Creator of LaserBoy!
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All software has a learning curve usually proportional to its capabilities and unique features. Pointing with a mouse is in no way easier than tapping a key.
To be clear, the unusual intensity signal tracks are the lesser of the two tasks available for delegation. The main thing is that all the XY tracks have some sort of something going on that makes the content look skewed if a cycloid, and a mess if graphics. It might just be a phase / timing misalignment between tracks, though I doubt it. Anyone who cares to be the proud owner of cartoons of cash registers, flying prism logos and whatever was up for car caviar football jet, is welcome to pm me for the tracks, as long as that person will post the solution if found.
It would be entertaining to get all the non 6B content on these tracks recovered, which includes many beautiful computed cycloids, but to me this takes a third place in priority behind recovery of all the 352 data in synch with the audio, and building more of the 6B hardware, to the purpose of enabling a live performance using four channels, the 352 data, and the 6B cycloids and color mod at least.
Personal background: When I was first taken to the McLaughlin Planetarium in the 1970s, I of course demanded to know what the awe inspiring piece of magnificence in the star theatre was. I couldn't believe that thing would have such a perfectly fitting name. Zeiss just sounds like precision clockwork and optics, and I developed an almost religious fascination with anything I could find (mostly advertisements for the axiomat microscope in Scientific American) that mentioned Zeiss. Many in school hours were spent tuning out, and imagining what disassembling a star ball would be like.
When I was a kid, my dad was an industrial lubrication engineer for Standard Oil in Cleveland, Ohio. Part of his technique required examining and photographing particulate matter filtered from used lubrication. I went with him when he went to some very fancy office to talk to a guy about ordering a Zeiss photo-microscopy device. It was like we were buying diamonds or something.
When I get to a good place with my font twiddling, I'd like to take a look at some examples of those waves.
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Last edited by james; 10-27-2022 at 21:17.
Creator of LaserBoy!
LaserBoy is free and runs in Windows, MacOS and Linux (including Raspberry Pi!).
Download LaserBoy!
YouTube Tutorials
Ask me about my LaserBoy Correction Amp Kit for sale!
All software has a learning curve usually proportional to its capabilities and unique features. Pointing with a mouse is in no way easier than tapping a key.
If the signal is bipolar it's not intensity. Beam torquer, color mod or a "raster scanner" signal - this was an entirely Richard Goulet thing. I've seen images that looked cool, but there's no way the lenticular wheels I saw were balanced well enough not to chew up the high speed Escap motors driving them.
"There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who, with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun." Pablo Picasso
Noted. Since it is being discussed, here is a graphic showing a range of zoom levels on one track of the type of signal under consideration. Motors is another topic I intend to post on soon.
Notice the photo of a lumia effect. I may be correctly remembering this effect as what was called a "turret" effect. It was / is a 2 degree of freedom lumia effect with a carousel of remotely interchangeable lumia charges. Thank you laserist, for saving and contributing this unique chunk of the 6B projector. Photos and details to follow as time permits.
The Alesis XT20 8 track tape deck produces error 09, and also damages tapes. I sprayed Deoxit in the position sensor but the error persists. I'll try to find someplace that will service it, or a studio that does ADAT transfers.
But the TASCAM 44OB is working, and so far the three tracks each of the shows Crystal Odyssey and Laserock Platinum have been brought to hard disk.
Suggestions from anyone with experience with old reel to reel tape decks as to maintenance that may prolong its functionality is welcome. There are 15 or so 1/4" show tapes to digitize.
The 8 channel deck has been sitting for 9 years, but it worked then. I'd suspect a mechanical problem first.
"There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who, with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun." Pablo Picasso
I bought a used Alesis XT20 deck from Ebay back in early 2011. On poping the lid, tape transport paths and heads were remarkably clean, almost pristine, but I cleaned them just the same with twillwipes and 99% Isopropyl Alcohol. Tape handling is good, head wrap is excellent, no slack during stop/start/ffd or rewind. Rabbet is clean. CalBrAc flashed briefly during Rewind of new tape prior to formatting.
Problem: When playing client's tapes, channels iniitally playback with time code displayed for varying lengths of time before Error-7 is displayed. Some channels do not display intermittently although they are believed to have been recorded on.
A new unformatted HHb ADAT 45 tape was initially used to test transport functions. Afterwards, the tape was fast-forwarded to end then formatted. Playback of this tape immediately results in Error-7.
I contacted this reputable Alesis service company, shipped it to them and they returned it working properly.
Shipped in SHIP RDY Mode - less rack mount tabs and power cord
Advanced Musical Electronics
8665 Venice Blvd.
West Los Angeles,CA 90034
Attn: Ruth Fischler
They appear to be still in business, https://advancedmusical.com/, my experience with them was 100% satisfying.
Hope this helps. Good luck with it.
Last edited by lasermaster1977; 10-30-2022 at 15:40.
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Everything depends on everything else
lasermaster1977: Yes, that is very helpful, thanks! I have a reply and they will receive and repair the unit, though they "do not ship internationally". But there should be a way to overcome that problem.