SaberSound 1.0 new soundboard prototype

[airsoftmode]

Hello everyone, im pleased to anounce the completion of my very own soundboard. The prototype has been created and programed, and the first production run will be completed withen one month.

When planning this board I realized that there are allready 2 high end soundboards on the market in the form of the ultrasound and crystal focus boards, however anyone hoping to get a mid level board either has to dissasemble an fx saber or install a cheap economy board. The SaberSound 1.0 is an anwer to that dillema.

The SaberSound 1.0 features

Higher volume than an fx board
10 clash sounds, and 10 swoosh sounds
An input voltage of 3.8-10v so it CAN drive luxeon V leds
Momentary style button, press once to turn on, hold for 2 seconds to turn off, so no accidental shut offs!
Demensions 1.1 Wide 1.5 Long .25 Deep
And best of all, the price will be set at only 59.99!

Here is a video of the prototype wired up to a luxeon III red its just a short video to intraduce everyone to the board. When the production run is completed I will do another video, and have a board installed in a hilt so you can hear the resonance.

Test VIDEO outside hilt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVLOn_NWpSg

Resonance test inside hilt VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4VuTkE7rpk

[JediMasterDak]

Sweeeet board SF!!!! Nice work!! :D:D:D

[vargose]

Awesome. Well done. Your work continues to impress. A great solution for those of us who don't need all the bells and whistles, but want quality sound for a decent price. What's the ouput current going to be?

[Darth Leximus]

Well done, but unless you have some deal with Tim you might be treading close to dangerous waters posting up prices and stuff here.

[Kal El Rah]

Finally a board that is affordable.;):cool::idea:

[airsoftmode]

Well done, but unless you have some deal with Tim you might be treading close to dangerous waters posting up prices and stuff here.

Actually I was wondering if Tim would consider stocking it, but I wasnt sure how to go about proposing it, I know he stocked ultras soundboards so I dont think he would be oposed to it.

[JamoUp]

that looks cool. very well done. looking forward to hear it in a saber.

[airsoftmode]

Awesome. Well done. Your work continues to impress. A great solution for those of us who don't need all the bells and whistles, but want quality sound for a decent price. What's the ouput current going to be?

here are the currents so far, they are not regulated so you are going to have different currents depending upon your input and load.

With a 3watt led

4.5v input output is 2.9v and 250ma
6v input output is 4v and 1000mah *this will be the ideal input for lux III k2 seoul and cree*
I still need to test a lux V, but I assume the input voltage to drive it effectivly will be between 8.5-9v

[tinfoilhelmet]

choice! we can all use a soundboard sturdy as a hasbro that doesn't crash when you step on an eggshell. good show.

[B5813]

Does the swinging effect the LED? When you shake the board for swinging sounds it looked like the led flickered.

[Firedrops]

hmm where do you order it? somehow i feel that this doesn't sound as good as a MR board... the sounds are abit off

[Jedi-Loreen]

It's not in production yet.

But asking about ordering one is considered soliciting, unless Tim will consider stocking these, so don't keep asking about it.


I saw the LED dim every time the speaker put out sound, like the speaker is drawing power away from the LED.

[Barmic Rin]

I'd noticed that. ASM, i'd ask Tim if he wants to stock, maybe see about sending a sample of it.

In all honesty, those sounds do need tweaking before the production run, sounded abit crackly IMHO. Good work though...

Folks, please don't ask where it's available until it has Tims blessing. It's a no-no to solicite on here, any questions, please PM Airsoft.

[xl97]

I didnt watch the vid.. (no speakers ATM)..

but Id like to ask more about the baord itself? not to get too specific.. but is it using a specific microcontroller? how are you detecting/activating the swing and clash events? accelerometer? or analog sensors? (like regular MR clash sensors?)

Im curious as to how you did your 'turn off' approach? relay? says 10 clash and 10 swoosh... are these all pre-programmed? changable? how are you storing/saving them? what chip?..etc

you can PM if you like.

Thanks

[airsoftmode]

It's not in production yet.

But asking about ordering one is considered soliciting, unless Tim will consider stocking these, so don't keep asking about it.


I saw the LED dim every time the speaker put out sound, like the speaker is drawing power away from the LED.

Everyone who noticed dimming, I was running on 4.5 which is not enough to run the board and a lux III, on 6v it works perfectly the output is 4v and the ma is 1000, and here is a video of it mounted inside a hilt with resonance so you can hear what it will actually sound like. My resonance chamber was only .5in, with more resonace the sound is even deeper, but you can tell inside a hilt it sounds a LOT better.

