Low-tech light show

[Tech_Junkie]

Mine wouldn't stop with the pot. Those motors and pots are 50c each LOL. I was over estimating.

 

[flecom]

Mine wouldn't stop with the pot. Those motors and pots are 50c each LOL. I was over estimating.

well since everyone is talking about buying them at radioshack they are $4/ea for the motors and $3 for the pot... and your still going to need some kind of motor controller, you cant just put the pot in line with the power source or you wiper will burn the trace on the pot

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Dude those are the same motors thats in those $1 toy cars. And the pots used are not $3. There is maybe $2 in parts in that thing. And everyone uses direct power to pot, to motor systems.

Sorry we cant agree. I just cant take joy out of a cheap toy. For the same money, you can build a much better spiro. So why waste it on a lame toy? Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[flecom]

the very first reply to this thred mentioned buying the parts at radio shack, thats where I got the prices I mentioned... I believe my post even reiterated that

buying them at radioshack

see?

anyway... obviously you can buy all those things cheaper, at places like electronics goldmine, ebay etc...

running DC motors directly from a pot will burn the pot, maybe not right away but trust me it will, i made my first spiro projector when I was in elementary school with a 1mW HeNe I built myself and some radioshack motors with radioshack pots all of this was housed inside of a cardboard box, and was powered by an Apple IIe power supply (except the hene obviously)

anyway I never said it was a great device, or a great deal or anything like that, I just said it gets the job done and makes a decent host... and its ability to run on its own and go through patterns I think is pretty neat... obviously if your good with a pic or micro this is trivial to do... but not everyone is

no need to get all defensive :beer:

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Sorry. I'm not trying to be defensive. I come off a little intense sometimes. I'm still working on that.

I just didn't like it, and the damn think broke before I could get my money back. So I'm still a little bitter. No offence intended. :beer:

 

[flecom]

No offence intended. :beer:

don't worry dude none taken, its the internet :crackup:

 

[millirad]

Wow, this thread sprouted new wings? I have moved on from hand held displays, because Class IV 445nm is totally unsuitable, especially at >900mw. A dropped 445 is just going to raise havoc.