Initial test of DT40W scanners

[dash8brj]

Hi folks

I'm about to test for the first time my DT40W's. I have set my software for 20Kpps, and my frame streamer express and set its dials midrange.

I do NOT want to blow these galvos up so, what should I listen for when they run. I want to be prepared to pull the plug in case I over drive them. Once I get used to how to run these things, I should be fine, but being a first timer, and having spent a lot of money (for me), I dont want to kill them.

Show selected is the WhiteG Moonlight Shadow (its a beam show I believe). My view of a beam show is shapes, beams (liquid skies), etc.

Even so, setting the software to 20kpps and the FSX 2.0's image size to the mid range should not harm the scanners correct?

If anything I'd love to hear suggestions of what settings to use to really see what these things can do.

Cheers
Ben

[norty303]

That should all be fine for a first run.

You should soon be able to hear if they don't like it.

As you said, you can start with a low scan speed and a high angle and just work up on the speed until they start to distort the image or make too much noise, or do it the other way and start fast (30k) and work up the size.

[badger1666]

i would go with what norty says set to 28 to 30k
and work up the size,
you will need to set up two set points one for beams and one for graphics
because they might scream if you leave them set to wide and start doing a graphics
show after doing a wide angle beam show
dont worry to much dt's are fairly forgiving they cope well with the odd bit of abuse
different dac's have different effects on scanners, one dac and software playing a show might be a little noisy play same show on say an fb3 and it will be nice and quiet.
get yourself the scan angle chart off stanwax's website you could use that to check you dont go to wide, but like norty says your shapes will get funny edges when you push them to far

[dash8brj]

Well seems the frame streamer locks up whenever the scanner amps are plugged in. I've done a test with just the laser connected and sure enough the laser modulates correctly (gets brighter and dimmer in reference to whats in the preview window of Norms laser show).

But as soon as the amps are connected, the FS2.0 locks up (i.e. I have to unplug it from the usb port and plug it back in to use it again).

With the FS2.0 unplugged from the breakout board, the FS2.0 behaves normally (its light flashes when a show is playing), and its worked with another laser.

Could this be because my pin 25 is not connected to the common terminal on the power supply of the scanners?

Both leds on the amps light up indicating the scanner amps are working.

edit: it appears that the laser (DPSS powered by a flexmod p3) is upsetting the system - with its modulation line disconnected from the breakoutboard I can hear the scanners going if I put my ear right up to them. So at least that indicates they work.

Would a 10k resistor in series with the modulation input (mod+) of the flexmod fix this problem? (mabye the flexmod is being greedy and drawing too much current from the FSX2 on its modulation line, confusing it)

[dash8brj]

Common ground point - silly me - my lasers supply wasnt grounded to my scanners supply.

Only ran it for 30 seconds - those brackets on the back of the amps get mighty warm after this time - I have some nice heatsinks for them to live on.

Thanks for your help guys and HELL do these things scan wide