Give the video a few min I just uploaded it so it might still be processing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4VuTkE7rpk

[pipster79]

awesome work dude, only one thing i dont like about it, the swing sounds sound like the frequency is set to fast on them, they need a bit of slowing down. other then that its an awesome board.
does it have ramping of the led for on and off?

[airsoftmode]

Ohh and everyone really needs to stop asking when and where they will be availalbe for sale, I dont want to get banned from the forum.

What you could do is pester tim to carry them :)

I bet if a lot of his customers said they were intersted he would be willing to carry my boards.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

I don't know if Strydur would appreciate us "pestering" him lol but iirc he did ask once for suggestions on how to make TCSS a "one stop shop" for all our saber needs...and the one thing that has been a bottleneck in this hobby for years is regular availability of soundboards and in the months between Ultrasound runs we've often been forced to go outside of TCSS to look for them...if he carried additional sound board options [whether yours or makotos or whoevers] maybe TCSS could be that "one stop shop" year-round and I and I imagine others would certainly be willing to buy them through TCSS if he chose to do so.

[not meant as "soliciting" or 'pressure' Strydur just an observation imo].

[sithlordfaust]

I look forward to this but.... without some power regulation its not so attractive. I think if you maybe worked with Corbin to integrate your sound with his boards it woulod really be good.

[airsoftmode]

I look forward to this but.... without some power regulation its not so attractive. I think if you maybe worked with Corbin to integrate your sound with his boards it woulod really be good.

Yes but if I integrated my board with corbins, or if I installed flicker and onboard regulation I would have an ultrasound board, and that is not what I was trying to do.

What I am trying to do is produce a medium level board that outpreforms the fx board in every aspect, but keeps the same low price point.

And onboard regulation was not necessary because at 6v input the default ouput is 4v and 1000mah.

[pipster79]

airsoftmode, did you read my post about the swing frequency?

[Jagahati]

Yes but if I integrated my board with corbins, or if I installed flicker and onboard regulation I would have an ultrasound board, and that is not what I was trying to do.

What I am trying to do is produce a medium level board that outpreforms the fx board in every aspect, but keeps the same low price point.

And onboard regulation was not necessary because at 6v input the default ouput is 4v and 1000mah.

I actually like the fact that re-making a US or CF is not your goal.

I do recommend that when you get the bugs worked out that you write up some good tutorials for using your board with voltage regulators for the inputs or buck pucks or drivers for the LED out.

With a bit more knowledge of how best to use your soundboard in practice will make it a more successful product both during launch and subsequent sales.

Just my opinion of course and I have no desire to attempt to do your thing for you just an idea.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

So basically its using the voltage loss across the board to reduce the current to what is typically required for direct-driving Luxes, Crees and Seouls, thus replacing a resistor?

[Lonewind]

Just listened to the new video of the soundboard. Sounds good for a prototype but my kid listened to the sounds and he noticed that they sounded a bit "fast" when compared to a Master Replica board. Anyone else notice this?

[airsoftmode]

Just listened to the new video of the soundboard. Sounds good for a prototype but my kid listened to the sounds and he noticed that they sounded a bit "fast" when compared to a Master Replica board. Anyone else notice this?

Well that shouldn't be terribly difficult to change, I can slow down the swoosh audio to half speed, that should get it closer to the fx soundboards. I never really cared for the slow swoosh that mr had, but if thats what the majority of you would like then thats what i'll do.

Im going to leave the clash sounds as is, I think they are spot on.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

I really like what I see and hear so far. I look forward to getting one.

[pipster79]

Just listened to the new video of the soundboard. Sounds good for a prototype but my kid listened to the sounds and he noticed that they sounded a bit "fast" when compared to a Master Replica board. Anyone else notice this?

wow am i totaly invisible? i already posted about this earlier today. anyway airsoftmode, the clash sounds sound dead on like you say, but yes the swing sounds frequency is much to fast, makes them sound too electronic and not really saberish. i think your right and if you slow them down to half speed they should be about right. try it and make another vid and we can let you know if it sounds better :)
again great job on the board, keep up the good work

[Jonitus]

What capability does the board have for running accent LEDs? Do they simply need to be run in conjunction from the main LED leads and resistored, or are there additional outputs on the board for 2-3v @ 20-30mA?

Also, I think the swing sounds are fine...for someone who does a lot of fast spins. Maybe two versions - fast and slow?

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

I have to say that like Airsoftmode I have always thought the MR swings were too slow...especially for fast spinning as Jonitus says...I like these swing sounds as they are now, personally.

[airsoftmode]

What capability does the board have for running accent LEDs? Do they simply need to be run in conjunction from the main LED leads and resistored, or are there additional outputs on the board for 2-3v @ 20-30mA?

