My Han in Carbonite panel upgrades 23 Nov 2013

[Fusion]

Finally got around to picking up a good HV benchtop power supply. I had 4 sets of the Valvo glow discharge displays that I wanted to test before I get too excited about working on an electronic design.





They all look pretty good to first order. Voltages and currents surprisingly close to the original spec. Next step will be to see how they work with the common nixie driver chips; and using the inexpensive battery booster power supply chips out there now.




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[thire]

Having built a HIC in 2011 and then relied on the expertise of others for the electronics I continue to be amazed and inspired by the dedication of the RPF community...genuinely wish I had more time to pursue the hobby. Great work and great thread!

 

[oblagon]

kurtyboy Where'd you find the small cone shaped greeblies? Closest thing I've seen to that shape is a strut bushing; been searching but haven't found anything that fits the bill.

 

[mugatu]

Fusion and feide I am certain one or more panel electronics guys have mapped the flash sequence and I believe, if my memory serves correctly, there really is a programmed sequence of “Aurebesh” going on and not just randomness. I think true randomness, on cue, was more difficult to pull off back then than just programming a sequence of gibberish. I’ll have to track down wherever it was I read someone’s sequence. Probably TDH. After that I suppose it’s just trust, interpretation, faith, hope, sweat, a really smart friend that understands electronics and circuitry programming, and time.

I think I have some diagrams on the required power circuit for these displays. I’m not entirely sure what the drawings are showing as it all really is Aurebesh to me.

Here is what I’ve found on the actual displays:


VALVO - ZM 1500 Series Gas Discharge

ZM1550 - characteristics

ZM1550 - pin out

ZM1551 - characteristics

ZM1551 - pin out

Also, there was/is a RPF/rebelscum member named modeljag that had broken out a few character change sequences for a Hero Panel lighting kit he made many years ago. I suppose one could contact him and ask if he still has/would be willing to share his work since these Valvos are pretty finite in quantity.

 

[kurtyboy]

The original gray plastic ones are from the Revell V8 kit, but some that may have been lost over time have been replaced with Plastruct miniature light fittings (green painted gray).

kurtyboy Where'd you find the small cone shaped greeblies? Closest thing I've seen to that shape is a strut bushing; been searching but haven't found anything that fits the bill.

 

[oblagon]

The original gray plastic ones are from the Revell V8 kit, but some that may have been lost over time have been replaced with Plastruct miniature light fittings (green painted gray).

Thanks for the info. I've been searching here and elsewhere online and can't find answers as to what original parts have been ID'd

 

[Fusion]

mugatu is correct in that a truly random sequence would have been more work back in the day. I suspect the prop makers used standard 7400 series parts and employed some simple wiring tricks to get a pattern that seemed alien and inscrutable. While it would be easy enough (for some) to use a standard PIC and simply program the pattern actually seen in the movies, I think it would be cool to try and noodle out how they did it in the day using standard TTL parts, and build it that way. Although, given the reported fragility of these displays, and their considerable cost nowadays, I think it would be prudent to include some additional circuitry (that the original prop makers would likely not have bothered with) to protect the displays from damage in case of a driver malfunction.

 

[mugatu]

mugatu is correct in that a truly random sequence would have been more work back in the day. I suspect the prop makers used standard 7400 series parts and employed some simple wiring tricks to get a pattern that seemed alien and inscrutable. While it would be easy enough (for some) to use a standard PIC and simply program the pattern actually seen in the movies, I think it would be cool to try and noodle out how they did it in the day using standard TTL parts, and build it that way. Although, given the reported fragility of these displays, and their considerable cost nowadays, I think it would be prudent to include some additional circuitry (that the original prop makers would likely not have bothered with) to protect the displays from damage in case of a driver malfunction.

In order to not clog up @kurtyboy’s awesome thread here, I have created a new Valvo-centric thread for research here: HIC Hero Panel VALVO Display Research/Theory

 

[SirCharles77]

Hey Kurtyboy, I gotta say this really is an amazing thread. I have read through it twice trying to gather as much info as I possibly could as I am starting work just now on building my own Han in Carbonite prop. And like you, I want it to be as screen accurate as possible (Whatever that really means for this prop. )

I have MANY questions I would like to ask you and anyone else who has info that would help out the group. I hope you don't mind me throwing a bunch in here hoping for some answers!


Where can I find the metal “handles” on the ends of the Hero display? I can 3d print my own, but I am worried they will not look metal enough if I do that.

What is the round piece on Hero 2 panel inside of the camera viewfinder piece? The one that looks like a little mini ufo on top of the yellow rectangular LEDs.

What are the diameters, thickness, and heights of the various cylinder greeblies on the panels? And did you get these measurements off of the actual prop? Or did you just figure it out looking at pictures?

Where can I get a sticker or pattern for the yellow grid on the green white acrylic part of the hero panel?

What are the actual knobs used for the 2 knobs on the Hero Panel? Can I buy them someplace? Do the exact parts come with an electronics kit that controls the 2 hero panels that I could maybe purchase?

Do the circuit boards on the main hero panel have a specific model and part number? I wanna make sure I have the right hole size and spacing etc…

Also what about the components that are glued into the boards? Where can I find those? What sizes of resistors and chips are used?

What did you use to make the flat area around Han on the front of the block to have the “marbled carbonite look”?

Is there a particular type of paint I can use to make some of the Chrome parts look really smooth? I plan to 3d print some of my parts and need to find a way to smooth them and then make them appear as metal.

Where did you get the metal grating part that goes underneath the dials on the Hero panel?

Thats alot of questions. I hope we can find some answers!

Again, thanks for making and maintaining this thread throughout the years! It has already been super helpful for me!