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ILDA USB converter quality?

mhakali

mhakali

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Hello!

Just received my first laser projector with ILDA interface. Yey! :beer:

Now I am looking into ILDA equipment and DMX equipment to connect it to. I have found a few ILDA <-> USB adapters ranging from $60 - $125 with included ILDA software.

My main concern is the ILDA adapter itself. Is this a standard component such as USB <-> serial adapter? Or do they have variable quality? If so, what are the parameters I should look at when buying an ILDA <-> USB adapter?

Do for instance all ILDA adapters support dimming colors so that you can mix different shades of color outputs on RGB lasers? Or is this up to the projector itself?

I saw that my projector takes 0 - -2.5V for RGB pins on the ILDA interface for instance. Presuming this regulates the amount of output for this color?

Appreciate the advice you can give! :)
 
Last edited:





mhakali

mhakali

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andy_con said:
got a link to the projector you brought?
Click to expand...

LaserWorld CS-400RGB

Output power: min. 250mW, max 400mW,
>60mW / 532nm; >150mW / 655nm; >40mW / 473nm

Going to meter them individually soon. Found the flip switch modes to activate them separately without any animation.

Retails at around US $1100 / 900 EUR. Got it at an E-bay auction at 283 EUR. So feel I made a good deal. :)

Reading up the detailed specs however seems that full angle scanning is a bit too slow to do advanced graphics. But I am sure it'll be great to do simple laser shows.
 
andy_con

andy_con

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unlucky... if its not to late send it back now and get a refund.

failing that the projector will work with any dac. the spec doesnt saying if the lasers are ttl or analogue, good old laser work!
 
mhakali

mhakali

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andy_con said:
unlucky... if its not to late send it back now and get a refund.

failing that the projector will work with any dac. the spec doesnt saying if the lasers are ttl or analogue, good old laser work!
Click to expand...

Thank you for pointing this out :)

To the USB <-> ILDA adapter question; Does this mean that the ILDA adapter I am getting is a lot depending on the laser it should run? As such it is not a standard interface?

Some other lasers I have been looking at include this

Really like to have the 473nm or 445nm vs others selling 405nm blue channel projectors.
 
Grix

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andy_con said:
unlucky... if its not to late send it back now and get a refund.

failing that the projector will work with any dac. the spec doesnt saying if the lasers are ttl or analogue, good old laser work!
Click to expand...

I don't get it, why should he return it? Any working projector with 473nm lasers in it for under 300 euros is a great deal, regardless of the quality or manufacturer reputation..
 
andy_con

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i dont under stand the question.

if you want to be able to control the projector your self so not auto then you will need a dac which will plug into the 25 ilda connector on the projector. 99% of dacs come with the required software
 
andy_con

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Grix said:
I don't get it, why should he return it? Any working projector with 473nm lasers in it for under 300 euros is a great deal, regardless of the quality or manufacturer reputation..
Click to expand...

cos laser world are shit!

40mw of 473 or as much 445 as you want?

better modulation from 445 and a good size beam. 473 are very well known for their poor modulation
 
Grix

Grix

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mhakali said:
Thank you for pointing this out :)

To the USB <-> ILDA adapter question; Does this mean that the ILDA adapter I am getting is a lot depending on the laser it should run? As such it is not a standard interface?
Click to expand...

FYI, a USB - ILDA adapter is typically called a DAC. :) And it's standardized, all DAC's should work with all ILDA compitable projectors.

andy_con said:
cos laser world are shit!

40mw of 473 or as much 445 as you want?

better modulation from 445 and a good size beam. 473 are very well known for their poor modulation
Click to expand...

Sure, but it was <300 euros! You won't find a projector with 445nm modules for under 300 euros either..
 
mhakali

mhakali

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andy_con said:
if you want to be able to control the projector your self so not auto then you will need a dac which will plug into the 25 ilda connector on the projector. 99% of dacs come with the required software
Click to expand...

When you describe that I need a DAC to plug in to the DB25 port I presume that the DAC is integrated in the DB25/USB converter itself. (?)

My question is simply what I should consider when buying an USB <-> ILDA adapter. Compatibility is of course one thing. Both with projector and potential 3rd party software.

Are there different degrees of quality of these adapters, or are they a standard component pretty much compatible with anything (both hardware/software)?

Reason for asking is that I may in the future may want to replace both software controlling the projector and the projector itself.
 
andy_con

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Grix said:
FYI, a USB - ILDA adapter is typically called a DAC. :) And it's standardized, all DAC's should work with all ILDA compitable projectors.



Sure, but it was <300 euros! You won't find a projector with 445nm modules for under 300 euros either..
Click to expand...

true but you could make one for like £150 ;)
 
mhakali

mhakali

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Grix said:
FYI, a USB - ILDA adapter is typically called a DAC. :) And it's standardized, all DAC's should work with all ILDA compitable projectors.
Click to expand...

Thank you for clarifying! :) So I should be safe buying any kind of USB <-> DB25 ILDA (DAC) converter then. Even for future upgrades of both software and hardware?

Just want to get this part right ;)
 
andy_con

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mhakali said:
When you describe that I need a DAC to plug in to the DB25 port I presume that the DAC is integrated in the DB25/USB converter itself. (?)

My question is simply what I should consider when buying an USB <-> ILDA adapter. Compatibility is of course one thing. Both with projector and potential 3rd party software.

Are there different degrees of quality of these adapters, or are they a standard component pretty much compatible with anything (both hardware/software)?

Reason for asking is that I may in the future may want to replace both software controlling the projector and the projector itself.
Click to expand...

as grix said above its a dac not a converter.

google -

pangolin qm2000
pangolin fb3
moncha
fiesta
easylase

and some i cant think of off the top of my head
 
mhakali

mhakali

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andy_con said:
true but you could make one for like £150 ;)
Click to expand...

Some day I will for sure attempt a DIY laser projector build. I feel that I however am not there yet. :) And want to get some nicely from-factory-aligned-and-just-working laser for now.
 
Grix

Grix

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mhakali said:
Thank you for clarifying! :) So I should be safe buying any kind of USB <-> DB25 ILDA (DAC) converter then. Even for future upgrades of both software and hardware?

Just want to get this part right ;)
Click to expand...

Yes. btw, can you link one of the DAC's you said you found for <100$?
 
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