Also, I think the swing sounds are fine...for someone who does a lot of fast spins. Maybe two versions - fast and slow?

Gah ok ive got about 4 people saying there good, 3 people saying there two fast, im going to slow them down just a bit, maybe 1/4 and leave it there for the first run. For my next run judging from the input I get from everyone I will tweak the fonts a bit and try and get a good middle ground.

There are not seperate outputs for accent leds, you will have to run them in conjunction with the main led if you want them.

[Jay Dee]

Pretty boss big guy. This will work great with 7.4 li-ion packs and a buckpuck. Good job.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

I think slowing them down 1/4 should work out great.

[Darth_DevilGuy]

how close are you getting to the maximum current you can draw for sound without ramping down the LED?

The clash sounds could be louder IMO, in that second video they were being overridden by the swing sounds, if you need to it might be a better idea to scale back the other sound output to make the clashes sound louder, the only thing you should hear when the clash kicks in is the clash itself drowning all else out.

edit: oh and I like the hum but I'd slow the swings down a little bit, the fast ones are a little better for fast spinning but the slow Doppler effects are more accurate to the movies.

[Firedrops]

your new video's sounds are so much better than the previous one, i feel that the swinging sound is just good the way they are, but your clash sound sounds too high-pitced, and too soft. the impact sound(against the chair) is way louder than the clash sound.

[Lord Dottore Matto]

Everyone who noticed dimming, I was running on 4.5 which is not enough to run the board and a lux III, on 6v it works perfectly the output is 4v and the ma is 1000, and here is a video of it mounted inside a hilt with resonance so you can hear what it will actually sound like. My resonance chamber was only .5in, with more resonace the sound is even deeper, but you can tell inside a hilt it sounds a LOT better.

Give the video a few min I just uploaded it so it might still be processing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4VuTkE7rpk


Dude, lookin good...don't be afraid to make your bed once in a while though.:lol:

[tinfoilhelmet]

don't let a bunch of cooks spoil yer soup, dude. make them as you will. the people will buy, regardless. why take on a bunch of headache.
if i wanted an MR i'd just buy an MR(hasbro)
kudos for having the stones to make this happen

[jedi/storm]

I agree with Tinfoil you have done great work and i would buy it as is do as you want man and THEN make changes based on feedback i think its great work.

[cardcollector]

I know you probably won't answer due to wanting to retain the board production to yourself.

BUT-
What microcontroller did you decide to use?
What programming Language?
Who made your circut boards?
Are you using an accelormeter? If not what?

AND finally: Where were the sites you got the supplies to make them from?

PM PLEASE!!! if you don't want to answer in public...
and if you don't want to PM me the info, no hard feelings, I respect that.

[tinfoilhelmet]

i would also suggest mr. sanders not hand out his secret 11 herbs and spices recipe before the chicken hits the market.
(no offense intended to anyone)

[Lonewind]

Actually, Tinfoilhelmet, people won't buy if it does not suit their taste. Buying MR soundboard is not simple or easy for a novice builder - you cant buy just the board alone.

As a pre-production run, its good to get the feel of your audience to try to make it as close to what the majority would purchase - it makes better business sense that way.

I'm glad the sounds will be slowed a bit. Looking forward to hearing more tests. :D

[airsoftmode]

Dude, lookin good...don't be afraid to make your bed once in a while though.:lol:

HOW DARE YOU!! hahah

[xl97]

tinfoil-

asking if the board is anolog or acclerometer based is hardsly a trade secret.. more like asking to know what you are buying..

I mean if he doesnt want to asnwer.. thatd fine of course.. but most questions asked are trying to understand what TYPE of board this is...

IMHO..there has been little to no info given on it...

to me its like saying..heres a car buy it.. without knowing the engine.. MPG, and other features.

trade secrets like his actualy 'code' (or whatever) is obviously something you wouldnt want to give out.. but background on what people are actually buying would only 'help' IMHO..

[tinfoilhelmet]

i realise if the boards not to certain peoples taste they won't buy but i think alot of people will buy as is. An mr soundboard is as easy to get as paying 80-90 dollars and gutting the saber. thats a good 40 dollars or so less than an ultra card wich by the way i can sense people trying to turn this 50-60 dollar card into.
keep it simple

[xl97]

thats my 'exact' point..

what is 'as is'? I dont know much about it.. do you?

dont get confused..

Im not saying change anything... Im not saying its 'not my taste'..

