The "Photino RGB"

[crazyspaz]

Ask Things, he has a laser cutter (I think its him at least)

 

[rhd]

Check out maker labs there is a bit of setup cost, but once that's over you can pop in any time to use the laser cutter.

They have a CNC?

So like, I could go CNC my own stuff?

 

[Sigurthr]

Awesome! Always thrilled to hear any updates on this. I'm honored to be involved in such an auspicious build.

Remember, I'll help with any kinks in the programming or electronics should the need arise, just ask. =)

 

[rhd]

Awesome! Always thrilled to hear any updates on this. I'm honored to be involved in such an auspicious build.

Remember, I'll help with any kinks in the programming or electronics should the need arise, just ask. =)

My first Photino RGB is sort of a "trial run" and I'll probably bypass the ATTINY entirely and just go constant white. The first build is just whatever diodes I had laying around (a MITS 300, 9mm 445 and a PL520 B1). The MITS 300 looks horrible combined.

For the "real thing", I'm going to try going with an HL63133DG single mode red, a single mode blue, and a single mode green. That's the one that I'll actually enable the ATTINY code one.

EDIT:
This is actually pretty easy, so far. Granted, I haven't installed a driver, batteries, tactile button, or battery connections.... but I was concerned that the alignment would be the tough part, and it's actually pretty easy with adjustable mounts. The blending isn't perfect in this shot, because I'm just running the diodes in series from the same bench supply at the same current, for the purposes of testing (so they aren't balanced). It's a little blue/red heavy, and in general the MITS 300 sucks.

 

[grainde]

Ah I thought so... Just stumbled on this thread after seeing your other one for single mode diodes! Excellent work btw, the alignment is sod if you dont have room for mounts! +1 because Im jealous :beer:

Edit: Sorry need to spread some first..

 

[dubious speculation]

That's some incredibly detailed CNC work there.
This looks absolutely amazing and I can't wait 'till you finish it :beer:

+1 (btw, I meant to say 'sir' in the rep comment lol)

What kind of code for the attiny13a micro-controller have you based the firmware on? Or did you start from scratch?
When you implement the attiny13a into the final build will it individually address the PWM value for each diode or do you
have something else in mind? Also the voltage limit for the attiny13a is 5.5v so what sort of input voltage are you
working with for the green and blue diodes?

Maybe I've asked too many questions.

 

[rhd]

That's some incredibly detailed CNC work there.
This looks absolutely amazing and I can't wait 'till you finish it :beer:

+1 (btw, I meant to say 'sir' in the rep comment lol)

What kind of code for the attiny13a micro-controller have you based the firmware on? Or did you start from scratch?
When you implement the attiny13a into the final build will it individually address the PWM value for each diode or do you
have something else in mind? Also the voltage limit for the attiny13a is 5.5v so what sort of input voltage are you
working with for the green and blue diodes?

Maybe I've asked too many questions.

No, it's just going to be an on/off situation per channel (so, I'll get yellow, cyan, magenta, but nothing in between). In the driver thread, they didn't think it was possible to control PWM on three channels with an ATTiny.

It was a scratch-built program. I still have no idea how to actually load it onto the chip. I have the chip, and the USB controller, but it's not as easy as the chip showing up as a USB drive and copying the program text

 

[Sigurthr]

No, it's just going to be an on/off situation per channel (so, I'll get yellow, cyan, magenta, but nothing in between). In the driver thread, they didn't think it was possible to control PWM on three channels with an ATTiny.

It was a scratch-built program. I still have no idea how to actually load it onto the chip. I have the chip, and the USB controller, but it's not as easy as the chip showing up as a USB drive and copying the program text

Yep, not enough GPIO channels on these 8pin chips to do on-chip PWM.

When you get ready for that step shoot me a pm. I'll walk you through it step by step. (Though I thought I already posted the procedure, but no worries.)

There's no visual / GUI for flashing chips, it's done in a program designed to do so, with either a command sequence or button click procedure. Sadly it isn't drag-and-drop type technology. Basically you are re-writing an entire chip specific operating system with your code embedded in onto the chip, every time you flash a chip with new code. The chip doesn't have a base layer of OS that looks in a place and then runs code you put there (like say a smart phone or android device has).

 

[ARG]

They have a CNC?

So like, I could go CNC my own stuff?

Yeah, 3-axis only though. A 4-axis one is planned for the future.

 

[BowtieGuy]

Definitely one of your best pieces of work yet sir, beautiful machining on the host. IMO, a transparent cover is the way to go.
I can imagine that those hosts would surely put the hurt on the ole bank account, but well worth it!

 

[clansley]

rhd that's amazing! Can't wait to see the final item.

 

[rhd]

A big huge thank-you is owed to jayhawker08, who has created a clear acrylic top for the Photino RGB. And a big thanks to Eghemus and ARG for the idea!

Just another teaser of the unit in a slightly more developed (though still prototype) stage. It's just tethered to a bench PSU right now, as the driver is still in an "alpha" state.

Based on how cool it looks with the current metal top, I can't WAIT to see what it looks like with the acrylic one

 

[crazyspaz]

Wow! What is the light we see on the top? Just leakage from the inside, or is that strip illuminated independently?

 

[rhd]

Wow! What is the light we see on the top? Just leakage from the inside, or is that strip illuminated independently?

Just leakage

In person, there's a more discernable color gradient to the leakage as well, which is quite cool, from blue at the back, to green in the middle, and red at the front.

I'm really hoping I cab avoid disrupting the gradient once I install the driver and innards.

 

[TheGreaterWatt]

Oh it's so ptetty!

If I had to make something for RGB (and when I do) I will be looking to this for inspiration.

I am eagerly awaiting the finished product so I can drool over it some more. :drool:

 

[jayhawker08]

Very impressed by how professional this looks. It's not easy to make a one-off prototype look like a finished product. Great design work and excellent machining.