Eye scanner contest $50 or less

[groupleaderzeta]

Hello everyone,

update, I am still having major issues with the circuit. It does work, I have found many mistakes, so it runs erratically and it some cases not at all. Note to self, this circuit is too complex to use on vero board. I have found many solder bridges that don't belong, and wires in wrong place. I will keep at it, but looks like I will not have it working by the end of the contest. I will keep you posted as to progress.

groupleaderzeta

[Cylon-Knight]

Hello everyone,

update, I am still having major issues with the circuit. It does work, I have found many mistakes, so it runs erratically and it some cases not at all. Note to self, this circuit is too complex to use on vero board. I have found many solder bridges that don't belong, and wires in wrong place. I will keep at it, but looks like I will not have it working by the end of the contest. I will keep you posted as to progress.

groupleaderzeta

Hummm.....
Are the mistakes you noted just "trying to build it" items, or does the final circuit diagram posted on Dec 3 have actual errors in the layout?

[SiR-ROUND]

I hear ya. A mistake in theory is easily made already, but wiring the real thing is even worse.

Best route to go normally is to use software to convert the circuit to a PCB. But well... Not easy for the hobbyist.

I'm sure you'll be able to do it.

Good luck!

[groupleaderzeta]

Hello everyone,

Cylon-Knight, All the mistakes I have found so far are mine, bad soldering and old equipment, and tight tolerance (and a 4yr old). The only problem with the actual final circuit diagram posted on Dec 3 has only 1 problem, the trailing capacitor size need to be experimented with to find the right size. I did a minor experiment, on the caps and found they are dependent on the speed, a large cap won't charge fast enough and a small cap discharges to fast. When I get more time, I will make a PC board, this will eliminate the mistakes I made. These are old pics, but it shows the mess.

groupleaderzeta

[GoldCylon]

Looks like an old fashion bread board. The goods days of me using those back in the 70's but they still work.

[groupleaderzeta]

Hello everyone,

Excited update, I got the scanner working!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yotOYXZDaM

Also, I have most parts for the microcontroller version.

groupleaderzeta

[Cylon-Knight]

Hello everyone,

Excited update, I got the scanner working!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yotOYXZDaM

Also, I have most parts for the microcontroller version.

groupleaderzeta

[groupleaderzeta]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone have the means to make a some PCB boards for me?
I can provide layouts. There would be 9 boards. The driver board (with the microcontroller), and 8 LED sub-boards (4 LEDs each).

thanks,
groupleaderzeta

[Red Eye]

Excellent work!

Are you going to produce any kits out of them?

[GoldCylon]

The video looks good, but is it me or is there a few bulbs that didn't turn on? Maybe a bad connection maybe?
As for the PC board production. The more you have made the cheaper they will be. I know if you order 10 is cheaper than 9, and if you order 25 it will break down per piece even much cheaper. Think about this to really save money, or increase your profit if you can sit on some of these boards a while. I'd Google small run custom PC boards and see what they offer. You will have to give a technician drawing in CAD or PDF file to have the board made, but I have no idea who does them. A set up fee, and then a per board fee is the common rates.

[Cylon-Knight]

I thought the lights "looking" like they didn't light very smooth was just a video compression issue. Probably have to lower the quality to get it onto YouTube or something...

[GoldCylon]

For a $50 scanner it is kick butt.

[groupleaderzeta]

Hello everyone,

only one light does not work, its the one, second from the last on the right, I had a issue, that caused a full voltage spike to that LED during a test, (POP!!, I don't have replacement yet), but as to the others, there are 2 minor issues, one, the viewing angle is bad (The LEDs seem to have different viewing angles, (strange they all came from the same place at the same time). Two, lighting and speed, I am running at 18Hz, (a bit fast perhaps). I recorded it with a cell phone, and with bad indoor lighting. I was hoping to beat the deadline of the contest (hint, hint ).

As to kits, not sure, there are tooo many parts for my taste and its big, the veroboard is 4.5 X 6.5 inches. even if I compress it down to a tight PCB, it still would be 3.5 inches square. I am thinking of doing kits of the microcontroller scanner. It will be small enough to fit in the mohawk of the helm. So far, with the parts I have, the controller board will be 1.5 by 6 inches long.

I have been looking at a couple sites on PCBs, but To have a test board made its $30US, I dont want to spend $100 for 10 boards and find out they don't work. So I thought if someone here could make me a test board, and verify the pattern, then I would order some boards. Perhaps after the new year I will make one. (just to see if I remember how, been years).

groupleaderzeta

[GoldCylon]

If you can post a list of the items cost, and a web link to source these parts, and a lay out of the board. A PC board lay out design isn't required, but once this is confirmed I will declare you the winner of the contest. Anything you post is now open to the public to make and use. You can design, and sell the PC board on here if you like, offer kits, or even ready built units if you desire. Just the purchase of the parts to make the unit needs to stay at the $50 or less mark. Thanks for jumping in at the last moment on the contest. This is a great addition to those in need of a budget scanner.

[Cylon-Knight]

Yes, a "shopping list" would be GREAT! That and the diagram will help many a Cylon SEE!!!