Troubleshooting Ultrasound v 1.0

[Jonitus]

I can confirm that my Ultrasound is deader than a doornail. I am waiting on a customer's saber to arrive for some work because his Ultrasound died in his Overlord and he wants a change to a Crystal Focus board. Looks like I'm dealing with getting replacements for 2.

I've emailed Alex, but with him being sick recently and trying to rush things out for Halloween, it may be some time before he gets a chance to get back to me.

[vortextwist]

i wander how many will die when it's all said and done?

[Novastar]

If there are many, that would be bad and sad news indeed...

After all the time, work, and struggle Alex had to invest in that dork-arse company over there making the PCBs... it's a wonder that company is in business at all.

Although--when I was looking into building my Ns5 board project... you guys wouldn't BELIEVE how greedy these companies are! Two of them tried to "snowstorm" me into signing contracts that (in "hidden" jargon) basically said that they'd own everything--design, concept, drawings, things implied and NOT implied, lol. It was ridiculous. I called up one of my "contacts" up and at one point in the conversation, literally said, "Let me ask you all something. What planet do you think I was born on? What ethnicity do you think I am? I'm ITALIAN, you morons--you're not foolin' anybody. I ain't no lawyer, but I can see right through you. Change the contract or I walk away. My patent litigation attorney agrees with me, and so does an experienced friend in the industry."

He naturally said that he'd "check" with the lawyers and the contract writers. Nothing ever changed. What a bunch of weasels.

Anyhow. Sorry to de-rail a bit, but I can attest to the fact that I know some of the pain Ultra has gone through with these PCB companies. They want YOUR idea, they want to SUCTION CUP your work... and they will try to hide it in BS text designed and polished by 32 lawyers over the past 20 years.

It's sick, greedy, twisted, unfair, a shipload of cluck...

...and I don't like it.

[Jonitus]

It is unfortunate this happened, but I ain't mad. I'm not going to be one calling for Alex's head on a platter or anything. Alex has always done right by me and I have no doubts he will again. I chalk it up to a company turning out sub-standard work for a premium price. I doubt it is a flaw in the design, just the manufacture, which is out of Alex's hands.

For now, my MR-driven Sith saber will work for the costume I sewed up over the past week, but I sure did want to showcase the Ultrasound to these folks.

[vortextwist]

I don't blame alex either. It happens. I hooked mine up again and everythings works great. but I put a thread about it on fx sabers if anyone is interested.

[Novastar]

I know that you guys weren't blaming Alex... I guess I just felt like venting.

Some of those PCB manufacturer guys are true weasels.

I'm lucky that (later ON in my searches) I was able to find a really awesome guy to work with... but in the end, everything was just waaaaaay too expensive for what I wanted to make... and Erv pretty much covered about 75% of what I was looking to do.

Now... as I speak with Erv regularly, CF is becoming pretty much 95% of what I had hoped Ns5 would be. So I say bravo to that, and hope it just gets better and better.

Regarding Alex--I just hope he finds some company that HELPS him instead of gives him headaches and problems. Bloody greedy weasels. Sorry to vent, but... I went through all this back in late 2006/early 2007. Sucks eggs. And I was LUCKY. I didn't pay anyone anything, as I was NEVER happy with the agreements, nor happy with what they said "was possible" and what wasn't. They lied a lot, and over-priced things a lot because I acted so green, when in reality... I was getting advice from people in the know whom I trusted.

Anyhow... it's complicated. I am hoping Ultrasound becomes a big thing as time goes by...

[Ghostbat]

I think it kind of has to :)

There is obviously way more demand than there is supply. I have been wanting to get a good sound board as long as I knew they existed and have yet to find an opening were there were any available. I have a couple scrapped hasbro sabers but they are apparently the narstiest ones (no swing sensor even) and I am starting to think buying a couple MR's and gutting them might be my next step.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

There is now this thread posted over at F/X-Sabers:
http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index...seen#msg153223

It deals with why some of the boards quit working.

[Novastar]

That is horrible to hear. SOOOOO not Alex's bad... the designers (possibly) allowed for reverse current/polarity... and/or possibly allowed for low voltage to DESTROY the board?

What devices do you know out there that allow for such disasters? I honestly cannot think of any.

And, if any of you wise guys think of one.... ( heheheh )... come on, not even the HASBRO boards would do that I believe.

Man... if I was Alex, I'd be having some "PCB design company" heads on a silver platter.

[Meridian]

Yes electronics designers seem to like to do the minimum amount of work for the most money.

Professionally they could have added or at least recommended that little diode that will go a long way for protection but since this board was deemed for custom use I can see it being over looked easily enough since the end user most likely wasn't projected to have such problems.

Since only a handful out of all the boards made have experienced a problem because of this I wouldn't be so quick to call it a design flaw since the board when used properly does not have or develop any problems as far as the majority of testing, installing and satisfied customers has proven.

To my understanding the production company even pre-tested the boards for continuity before being shipped to Ultra as well.

I agree that in "Low tech" devices with out memory storage no there won't be low voltage issues but it's also to my understanding that much like any typical computer memory, when supplying to low a voltage to run a component any circuit causes bridging and arcing.

The Cells are protected themselves and may not directly effect it with the Ultrafires and "reverse flow" which is not what the problem that is being referred to since those batteries will cut off.
Unless a battery it's self goes bad then that is why it's recommended not to leave them in just for safety precautions.

It's more on the order of using Alkalines to power it on only 3 volts when the board requires at least 3.6 or installing the batteries backwards.

When first released it was clearly noted that people shouldn't leave the blue batteries in their sabers or use the wrong kind of battery.

The Grey batteries will cut themselves off so there shouldn't be a problem there but it's still recommended to not leave them in the saber when not
in use.

The simple fact is it's not reverse voltage protected at this point in time and judging from the development posts about it this was made clear to those buying or using it, from the beginning since it was not deemed necessary during the initial development due to the custom applications it is meant for.

Obviously additional safeguarding can and will be implemented for systems where needed to prevent any accidental improper usage etc...


If you would like some examples of on reverse voltage protected items go to any Hobby shop and buy an Electronic
Speed control and plug in the battery backward and turn it on and you'll have a fired ESC.
These Like Saber Drivers are Custom Components and are not household items required to have such.