Blanking and color mixing??

[MechEng3]

Hello to all. I have 2 CNI units that are in question to use with easy lase pro software and driver board. One is a 100mW 635 nM and the other is 50mW of 532nM. I would like to know if there is a way to blank these and mix color with this hardware. Manuals are not clear in some aspects of output signals and voltages from board. Input signals are clear about the lasers.......0-5 volts for ttl modulation up 20kHz. Just wondering if any had experience with jmlaser software and scanners. I would hate to kill a laser.....even a cheap unit. I have read over some of the posts here and just want to be informed. Looking for that tri-chro to mix beams. Any other method to make this happen? The driver board and package I have in hand will control up to 8 scanner sets. I think that the system will benefit from blanking instead of the mechanical means of less reliable galvos for the task. I will in the mean time continue research into the blanking control functions. Thanks for all the great , informative posts !

[yaddatrance]

Hiya! Welcome aboard...

So to help you answer your questions, we need to get some information.

Are you using the easylase board? If so then it has a standard ILDA
connection.

To rig up the unit, attach the positive modulation lead of each laser to
the corresponding pin on the ILDA channel...

So for your red CNI, you would wire modulation to pin 5,
the ground of modulation you would wire to pin 18

Green CNI, wire modulation to pin 6,
the ground to pin 19

ILDA spec gives a 5V p-p offset for color modulation so it is completely
TTL safe.

The only thing you want to avoid is wiring the polarity backwards.

Take pictures and post them if you want even more detailed instructions.

[MechEng3]

Thanks for the info! I will try out as soon as housing for all electronics is finished . One question.....The 532nM unit has "con2" imprinted onto the circuit board. Is this for modulation? It is not polarity marked , but it is common with the ground output for the laser diode via rectifier/voltage control diode on the board itself. I will try and get a couple of pix up soon as this may clarify. As to the color mixing......2 way mirror/ reversal of beam splitter? Not much on the optics other than collimation. Cannot afford PCOAM right now. Will try and make deal with white argon...... I have the 9024 scanner set. Very fast indeed. Hope to be able to make this work. Next chore is adding 478nM into the set. You have to love the DPSS technology......small,light , and easy to incorporate.Thanks again for your help ! I will of course make MPEG's for all to check. Should be a very interesting next few days for me.

[yaddatrance]

Not sure, I'll be able to tell you more when you get pictures up.

In terms of color mixing your choices are pretty much dichro or a trichro.
If you get a dichro, I'd recommend against all the cheap "laser" dichros
and just buy a good set from edmunds optical catalog... Otherwise Spec's
trichro is perfect... especially if you have plans on adding blue later.

If you have have good polarization there's also lots of fun and creepy optics
that'll reflect/transmit opposite polarization...

There's no need for a PCAOM if you're doing modulatable diodes, though
you may want to look into upgrading your drivers later on to analog
modulation if you're feeling restricted.

Keep us posted on your progress!

[MechEng3]

Hello again. A friend of mine has reverse engineered a Seven Stars F-02 RGY display unit. To my surprise it had the blanking circuit built into the driver board for the cheezy galvos...actually steppers. The system appears to be open loop with no feedback. The item that has my intrest is the one mirror that mixes the 2 beams. Like a reversal of a splitter mirror. From testing he has documented, there is only around 7 to 9% power loss. Seems to be effective in this setting....just wondered if any others have seen this system. Sounds like it would be fruitful for parts. I will investigate further as the time will allow. It has a 90mW 650nM head and a 50mW 532nM unit. Seems to be good mix and color output.

[MechEng3]

Hello again. A friend of mine has reverse engineered a Seven Stars F-02 RGY display unit. To my surprise it had the blanking circuit built into the driver board for the cheezy galvos...actually steppers. The item that has my intrest is the one mirror that mixes the 2 beams. Like a reversal of a splitter mirror. From testing he has documented, there is only around 7 to 9% power loss. Seems to be effective in this setting....just wondered if any others have seen this system. Sounds like it would be fruitful for parts. I will investigate further as the time will allow. It has a 90mW 650nM head and a 50mW 532nM unit. Seems to be good mix and color output.

[yaddatrance]

Hi, That is what we call a dichro (or a dichroic optic)

It has unique coating that allow it to pass certain wavelengths
and reflect other wavelengths...

For example, a red pass dichro, will reflect blue and green and
pass red. In terms of visible light usage, you can tell what it passes
by simply holding it up to white light.

I've always wanted to make myself a set of dichroic sunglasses.
It's on my long-term todo list

[MechEng3]

Thanks for the info...Still has appearance of a mirror. It must be the coatings. I think Spec is/was going to sell me one of those really nice trichro's he has. This would be the best in mixing as I have read. Assembly of the laser power supply boards will be done soon. All blanking wires and connectors to the laser heads are done. I now only need that key piece and to align all the lasers. Then the display cabinet will be complete. It is going to be a great weekend ! Coherency abounding, in abstract ways to the beat of classical Led -Zep. Only in one color..... :?: Uhem...clears throat...grovel...Spec???

[yaddatrance]

Well. I guess it could special mirror which reflects based on polarization...
but the big dipper unit I saw used a simple cheap dichro.

Looked like this one...


Are these worth it? Hmm... yes'n no... the effects are terrible and they look
far worse than the $200 "intelligent" lights. But if you want to say "hey,
I have a laser show and I can set it up in 10 seconds"... then it's totally worth it.

I actually have this debate with myself almost every day...
I like the idea and the price, I hate the actual units...

If you're in the states, note that these would be close to impossible to
variance since they simply were never built with that consideration.

[jayDC]

I always wanted to rip open on of those units, and salvage I'll I could. I just never got a round to it, and from the looks of it, there is not to much of value in them.