Page: ......
*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
I've been busy designing recently and I'm happy to report I've made some serious progress! I've very nearly got the final prototype board fleshed out and a design I reckon ought to work very well for the casing.


Non-Https Image Link

Non-Https Image Link


I'll send off for the first set of prototype boards some time next week (still needs some tweaking and double-checking). I need to investigate a few more companies to find someone to make my polycarbonate balls. Just need to get the software up to scratch now. As it stands you'd need to have some special hardware to add new light sequences etc. into them... once I've got my head around a few things, you'll just be able to plug your hyperlights into a USB socket, fire up your software and tell them what you want!

Watch this space biggrin cool

Cake or Death?


mcpPLATINUM Member
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom


Posted:
that's okay then. Lisp is still the best thou.

java is far better than c++. if you want to program well, use c, if you want to program quickly and make something that does it's job and can be extended and understood by other people use java. It doesn't matter how fast java and c++ are, we're using computers three times the speed of the ones any of those ancient benchmarks were done on. If you want to use c# you should commit suicide or just use java instead. If you want to use something good, use Lisp.

If you still think java is slow and c++ is fast. you should consider becoming a better programmer. language bashing is pointless. Different languages for different applications.

"the now legendary" - Kaskade
"the still legendary" - Kaskade

I spunked in my friend's aquarium and the fish ate it. I love all fish. Especially the pink ones. They are my bitches. - Anon.


SymBRONZE Member
Geek-enviro-hippy priest
1,858 posts
Location: Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom


Posted:
I'm just talking about applications written in either, that I am an end user of. I'm not talking about any benchmarks, I'm talking about real, end user, first hand information.

All Java apps I have used on any platform using different Java versions have just been painful to use. I will almost always not use an application in Java if I can find a program that does the something written in something else.

If the hyperlight software turned out to be java, I would be forced to make my own app to write the files, or just write in the code in the first place.

Going a bit more on topic, Jon, the files that go on to the hyperlights; are they in a readable format that can be edited in a text editor, or would they need to be converted? If it's the latter then I would say making a program to convert them is the first step and from then on anyone can make whatever they want to write the files that the converter program wants.

There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
I fear this may de-rail the thread further, but here goes...



 Written by: mcp

Jhat's okay then. Lisp is still the best thou.



Why? smile



 Written by: mcp

Java is far better than c++.



Why? smile



 Written by: mcp

If you still think java is slow and c++ is fast. you should consider becoming a better programmer. language bashing is pointless. Different languages for different applications.



Agreed smile



[Edit]You post too quickly Sym smile ...currently the files that are sent to the poi are in the native machine readable format so the poi don't have to do any complicated translation. It shouldn't be too tough to create a small translater application that can be called by other software. That's probably a good place to start in any case smile
EDITED_BY: *HyperLight (1158920869)

Cake or Death?


SymBRONZE Member
Geek-enviro-hippy priest
1,858 posts
Location: Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom


Posted:
Yes, that way I could just use the command line to convert files whilst you guys make nice guis wink

There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
I have a fairly crude VB gui that does the basics. Shouldn't be too tough to convert that into C++ and make it turn a file containing the sequence data into a .hex file the USB can interface with.

'tis starting to sound promising smile

P.s - Meg; I started playing with a very crude (wouldn't survive being dropped much) HyperStaff ...despite being held together with gaffer tape and bits of paper, it looks censored awesome biggrin

Cake or Death?


mcpPLATINUM Member
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom


Posted:
https://www.paulgraham.com/avg.html

for why is the best. AI languages are the win. I'm still considering writing a webapplication in prolog, just for the sheer silliness of it.

java is far better for this application because somebody has already MADE a gui in java for this sort of thing. therefore a good chunk of the work is already done. But if that isn't going to convince you, then arguing over the functionality of java won't.

"the now legendary" - Kaskade
"the still legendary" - Kaskade

I spunked in my friend's aquarium and the fish ate it. I love all fish. Especially the pink ones. They are my bitches. - Anon.


YakumoSILVER Member
veteran
1,237 posts
Location: Oxfordshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
I hadn't played with Lisp before so because of you I looked into it for a bit,

Sadly I can't be assed with languages with no decent IDE and debugger these days, even java has eclipse now. prolog came up on some searches,
and apparently visual prolog is excelent,
but https://www.visual-prolog.com/
appears to be dead now.

Blinded by Hyperlights, please donate generously grin


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
The only real problem I have with building on Mo's software is that we'd need a seperate program to actually write the code onto the poi and I'd really like everything in a single executable if we can do that. The more bits and bobs you need for a solution, the more clunky it will feel to an end user ...and I'm looking to build a solution that's as easy and pleasent to use as possible.

For that same reason, I'd rather not use a language that needs a seperate interpreter.

...However! I think Mo's software could be an exellent prototype which could then be re-coded into something that feels nicer from an end-user point of view. So lets start there and see what happens. I reckon it's faster to code in Java (if you know it!) so if you guys are up for a challenge...? wink

Cake or Death?


YakumoSILVER Member
veteran
1,237 posts
Location: Oxfordshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
Mo's software?

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*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
Try [Old link] smile



[edit]Playing with Mo's software I've realised there's an issue; It assumes that each channel is only a single colour. To write sequences for HyperLights it would be far more efficient to have a single channel which allows you to specify colours. Trying to do fades between different colours as it stands would be challenging smile
EDITED_BY: *HyperLight (1158928016)

Cake or Death?


