Saberstaff/Pike Wiring Help

[Siow]

I'm trying to recreate the Jedi Temple Guard's double ended lightsaber pike. I'm currently planning on using a blank hilt with a blank extension attached to it for the center. As for the thick ends on both sides, TCSS didn't have what I need so I'm awaiting a response from Tim on custom parts and their pricing. The way I want to (hopefully) do this is to use a single sound card in the middle of the hilt while having 2 speakers go on one end of the pike each. Along with this, I would need a couple cyan accent LEDs as well as powering an incandescent square red momentary switch.

Being a first time saber builder wanting a challenge and an authentic Temple Guard pike, this seems a bit complex in terms of powering and wiring everything while keeping everything within a reasonable budget (500-600ish). I learned that the NBv2 doesn't support Accent LEDs so I figure the next best one that does offer accent LED support would be the Petit Crouton (I could be wrong). How/if can I go about wiring a soundcard to two separate speakers (each making the same sound) all while routing power to two accent LEDs, two incandescent square momentary buttons and the main LEDs? I'll be using cool white single LEDs with yellow filters http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Co...ova-P1017.aspx

*edit* I forgot to mention something, if I would want to be able to only have one end on at a time, would I need two soundcards? One for each end?


LightsaberPikeConcept.jpgdatabank_jeditempleguard_01_169_3416bea1.jpgJedi_Temple_Guard.jpg

[rlobrecht]

The Nano Biscottee has a 3.3V pad which is meant to be used for a power indicator. I would think it would be possible to use this for your accent LEDs.

[Cire Yeldarb]

Like rlobrecht said, the NB does have 1 accent LED pad to use, but you cannot configure any kid of blinking or anything on it if you needed that.

As far as needing two soundcards or just 1, that depends what you want. You could simply wire one half of the saber to a soundcard, and on the other side just have a latching switch powering the the LED. You'd just want to be sure to always switch on the Sound-side LED first so you dont have a blade coming on with no sound at the beginning. Or like you say, you can put a soundcard in each side, and then have sound coming from each, independently

[FenixFire]

The dual cards are kinda intriguing...especially if you had two separate yet complementary soundfonts, or mixed your own to layer on top of each other to create a blended effect.

[Cire Yeldarb]

^ Exactly what Fenix says.

I am working on a double-blade with two soundcards and discovered early that I did not like the sound of the same font running separately from two speakers

[Siow]

Well, if I were to use 2 soundcards, they would both have the same sound font.

[Cire Yeldarb]

And that would work out fine! I just personally didn't like how it sounded on my personal saber

[hapki]

I'm working on a saber staff too, likely with two different sound cards. Given what you said, I may make one resonance chamber smaller or shorter than the other to modify the sound a little.

[Darth Nater]

I built a pair of sabers for the kids once that are short and consist of a pommel/7" main body/emitter. Both using cheaper non TCSS soundcards (I'm not breaking the bank for something they are likely to ruin), but I also built them fairly similar and to where I could use the double male/windowed piece to form the two into a staff. The sound with two cards isn't bad and I don't notice much alternate clash or anything during the few moments that the two are actually combined to a staff. Both speakers fire directly at each other and vent through that center double male and the sound is pretty good. Hum no doubt is identical. They are Novasound (highly frowned upon here) cards I got cheap on Ebay, and also got them before the NBv1 ever was released. They will likely get replaced with NB boards down the line and put in sabers for friends or something. Basically the point of this was that dual soundcards don't sound bad with identical fonts.

[Cire Yeldarb]

Yup, there we go! As you can see, its all based on your personal preference!