Im asking.. what 'is it'?

does it use analog sensors to detect clash and/or swing? does it use acceleroemter to detetct such events? (hardly trade secret questions)

are the sounds changable? held on-board (ie: embeded into a chip?).. or maybe a micro SD card? or loaded through serial/usb port?

etc..etc

none of this is 'giving away a recipe' as you like to put it.. I dont care how you want to twist it.

its a simple question about his product he is trying to 'sell'..

I wouldnt buy a car not knowing the color.. or if has AC or a radio.. or other details..
thats hardly asking GM/Chevy about their engine specifics and what makes it tick.

ever think that maybe if it uses an acelerometer.. even though people 'may' want to buy it WONT... because of possible patent infringement or ebay vero'ing?

I would hate to (myself or another fellow member ) buy a bunch because they do projects or builds for other people to sell.. be stuck with them.

Maybe thats not a very realistic scenario..but you get my meaning. without details.... its only gonna hurt his 'goal'...not help it.

[Count Zero]

I really hope Tim works a deal with you. I would love to see these available through TCSS. This board fills a much needed niche and TCSS would be one step closer to a one stop shop.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

XL97 have you looked at the thread about this board over on FX-Sabers.com? The question you asked and the issues you raised have been answered and discussed there.

[xl97]

got a link? I dont venture to FX much..

and to be clear.. Im trying to raise any issues.. or bash 'anything'..

Im just trying to understand what it is he's selling/created is all.

I know 'many' that if it plays sounds..they love it.. but to many others.. we like to know more about the board itself. Like a US or a CF.. or even an MR/Hasbro..
details help decide when, where or if ever it is usable in certain situations...

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=18957.0

[tinfoilhelmet]

i'm not trying to "twist" anything. i'm not going to waste this nice sunday argueing either so "peace and love" bro!
a few years a go a buddy of mine sold me his old beater car for 50 dollars. i jumped on the opportunity because it started, ran, and got me from point A to B.
blueprints and parts sources not necessary
peace out and happy saber building!

[xl97]

blueprints and parts sources not necessary


of which I asked for neither... (for the record)..

either way the FX link (thanks) has answered a few of the questions already..

[tinfoilhelmet]

with all due respect, my kfc comment had nothing to do with you.
good day kind sir

[goldsaberwarrior]

would be good if tim would stock that. glad to see another board thats out, would be good to see if tim would stock it. Just email him and tell him you have something you would like him to consider stocking. He'll at least hear you out. Tim isn't a sith that will saber ur hands off, last time I checked anyways. jk if you see this Tim. No really Tim is a cool guy.

Glad to see there are cheaper boards coming out. Nothing against erv's or ultra's boards but can't really afford them at the moment. Good boards just on tight budget at the moment.

[cardcollector]

would be good if tim would stock that. Glad to see another board thats out, would be good to see if tim would stock it. Just email him and tell him you have something you would like him to consider stocking. He'll at least hear you out. Tim isn't a sith that will saber ur hands off, last time i checked anyways. Jk if you see this tim. No really tim is a cool guy.

Glad to see there are cheaper boards coming out. Nothing against erv's or ultra's boards but can't really afford them at the moment. Good boards just on tight budget at the moment.

I second!!!!

[vargose]

I definitely agree with slowing down the swing sounds. Dropping the pitch of them might be good too. Excellent work.

[Darth Vane]

first of all SOUNDS AMAZING. but the only problem i have is the pitch. it sound to high . lower so its a little deeper but keep the swing speed. just my two cents. oh are tese going to be massed produced or are they going to be like the Cf and US and once there gone there gone?

[cardcollector]

I have to disagree, I like the lighter sound.

The US 2.0 is to deep IMO I don't like deep saber sounds.

But that's just me...

[Shadeslinger]

My opinion: the swing pitch needs lowered a tad. Other than that the board is excellent! (must have taken alot of work saberforge, so kudos to you!). I think it'll do exactly what you intended, to be everything an MR board is but better and more easily available.

A few questions:
1.I'm gonna assume that the board uses solder pads and not pinholes? And are all the pads on the same side of the board (looked like that from the first vid). I understand it's a proto board but could you give us an upclose picture of it?

2. Have you considered possibly a version that can utilize latching style switches (just a thought).

Great work and don't let us sound hounds get ya down! :)

[Eco]

8v-9v for a lux V? Am I the only one who thinks that's a bit steep?

[Darth Vane]

i was thinking the same thing with the 6V for the Lux III. i think thats what he said....

[Darth Vane]

I have to disagree, I like the lighter sound.

The US 2.0 is to deep IMO I don't like deep saber sounds.

But that's just me...

to each is own. some people like it some people dont. i like the deeper sounds because they sound more intimadating! :twisted::twisted::twisted::twisted::twisted:

[Jay Dee]

Lux V's are only beneficial in a few colors and some of those are debatable (the exception being cyan). With p4,rebel,cree and ledengin there are many really good options. Airsoftmode did you ever get a chance to test the output with a 7.4 pack yet?

