I'm sure I saw a post somewhere about being able to power the FB3 via a second USB lead, but for the life of me I cannot find it :confused:
Was I dreaming?
Jim
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I'm sure I saw a post somewhere about being able to power the FB3 via a second USB lead, but for the life of me I cannot find it :confused:
Was I dreaming?
Jim
On the older FB3's you can power the FB3 over the USB just by adding a jumper/bridge on the board.
Best to find out fom Bill if you can do the same with your newer FB tho...
Hmm this would have been good to know about a while ago.... but then again the extra 5v supply I have is helping out elsewhere. :D
Hi Jim
I'm wondering why you want to use a second USB lead to provide power when the single one should cover it?
I did think about going this route myself but have plumbed for the 'wall wart' route as it's easy to implement, and easy to fix/replace if it ever goes wrong. Given the variety of USB ports out there I'm not sure i trust them to provide the power.
On a similar vein, would a 300mA supply do it, or should I go for 500mA? Bill did say that it was under 100mA when running on card and about 300mA on USB, so would the 500 give some safety margin?
I used my laptop's USB ports as the power source for my FB3 while I was traveling with Unce Sam last summer - I just wired in a second USB cable and plug to the power input terminals on the FB3.
I never had any problems with the arrangement, but I was also careful to make sure I didn't have any other USB-powered devices plugged into the laptop at the same time (I didn't want to put too much load on the laptop's 5 volt supply on the USB bus). If you want to go this route but are concerned about overloading your computer's power supply, using a USB hub with its own power supply (instead of powering directly from the computer's USB ports) will probably work fine.
RR
Running LiveQ and without the projector plugged in its drawing just over 300mA according to my bench PSU.
I'd go for the 500mA supply.
Jim
Hi all,
You can "bus power" a FB3 pretty easily. On the newer ones, with USB "B" connector on the daughter board, there are two gold through-hole pads. They are the only two gold through-hole pads. If you put a wire there, it will allow you to bus-power the FB3.
Once enumarated, a USB device may draw up to 500mA (as long as it has been given permission to do so by the driver and PC root hub).
In any event there is one thing to keep in mind. If you bus-power the FB3, we HIGHLY recommend that you simply remove the other power wires from it. Otherwise you will have a kind of collision between some external power supply, and the PC's USB power.
Bill
Bill, not quite sure what you mean by 'through-hole pad'
Can you point out which bit in the photo if its visible please?
Are they the 2 very small holes running vertically, just to the left of the horizontal silver oval thing on the usb daughter board? (do you love my technical descriptions?) ;)
Norty
I have marked a pair of pads from your pic - they are gold and are through hole plated as Bill said there are only 2 pads like this I would take it that these should be the ones you want. May be worth testing them with a meter (continuity) to be certain
Rob
Yep, those are the holes. Just MAKE SURE you don't connect the FB3 to the normal power supply when this wire is in place.
Also, this can be done on old FB3 as well, but the place where you put the jumper is not as obvious...
Bill
Can anyone think of any downsides to powering the FB3 via USB?
I have a nifty switching 5v PS on mine that I'm quite happy with, but the prospect of not even having to bother with the thing at all is quite tempting.
I realize if I were to run on a laptop battery, that wouldn't make sense, but I doubt that will be an issue as I don't foresee myself running a lasershow on a battery-driven laptop any time soon.
Thanks for the idea though.. I have no idea how I missed this tip while searching around all over the board while I was implementing my FB3 back in September.. :o
-Jonathan
Hi All,
I am considering forking out for a full Pangolin system, can't make my mind up if to get the Basic or Pro version. Will also get the "brick" QM2000.NET box and have been reading the comments on the FB3 card within PhotonLexicon.
I am not a wiz with electronics, but it does look from the pictures I have seen that you only need basic skills to get a FB3 working, I assume it comes with full instructions as to what is what and what connects to where. I also assuming that adding the DMX daughter board etc is just as easy, as this is the way I want to control my shows along with my "traditional" lighting and I do not want to have to learn how to use the Pangolin DMX controller, as I am very happy with mine.
I am also asuming that you could put a switch across those holes, that way you can have the best of both worlds.
Any advice would be most appreciated.
Cheers
André
Making an enclosure for an FB3 is not hard. All you need is a little case for it and a power supply. As mentioned in this thread, you can also power it via USB by bridging a couple of points on the FB3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Onge
I plan on getting the full Pangolin system also, but the FB3 is very cheap compared and suits me well for now.
Here's one I made:
LINK
-Jonathan
Hi Jonathan,Quote:
Originally Posted by platinum
Yes I saw you pictures and post of your FB3 enclosure, very neat and not at all over engineered. Making an enclosure is no problem for me as I work for an engineering company, that uses a Bystronic Bystar laser 4.4kW with Solidworks so I can get all the panels for and enclosure cut by that :D.
