Fb3 worth it?

[sugeek]

Originally Posted by Pangolin If the answer is “LiveQUICK”, then the solution is easy. Most people click down just a single point in the LiveQUICK editor and say "hey, it's not bright enough", but in LiveQUICK we have a special way to create "beams". You must hold the CTRL key down while clicking a point. When you do so, you will see a special kind of "icon" in the drawing window which represents a beam. This gives higher power.

I will request that this method is tested with the following assumptions:
1. All tests have been done on the green channel, and this channel will be used unless test for other channels are requested.
2. LiveQuick will be used the standard software provided.
3. Please provide feedback and constructive criticism related to the test.
4. We will be using the frames provided by DZ 300-points.ild and one-point.ild.
5. This is discussing the FB3 not the QM.NET
6. If other software changes are suggested, please provide screen shots and written process, so we can complete the tests correctly.
7. NO DRAMA!

Okay better pictures this time here are the details... Note: this data is from the editor, not a live show.
First two pictures: 100% power 300 points,50% power 300 points
Second set: 100% power 1 point,50% power 1 point

[f22warzone]

So do you think that that .16 of a V could have an impact on some lasers that do not have a liner power curve? Its only 3.2% of 5V but of a 1W laser you're looking at 32mw So that doesn't seem to be a problem. But it does show we need more points in order to get more on time : )
Thank you for your time in looking at this with your scope. That appears to be a really big lens your using on your camera their : )

[DZ]

sugeek, very nice work, thanks for going out and doing some testing with the FB3. I think this settles it, the FB3 is working as designed and is capable of full output.

[norty303]

Just a quick word, which maybe will help, as I didn't saw this yet in any discussion :

Not so long ago I noticed something in LivePro for FB3 V5.0 (maybe it was there before), an interesting option in the Beam Projection Zones (Menu Environnement - Projection Zones - Adjust Scanning Other Parameters) : Prevent Minimum numbers of Points from affecting this zone.

Below is annoted : "These options are typically checked for beam zones, where you want max brightness with minimum time spent during beam retrace".

When checked, and coming back to the main projection zone parameter screen, you can read "Minimum Points: Prevented (All points used -- max brightness) instead of "Allowed: smooth scanning for short frames".

The interesting thing is that it's checked by default for all beam zones (targeted, overhead), but you can also check this for all the zones you want more brightness...

Maybe this can help with the brightness problem some peoples are experiencing??

Thank you, thats very useful, I hadn't spotted the 'other' parameters page. that said, I tried playing around with the minimum points setting globally last night and couldn't see any difference.... but perhaps thats because it was getting overridden by the zones setting!

I'll have a play tonight.

Regarding the scope photo's, am I right in thinking that give or take a bit, the output is hitting what we'd expect? If so, thats just about put any queries I had to bed (bar doing the same test in LivePro as it could be software dependant)

[norty303]

I think this settles it, the FB3 is working as designed and is capable of full output.

Absolutely, now someone take out the relevant bits to a new thread and make it sticky!

[sugeek]

"I think this settles it, the FB3 is working as designed and is capable of full output."

The only catch there is you will have to go through every frame and apply that setting. I am sure there is a trick to do it to the whole show, if you know that trick please post it. I was wondering about the blanking, does the FB3 blank the laser between every packet sent to the scanners? Is there a way to get pure analog output?

-Adam

[norty303]

The only catch there is you will have to go through every frame and apply that setting. I am sure there is a trick to do it to the whole show, if you know that trick please post it.

I'm not sure I follow you. The setting is related to the zone, so you just amend it for the zone and any cue set to project in the zone will pick up the behaviour. Apologies if you are referring to something else.

[sugeek]

I'm not sure I follow you. The setting is related to the zone, so you just amend it for the zone and any cue set to project in the zone will pick up the behaviour. Apologies if you are referring to something else.

I think I was referring to something else, I will see about having it tested with the zone. Sorry for the confusion, I was noting in the test results posted above with bill's suggested solution. I am not sure if that feature is available in livequick, I am waiting for a response to find out then we can check that too (but it sounds like it worked for you).

-Adam

[sbk]

Thank you, thats very useful, I hadn't spotted the 'other' parameters page. that said, I tried playing around with the minimum points setting globally last night and couldn't see any difference.... but perhaps thats because it was getting overridden by the zones setting!

I'll have a play tonight.

I just tryed, and I'm afraid this settings on the "other parameters page" hasn't any effect on the brightness of anything

I was scanning a 5 points square, so it should be affected by this since the min points settings was adjusted to 200 points. I tryed several ways, but it changed absolutely nothing.

I played around with some parameters and tricks, but the ONLY way I found to dramaticaly increase brightness of this square was to decrease the scan speed to 10%. This is quite logical in some way, but I would like to see the effect it has on the output of the FB3 on a scope (sad that I have one only at work). I just hoped to have found something with the "Prevent Minimum numbers of Points", but not really.

The other way is to increase the points in the square to about 150, the max I could do in Draw3D. Like DZ said a few posts before, if I remember.

(and when I say it increases power, it did it at a point, I was able to light a cigarette with the scanned pattern at the aperture of the projector, within seconds, I think the output was close to full power, so no voltage problem on my FB3 )

[ElektroFreak]

WOW.. getting to the bottom of this was a lot more difficult that I thought it would be (and it shouldn't have been..).

It's good to hear that these issues are user-correctable, but I still feel a bit weird about the fact that the advanced nature of the FB3 seems to be leading some customers to be disappointed when they expect the FB3 to provide at least the same level of output as competing products. It may be advanced, but as I said before, when the sophistication causes these kinds of issues perhaps a disclaimer is in order on the purchase page.. Maybe something like "Due to the advanced nature of the device and its features, the FB3 may not provide the full level of output power. This is due to features that protect your hardware and should not be viewed as a defect. These features can be turned off at the risk of the user by following the instructions provided."

I really don't think that's too much to ask.