Lightpack – USB ambilight project.
it’s great!! just look at demo

I haven’t really built anything non-music related from kit but I’ve certainly done plenty of technical things. My house has a lot of z-wave home automation for security and convenience.

I also build bicycles and have built numerous sets of wheels. I’ve got about 7 bikes at the moment.

This is my “big” bike, great for carrying shopping and parcels. This is an old photo, it has changed a little since then, I added dynamo hub lighting and a Rohloff hub.

@Fresh Pants – That’s beautiful!

@ shrab: I’ve been thinking about building that for some time. My job is to go to jobsites and program the lighting. Usually just commons area’s. Sometimes RGB LED. I have a ton of stuff in my house for controlling lighting via buildings automations, internet, etc. I have a couple of our relay panels that I want to wire into the house and connect it to the computer so I can turn lights on & off remotely. A friend of mine has done all of this. His whole house is wired up to be controlled remotely. He’s even soldered a relay to his computer to turn it on & off from remotely. Some day…

@ 6581: Our guitarist is into building bikes. That bug hasn’t bit me…yet.

@ Fresh Pants: Thats great! I’ve been thinking about getting into some small woodworking. I want to build some nice wood panels with some exotic wood for my Moog Minitaur.

The Ice Tube Clock build is coming along. Soldering up that tube had to of been one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in a DIY kit. Getting every wire through the hole was a headache. Seriously, I have a headache now.

This is all very cool! I’m hoping to pick up some inspiration here. Keep ‘em coming!

@6581, yeah, I totally get it, but ATM, I’d rather devote my money to synths (for the most part). Plus, in the middle of building the Ice Tube Clock, I found out I may be a dad, again! So, even less money now.

Speakin ‘o which, it’s done and looks fabulous! I wish it made sounds haha!

I was thinking “that’s a small pinball machine” for a second there :)

@qp – It’s beautiful!

@ qp: how did you make it to matrixsynth that fast with this ?
http://m.matrixsynth.com/2012/05/ice-tube-shruthi-1.html

I have pots that I bought especially for this but I have been too lazy to drill the cases etc. I’m going to do it now.

@schrab: Now THAT’s a fine idea for holes – far cheaper than those stepped drill bits like this:

Just tracked down a UK supplier of schrab’s device for just £4.82 here

And here’s a pic:

Martin

Very handy. I need to to the opposite for something else I’m doing. Cut a disc of plastic. I was thinking of heating up a socket from a socket set and pushing it into the material to melt out a disc.

Anyone got any other ideas? it saves drilling lots of holes around a circle and filing it into shape.

@6581punk: If you can accept a hole in the middle something like this would do the job:

Martin

hey because you are speaking on volume knobs: i have here 10 k pots, and loved to mount them. But they have three pins... Sorry for dumb question but can someone explain hah to rely them on the shruthi???? thanks

@yewtreemagic I can’t have a hole, there’s the problem :)

It’s a piece of clear plastic to put in front of an LED reflector to seal it. So no point if there’s a hole in it :)

I’m following this guide. Upgrading the LED and reflector in bike lights.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ay-up-grade/page/2

if 3mm is ok you can have them any diameter you want (up to 210mm)

I found a guy in Germany (I see a pattern there!) who sells nixie clocks in nice plexi cases who can also be slaved to the standard German time broadcast (DCF-77) or a GPS clock. He also had thermometers and SPL meters for sale.
But, there are far more options stateside! I just wanted to avoid any VAT or customs issues this time around. Some ppl won’t even ship nixie stuff to Europe.

Somewhat related: I bought me some tubes for Marc Bareille’s plasma VU meter and now I’m penciling an enclosure.

Yes I found these places as well. It’s just difficult to determine where the best value is, who makes the best kit/design etc. I was hoping some of you have made them and could provide an endorsement.

the Nixie stuff is very cool lookiing, but man, it’s pricey. $235 is a bit more than I think I could shell out for a clock. I would love to have one of those though.

It is expensive, but I’m looking at it as a work of art, the only thing outside of my studio that says hey, a builder lives here. You know?

After shopping around, this was on the relatively inexpensive side. The UK guy’s kits are like $500+.

Anyway, I’m going to do it. Fuck it.

It did. And I blame you!

@qp
>>>What I was wondering is how is it driven? Does it have to be connected to a computer?
it’s multiplatform usb/software thing. You have 10 areas on you screen linked with physical leds. You can define it’s sizes (from 1x1px to fullscreen) and positions. Driver sends average сolor info from this areas to leds.
Also backlight function, moodlamp and audio analyzer plugin.

>>>Also, can multiple unites be chained together?
Yes

>>>I’d like to get one for my TV, but it’s not connected to a computer and it’s a “60 so I’d need a lot of leds. Whats the cost for one. It’s kinda hard to find detailed info on them.
It will not work with standalone TV. You can connect let stripes for big monitors/tv’s. Assembled unit is about $100 but demand is high “so out of stock” most of time.

Sort of back on track, lots of other interests (too many really). I recently bought a DSLR, a Nikon D7000, and got back into photography, this shot is going to be the cover of a friend’s CD being released soon:

Also been into motorcycling for many years (1970 was the start), rode trials for awhile (the Europeans might know what that is more than the Americans), and now have a heavily leaned on one of these:

Was into model railroading in a big way, and I’m into slot car racing as well. Here are some shots of the track and some of my custom-decorated cars:

I’ve seen some of your photos pichenettes. They’re awesome!

I think the magic eye in my distant memory looked something like this. I think they were once commonplace and I just forgot about them…

Hey! Nixie Clock in the house!