[airsoftmode]

Lux V's are only beneficial in a few colors and some of those are debatable (the exception being cyan). With p4,rebel,cree and ledengin there are many really good options. Airsoftmode did you ever get a chance to test the output with a 7.4 pack yet?

No, but ill have all of the various packs tested by the time the first run is ready.

[vargose]

8v-9v for a lux V? Am I the only one who thinks that's a bit steep?


i was thinking the same thing with the 6V for the Lux III. i think thats what he said....

I plan on using a relay with these anyway. So I can use a puck or something.

[Matt Thorn]

<tongue-in-cheek>It's been three whole days since you created this thread, airsoftmode, and you still haven't incorporated all the suggestions offered by a dozen or more backseat drivers?</tongue-in-cheek>

Seriously, brilliant stuff. I have PM-ed, and eagerly look forward to new developments. :cool:

[Eco]

I understand that a Lux V is really not the best LED for everything, but it'd be a waste for airsoft to build the sound board in a manner that limits his market because it just can't handle a Lux V.

That's my .02.

I like the idea and the price tag, and I'm looking forward to seeing the first run of these boards!

[Jagahati]

I understand that a Lux V is really not the best LED for everything, but it'd be a waste for airsoft to build the sound board in a manner that limits his market because it just can't handle a Lux V.

That's my .02.

I like the idea and the price tag, and I'm looking forward to seeing the first run of these boards!

The thing is that he is not designing a soundboard with an LED driver. If he were then you wouldn't like the price as much.

You will be able to run a lux V and the board off of 7.2v (Maybe not real well but it will probably work) using a buck puck or other LED driver and the sound board.

All he is recording when he tells you MA out and V out is the voltage drop from the sound board.

I am willing to bet that before the release we will have a good idea of the best way to use the common types of LED's with this board. most of these will involve either direct drive or a buck puck style driver for the LED.

It is not as if it is easy to direct drive a Lux V off of a MR board or Hasbro board. And that is what he is designing his sound card to compete with. I personally love the idea of getting a soundboard that as far as i can tell is better than an MR in almost every way at half the price of a saber that I will have to gut.

If you need a US/CF board then get one of them, this is not one of those nor is it Saber Forge's goal to make one of those.

[vargose]

I agree. Its a quality sound card with a bonus of LED output. Its not the best, but we can work with it. As I said before I am simply going to use a relay like I do with the hasbro boards.

[Strydur]

Actually I was wondering if Tim would consider stocking it, but I wasnt sure how to go about proposing it, I know he stocked ultras soundboards so I dont think he would be oposed to it.


You could start by sending me a E-mail :rolleyes:

[Eco]

Fair enough Jagahati and Vargose.
I'm actually fairly illiterate when it comes to the particulars of using soundboards, so I'm just asking questions to get myself educated.

[Jagahati]

Not a problem at all. We all have plenty more we could learn.

I am hoping to get a few of these and figure out the best ways to use them with a variety of LED's and driver solutions.

I of course will post my findings if they aren't redundant with what others are posting. I have a feeling that this community will do a good job of adapting to every new product and technology and then sharing the how-to's with everyone who would like to know about them.

I also hope Saberforge and Tim can work out a deal to sell the card through TCSS.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

It is not as if it is easy to direct drive a Lux V off of a MR board or Hasbro board. And that is what he is designing his sound card to compete with. I personally love the idea of getting a soundboard that as far as i can tell is better than an MR in almost every way at half the price of a saber that I will have to gut.




Well said. Me too.

We shouldn't be too frightened of direct drive...once upon a time, when there were things called "bulbs" inside, ALL 'flashlights' [not glorified and without sound] that some of us oooolde-timers made 'lightsabers' out of back in 77 when it was "Star Wars" [NOT "A New Hope"] were run on direct drive [using huge monstrous batteries called 'D cells lol].

It may seem 'primitive' to the newer generations...but it worked.

Once ASM has completed testing voltage drops across his board from various battery configurations he and we will surely know how to direct drive various LEDs effectively through it...in return for that simplicity of approach we get a soundboard that sounds good but is much cheaper and may become more regularly available than if it had a more complex driver solution incorporated...imo that is a very wise design tradeoff on ASM's part.

[MaverickJsmith]

Well well, a sound board that really won't break the bank. Most interesting. Looking forward to it.

Also, I agree with some of the people, the swing and clash sounds are too high pitched. You can make them sound lower without decreasing their speed (duration). If you reduce their pitch by half they should sound pretty good.

