Author Topic: What is the Lynx Express?  (Read 70046 times)

Offline RJ

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What is the Lynx Express?
« on: August 23, 2008, »
OK, I have decided to call the new dimmer the Lynx Express. So I am posting a little about what I am creating.

The Lynx Express is a 16 channel all in one controller like the Lynx but using the standard phase angle dimming with some advancements built in. The dimmer will be based loosely on the Freestyle and will fit in the same case.  While based off the Freestyle the device will use much a more powerful controller to allow me to make the dimming absolutely smooth. From level 1 to level 256 you will have the exact same output change like the Lynx could do.

It will have the SSR's on board. It will have the wireless connector to plug the wireless board into so it will be wireless ready.

The difference is it will be programmable from your computer for not only start channel, using the configuration software I will provide there will be no jumper for programming you just use the software to do it. It will also have the ability to do something I call light normalization.

As we all know LED's and incandescent lights do not dim on the same curve. They come on at different points and their brightness curves do not match very well. But even inside of these different types each brand sometimes dim different also. I have a number of different Led's and they all have differences although slight.

My new setup allows you select the type of lights you have on each controller when you program it and then have it use this custom curve to make every light in your show come on the same amount at level 1 and max out at level 256. And be at 50% output at level 127, etc.  It will do this not on a few points in the curve but on each of the 256 levels to make them match exactly.  

This is what I call light normalizing. Like audio normalizing when you make all your MP3's play at the same loudness so one is not blowing your ears off and the next can hardly be heard.

The benefit to you will be you can just program your show with out regards for what is on what channel and the results should look much closer to what it looks like on the adjustable preview in vixen.  

The first question everyone will have is "Will I have to sit down and make the curve data for my lights" and the answer is no. I have created a device to create these curves for us that will make them all match. The Configuration Software will have a drop down menu to choose the correct lights. If none matches your lights well, you can mail me one of your sets and I will run them on the device to create a curve and post the updated curve definition file to DLA. Then you update your configuration software by downloading this file and it will include it for you to use.

I then mail your lights back and you have what you need. In a short time span we can most likely have ever type of light in there you could commonly see.

You also can manually modify one for something special in the ini file.

The Second question will be “When will they be ready?” I am just know laying out the board for the prototypes and there is still some work left on the firmware tweaking at it. So I do not know if we will squeeze a coop in before Christmas or not, but we will be beta testing this year for sure.  

My intention once the express is out and any bugs get worked out is to change the Freestyle to use the new chip and firmware so the newer ones of them have the same abilities.

Then I believe this will be the last dimmer in the Lynx line. I have lots of new things to do, but not more dimmers. The Freestyle, Express, and SSR4 will give me the line up I feel I need for dimmers. The rest is all add on items like wireless, Ledtriks II, Robolight, ETC.

The cost of the Express is projected without case at $50 on a qty 50 coop and about $60 on single one time order.

I believe this will take the light DIY’ers to the next level. Or then again maybe I am off my rocker as normal and this is a terrible idea!

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline dmaccole

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2008, »
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I believe this will take the light DIY’ers to the next level. Or then again maybe I am off my rocker as normal and this is a terrible idea!

RJ

Uh, no. You're right on the money. As always.

Thanks RJ.

\dmc
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Offline Ron

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2008, »
This sounds great RJ.  A couple of questions.  Will the main board have the RJ45 plug for DMX and some type of header to add the wireless later?  How's the wireless coming?  Will the older Freestyles be upgradeable to this new chip and control?

You are doing us a great service and we very much appreciate all your hard work (fun)!

Ron
« Last Edit: August 23, 2008, by Ron »

Offline kylec

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2008, »
WOW RJ!   How do you come up with this stuff?   

Sounds really cool and I cant wait to have one of my own! :D


Kyle ;D ;D
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Offline DonRoss

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2008, »
AMAZING !!!

It is unbelievable the things you come up with.

Plz, sign me up as a beta tester...

 Thanks for all that you do.
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2008, »
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This sounds great RJ.  A couple of questions.  Will the main board have the RJ45 plug for DMX and some type of header to add the wireless later?  How's the wireless coming?  Will the older Freestyles be upgradeable to this new chip and control?

You are doing us a great service and we very much appreciate all your hard work (fun)!

Ron

Yes the main board will have two RJ45's "DMX IN" and "DMX OUT".

Yes there will be a header on the board to plug the Wireless module into.

The wireless is the same place it was a week ago as I have been out of town. I will only say that I have not yet hit any roadblocks that will prevent me from doing as I have said.

I belive we can make a small pcb a little bigger than the new pic that will hot wire the pins to the right places and let you use your Current Freestyles with the new chip and firmware. You will pull your old pic and plug this upgrade module into the current pic socket.  Remember all the connections are there they just need to hook to a different pin on the new pic and the module would have the correct clock on it to overcome the different clock speed also.

