> At 08:06 AM 5/9/00 -0700, Marvin wrote:
> > With the multi-colored and higher intensity LEDs
> >available today, it would be really cool to do the same thing but with color
> >pictures. Doesn't sound like too hard a project especially with the speed of
> >todays computers.
> I was thinking along the same lines. It would be a nifty consumer
> product, but it would be quickly cloned by other manufacturers,
> I suspect. I would think a PC's parallel port would be capable
> of driving the data at a suitable rate and cost.
Four things:
a) Computer Speed has never been a problem
(at least not within the last 20 years)
b) Colour _is_ a problem, since the colour sensivity
of the human eye isn't exactly great.
c) Moving pictures are way harder to produce
d) And most important the mechanical parts are
the challenge.
If you like to get an accaptable detailed picture,
like, let's say a colour TV (up to 200 lines (aka
~400x400 pixles)) the simple setup is gone, since
you have to swing the mechanism with a continous
speed of at least 20 passings per second in front
of a non disturbing background. Beside all mechanical
problems, the most simple solution would be a propeller
like device, where you either only use a rectangular
display area (2x1) in the upper rotation area, or
a square area all over. This adds some drawbacks:
You have to calculate all x/y pairs to a circular
position with _different_ on/of timing according to
the position, while still producing circular artefacts
(in contrast to linear artefacts, as with TVs or simple
horizontal moving devices, circular are _very_ disturbing).
Beside that you ma produce a noticable noise: 2 wings
(to halve the needed speed, while still maintain a low
storage profile (not to speek of better balance)) moving
at 10 rounds per second (20 passings for each location
per second) with a diameter of 1m (giving a visible area
of .7m x .7m) produce a speed of 113 km/h at the end of
each rod - quite notable.
The only advantage of this would be a way less complicates
mechanical design (no fast acceleration on bothe ends of the
movement needed).
Anyway, this technology will never take of. The only version
with a possible use is if you mount the LEDs on a helix like
curve to produce real 3D pictures - but again, a Laser and
a semitransparent full helix is more aprobiate.
These swinging displays are dammed to stay at low res
(almost) static display levels.
Gruss
H.
--
VCF Europa 2.0 am 28./29. April 2001 in Muenchen
http://www.vintage.org/vcfe
http://www.homecomputer.de/vcfe
Received on Tue May 09 2000 - 13:02:59 BST