crystal focus core for... led strips !

[erv]

A year ago, more or less, I gave my first try to a led strip and got that (luke ep VI MR for comparing) :


then I moved away from that to focus on luxeon technology and develop the module you know. A couple of week ago, some saw my iSaber thing on my telum infensus saber and said... whoa, that would be cool to have the animated bargraph... on the whole blade !
I thought it was time to rework on led strip. I used a stock MR blade that I've modified to get the best performance of it, and I forked the design of CrystalFocus V2.5 to make a led strip version. I took me 2 days to rework the electronic design and I spend parts of the WE to mod the software.

Comparison pic with my blade on top, MR fx luke epVI (led version, not EL), and telum infensus (K2 @ 1.5A)


Same pic, with -2 points on the exposure to avoid saturation


And now, for something completely different... a little video. The ignition is slowed down in purpose, so that you can see the 2 combined effects, it's not a simple ignition of the led segments, it's the best combination of luxeon technology (fade in) plus the led stips segments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHLkznIpZKE

Right now, the ignition time is mirrored on the duration of the sound, so it's not beautiful, but it works for the video. Don't I have to tell that I can have the proper ignition time and look by modifying a couple of line of code in the software. What is missing also is the constant brightness regulation. The curved is modelized but not implemented yet. It should maintain the brightness of the blade from 10 to 3.5V, roughtly. The blade is taking 2A right now, which the max of my home made PSU.

Enjoy !
Erv'

[xwingband]

This is great for those not sold on Luxeon technology...

and a good :P to *********!

[erv]

honnestly, I don't see myself selling this right now. First, I'm definitly sold to the luxeon technology. True, less bright than the blade I've built, but on the bridge at celebration europe, you can seem me running on the brige when the zoom is backward, at... I don't know... 100 m... So I suppose that for empty blade with good sounds, this is where I'm staying right now, and I have some more energy to spend on the rebel RGB board !!
I just wanted to show what is possible to get with stock stuff, adding my personnal electronics. As a matter of fact, stock LEDs in the MR are pretty bright as soon as you drive them with more current. Since I'm regulating brightness, I've removed all the resistors in the blade, reducing therefore significantly failure level.
I've never looked carefully to a MR strip, the one I have is really made out of epoxy while I thought it was card board + copper initially. It's made of two pieces of PCBs actually. This way also I wanted to proove that there is no need to re invent the wheel + warm water with a multi piece led strip blade

I'm just sad the bargraph + iSaber does not show better, it looks like on the video that some segments are going off making a hole in the bargraph, it's because the display is going at the speed of the sample rate, much faster than 25 frame/sec
however, I hope you enjoyed that ! I'll soon make a nice hilt for it and put the saber in my living room !
Erv'

[Novastar]

Don't worry Erv... for those who purchase saber materials, I think they know that video never truly shows what you see in reality.

The reality is--Luxeon sabers are just as bright as any MRFX, and 10x as durable.

But I love the idea of you trying new things with the electronics, it just shows how versatile you are with your materials. Lucas would be LUCKY to have you on his side someday... and you never know.

Heck, apparently they have some "live action" SW style shows coming up??!??!

[Marsupial]

Ohhhhh.......

that could be a great SHOW saber (as opposed to duel saber).

I might be interested in a led setup like this instead of a luxeon setup, if you end up making it. I have to think about it... do I want my "ultimate saber" to be a show saber, or a duel saber...

Mmmmm...

Also, gives me ideas of what to do with my stock MRFX blade. I'm sure I can hook that to some LM3914 and maybe optocouplers for party usage. Mmmmm. that would be SOOOOOOO sweet. Do I still have some lying somewhere?

Back to topic, congrats on the first bargraph blade. I like it.

[Novastar]

Exactly. It's not so hard to make a "MRFX style" blade when there are COUNTLESS types of LEDs out there all over the bloody planet.

The hard part is something like Erv's CF driver, which does such a MYRIAD of things it's hard to believe as the versions grow and grow!



Programmability. Now THIS is a Force to be reckoned with...

[Marsupial]

I hope you won't mind Erv, but I recycled your idea and made my very own vu-saber...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAbQdFYkJI0

I'm thinking "party saber" or "convention saber" - its mainly a convention gadget for the dance, and a way to recycle what would otherwise be leftover parts...

[erv]

so glad to see this idea is made up again !

[Marsupial]

I was playing with the saber while listening to MP3s after I finished the buildup. Its a load of fun!!!

sadly, I don't think I'll walk the street with that lighted and flashing like that without being looked at weird and asked tons of questions...

but I hope to do it in convention.

(merci beaucoup Manu pour l'idée!)

[Novastar]

Tres excellent, Mars! Looking fwd to hearing about how people react apres la convention...