* love to see someone attach some fairly giant speaker to their saber--just for fun--one day!

It'd be a bear to wield, but fun to laugh about and deafen the ears of all within a 20 foot radius... uh... including THINESELF!!!! :shock:

run a cable from your lightsaber to a guitar amp... hahaha

[vortextwist]

that would be sick runnin through my 4x12 bass cab with 400 watts of tube power 8) :shock:

[Novastar]

heheh, that WOULD be loud, but I'm saying simply (? I call that simply???) attaching a fairly large speaker... let's say 60 to 80mm to your pommel.

Your pommel would end up like... 4 to 6" OD... but hey... all in the name of fun.

I'm not sure what the power constraints would be... but I think it's just as possible.

You could always (additionally) attach a single headphone ear connector and lead it up to your ear for some added "immersion"... :)

Remember... they are all just... speakers. :)

[vortextwist]

yup, just need POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CaelestisMiles]

Has this been released yet? I'm throwing together my first custom saber late july, and I'd like to know, if i ordered it then, would they already be sold out?

[Lord Maul]

http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=6144.0

that thread has all the updates for ultrasound :wink:

[CaelestisMiles]

http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=6144.0

that thread has all the updates for ultrasound :wink:

thanks! Here's a question for the board though. Do you think a lightsaber noob like me should be buying something this expensive and nice? I've never even put together my own saber before. Plus I don't have a lot of money (my family is on the poverty line right now, and for myself, I have college to pay for). BUT, I'd like to make one really nice custom blade, and if he says that these are a limited time offer, should I buy it up now?

[Lord Maul]

he won't run out i bet.
with a hundred of them, there will probably be 15 leftover after the initial sell.

[Kyp Durron]

Actually, he said that now his run is at 150 boards, so I don't think he's gonna run out anytime soon.

-Kyp

[vortextwist]

you would be suprised, i bet he does

[UltraSWG]

Remember, the board will be available through The Custom Saber Shop. You should ask if Tim will have any available.

[Ixius]

wait...so I can't just convert an MR to a lightsaber with this board by connecting the switch on an MR to this sound board? From what I gather it won't work...

[UltraSWG]

Well, an MR is already a lightsaber, but I know what you're saying. Sure you can, you'll just have to simulate momentary action with your switch.

[erv]

yep MR is a [beeepppp]saber.... oups... a [beep] saber... damn I hate censure when it's all about brands and trademarks... pffff :mrgreen:
you can also use a pen spring to "call back" the switch and turn it into a momentary sliding action one.
Erv'


Well, an MR is already a lightsaber, but I know what you're saying. Sure you can, you'll just have to simulate momentary action with your switch.

[SilentBob501]

Does anyone know what batteries are needed for the ultraboard? Is it 4AAA's? 3? 6AA's, what?

[Lord Maul]

depends on what led you're using.

for a 5 watter, 7.2V minimum. the board can take 11-12 volts though :wink:

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Yeah, it really doesn't matter what battery set-up you use, as long as it's between 4.5-12 volts. The board adjusts the voltage and amps to match the led selected at the initial start-up of the board. Four AAA's and 6 AA's....sounds like the sabers I'm installing a couple of these boards in!

[Strydur]

Ultra said it might be two weeks before they are available.

[elrond.406]

Can Ultra's board power two luxeons at once? Like for a double-bladed lightsaber? 8)

[Lord Maul]

it could power two 3 watters at darn near full power...but not anything above that.

to do the dual 3 watters, you just wire em up, and select the 5 watt led power level

[Novastar]

I hate to say it, but Lord Maul is incorrect...

The Ultra board can handle up to 12v.

This means that you could ask it to drive two LEDs that require about 6v each of fwd voltage if you so chose.

Additionally, the Ultra board is a CURRENT regulating driver... so as long as the total current you're looking for matches what modes the Ultra sound board can shoot out--you're good!

For example, since the maximum is 1.5A... you could (conceivably) power TWO Lux Vs (700ma each) and be pretty good to go.

Granted, you may need to set it to something "weird", most likely as saying a "Lux K2".

How you do the math is up to you... but Alex's board can support up to 1.5A period.

You can run any amount of LEDs you like, so long as you're "looking for" 1.5A at the max.

Also, you can "underdrive" many Luxeons. Yes, they won't be as bright... but hey, you can do it. :)

[vortextwist]

what were the dimensions of Ultra's board?

[Novastar]

I've asked this at least 3 times... here's hoping some kind of answer pops up from Ultra or maybe Tim if he knows?

My guess is that it would be smaller than Erv's because it is not "hand-soldered" as far as I know. It was a "machine run".

[vortextwist]

i'm trying to plan out another saber, I'm gonna have my qui-gon converted and just kind of getting things rounded up.

[Lord Maul]

it is 1x2x.5 inches

[vortextwist]

it is 1x2x.5 inches

thanks maul

[Novastar]

I guess it really IS "off-topic", but... anyone know what the idle draw of the board will be?

In other words--how much current the board uses while it is "off"? For example, Erv's new v2.x now draws 6ma max instead of the possible 10ma to 20ma that the v1.2 did...

Naturally I don't mean if you use a general power switch ("cut" the batteries).

[Kyp Durron]

I know this may not help much, but I think that he said that it won't draw anymore power than a stock MR saber turned off...whatever that is.

-Kyp

[Novastar]

That helps!

The stock MR doesn't draw much of anything when it is shut down.

Erv's has to draw a decent amount more since it is programmable "on-the-fly" so to speak.

It's nice to know though, with Alex's... basically means not much need for a kill switch. Unless you're storing your saber for like a YEAR, and even then batteries drain THEMSELVES more than his board ever will. :)

Thanks...

[Kyp Durron]

Ok, this is how it works, the button is just like a key on your keyboard, it sends a signal to the board to tell it to turn on or off, it doesn't handle the power flow directly. This is how the switches on an MR, Hasbro, and Corbin Driver works, even though some use latching and others use momentary, it's still the same principle.

A momentary setup is better than a latching setup in many ways. Even a latching can be accidently turned off while dueling. It will be difficult to turn a saber off by accident while using this board since the button must be held down for 2 seconds to deactivate the saber.

There's also a plethora of momentary pushbutton switches available, so the variety is huge. You can even make your own switch easily. There are literally only a handful of latching push buttons available, so in the end, everyone uses the same button.

As for passive draw, I don't have the exact figure, but it's no worse than the passive draw of an MR.

Yep, I was right about that, glad I could be of help to you Novastar! :wink:

-Kyp

[xwingband]

Ultra's board only needs to store the LED setting. Erv's also monitors angles and settings, etc... simply less things to do. An MR is even less. It's doesn't need to "remember" anything.

[Novastar]

Well, cool that it will be negligible.

As to Alex's comments about pushbuttons over latching switches and so forth--I disagree, but that's just my personal preference. The latching switches I have in sabers are 99% impossible to accidentally shut off.

But... I don't mean the pushbutton type--I use a latching slide switch. I don't want to de-rail the thread, but anyhow... It's the best switch setup I've EVER had.

But, I *DO* think Ultra's "2-second shutoff" idea is cool. At least it is a UNIQUE and fun idea!

Besides... as soon as the pre-orders were going on, I bought one, heheh--was probably at least one of the first 10 buyers, hahahah... :)