how to use analog

[jamilm9]

I got a green labby from newstarlaser with analog for my scanner project. This laser plugs into the wall and has a blue and red wire coming out which i assume is analog.How do i use it. Thanks

 

[MarioMaster]

just connect the two wires to the modulation connections on your DAC

if you just want to use the modulation without a DAC you can place a variable resistor of a few Kohms across the two wires - adjusting the knob should change the brightness

 

[jamilm9]

doesn't it have something to do with 5 volts. Your saying put it on the dac or short the wires. Shorting did nothing

 

[laserfreak3d]

doesn't it have something to do with 5 volts. Your saying put it on the dac or short the wires. Shorting did nothing

Thats true shorting does nothing

U need 5 volts on the modulation input to get the laser on full power
Any voltage lower then 5 volt wil degreas the power of your laser.

so 0 volt no output 2.5 volts 50% 5 volts 100 %
And ofcourse anything in between

 

[jamilm9]

didn't work. I know the laser works because i have another laser from them that is power on 5 volts and it works on that lasers psu.

 

[MarioMaster]

Lasers with modulation should have an internal pull-up resistor to keep the laser on with no modulation input. Adding a variable resistor across the input leads will pull the signal from 5v to ground and give you dimming abilities. If your laser doesn't have an internal pull-up resistor you'd have to feed it a 5v signal to the blanking input leads.

On all the lasers that I've used with modulation - they are on by default and turn off when the leads are shorted.

 

[ElektroFreak]

@jamlim9: On a slightly unrelated, but still kinda related topic, I have a 150mW green lab laser from newstarlaser and the divergence could definitely be better. It's not horrible, but it's not great. How's the divergence on yours?