Think of it as a bolt on supercharger for your Freestyle.  ;D

"WOW RJ!   How do you come up with this stuff?"

Not amazing at all, it is looking at what I think I need. Dimming curves have been around forever but they normally use the square law which would not do us any good to match lights as they still would vary. I am taking one step farther by making a system to balance the lights natural curve to the dimmer so we get a flat response from all of out lights. No need to adjust your seqencing to the the light type on a channel by channel. We can match the controller to the lights to get you the same response on all your lights. Then you can tell from the previewer what your lights will really look like.

To keep from being a shocker I will let you in on the next step I will do once it is working. I plan to create firmware that will allow you to set it on a channel by channel basis. This way you can have a sting of leds on channel #1 and minis on channel #2 and they will match. But I wanted to take one step first and then the next. It will not require different hardware just the firmware changed to do it. The Pic I am using has the resources to make it happen.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline kylec

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2008, »
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AMAZING !!!

It is unbelievable the things you come up with.

Plz, sign me up as a beta tester...

 Thanks for all that you do.

I know it might be a while, but I would be happy to be a beta tester too!

Kyle  ;D ;D
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Offline ThaiWay

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2008, »
RJ, this is fantastic!  I don't even have my boards for 2008 yet, and already I'm starting to fantasize about 2009!
Chok Dee! (Thai "good luck" greeting)
John

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Offline wbuehler

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2008, »
I would be willing to test and provide some funds for Beta boards if needed

Thanks for all the work RJ

Bill


Offline grages

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2008, »
Great Job RJ!

I like the Line up.  And as always your thinking of the hardware that is already out, and how to keep it from being outdated.  As to the name Express, that seems apt, considering that your plane is an Express isn't it?

Shawn ;D
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2008, »
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Great Job RJ!

I like the Line up.  And as always your thinking of the hardware that is already out, and how to keep it from being outdated.  As to the name Express, that seems apt, considering that your plane is an Express isn't it?

Shawn ;D

Yes it is, but I was more thinking down the lines of the all in ones are quick and neat to put out. No cat5 to run to the ssr's and you don't need to build ssr's for it. So that is where I am coming from. But I am sure the planes name made me think of it first.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline rrowan

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2008, »
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Great Job RJ!

I like the Line up.  And as always your thinking of the hardware that is already out, and how to keep it from being outdated.  As to the name Express, that seems apt, considering that your plane is an Express isn't it?

Shawn ;D

Yes it is, but I was more thinking down the lines of the all in ones are quick and neat to put out. No cat5 to run to the ssr's and you don't need to build ssr's for it. So that is where I am coming from. But I am sure the planes name made me think of it first.

RJ

Cool

So a turbo prop SSR8 is in the works then :D

oops,

I also the love the LE (lynx Express) ideas.

you are keeping this a fun ride,

Many thanks RJ

Rick R.
Light Animation Hobby - Having fun and Learning at the same time. (21st member of DLA)
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2008, »
Ok after working the design some more during layout I came up with some more savings in the parts so the current layout the part cost for the express looks like this.

1 -  $47.74
25 - $39.24
50 - $35.38
100 - $32.25
250 - $30.48
1000 - $28.47

With a pcb cost of about $8 we could do the Express with a coop for 50 of them for about  $43.38 or $2.71 a channel complete for dimming.

If you want the optional channel led's it will add just a little in parts cost. (16 leds)

I will be pushing ahead on this now as I need at least three for my show this year. It will priority #1 at this point.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline rrowan

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2008, »
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Ok after working the design some more during layout I came up with some more savings in the parts so the current layout the part cost for the express looks like this.

1 -  $47.74
25 - $39.24
50 - $35.38
100 - $32.25
250 - $30.48
1000 - $28.47

With a pcb cost of about $8 we could do the Express with a coop for 50 of them for about  $43.38 or $2.71 a channel complete for dimming.

If you want the optional channel led's it will add just a little in parts cost. (16 leds)

I will be pushing ahead on this now as I need at least three for my show this year. It will priority #1 at this point.

RJ

Ok RJ that does it. I have to send you my medical bills.

The Doctor has double the price to put my jaw back in its correct place (again).
That is just crazy numbers for the Express..

Full speed ahead (wait that is boat talk)
Flaps down, full throttle?? (I am not really a plane person :D)

Take care and many thanks RJ

Rick R.
Light Animation Hobby - Having fun and Learning at the same time. (21st member of DLA)
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Offline ThaiWay

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Re: What is the Lynx Express?
« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2008, »
RJ... go for it!

As my only dimmers are the SSR16's I have on order, I'm beginning to get a little worried that they are not going to see the light of day (or make light at night) anytime soon in light - ok i'll stop now - of the situation with our inactive friend.  The Lynx Express would be a godsend if that is the case.

Should I be worried?
Chok Dee! (Thai "good luck" greeting)
John

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