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Guess what's left, — Parallax Forums

Guess what's left,

MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
edited 2017-06-04 16:57 in Robotics
and what it might be.

I spent a couple of hour's last night dis-assembling a VHSC camcorder, purely for therapeutic reasons. And this is the sum total of parts, minus a few.

So what may the project be?

I will wait for paint to dry before disclosure.

Gives me time to come up with some mechanics.
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Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    Some folks build "junk bots" from old VCRs, maybe a camcorder has even more motors!
  • erco wrote: »
    maybe a camcorder has even more motors!



    How very perceptive of you erco.

    I inadvertently left the video head/motor out of the big picture. It had nothing to do with the project, so I had put it someplace else. I had already dropped it once.

    HINT: This project will have motors, but not necessarily to move around. And not any of these motors.
  • I didn't leave this out of the picture this time, I just left the picture out, period.
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  • I missed the camcorder part, until Erco's post. I was starting to wonder what kind of VCR has all those optics lol.

    I don't know what you're building, but I'm sure it will be good!
  • Thanks Jon.

    That put me in a good mood to give another hint.

    The hint should be easy.
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  • You're making your own HAL "eye" iot gadget and then controlling it via voice commands with an Echo Dot?
  • Seairth wrote: »
    You're making your own HAL "eye" iot gadget and then controlling it via voice commands with an Echo Dot?


    That's reaching to high for me, but some part of that is correct.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-06-04 00:38
    I tried to get this in the post above many ways, let see if it will take an mp3 zipped. If not, here is the fourth hint: Influenced by JM

    Question: How do you post an audio file?

    EDIT: It worked that time.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-06-04 12:14
    MikeDYur wrote: »
    here is the fourth hint: Influenced by JM
    I figured that was a giveaway.

    OK, here is the fifth hint:

    Popular Parallax product was originally designed by hint #4.
  • I recall a recent mention of the Emic2, which combined with a camera, should indeed provide the basis for a HAL-like robot. Though I don't see how motors would be used, if that were all you're doing.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-06-04 14:25
    Seairth wrote: »
    I recall a recent mention of the Emic2, which combined with a camera, should indeed provide the basis for a HAL-like robot. Though I don't see how motors would be used, if that were all you're doing.

    Camera = no
    EMIC2 = yes
    Motors = yes
    LED's = yes

    Maybe classified more robotic than robot.
  • HAL's quote just to tease, no hint here:
  • Lol, still no idea. Does it start with a Q or is that a typo?
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-06-04 15:56
    xanadu wrote: »
    Lol, still no idea. Does it start with a Q or is that a typo?

    Duh, I looked at that a dozen times, and thought there is something wrong, It is a typo.
    Should read: Guess what's left,

    If it's alright with you guy's I will correct the thread title, hope I didn't throw anyone off too much.

    Thanks for bringing it to my attention Jon.

    BTW: I am running out of hints, without directly giving the project away. So I will post a final hint this evening (US).
  • The optics would mean some precision voice coil mechanics, which are handy for anything to do with lasers. I've built laser light show optics out of (very old) LaserDisc machines. Granted, those had a more substantial X/Y galvos, but the idea is the same.

    Though it would make for a very large robotic camera system, the lenses from camcorders are far, far better than typical cameras, so paired with a decent sensor, would give you an excellent vision system.

    The motors and other mechanics ... meh. You can get the basic junk pulling apart a $1 battery operated toothbrush from the dollar store. Good luck running the tape drum motor. That requires some mean servo feedback.
  • Gee's Gordon, my rocket science class never covered anything like that. My fellow classmates consisted of dogs and chimpanzees, and they didn't have a clue ether.

    Optics = yes (but just for looks)

    -that may give it away.

    Agreed, motors and other mechanics are good for what it was, re-purpose just isn't worth the trouble. Unless you are on TV, and your name is MacGyver.

    I did rescue an SS bracket, extremely durable for it's size.
  • It really does amaze me how dense the traces are on a product like this. I can see why it's easier and cheaper to replace the board, when something goes wrong. This gives me a headache after ten minutes of looking at it. Also that is a strip of lead (pictured top of page), shielding something, didn't see what, it fell off in the process. Is it radiation or just high frequency?
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  • As promised, the last hint. I don't want to wear out the interest in what I'm going to do.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-06-05 00:37
    Deleted
  • MikeDYur wrote: »
    and what it might be.