Mags The JediGOLD Member
Fool
2,020 posts
Location: Cornwall, UK


Posted:
Hyper staves? Oh gods.... *has to go have a nice cup of tea and a lie down*

Jon, you feckin rock man. Big big hug for you!

devil

"I believe the cost of life is Death and we will all pay that in full. Everything else should be a gift. We paid the cover charge of life, we were born."

Bill Hicks, February 1988


mcpPLATINUM Member
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom


Posted:
I don't know enough about the back end of mo's software, or the way hyperlights take commands. I looked at mo's interface and was struck by the ui things I would do to it. Being at work doesn't give me much time to look under the hood.

I will reread this thread next week and try and work out how the hyperlights work.

"the now legendary" - Kaskade
"the still legendary" - Kaskade

I spunked in my friend's aquarium and the fish ate it. I love all fish. Especially the pink ones. They are my bitches. - Anon.


YakumoSILVER Member
veteran
1,237 posts
Location: Oxfordshire, United Kingdom


Posted:

Non-Https Image Link




only 1 video track in that, u can add several, same for audio, to allow mixing accross easilly, the blue curves over the top are crossfades and other transitions.



I know it'd be an uber task, but imagine that with colored bars instead of video footage, something like Mo's video display for the preview instead of the vid at the bottom right etc smile



There are several apps that look/work like this, vegas is just an easy to find screenshots of example. Cockos Reaper would be another.
EDITED_BY: Yakumo (1158931908)

Blinded by Hyperlights, please donate generously grin


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
I should be packing for BJC and various other things.. but instead I did something far more fun:


Non-Https Image Link


Short video

Right, I'd better get on and do useful stuff! smile

Cake or Death?


YakumoSILVER Member
veteran
1,237 posts
Location: Oxfordshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
that's ace smile

and I ended up lol'ing irl @ the eyebrows biggrin

Blinded by Hyperlights, please donate generously grin


sketchGOLD Member
Empirically random...
431 posts
Location: Lincoln, United Kingdom


Posted:
Dude, Mags has already had to go lie down, he's gonna have a fit!!!

the colour splitting is so cool!

iwantoneiwantoneiwantoneiwantoneiwantoneiwantone!

"This dark place planet Earth, orbits one star,
Come from afar, far away state of mind,
open up your third eye, black helicopters in the sky"


strugzBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,964 posts
Location: Southampton - Possibly..., United Kingdom


Posted:
Dude!

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet ubblove

"...We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing......."


AsenaGOLD Member
What a Bummer
3,224 posts
Location: Shatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
ubblol

Gotta love that facial expression...

mo-sephenthusiast
523 posts
Location: Edinburgh, UK


Posted:
Looking good!

biggrin

monkeys ate my brain


Twisthem488member
187 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
hyperstave!
OMG

Im a Thespian, But I'll Act Normal Around You Guys


polytheneveteran
1,359 posts
Location: London/ Surrey


Posted:
If these are out my mid october, they may just have to be my birthday present to myself biggrin

The optimist claims that we are living in the best of all possible worlds.
The pessimist fears this is true.

Always make time to play in the snow.


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
Whilst it's conceivable the first run of public prototypes will be out then, the chances of the finished units being done are pretty slim frown

Cake or Death?


SkulduggeryGOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales


Posted:
Pffft poi are so 2005, its a hoop you want to be making! ubblol



nagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnag

Come on you know you want to make beautiful hoops for me to wiggle!

kiss

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
Patience is a virtue Ms Skully wink

I sent off an order today for 10 new boards... so that's 5 pairs of HyperLights to build. I think I'm just about ready to get 10 balls made up as well. Need to double-check my designs, but it's looking pretty good! So the final prototypes are on their way... biggrin

Cake or Death?


YakumoSILVER Member
veteran
1,237 posts
Location: Oxfordshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
wooooaaaah smile

did u get to the BJC at all in the end btw? I didn't spot you anywhere.

Blinded by Hyperlights, please donate generously grin


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
Went to see Hannah instead.. she's got exams next week and feeling the pressure a bit frown

Cake or Death?


SkulduggeryGOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales


Posted:
ubblol I've never been known for my patience Jon ubblol

nagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnagnag

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!


*HyperLightBRONZE Member
old hand
1,174 posts
Location: Great Malvern [UK]


Posted:
Hehe.. alright then tell me this; How would you want the lights arranged? I would think you'd want two lights in a hoop. How thick are hoops? How much space would I have?

Cake or Death?


SkulduggeryGOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales


Posted:
2 lights? um.......

These are the only led hoops I've seen but they seem to have problems with reliability from the things I've heard on the grapevine and they are not as pretty as your poi lights.

I use 25mm pipe for the hoops I make now but I don't know how easy it is to get clear tube that's ridged enough or what sizes it comes in. I'll have to do a bit of research on that one. biggrin

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!


_khan_SILVER Member
old hand
768 posts
Location: San Francisco, California, USA


Posted:
oh hyperlight, two lights in a hoop are so not enough! I have 24 lights in my psihoop and only stopped there because that's as many as would fit.

Incidentally, Skully, I think some of the reliability issues have been resolved with the new design. In any case, mine have survived a trip to Burning Man and back, and a week of intense heat and dust storms and drops, and it's still working fine.

But you're right, the psihoop lights are not as pretty as hyperlights.

taken out of context i must seem so strange
~ ani di franco


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