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Author Topic: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08  (Read 49269 times)

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Offline Novastar

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #30 on: November 05, 2008, 01:05:26 PM »
Hi guys... sorry again that I don't get a chance to post here as often as I'd LIKE, but... there ya go.

Let's see... to help here--ok, regarding the idea of an "even MORE DIY-style CF"... hmm... it's STILL not as easy as some of you might think.  Even despite the fact if you have strong EE background and all the correct tools for the soldering of very tiny chips and such.

Now it's true that (to some extent) the board COULD be pre-programmed, as it would be purely ridiculous for Erv to make a DIY kit where you program the board yourself.  For reasons that I hope I don't need to go into.

HOWEVER, all that aside (for and "even MORE DIY-style CF")

* The motion detection MUST be calibrated
* The frequency response MUST be calibrated and checked
* Noise levels have to be checked
* One improper solder and components could be damaged, or it just won't work
* I'm not 100% on this (but pretty dlamn sure!!!)... but certain parts must be soldered on FIRST... *PRIOR* to the programming of the board.  So... that'd be a major downer for the whole "Super DIY CF" kind of thing

And most importantly... the bulk of people buying this product do not have the tools & experience (or time!) to wire it up themselves.  It's pretty much the whole point of going to Erv in the first place... or else, I suppose you'd make your own from scratch (which some people do, I think!?)

But in other words... Erv would be going out of his way to complicate everything--for maybe 1% to 3% of his audience/clientele, etc.  Although if someday, some big shot company wanted 100 but said "we'll solder it up ourselves"... THAT would be different, and up to Erv to decide yay or nay for that company.  He might as well have told them he'd solder them all at no extra charge... I don't know!  :)

Finally... once Erv actually HAS all the parts--everyone should understand... he really is an excellent "solder-smith" if you will.  And sure, although it takes TIME for him to do 100 boards (or 5 or 50 or 500, whatever)... that's not really what holds up a batch of CF.  In the past months... it's just been one or two particular (important) parts.  And since he's SOOOOO familiar with his own board (duh)... he could do tenfold faster than any one of us.

So... although I see the logic behind the idea from YOUR perspective, Moon... this doesn't suit the needs of the many--as near as *I* can tell with most of Erv's customers.
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Offline MoonDragn

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #31 on: November 05, 2008, 01:12:57 PM »
I understand Nova. I only suggested it because I thought that was the bottleneck in him being able to offer up more for sale.  If indeed everything needs to be calibrated etc etc, it may be too much of hassle for people to assemble themselves.

Lets make it clear here that I'm not trying to take ANYTHING away from Erv. Its just from what I heard the last time 4.0 was for sale, it was all gone within 5 mins?


Offline darthmorbius

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #32 on: November 05, 2008, 01:20:46 PM »
Erv is a Solder-Fu Master.  That is the undeniable truth.


Offline erv

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #33 on: November 05, 2008, 11:08:41 PM »
just patched my wii console yesterday, quite easy  ;)
Well, I'll just add that it's not so difficult to assemble a CF, it's just that it requires real tools and real experience. I solder since the age of 10 or so, and the pitch of certain parts is < 0.5 mm. You definitly need experience. I'm not the only one able to do that, but people having this very skill and experience are "rare" in the sense that you need to be a person doing that on a daily base, what I do since I build custom boards and prototype as a day job. You don't need that for casual soldering of SMDs and small parts, it will take you like a day to build a CF, taking your time.
But then again, about the "kit" version, it's "no", for many reasons :
- support & failure : how many people will take the kit and ruin the thing then email me ?
- parts... they're big like 1x1.5 mm for some of them. How do you think I'm going to retail the kit since my parts come on tape & reels. Would mean that I'll have to COUNT every parts then tape then on paper and then label each one on paper cause most of the references are not readable exept using side light and a magnifier ? when people ask the question, most of the time (not saying moon drag is included), they think kit like velleman or paia kits, with parts you can read and touch, not parts you need tweezer to manipulate.
- programming : the firmware has to be flashed after the assembly.
- copy : how long do you think my design will last if I send the firmware file in the wild ?  ::)

no offense taken, just a classic question  :)

Offline MoonDragn

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #34 on: November 06, 2008, 07:48:25 AM »
I understand 100% Erv, especially about the Firmware. I wouldn't want to have people copy my hard work either. Thats why I was suggesting a kit that was pre-flashed. But obviously you can't do that if certain parts need to be assembled first.

Oh well, it was an idea. I used to repair camcorders and was a computer tech professionally. So I understand some people have difficulties with the 5mm parts.

Now that you describe how small the parts are though, I think it would be more hassle than it is worth to assemble it yourself. Let some other sucker do it ;)

Offline Delmustator

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #35 on: November 06, 2008, 08:03:54 PM »
Precision soldering is an art and takes practice...

I remember SO MANY failed test examples when I was in COBET (military speak for common basic electronics training, which included precision soldering). Spend an hour on a single 16-24 leg surface mount IC only to have the instructor take an Exacto knife and play a musical tune with your test example to see if any of the legs popped loose. Leg pops=NO GO! Back to the bench for more practice.... Some people never got it right and failed the course. Oh well, off to kitchen patrol for them....

