Unused Voyager Tricorder build... Tis FINISHED!<<< Or is it!?

Have you though of using something like these LEDs? Not sure if they are addressable or simply chainable.
DotStar Micro LEDs (APA102–2020) - Smart SMD RGB LED[/h]They are 2mm x 2mm and chainable 2-wire control. About $5.95 for a pack of 10.

Yeah i know traditionally power is ran through the hinges, but in this case I wanted some logic between door and main body. As button presses would change whats shown on the lcd.
 
ahh those are tiny... and no i wasnt going to use them... Im using standard leds... but controlling them through 4 tlc5940 chips... The channels are addressable through that.

i have a bunch of addressable 3030 chips but ive had really mixed results with them, theyre insanly fragile. just hotair soldering can kill them...
 
Dotstars -are- individually addressable leds.

They are the same as Neopixel leds without the strict timing requirements..and no need to consistently 'update' them.

Nice graphics.. are you using a TTF display or something?

Or they just static graphics cycled in? or is it actual animation? (Flash or video?)
 
The assets are static images, but using the editor I setup a bunch of crops and progress bars to fake the animations...

It is a tft with on the fly graphics being rendered... Not videos... ( i know i said video in the youtube id but thats just me being stupid...)
 
OH.. I wasnt being 'picky' (per se`)..

Just wasnt clear how you went about it... I havent messed with too many display things before.. (mostly sound and blinkies!) LOL
 
heheh yep i like flashing leds like the next trek geek :D
Originally i was just going to go with leds... But with this being 2018 i thought... Bah fit a lcd...
 
I dont know maybe... Im not a premium member here... I dont think I would be allowed to advertise anything here...
 
So ive been working quite a lot on the electronics design this last few days...

I was going to print my own PCBs but i dont have any toner and in the end I would never get the best quality from them...

With a little more research i have managed to find an insainly cheap PCB printers... JLCPCB... I can get my board printed for and delivered for about 10 quid.... I honestly never seen prices that good soooooo going to do that...
This also meant I didnt have to be really tight with my tracks and SMDs...
So i changed my design and went for TLC5947s to drive the majority of the leds.

This saves a tons of space (i dont have much) and allows me to make complex designs...

As a preview heres some 3D pics out of kicad... I still need to sort out the silk screen but should give you an idea....
Tricorderpre2.jpgTricorderpre1.jpg
 
Wow, I've only just found this thread and I love everything you've done here. It's very impressive that you've designed your own electronics as well! Really fantastic progress!!
norbauer I summon thee!
 
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Any updates? This is such a cool project! I love alternate versions of famous props. I've thought about some Star Trek concept props myself... there's never enough time to work on everything I want!
 
Yep, heres an update....

Ive been working extensively on the screen animations for the display, theyre UI elements driven by code and not prerendered videos.... Using the Nextion Environment ive managed to get some decent effects of it...

Ive not done much work on the prop body itselt lately as Ive been waiting for parts to turn up.

I made the order for the PCB last week, and they've now been completed. I assume ill get them in the post within the next 2 weeks now.

Onve i have the PCBs i can start putting them together do a little testing and then start assembling the tricorder. I still need to work out what to make in what order. As I wont be able to fit some bits in if I make some other parts first :p

One other thing, Ive thought long and hard about this... I am going to weather the tricorder somewhat. Give it a little rust maybe a scratch and a bit of dirt... The idea behind it is it would make it more real.

One thing I didnt like about star trek voyager was its syndication curse. One week the ship is nearly destroyed and in ruins.... Next week its as good as new.

This tricorder, i want to give it a back story. It was a unit designed by starfleet RnD and was to be beta tested on voyager, boosted by bionural circuitry its the first tricorder of its kind.... And its been out in the delta quadrant for 7 years. Its going through some battles.... Its had a few scrapes.... Its not going to look pristine new. :)

It would also some of the few short comings of my printer :p

Anyway

 
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That is amazing. Emergency is spelled wrong on your graphic, unless, of course the UK spells it Emergancy.

I have a TOS tricorder that I would love to put a TOS-centric screen like that in.
 
Ahh Haa Yes Emergancy , yeah a friend spotted that... easy to fix

Im happy to take on commissions, I need the cash :D

But like i said before IM not a premium member here... I dont think ill be allowed to do any work?

what kind of commission work are you after?
 
Ahh Haa Yes Emergancy , yeah a friend spotted that... easy to fix

Im happy to take on commissions, I need the cash :D

But like i said before IM not a premium member here... I dont think ill be allowed to do any work?

what kind of commission work are you after?

You only need a premium account to list in the Junkyard.

I'll send you a PM.
 
Hi all, I need some advise.
Been thinking how best to print the button decals.
As some parts need to be back lit it makes it a little more complicated.

I was thinking colour laser on the back side of acetate, then spay with a frost paint?

Also I don't have a colour laser printer so I'll have to get this printed at a shop somewhere.

I didn't want to do ink jet, as it bleeds and spreads over the years.

On a quick Google I can't find any mass printer company that does back lit transparency prints... I guess it's a specialist market...

Any tips?


Also some news what's happening...

After some tests, I managed to do a silicone mould using sealant (caulk for you americans) and currently casting some clear resin parts.

Will post some pics when they're set. I should also get the pubs in the post sometime this week. So I'll be starting to assemble that too. Once I put it together and tests it all works I'll start fitting it into the body and start assembling the body too.

But if a chicken and egg scenario, I can't put the thing together without putting some electronics in first. But this also makes it much harder to paint and finish. I'll just have to accept some parts will be awkward to paint...

Oh also what colour should I do the main body Base? I guess same as later tng. What colour was that

Pics tomorrow hopefully
 
There's a product called Duratrans by Blue River Digital that folks have been using lately for PADD and desktop viewer graphics. Everyone who uses it gives it rave reviews:

http://discuss.fleetworkshop.org/t/tips-tricks-for-high-quality-graphics/2820/10

Another option would be along the lines of what you mentioned above - laser transparency backed with a thin white self adhesive vinyl (thin enough to transmit light). When using a transparency you need a white layer behind it or else your colors will be severely muted.

There are also some very nice inkjet self-adhesive vinyls out there now (inkjet has come a long way - I haven't seen inkjet prints from the last 10 or so years fade or bleed, particularly if they have a protective laminate). I like the products Papilio carries - their inkjet white waterproof glossy vinyl and matte laminate are my go-to for non-backlit items, but the vinyl is thin enough to work fairly well when backlit.
 
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