Great start guys ...
it all looks like we are on the same track .....
bill, i see your point regarding the safe zone window and hobbyists, but im guessing that as this project matures, there could be the possibility of designing this as an add on or an enhanced version
i think that a simple analogue board is the ideal starting point
one other thing that i would like to possibly add, ( its not really high on the list for safety though ) is .....
LED indication of scanfailure active ..... nothing worse than not being able to get any output from the diodes and not knowing if it is software / diode PSU etc...
Blanking isolation ...
Idealy to maintain compatability with users exsisting equipment, and also that most people would want blanking of 3 ( RGB ) diodes, and because of the variations in Diode manufacturers prefered blanking ( ttl / analogue / inverse blanking etc.. )
these signals would be best isolated, this would mean the use of small relays, ( more likely solid state relays )
as Bill suggested ... the ideal response time to blank the laser is between 1 and 10 ms .... we would have to check response time and any losses through the relays etc ....
all the best ... Karl