    I spent a couple of hour's last night dis-assembling a VHSC camcorder, purely for therapeutic reasons. And this is the sum total of parts, minus a few.

    So what may the project be?

    I will wait for paint to dry before disclosure.

    Gives me time to come up with some mechanics.

    A while back I ran across an extra remote for the DVR. Sensing an opportunity to hassle my roommate (we do a lot of that to each other :->), I took it completely apart and left it scattered around the coffee table. Kari came home and sat down to catch the evening news.

    Kari: "WHAT DID YOU DO?"
    Me: "Ah... I was bored and took it apart to see what was inside and forgot how to put back together."
    Kari: "Are you serious???"
    Me: "Yeah. You can use my tools if ya want to try to fix it."
    Kari: "You're crazy."
    Me: "Of course... but here's the real one. Just wanted to see your reaction."

    We both had a good laugh about it.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-06-05 15:02
    Great story Amanda.

    The remote controls for entertainment are the most important. And the DVR's could leave you lost without a clue.
    And be forced to get out of the easy chair, get down on your hands and knees. Presumably you grabbed your eye glasses and a flashlight. While your circulation is suffering severe restrictions. You still have another five minutes till you can press record.
    Just not what civilized humans were meant to do.

    BTW: I took 90 percent of this camcorder apart with just one Phillips bit, no handle, no adapter. Drew blood a couple of times(very minor). But I didn't get up to look for mechanical advantage till late in the game,
    didn't need to.


    Well I said I was all out of hints.

    Hint #7:

    I couldn't resist posting a picture of something that may be useful. If not, it will have something like it, It wouldn't be one of these without it.

    Come on guys, don't over think this thing.



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  • I really hope this has a Parallax product associated to this.
  • Publison wrote: »
    I really hope this has a Parallax product associated to this.


    Oh yes, and definitely a mini.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-06-05 15:17
    One question, can HAL have a front panel on/off button?

    What do you call it, artistic expression?
  • MikeDYur wrote: »
    Optics = yes (but just for looks)

    -that may give it away.

    Consider that with proper current limiting, optics mounted on voice coils will respond to ordinary sound signals. Aim a laser at the mirror mounted on it (or if it's a lens replace with a small front-surface mirror you can get at any school science shop), plug it into a little flea-weight amplifier, and you've got an instant light show!

    Years ago -- we're talking back in the 1960s -- the old Edmund Scientific used to sell a kit of parts they dubbed "MusicVision." The idea was painfully simple, and oh-so-60s: Stretch a thin membrance rubber sheet over a woofer, and tack thin first-surface mirrors to it. Aim a colored light source at the mirrors, like one of those mini spotlights with a rotating color wheel, and you've just created your own psychedelic trip, man.

  • Dalek?
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    edited 2017-06-05 22:22
    Consider that with proper current limiting, optics mounted on voice coils will respond to ordinary sound signals. Aim a laser at the mirror mounted on it (or if it's a lens replace with a small front-surface mirror you can get at any school science shop), plug it into a little flea-weight amplifier, and you've got an instant light show!

    Years ago -- we're talking back in the 1960s -- the old Edmund Scientific used to sell a kit of parts they dubbed "MusicVision." The idea was painfully simple, and oh-so-60s: Stretch a thin membrance rubber sheet over a woofer, and tack thin first-surface mirrors to it. Aim a colored light source at the mirrors, like one of those mini spotlights with a rotating color wheel, and you've just created your own psychedelic trip, man.

    Oh how I remember the Edmund Scientific catalog, and where you could buy an actual laser.

    Old LCD Projection TV's have a nice selection of optics like a thin little glass mirror, even a giant fisheye lens.

    I'm using an RGB for a certain part of the original design of the camera.

    Seairth wrote: »
    Dalek?

    Dalek??

    Some kind of juggernaut?

    I know the Dr. Who connection.

  • Paint was dry enough for some re-assembly, tomorrow l hope to have a preliminary demonstration together. I will have to improvise on a couple of planned abilities though, not enough time.

    Still no specific idea's on what it could be?

    I will give one last hint: Take me to the Expo.
  • R2D2?
  • David Betz wrote: »
    R2D2?


    Your in the neighborhood as far as recent forum activity by a certain member.
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