CYGN-B

[ronhip]

Wasn't it the ADIG card, which was then replaced by the DOG card, which was then supplemented by the DYNADIG (The DOG card was still in there along with the DYNADIG)?

I do have some vague memory of something called the DPIG card, but not enough memory scraps to put together enough of the history. Nor do I have any schematics of anything DPIG. I do have documentation on ADIG, DOGN, and DYNADIG.

Ron

Sorry, I didn't have my coffee, it was the DPIG card. I don't think I have the documentation anymore. I think it was removed when the DYNADIG box was added.

[laserist]

It looks like the ADIG was originally a 2 image version of the DPIG with pin 13 switching between the images. Later it was modified to allow the DYNADIG to be output in place of the ADIG image. The pdf I have of the modification with the 5012 switches doesn't make any sense to me. I think it's drawn wrong.

[Greg]

Exciting progress: A 351 data viewer which may be expanded into a 351 editor exists. Screen capture attached.

I'll use the following 160 bit map in future posts to provide tracking of which bits in the 351 frame have been implemented in the viewer:

11111111111111111111111111111111 <--- RYGB gains only currently implemented
00000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000

The data is playing back in real time, though no mechanism for synchronization to audio exists yet. Its currently using a circle as a placeholder cycloid for each color channel. It is already obvious that the circles varying size are indeed Laserium choreography.

Next:
I'm assuming the bits 5, 6, 7, 8 of the last byte in the 351 frame labeled scan enable simply work by cutting the beam output for that channel if low and enabling if high. Soon I'll be back with requests for recollections regarding the exact functioning / purpose of specific uncharted bits.

[Greg]

Turn Me On by The Tubes 351 data visualized:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HsnAuwBGGs

The synchronization between the audio and video has probably drifted slightly by the end of the song.

[Greg]

How interesting and revealing. We are finally getting a real low down look at Laserock2 numbers.

The Turn Me On number video I posted has the data lagging the audio a bit. After moving things about slightly, the correct synchronization jumps out.

Turn Me On appears to use the scan pair enables and channel sizes (bytes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 20, and maybe something with offsets. I'm currently considering how to interpret offsets.

PL question: Is there a code window or something to force a monospaced font?

Here is a few frames from different parts of Turn Me On, where suddenly some or most of the bytes change value. I'm wondering if some of the changes in bytes could be something like left over initialization data recorded during different work sessions, and do not contribute to the choreography.

changes in data throughout Turn Me On


sizes 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
--------------------------------------------------------
FFFFFFFF 00 00 45 4A 81 AF FF FF FF FF F2 FB FF FB FB 7F
FF6EECFF 00 00 45 4A 80 AF FF FF FF FF F2 FB FF FB FB 7D
73DEDECA 00 00 4D 59 80 70 D7 FF FE FF F2 FB FF 0F FB 6E
FFDED4FF 00 00 4D 59 81 71 D8 FF FE FF F2 FB FF 0F FB 69
FFB495FF 00 00 4D 5A 81 71 D8 FF FF FF F2 FB FF 0F FB 69
FF5455FF 00 00 4D 59 80 70 D7 FF FE FF F2 FB FF 0F FB 69
8EA7CF00 63 71 4D 59 80 70 D8 FF FE FF F2 FB FF 4F FB 60
9AABDA00 AB B6 4D 59 80 70 D8 FF FE FF F2 FB FF 4F FB 62
FFFF00FA 00 00 00 07 7D A8 FD FF FE FF FC FE 2B 93 FF FF

The next number, Double Life, makes much use of bytes 5, 6, 12, 18. That is, master gain X and Y, offset gain and offset enables. I notice also that during much of this time the scan enables and sizes are off and zero. Questions, questions. Was it expected the laserist would override data control of beams and sizes with the lever switches?

What do the offset enables actually enable? Position of beam by joystick with a joystick gain set by offset gain?

How does master gain X and Y function? There is activity in these bytes when all the sizes are zero.

[laserist]

The offset enables turn on and off the offset for each scanner (BYGR) The offset gain set the amplitude of the offset. (There were multiplying DACs on the DOG card.) There were static and dynamic offsets. Static would be BGYR on the corners of a square or strung out in a line equally spaced. Dynamic would be dogloids, popcorn, and images. Offset gain was independent of the A/B bus image gains.

The master and individual gains were in line. If either was at zero there's no output on the respective outputs. I assume they designed the system that way because the earliest machines used AD533 - 4 Quadrant Multipliers that needed to be trimmed via 3 trim pots to hit 0 & 10 volts. Having master and individual scanner gains made the system more likely to get to zero gain. If the 2QMM's that came later didn't reach zero - it was simply replaced.

It's possible that the encoder was patched to do something with master gain tied to the music or a clock, but with the individual gains at zero there would be no image output. Offset gain had nothing to do with either joystick. The primary joystick function was entirely at the control of the laserist. Joystick z axis rotation needed to be enabled in the data originally, but at some point switches were added to test the IROT board and I did use them in shows after that. I also put a z axis rotation on the image override signal path on my machine in St. Louis.

[Greg]

Speaking of the exotic, and of laser shows that used to be better, up for consideration is what the 351 data does for the first minute or so of the number Double Life.

First I'll say this:

I visualized the offset gain and master Y activity that occurs in the last minute or so of the song, and that revealed an interesting bit of showmanship. Basically, a small cycloid sneaks in from a side, but is soon kicked over Y only. An elaborate dance is done with X position and Y size. Then at the very end of the song the X axis is finally slowly let out while the image centers and expands. Wow.

But back to the beginning of the number.

I'm particularly confused by what was previously said regarding the master and individual gains being in line, when presented with the reality of the data which shows one up and one down. Later in the number it becomes one down and one up.

I'm trying to surmise, given the following information, what was supposed to have been seen on the dome.


Double Life first minute or so:


byte 1, 2, 3, 4 size is up for red yellow and blue
but enabled are red, green, and blue.


byte 5, 6 X and Y gains are zero, so how can the sizes matter?


byte 7 spiral rate is zero, so stopped or very slow


byte 8 spiral sym is 7, a ramp


byte 9 spiral sweep is 124, with bit 1 activity


byte 10 dog freq is 168


byte 11 danube rate is 253


byte 12 offset gain is zero


byte 13 is 254


byte 14 is 255


byte 15 is 1111 1100 so dynamic / dogloid select


byte 16 is 1111 1110 so quad / opposed rotation


byte 17 is 0010 1111 so green is on the B bus


also all on:
fixed rotation
shutter enable
spiral reset enable
spiral direction enable


the change of the 64 bit to on puts yellow on the B bus


byte 18 is 1001 0011 so offset enabled for blue and red
also:
A bus is fixed cycloid
B bus is audio mod cycloids


byte 19 is 1111 1111 so something is set to fiber
also all on:
offset bit 0
offset bit 1
rotation enable A bus


byte 20 is 1111 1101 so red, green, and blue enabled
also all on:
rotation enable A bus
whatever bit 2 is
diamond whatever
static / dynamic select

[laserist]

Maybe what's 0 & 1 is inverted? Oh and the least significant bit toggling is just noise.

[laserist]

Sorry I should have posted this earlier:

[Greg]

You're right about the upside down bit. I should have thought to test for that.

Regarding the image override levers, I think it was up is CYGN-B, mid is data, and down is CYGN-A. So when say red is up or down, does that mean offsets and gains from the data for red are ignored too?