That's my 2 cents 8)

Maverick 8)

[Firedrops]

hmm... i'ld like to see a comparison between this and makotsai's new prototype soundboard... makotsai hasn't released any infos on price though, his is probably gonna be real expensive.

[cardcollector]

hmm... i'ld like to see a comparison between this and makotsai's new prototype soundboard... makotsai hasn't released any infos on price though, his is probably gonna be real expensive.

What?!?!? Those are two entirely different sound boards.:?
Plus they are made at opposite ends of the world.:rolleyes:

It is very rude to talk about someones elses' (sp) board when airsoft just got his made.

[Darth Leximus]

How is that rude? He wants a comparison...what's wrong with that? Wouldn't you compare different soundboards before choosing one for a project? Makes sense to me.

Maybe we should leave the policing to the mods...just a thought.

[xl97]

I really cant stand all these people who jump on the 'bandwagon'..

the might be good..great in fact for all I know.. however, it desnt mean people shouldnt ask questions or know what they are buying. Alot of the memebers here would 'the creek' without a paddle if it werent for others bothering to get details and figure out alternate wiring methods..etc..

if someone was asking for his source code to flash their own chips.. yeah I could see how that would be crossing over the line into trade secret stuff..

asking who made his sound boards for him... (unless of couse he designed, created and coded everything hmself) ;).. and other details of the board isnt really that big of a deal..

everyone knows Nova Conceptions created the US board... what kind of secrets did that give any of you?

if he didnt want questions.. he could have kept it quiet..and silently emailed Tim..or put it on is website.. Im sure Tim would need some details about it himself before stocking it here.. even a manual or something.. if you want to use the community here because it is larger than most..be prepared for questions IMHO..

[Jedi-Loreen]

As long as people aren't talking about ordering these, unless Tim ends up stocking them, and they don't talk about pricing for this or any other boards, I see no problems about asking questions. Knowing what you're getting is a good thing.

Though getting someone to take comparison pics can sometimes be more difficult. Firedrops comparison question here would require ASF/SF to acquire a Makoto Luxeon board.

[xl97]

I meant more along the lines of members asking questions about the board..features.. what its based off of...etc.. and people 'up in arms' about it be a trade secret or spilling the beans on a 'secret recipe'..

so I didnt mean the mods were saying no questions.. Im saying other memebers/owner not wanting to answer. ;)

yeah if Firedrop wants to send SF/ASM a Mako board to compare.. I'd read the review.. :)

[Jedi-Loreen]

Yeah, disclosing the basics about the board should be done, IMO. Those should not be kept "secret". And there's only so many ways to do certain things, it's not magic. :rolleyes:

[strengthofrage]

I like it, well done.

[airsoftmode]

Just a little update on the board, I took everyones suggestions into consideration. And I decided to tweak the pitch and speed of the idle and swing effects.

Just slowing down the speed didnt sound quite right, so I also deepend the pitch a bit, I ended up slowing down the playback by a 10th, and deepening the pitch by a 10th.

While that dosent sound terribly drastic, it actually changes the sound a LOT. I think everyone will be really pleased with the middle ground that I found. I havent had the new sounds files loaded onto the chips yet so I dont have a demo video, but when I do ill post up a new video, it will probably be around mid august when the boards are all finished.

[tinfoilhelmet]

excellent!
maybe consider abandoning your current motion system and go with mexican jumping beans instead. people might be less "up in arms" about it, eh?

[xl97]

excellent!
maybe consider abandoning your current motion system and go with mexican jumping beans instead. people might be less "up in arms" about it, eh?


you just dont have a clue...do you?

[Q132]

how much are these things going to cost?

[Jedi-Loreen]

This is a discussion about the board, not about ordering or pricing.

Do not ask that again on the open forums.

Anyone.

Please.




Unless Tim agrees to stock them.

[Q132]

calm down

[Jedi-Loreen]

Then observe the rules of the Forum. No Soliciting.

[Strydur]

Try reading the first post.. :rolleyes:

[Darth Vane]

sweet update. cant wait to hear the final product. i am actually trying to get rid of my MR so i have the money for this board.lol

[Eco]

Looking forward to seeing, er, hearing the new demo!

[yell0w_lantern]

Yes, very interesting so far.

[sekrogue1985]

I would like to say that is impressive and I like the choice of sounds for the saber. I'll definitely be looking forward to the public's reaction once people have mounted it into sabers.

[Darth Demens]

Try reading the first post.. :rolleyes:

So, Strydur, you totally wanna stock these, right? Cause you know... One-stop saber shop and all, right?

