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Thread: Recomended DAC?

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    Sweden
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    I've tried to decode the LDA/LDB files but with no luck. To be fair I didn't try that hard but still if anyone know how they work I'll give it another try.
    You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads!

  2. #12
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    Jan 2005
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    USA
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    They look to be a "jacked" macromedia flash design. Theres the LDB file which i think contains the "shape/geometry and positioning" data and the other file, the SHO handles the timestamps for mp3 timing.

    Seriously: they(pango) made a swf to ldb conversion tool... it would have to be fairly simple for them to make... its an extremely fast conversion.

    Ive ruled out encryption as there are remnants of plain text english in the file explaining specifics behind certain function calls.

    LDA's are *usually* single frame clipart. I think those would be easier to tackle. I just cant wrap my head around the data structure/patterns they use.

    Looks like i really need to start an electronics/research section here...

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Akron, Ohio USA
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    Hello everyone and thanks to Spec for inviting me to this forum! Hopefully, this is the right place for me to show my stuff. So far, I've gotten little more than a lot of grief from other places where I thought I would find some intelligent conversation. It seems like the big players in the laser display game are very protective of "their" turf.

    In case you haven't seen it... Here it is!
    http://www.akrobiz.com/laserboy/

    What you see here is a complete system. It is difficult to explain in a few words all that it does. In a nutshell, it reads ILDA and DXF and allow you to see it, rotate it, manipulate it, animate it, recolor it, etc. AND convert your working frame set into a multichannel wave file, that, when played out a DC modified surround sound card, provides you with the control signals for your RGB laser projector.

    The pictures on this website were taken from the day I got my old, crusty, used projector, through the development of the project. I have not added anything to the site for quite a while. I have since made a permanent, hard-wired correction amp and cleaned up everything.

    LaserBoy is 24 bit color. It knows how to convert to and from palette. There are many built in palettes and it reads simple ASCII files to load additional palettes.

    I am a software engineer and an artist. I am not a laser display professional! I have been looking for quite some time to find someone to collaborate with. I would like to develop LaserBoy into a nice, marketable system. No it isn't free. The code on the web now is free, but that is nowhere near the current development. The free version is not 24 bit and it does not make waves. I love working with LaserBoy code and I'm not going to stop for any reason, but I would really like to have a better sense of direction and a goal of a product with the right price that works for everyone.

    As far as the ILDA file format goes... Ugh! ILDA doesn't even know what that is! And THAT is the sourse of the problem. I'm all for standards! I also know how to fix busted stuff. So, if I have examples of busted ILDA, I can write exceptions into my file opening code to deal with that. If there's a picture in that file, I'll find it!

    I've made this offer before, so here it is again....
    If [YOU] are into Linux and you would like to explore the possibilities of LaserBoy, please contact me. I will assist you in building a machine, installing Fedora Core 4 on it and getting it online where I can find it. Then I will put LaserBoy on it for you and show you how to use it! This offer is subject to my approval. [YOU] must have some decent laser equipment (better than mine!) and be ready to explain who you are. I am really looking for a collaborative partner and a person I can trust. I'm also looking for someone who can understand the system and explain it well to the rest of the world. If that same person would use LaserBoy to produce professional shows, that would be a big plus!

    I can call anywhere in the US and Canada for free.
    330 762-7137

    Thanks again! James. :o)

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Akron, Ohio USA
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    Oh, yeah... One more thought.

    Wave is wave! It is a long standing IT standard. There will always be newer, better hardware to play wave. Once you have a wave, all you need is a way to play it! In other words, you only need LaserBoy to create wave from your ILDA or DXF art. That wave can be played back by anyone with a computer and a DC modified sound card. The sound card you see on my site cost $7. The parts for the output correction amp cost about $16. Not having to rely on proprietary hardware.... Priceless!

    James. :o)

  5. #15
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    Jan 2005
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    Norway
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    Hi man !
    And welcome to this forum
    I think you can trust everyone that is on this forum 8)

    I`m must say that I`m very impressed over your work !!!!
    The setup, the picture and the software
    that is one NICE setup

    Producing animations\images like that is my dream to do one day !


    But sadly I dont have linux, and I have never tryed it ops: ops:

    What I use today is M6008 galvo and popelscan (Becouse it`s free)
    I think spec got some new D-40 galvo for me and then i`m ready to try out some new software :roll:

    So maybe I just have to start learning to use Linux as I can se that is the future maybe....


    Filip
    Norway

  6. #16
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    Jan 2006
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    Akron, Ohio USA
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    Hi Filip.

    Thanks!

    You're from Norway and you don't use Linux ? !!!
    It came from right next door in Findland, you know!

    Take care. James. :o)

  7. #17
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    Jan 2005
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    Norway
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    Finland you say ... cool

    I will let you know if I planning a trip one day to that place

    I have seen the video on your page and I`m still wonder how you manage to make images like that I like the dog, and the linux tux

    Maybe you can try some "live" video next :roll:


    This is maybe Off topic ? if you have any more pictures so please share
    (and maybe start a new thread)
    And i`m sure you are welcome to get some space on specs PL forum !

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Germany/close to Heidelberg
    Posts
    31

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    Terve!
    Quote Originally Posted by liteglow
    Finland
    Funny, my wife's from Finland, too. The Europeans (assuming birthplace is there and/or Akron, Ohio USA, is only temporarily?) in this board seem to be either Scandinavians (ok, including Finnougrians) or married to one ;-)

    So, is it you using Linux some statment to another Finn called Linus? ;-)

    Welcome aboard
    Christoph
    Popelscan is still alive - check out here!

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Akron, Ohio USA
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    I am not from Finland. I live in Akron, Ohio USA.

    The free operating system kernel "Linux" was started by a gent from Finland named Linus Torvalds, way back in 93 or 94 (the stone age).

    I like this distribution:
    http://fedora.redhat.com/

    I've been using Linux since about 95. I took classes in the C programming language and we used Sun Spark workstations with Solaris OS. It is a kind of UNIX. So, I learned Linux to keep up with it at home. Then my partner and I got into the Internet service business and we have always used Linux for our servers.

    The only thing that marries LaserBoy to Linux is the display. I wrote "ezfb" some time before I began on LaserBoy. EZFB is an API to the video card.

    With Linux, it is possible to build the OS kernel from source code. This is an awesomely powerful advantage. A kernel can be made that has nothing but the drivers that are really needed by the hardware. It can be very small and SUPER fast to react to system events.

    One of the features that can be built into the kernel is "frame buffer support". This means that a fake file {/dev/fb} is created and associated with the RAM on the video card. If this file is opened for binary read and write, it provides direct, memory access to the display. That is what ezfb is all about.

    It is also possible to open a file called {/dev/dsp}. This is the sound card. Reading or writing data to this file is the same as recording or playing sound.

    Linux makes the job of writing code much easier, faster and more direct. I can control the video right down to the individual pixel with my own code; not someone else's (except for the kernel ~ but I have the source code for that too!).

    The only thing difficult about Linux is that it is not Windows. Windows is very good at two things: making computers easy to use by people who don't know anything about how a computer really works and making people completely dependant on Windows.

    Linux and other UNIcies hide nothing about what a computer really is or how it really works. As a matter of fact, Linux provides a fabulous platform for real discovery of computers.

    AND IT'S FREE !!!

    James. :o)

  10. #20
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    Jan 2005
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    Norway
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    oh sorry my mistake !!!
    I did not se the "t" after the "i" lol :roll: :roll:

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