Scannermax 506s

[norty303]

Norty sent four sets of amps and so I have tuned two of his sets to 50K and two of them to around 36K (just to edge-out 30K scanners and help things to look a bit sharper). So Norty will be able to try both -- even side by side -- and then choose the one he wants with nearly zero effort on his part. I am sure Norty will report back his findings on what he likes and why. This may serve as a guide for future orders.

As I have 2 identical projectors these are going in, I'm intending to (time permitting!) fit one of each tuning to each projector, and do some side my side comparisons from the same signal, using a range of scan speeds.

[JasonB]

Hi all,

I just prepared a document that details what I do with DT-40 and PT-20 amps. This document can also serve as principals for modifying other drivers. You can find the document here:
http://www.pangolin.com/_Files/C506_AmpMods.pdf

Wow, Bill, that white paper is quite a gift! Since you took the time to write it and make it available I can only guess that Pangolin is willing to sell [pending availability] quantity (1) of your 506's (I'll assume and happily accept no warranty) to those excited and interested enough to retrofit their own drivers !

You have just made this PT20k RGB projector a very happy camper. PM inbound ...

[Pangolin]

Hehe. WOW, that's quite a contraption you've got there .

Sure, just send me a message. We can grab some from the next big production run. That's what we've been doing for a few others here on PL. It will likely be a few weeks before we ship yours however...

Since you took the time to write it and make it available I can only guess that Pangolin is willing to sell

I did the paper partially for myself, to help me remember what I do, and not have to re-engineer it every single time. Especially the cables... For this current batch, I actually had to ask Norty how I made his cables last time

Bill

[mixedgas]

I will be stocking parts for the cables. I will also stock parts for the amp mods for the amp mod for both amps. I have a pair of heated SMT tweezers for doing the precision soldering. Costs will be reasonable. I may make a kit available for retrofits. I've already modded some Dt style clone amps for other galvos. I have the DDS based signal generator and fast scope needed. I and a partner have a request for quotation in on a large batch of the amps.

I've also purchased the tool needed for the connectors. I can attest that crimping the pins by hand with pliers makes for a very bad cable. The pins are very tiny and a compression or hydraulic crimper with the proper die is advised.

I will do this until Bill gets his amps out, if there is demand.

The voracious contract that has been consuming my time with extreme travel has expired, and I will have time to do this.


Steve

[planters]

Nice offer, Steve. That would help a lot of people.

[Pangolin]

Steve, you'll have to let me know where you got those crimpers. The real ones cost well over $1000! Up until now I've been crimping these "by hand" using pliers. I've been doing this since I was 5 years old, and so I am accustomed to it. Plus we have a stereo microscope at Pangolin, but it's not fun at all!

Bill

[p1t8ull]

$1,000 tools.. stereo microscope.. decades of practice..
I have to ask, what was the thinking behind this choice of connector?

[norty303]

Good grief, I just sent an email to Bill saying I was going to crimp up some connectors myself, but at $1000 a pop, maybe not!
Got a link to the die so we can see what we're dealing with please?

Found a few of the houusings here
http://www.digikey.co.uk/product-det...794-ND/1864006

Pins here
http://www.digikey.co.uk/product-det...8CT-ND/1938174

I've got a ratchett crimping handtool for AWG24-30, do you think this'll work for the pins?

[Pangolin]

$1,000 tools.. stereo microscope.. decades of practice..
I have to ask, what was the thinking behind this choice of connector?

That's a fair question. A few things. First, it's a nice small connector, so it matches the body of the scanner very nicely. Second, it's the same connector Cambridge uses on their 6200 series, so people who are using Cambridge-style amps and connectors can use our scanner right away. So those are the two main points.

If you know of another good small connector we'll be happy to consider it, and also we can customize the scanner with different connectors. For example the scanners we deliver to Kvant have a Micromatch connector on them. It's cool because the red connector really stands out. But the *official* tool for Micromatch connectors is also $1000, and these can't be crimped by hand...



Bill

[mixedgas]

The connector is a industry standard, cables can be machine made, and others use it.

Attached is a pic of the female connector, in this case on a pair of CT 6200

Steve