[$tarkiller]

I am very interested t hear what it's gonna sound like.

[Darth Vane]

So do you have a video we can see of the finished product yet? Or do we still have to wait? lol

[Malaki Skywalker]

So do you have a video we can see of the finished product yet? Or do we still have to wait? lol

I second that! :cool:

[cannibal869]

Making some popcorn and watching the sparks fly ;)

I'm lookin forward to seeing this one.
<subscribing to thread>
:mrgreen:

[dgdve]

very impressive.. any idea's on timing for the new sound test?

[tinfoilhelmet]

i'm just guessing the guy found a path of least resistance...just my impression, mind you

[sfer1]

4.5v input output is 2.9v and 250ma

I don't understand what's the point of having a 2.9V and 250mA output. With a 4.5V input, the output should be 4V and 1000mA too. If I wanted to use four AAA rechargeable batteries (4x 1.2V = 4.8V), instead of wasting money on regular alkaline batteries (4x 1.5V = 6V), my saber would look much dimmer.

[mihunai]

Hey Airsoftmode, would a 3.15V Rebel work with the board if powered by 3.7V(a Trustfire)?

mTm

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

I don't understand what's the point of having a 2.9V and 250mA output. With a 4.5V input, the output should be 4V and 1000mA too. If I wanted to use four AAA rechargeable batteries (4x 1.2V = 4.8V), instead of wasting money on regular alkaline batteries (4x 1.5V = 6V), my saber would look much dimmer.


If I understand this board correctly it doesnt regulate voltage in the way other boards do but rather the voltage drop over the board components itself is what determines the metered voltage output...in effect it is to be used for 'direct driving' of LEDs where one gets the desired output by matching the right battery solution to the LEDs needs oneself rather than expecting the board to do it. This may sound odd to some youngsters but its no different than what us old fogeys remember from these things called 'flashlights' we grew up with in the Dark Ages before 'chips' ;-) . Trust us it can work fine, but we have to know what the voltage drop across the board is with different battery solutions for direct driving so ASM will no doubt give us all the data on that as he tests various battery configs.

What we need to know to match batteries and LEDs for direct drive is what the voltage drop and current output IS not what anyone thinks it "should" be...it wouldn't be good if ASM told us what he thought it "should" be and we found out otherwise by 'magic smoke' eh? So its good he gives us info on different battery configs so we know whats what and if you don't find a particular combination of battery and LED acceptable then the solution with direct driving is to either a] up the battery input or b] pick a different LED like perhaps the Cree that can be reasonably bright at lower milliamps of current than Luxeons.

[Eco]

The third option to Onli-Won's post is to simply wire the board onto a separate circuit from the LED and use a resistor on the LED. Granted, you'll have more heat to deal with and your runtime will suffer, but it's an option.

[Darth Abominor]

I ddin't see an update of the SaberSound v1.0 'sound speed/tone tweek', so if there is no issue with my posting what Airsoft sent me the other day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfhVnl2AWBM

Looks nice, can't wait to test my two hilts he's working together for me as we speak.


ALERT!!


And here they are as of today 9/11/09. (talk about making this a better day for a NYer)

1. The Alliance hilt with SaberSound v1.0 sound board - aka (since it's my girl's blade and she's a Thunder Cats lover) Sword of Bad Omens

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

2. The Regal hilt with SaberSound v1.0 sound board - aka Mos Imperator v.2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd5bu2RqfMM

[Darth Abominor]

I'm going to give us all a quick and dirty review of the SSv1.0 boards that just arrived today.

Sound quality, very good. On par with MR if not slightly better and a tad louder with the TCSS Preimum Speaker installed.

There is a slight 'sound cut-off' at the end of each swing sound effect, basically it's the Swing.. tick sound of the effect ending.

Clash sound effect is very active when placed in the base of the hilt near the pom, which is where mine has to sit due to space issues.

Swing sound is 85% as responsive as I would hope for, a tad more reactive would have made it for me. It still seems to 'miss' some swings I would think sound should accompany.

I am running the boards with 4AAA (1.2v rechargers @ 4.8vf) so the LEDs, which are a Cyan Bin1 (Regal) & a Blue Bin? (Alliance) from TCSS, are running just shy of the 6v happy zone that the board would push for 1000mAh. Still look brite and potent in any case.

All in all, for a board that should cost you about what you will pay for in getting a used MR saber & board out there these days, it's not a bad board and I can see the v2.? or whatever being a much cleaner and pleasing unit.

Overall ranking: A- (still needs some basic tweeks)

[Matt Thorn]

Thanks for the review, Abominor. That's basically what I was expecting. Can't wait to get mine.