It was more of the connection side of things that I am concerned with, I can do basic electronic construction I have built a DMX controller from a kit, so I am Ok with a soldering iron and use a test meter. Full elctronics understanding is way over my head.
I was asking if it came with instructions to what connects to what and pin-outs etc. as my rgb laser has what is called a "standard" ILDA connector, so I assume it would not be to hard to connect up correctly.
I have two different USB DACs at the moment, an unamed one that came with the laser and iShow (yuk) and a Mamba Black. I also have a unamed DMX/USB/SD DAC but that can only play back ilda files with the Pangolin colour palette. So Mamba or iShows "shows" can't be played.
iShow shows use a 256 colour palette so if I convert a show to ilda they wont play properly either.
This is the reason I am looking to change over to a full pangolin system and get the FB3 card as it does all I need to do.
Just do not know if I can justify getting the "PRO" version, I know if I get the "BASIC" version I will want to have the "PRO" version, but at least you can upgrade.
Any advice would be most appreciated,
Andre
The rhetoric I've seen here and heard otherwise is that you'd pretty much want to get the Pro version like you're guessing. I can't speak on that personally though as I haven't been fortunate enough to play around with either yet.
The FB3 comes with a 25pin ILDA cable and an 5-pin DMX cable (if you get the package that includes the DMX daughterboard -which would be already attached, if ordered) ..and it's completely ILDA compliant.
The 5-pin DMX cable comes bare without an outer housing so, depending on the application, one needs to supply the housing separately. They are both meant for an enclosure so they're short ribbon cables.
-Jonathan
Hi Jonathan,Quote:
Originally Posted by platinum
Many thanks, for you reply.
What a superb forum this is.
I think I will plump for the "PRO" version, as I said I know I will want to get it anyway. I am pretty sure that I will be able to cope with all the wiring etc. and if I get stuck I can always ask on here :)
Once again thank you for your time,
André
Tell me more about this unit. I have an FB3 for my rgb projector, but I also have two greenies that I would like to use via dmx with something more than the built in patterns. Where did you get this unit and what was the cost? It sounds like it may be just what I've been looking for.Quote:
Originally Posted by Onge
OK I have opened it up and on the circuit board is printed "SHOWPLAYER MP12LX".Quote:
Originally Posted by fearfair
It can play back upto 240 ilda files stored on an upto 2MB SD card via DMX.
The buttons on the top allow for setting the DMX address, Intensity and Orientation. It can only output to a max of 16K pps.
It cost £149, from fleabay, his shop is http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Laser-Know-...QQftidZ2QQtZkm
His name is Gary and is from the UK, he stocks and supports all his products and is a nice guy. Contact him via his shop and he will sort you out, prefers to work outside of ebay if he can, I did with my RGB laser i bought from him and no probs with anything so far.
I have taken a couple of pictures of the unit.
Attachment 2721
Attachment 2722
Attachment 2723
Sorry about quality of photos, take with phone as my cameras batteries are flat.
Andre
If you only ever plan on operating the FB3 while it is connected to the USB port, then there is no downside. That's how we do it at Pangolin and it works well. Really easy.Quote:
Originally Posted by platinum
Where an external power supply comes in handy is if you want to use the FB3 for some purpose other than a computer output board. For example, the FB3 will run completely stand-alone -- just add power and it will start playing a show. And the FB3 will also run via DMX with the industry's greatest number of DMX-controlled channels for a small board.
So in the latter two cases, and external power supply (which may already be inside the projector to begin with) is needed.
Best regards,
William Benner
Good points. Thanks!
dont tell me to get to the two holes i need to take the dmx add on board off???
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...1092008924.jpg
you have a different fb3 than i haven..
I have added jumpers for the USB power.
http://www.hamond.nl/images/pangolinFB3-7-border.jpg
http://www.hamond.nl/images/plaatjesmakers/fb3msr3.jpg
ive got one of the first fb3 made
yip by the looks of it anthonys got the latest version , and i read in another post pangolin will be having nice prebuilt enclosure for it soon .
yes andy you contacts you need to short are under the dmx board
paul
got any pics paul??
Whoa , sorry andy i was going to refer you to post numbr 8 in this thread ...but just looked an you dont seem to have the holes there do you .... mmmm
pangolin contact form ?
PAUL
lol ok not a problem
For USB powering you need to short the pads shown in red Andy, best to use pins and a jumper.
Also make sure you don't connect the FB3 to the normal power supply when this is shorted...
excellent, thanks simon.
so once i short them two connections the fb3 will take all power from the computer and i dont need the extenral power anymore?
will test tonight.
simon a million thanks, works like a treat!!
Coolio! :)
...................................
why dont pangolin do that as standard i wonder?
I heard rumor that may the the plan for the latest generation of FB3!
You heard right, Randy...
The new FB3's come bus-powered, and they also have a nifty metal enclosure for them now. Bill showed us one on the ILDA cruise...
Adam