I think the soldering class was 2 weeks alone. We soldered stuff I've never seen before or since.. Oh and soldering flux tastes nasty too... Don't recommend brushing your teeth with it.

Besides, Erv takes all the hassle, of doing all the work, out of it for a VERY reasonable donation on your part.

Erv, keep up the great work!
-Del


Terminators are people too....

Offline erv

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #36 on: November 07, 2008, 12:40:20 AM »
thanks PALs (and SECAMs, and other NTSCs)

I understand how frustrating it could be somehow, I mean while I keep saying YOU can understand how to calculate a resistor value for a LED, the maths aren't THAT complicated, you can be an ACTOR in DIY not just blind follow instruction without understanding...
building this sort of thing is a real job. Just like painting a car I suppose, you can do it with a bunch of spray can and obtain VARIOUS sort of results from uneven dots or splashes to something very clean but it will never beat a paint cabin + oven unless you buy one yourself. And that leads to the question "why doing it" if you can get your car painted by a professionnal. I believe that's fine if you need to do it once. If you need several CF a year cause you're from the saber guild, then you end with a "special" connection with me and it remains fine. If you want to make a buisness out of it, you'll need to design your board and manufacture it (aka, buy the paint cabin).
Several stages of use depending on how far you go, just like many subjects.
Back to soldering by the way, I'm not done with those boards yet, still have the DAC and main chip to solder plus flashing. 98% of it will be done saturday 8PM (paris time) then I'll finish boards individually before shipping them
Erv'

Offline Novastar

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #37 on: November 08, 2008, 12:44:19 AM »
Ok guys, the video celebrating the release of the new batch of CF v4.1 is up!!



Enjoy!  Erv and I had a lot of fun making it, and although the release is (clearly) not until 8pm (FRANCE TIME)... now you have something fun to watch while waiting to buy!  :)
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Offline LadySythe

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #38 on: November 08, 2008, 12:56:51 AM »
OMG LMFAO!! Nova you've outdone yourself this time!!!  :o ;D :D :D :D

EDIT: I'm so glad I'm on the floor or I would have falling out of my chair laughing so hard!!!

Erv... Uhm... maybe next time ;)  :D :D
« Last Edit: November 08, 2008, 01:10:27 AM by SHAAK TI »
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Offline Novastar

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #39 on: November 08, 2008, 01:43:45 AM »
Erv was good sport about all this though!!!  :)  Hopefully people will understand it takes a lot of work to do the harmonies and all that jazz, heheh.

But yup--let's hope we make this video the all-time-favorite of the CF fan base!!!  Granted, I would have LOVED to have been sent more video clips of sabers.  SPECIAL THANKS TO EASTERN FOR SENDING ME SUCH AWESOME CLIPS OF HIS SUPER-SWEET SABERS!
* Former creator and owner of SaberCombat
* CUSTOM SOUND FONT LIST --->
Click here for Nova's 100+ custom sound fonts!
* PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS ---> Click here for Nova's saber performance work...
* DIAMOND DRAGONS ---> Diamond Dragons: A feature-length screenplay being developed by Matthew 'Novastar' Carauddo

I don't post often on forums anymore.  If you want to e-mail me: novastar1138@gmail.com, or visit me on Facebook:

Click here.

Offline LadySythe

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #40 on: November 08, 2008, 01:59:52 AM »
Well good luck with that ;)

As for saber clips... do you still need some? My do-clo should be done shortly (patiently waiting for Technous to give the word) and once I get it I could try my had at making a short clip... *webcam don't fail me now!*
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Offline eastern57

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #41 on: November 08, 2008, 02:51:18 AM »
I think Erv was awesome - in the sense that it takes a lot of *ahrem, um - "courage" to sing in front of people... regardless of assistance... Thumbs up, dudes!!

*Uber-cool, Top-Gun-style, double-high/low-five to Novastar*   

yeah... ;D   

Offline erv

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #42 on: November 08, 2008, 03:16:49 AM »
My contribution to this CF release, I decided to make a video yesterday, not having a lot of time for it, its aesthetics remains "simple", maybe a bit cliché (I love B&W) and it's truly hard to stay away the Movie Maker signature & style but... here I am....

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=woqknbHkHe4

maybe someone will end saying it's my best video ever... one in which finally I don't speak (or worst... sing). Just in case, as stated in the video description, there's not background arrogance about being "heroe of the day", I just like the rythm and mood of Metallica's song  :)

Enjoy !
Erv'

Offline eastern57

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #43 on: November 08, 2008, 03:39:19 AM »
I love that song. ;) 

And there's something very appropriate about it being  B&W... something 1940's 50's post-war Europe about it - artsy.

Good stuff.  Good luck later - it's gonna be crazy! ;D

Offline Luke S.

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Re: Crystal Focus 4.1 update release date of 11/8/08
« Reply #44 on: November 08, 2008, 05:35:13 AM »
Awesome job Novastar.  That vid rocks.  Now I will have that song stuck in my head all day.

I think it is about time atom films and the SW fan films saw the full power of the Novastar.  ;D

 

retrousse