Complete electronics newbie here...

[Kant Lavar]

...So keeping answers in layman's terms is appreciated.

So, I'm not looking at doing this immediately, but eventually I want to put lights and sound into my MHS saber I just ordered. I have two questions - besides what comes in a kit (I'm thinking Lux V, but not married to the idea), what do I need to MacGyver together the monstrosity that is the LED/soundboard/battery assemblage, partswise? (Also, would it be worth it, in terms of space, anyway, to use a battery pack instead of a 6-AA assembly?)

Remember, simple = n00b's friend. Don't want to burn down half the building or nothing because I screwed up and somehow crashed the ISS on my room or something.

[Ghostbat]

...So keeping answers in layman's terms is appreciated.

So, I'm not looking at doing this immediately, but eventually I want to put lights and sound into my MHS saber I just ordered. I have two questions - besides what comes in a kit (I'm thinking Lux V, but not married to the idea), what do I need to MacGyver together the monstrosity that is the LED/soundboard/battery assemblage, partswise? (Also, would it be worth it, in terms of space, anyway, to use a battery pack instead of a 6-AA assembly?)

Remember, simple = n00b's friend. Don't want to burn down half the building or nothing because I screwed up and somehow crashed the ISS on my room or something.

Your realistic options are a Master replica soundboard or a Hasbro soundboard. MR will run you $50 to $100 depending on your luck, a Hasbro $5 to $20. Obviously you get what you pay for here

So when you have decided the route to go I suggest heading over to the tutorial section and reading through the piles of threads on these solutions. They will show you how to hook things up and will answer most of your questions and will show you what the remaining questions should be.

[Sohryu76]

I'm rather new here myself... but very good at following directions and taking most things from complex and semi complex and even semi simple all the way down to simple...

if ya have a particular question, hit me up... if i dont have the answer, I will find it.. then translate it for ya!

haha...

Im putting a MR soundboard into my saber as well as a Corbin driver... and yes a battery pack can in alot of times save room in your saber... just involved more wiring if you do a direct recharge port in your saber vs pulling the battery pack out to recharge it...

[DarthFender]

Kant,

The only advice I'm going to give at this point is this:

If you're thinking of Sound + Light, go with a LuxIII. Because most of the sound boards that will be available will fry with the voltage it takes to run a LuxV. There are ways around this, but I would not recommend them for a n00b (your word).

[Sohryu76]

I got lucky myself, Darth... a board member here is sending me a Bin 1 Lux III Cyan... how cool is he? he didnt even let me give him money for it...

so my very first full wire attempt will be with a Lux III bulb... once i get the driver though, I'll be going to a Lux V....

[DarthFender]

Sohryu,

If you were lucky enough to get a Bin1 Cyan, I would stick with it. Even after you get a driver. Incidentally, which driver are you thinking if getting?

[Kant Lavar]

Speaking of a MR or Hasbro sound board (really want the CF board, but I decided that if I'm going to spend that much more on it, I may as well wait and make damn sure I know what I'm doing), does anyone have a non-eBay source for those? If not, well, I guess I may have to get creative. (I'm stuck behind a Department of Defense proxy that doesn't let me go onto eBay. Plus I can't remember if anyone there ships to APOs, since most of the stuff I've gotten from eBay in the past was UPS'd.)

EDIT: After thinking about it, I really want to get a CF, though, and I just found out the other guy in my shop took an electronics class not too long ago... I'd like to think that if I go carefully, I won't screw things up... plus doing this during a deployment, with few other demands on my money, has its advantages. And I won't have to worry about getting a gyro and/or clash sensor with the CF.

Maybe I should just hold off on deciding which board I get until after I've had a chance to read the books I've got on order.

[eastern57]

Two things, Kant, just for gee-whiz-it's-good-to-know:
1. Anyone CAN ship to APOs - they're stateside addresses, the military takes it from there... it s just a matter of WILL they ship to APOs; it takes a while to get down range sometimes
2. If you're having trouble, you can use www.shipitapo.com - you set up and address with them and they send it to you.

[Sohryu76]

Sohryu,

If you were lucky enough to get a Bin1 Cyan, I would stick with it. Even after you get a driver. Incidentally, which driver are you thinking if getting?

oh I am keeping the Bin 1 Cyan...
even if I get a Lux V Bin 1... the Lux III is going into my crystal chamber... ( i dont feel the need to put a Lux V is there too... lol)

so yes... the kindly donated Lux III Bin 1 cyan will always be in this saber... just a matter of where... Thanks Eastern!

[eastern57]

awww, shucks... it was nuthin'...