But from where I sit (in Japan), I would have to say I have never found a used MR saber for less than about $80. Maybe you can find them cheaper on eBay over there, but the cost of shipping to Japan makes it pointless to bid. So for me, this is a godsend. I hope Tim will stock here on TCSS.

[Darth Abominor]

I can fully understand your issues with the MRs being in Japan as you are. In the States I have usually found them for about $50-$65, depending on the source. These boards from Saber Forge should serve you well I hope.

[Maurnick]

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

Could we have a swing test please?

[Darth Vane]

I agree can we have a swing test?

[Zook]

I have kind of a swing test. It has a stubby blade on it in the video because I didn't have room to really swing it with a big blade. The board is not as sensitive as I like and you have to swing it a little hard to get it to respond. This is fine for using it outside for normal use but its hard for just lightly swinging it to get it to respond.

anyway here is my video I put up last week. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_31r9FhdRdA)

[Darth Abominor]

I have not had a moment to make a Swing Video, but as noted by Zook, there is a real 'desire' for more swing for less force. I note this to be more so when the soundboard is edged in plastic to help avoid hilt contact and shorts. You have to put a bit of muscle into the swings to get a reaction from the board.

(This is with the board mounted just above the speaker and vented pommel)

[Kal El Rah]

That doesn't sound to good.:mad:

[Matt Thorn]

Just keep in mind 1) that this is version 1.0, and 2) it's just $50. I think it's great myself, and look forward to future tweaks.

[Darth Abominor]

For the $$ amount he asks for the board and install, I can't say it's a bad thing. ;) (and just for the record, it's at $60.00 right now for the SaberSound v1.0 boards with a handful left in stock)

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

Had a weird middle of the night crazy idea...

Since it seems this board is a straight pass through from input to LED output and supports up to 10V then IF one hooked up a 9V source [say 6x1.5 alkaline pack] to the input and hooked the LED output [which should also be 9V?] to the inverter sold here couldn't this board be used to make an EL saber with sound?

[Kal El Rah]

That is a possibility. Give it a try.;)

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

I've never owned nor yet built [or even seen, actually] an EL saber so I cant just hook up my SS1.0 to one to test, I'd have to build a new saber [which i've had a design for for awhile actually but been waiting for a good sound solution] so I thought i'd run the idea by the expert folks here and see if it makes sense first to someone here who does have EL experience.

I think the board should work but since it doesnt regulate power in any way whatsoever would I need to put a resistor between the board out and inverter in? I see there is one and an accent LED in the wiring diagram but not sure if its just decorative or meant to be protective. Any EL-expert advice would be greatly appreciated.

Anyway, not meant to threadjack but if a SS1.0 board CAN run an EL that would open up another 'niche' for it eh?

[Matt Thorn]

I've never owned nor yet built [or even seen, actually] an EL saber so I cant just hook up my SS1.0 to one to test, I'd have to build a new saber [which i've had a design for for awhile actually but been waiting for a good sound solution] so I thought i'd run the idea by the expert folks here and see if it makes sense first to someone here who does have EL experience.

Umm... And you want to build an EL saber because...?

EL technology is pretty widely deemed to have been made obsolete by high-power LED technology.

But if you really want to talk to an expert, our own Jedi Loreen was pretty much the one who pioneered the whole EL saber thing long before anyone tried using LEDs.

[Jedi-Loreen]

If you buy the inverter from the Store, it's rated for an input of up to 12V, so no resistor needed.

I'd be interested to see someone try this. I don't see why it wouldn't work, if you can get 9V coming out of the board.



I only pioneered the complete DIY (as in sourcing all the parts independently) EL saber "thing". ;) There was a kit you could buy from Lightech, but the blades were unsatisfactory, IMO.

[FenderBender]

Yeah, but their hilts were pretty cool for the time period. I spent many an hour perusing their site back in the day.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Yes, they were.

But their double core EL wire blades were disappointing. One of the reasons why I wanted to start making my own blades. That, and I knew I could do it cheaper, cuz I wanted lots of colors. :p

[Novastar]

...There is a slight 'sound cut-off' at the end of each swing sound effect, basically it's the Swing.. tick sound of the effect ending.Actually, this is called a "zero-crossing" error, where two sounds are not "matched" up within the waveform.

At this point... end-of-sound X skips a large distance over the waveform to get to start-of-sound Y... and you will hear a pop or click.

How severe the click is depends on a few factors, but mainly it is the size of the "distance" in the waveform that is skipped.

This problem is easily resolvable (to a certain, very effective extent) when the sound sampling is done correctly.

But... yes... it DOES take work to get it right for each and every sound. Tedious... and sometimes exhausting--work. :)