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FlameTube - Page 3 — Parallax Forums

FlameTube

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  • FlameTubeFlameTube Posts: 35
    edited 2016-08-17 09:26
    tonyp12 wrote: »
    Lets break down what you really need for it still to work.

    With 96LED's per side, need's just 2mA each even if multiplexed for a 12.5% max duty as you want candle effect, not 100Watt bulb equivalent.
    Drive columns with a 3-to-8 decoder, a 24mA version should not need mosfets, Plus side: no risk possible ever that a user could enable two columns by mistake this way.

    You are right, but it was the first thing that I tried. It looks like a LED indicator, not like a flame.
    FlameTube gives up to 300 mA for a column to show realistic flame. The difference is more than TEN times.
    Even with so high current, cheap LEDs don't provide a good picture. So, I have to use more expensive, better quality ones.
    You can clearly see things around you, and even read with FlameTube (of course, reading is not recommended use case).
  • Hey guys!
    FlameTube campaign is being updated. Please take a look at the design. Need your feedback!

    https://igg.me/at/flametube

    Kind regards, Alexey
  • My impression, The caption on the second image on mobile, was well written, stick to the high end design.
  • tonyp12tonyp12 Posts: 1,951
    edited 2016-08-18 01:21
    The product is nice and the promotion video is pretty cool.
    You have 6 buyers so far, so reaching stretch goals of 1/4million Euros seems very optimistic.
    High-end design with only 200 worldwide sold, when you have to develop software and support is not practical for so few buyers.

    Sales through the Parallax forum will on average get 50-100 units a year in sales.
    192 LED's is a very expensive custom OLED screen, should invested money in how to silkscreen-OLED-directly-to-PCB-invention first.

    Don't risk your house/condo in any business developments (you said you sold your Moscow apt)
    Don't waste money on patents, flood the market fast instead.

    People spend money on:
    It can save energy.
    It keeps them healthy/losing weight.
    Asset/tracking control.
    Development/learning/money maker.

    Your product is none of those, but here is some ideas.
    A Bluetooth version at $29.95 (use CYBLE-012011-00)
    A Green,yellow,Red LED audio spectrum analyzer version.
    A nixie tube emulator version.
  • FlameTube wrote: »
    xanadu wrote: »
    Love it!

    Get it! https://igg.me/at/flametube

    I would but when I see stuff like that I'm much more inclined to make it not buy it. I really love the concept, and in the videos it looks great. I used to stare at those neon flicker flame bulbs as a kid, I get the same feeling with the flame tube.

    I think it would be nice if the dock contained the features, and the Flame Tube part was simplified, and cheaper. I think a lot of people would want it to just be a candle, and the advanced stuff is a niche market that is tough to get into even without manufacturing costs.
  • FlameTube wrote: »
    Hey guys!
    FlameTube campaign is being updated. Please take a look at the design. Need your feedback!

    https://igg.me/at/flametube

    Kind regards, Alexey
    Where are the updates? I don't see any changes.

  • FlameTubeFlameTube Posts: 35
    edited 2016-08-18 21:56
    David Betz wrote: »
    FlameTube wrote: »
    Hey guys!
    FlameTube campaign is being updated. Please take a look at the design. Need your feedback!

    https://igg.me/at/flametube

    Kind regards, Alexey
    Where are the updates? I don't see any changes.

    The page was re-designed and re-structured. The design with smaller square illustrations and bigger orange captions. Possibly, now it's better understandable for most people. :)
  • FlameTube wrote: »
    David Betz wrote: »
    FlameTube wrote: »
    Hey guys!
    FlameTube campaign is being updated. Please take a look at the design. Need your feedback!

    https://igg.me/at/flametube

    Kind regards, Alexey
    Where are the updates? I don't see any changes.

    The page was re-designed and re-structured. The design with smaller square illustrations and bigger orange captions. Possibly, now it's better understandable for most people. :)
    Okay, thanks for clarifying. I thought you meant that something in the hardware design had changed.

  • ErNaErNa Posts: 1,752
    In the campaign there is a focus on emotions. Emotions to me are manyfold. I'm not turned on by flame, or tube, .. but by propeller! Propeller guys love a clean, cool design. So you should also point to the fact, that flame tube uses the most advanced multiprocessor ever made by people for people. That could drive a propeller programmer to gift a flame tube with a personal software and message to somebody else. In the times of $5 raspberrys and $x gadgets you need a community to create "added value" by finding the right apps. It will be difficult anyway.
    A technical question: I can imagine, the front- and back side leds are connected in serial?
  • ErNa wrote: »
    A technical question: I can imagine, the front- and back side leds are connected in serial?
    http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/comment/1385168/#Comment_1385168
  • ErNaErNa Posts: 1,752
    I can not see my question answered in this post, to me the statement is: they are lightned together. But that could be done connecting them in parallel.
    This I just saw: designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1386&doc_id=281277 and see the tube as in instrument to start a conversation. Go to a restaurant, take a seat at a table for two and place the tube sending an invitation to have a free meal. After finishing, stand up, take the tube and let the other clear the receipt.
  • tonyp12tonyp12 Posts: 1,951
    edited 2016-08-20 18:33
    As they are white LED (actually blue led w/ remotephosfor) they need 3.2V, and as power source is 4 to 5v I would guess they are parallel

    Though there are pumpcharge/boost drivers, then the multiplexing system ic's would need to work at this higher voltage too.
    http://www.mouser.com/Semiconductors/Driver-ICs/LED-Lighting-Drivers/_/N-7zhqf/?Ns=Pricing|0


  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    designnews.com


    503 Service Unavailable

    No server is available to handle this request.

    It's hard work getting information sometimes.
  • ErNa wrote: »
    I can not see my question answered in this post, to me the statement is: they are lightned together. But that could be done connecting them in parallel.

    They are connected in parallel.
  • FlameTube wrote: »
    ErNa wrote: »
    I can not see my question answered in this post, to me the statement is: they are lightned together. But that could be done connecting them in parallel.

    They are connected in parallel.
    Is connecting them in parallel really the only option? If one were to design a circuit that could drive each side separately would there be bleed through from one side to the other where one side had an LED lit and the other side had it dark? Is it even viable to have different pattern on each side with these panels?

  • ErNaErNa Posts: 1,752
    That was the direction I pointed in. With a few components I can imagine to have both sides multiplexed and so e.g. have normal characters on both sides.
  • ErNa wrote: »
    That was the direction I pointed in. With a few components I can imagine to have both sides multiplexed and so e.g. have normal characters on both sides.
    But my question is whether the PCB is opaque enough that LEDs lit on one side won't show through to the other.

  • FlameTube campaign have been updated again!

    https://igg.me/at/flametube
  • Has the design changed at all or just the web site?
  • David, the design was not changed. Just the campaign web page.

    And, I've started to write FlameTube story:
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/flametube-story-alexey-boychenko

    Please, like and repost! :)
  • FlameTube wrote: »
    David, the design was not changed. Just the campaign web page.

    And, I've started to write FlameTube story:
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/flametube-story-alexey-boychenko

    Please, like and repost! :)
    Looks great! Good luck with your campaign!

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