Gauging Interest - Inexpensive Electronic Det Cans
02-16-2010, 12:54 AM
#121
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,770
Total Cats: 31
Final product pics!!!!
Finally, between driving around to EVERY RADIOSHACK IN THIS COUNTY and being pissed off that Fry's cant seem to stock ****, I've finished the first of the production units, and will probably spend the majority of my night assembling the rest of them.
Sound quality is excellent, even better than my prototype, which I attribute to the use of a PCB instead of a bunch of wires on a perfboard. A few things to note. Yes, on this first unit, the I/O holes are a bit close together and they are off center. I will be drilling pilot holes on the rest of them so they dont look so stupid.
Also, due to money (and time) constraints, this first batch will be battery powered and non-permanent install only. I cant quite seem to get the same kind of clarity using a cig-lighter plug and filtered voltage regulator.(Even using 5v from a megasquirt on my bench to power the detcans still produces an unacceptable amount of noise, so I know I'm not crazy.) I feel that given the purpose of these tools, sound quality is of the utmost importance, and I'm just not willing to compromise that for the nicety of car power.
As for a permanent install, I think I have a good solution which will involve encasing the mic elements in copper tube and resin (think old-school detcans) and then bolting them to the block. This should help with any ambient noise and will do a really good job of weather proofing the microphones. I just haven't had the time between school and work to test this out yet, but if it works, it will be offered in the future.
I need to get back to work, but as promised, pics:
*batteries not included :P
Shot of the volume adjustment. Everything is thru-mounted and feels SOLID. This isn't going to break anytime soon.
The hole around the power indicator LED is slightly sloppy, I'm going to grab some more drill bits tomorrow on my way home from work so that they are neater. This is how all of the units will fit together though.(except slightly farther apart on the IO).
You asked for it, and you got it: Detachable mics. I will be offering replacement mics just in case, and also mics for permanent install in the future.
Thats all for now. Hopefully I can get the group buy thread up soon. After that, these things will come flooding out of seattle
Sound quality is excellent, even better than my prototype, which I attribute to the use of a PCB instead of a bunch of wires on a perfboard. A few things to note. Yes, on this first unit, the I/O holes are a bit close together and they are off center. I will be drilling pilot holes on the rest of them so they dont look so stupid.
Also, due to money (and time) constraints, this first batch will be battery powered and non-permanent install only. I cant quite seem to get the same kind of clarity using a cig-lighter plug and filtered voltage regulator.(Even using 5v from a megasquirt on my bench to power the detcans still produces an unacceptable amount of noise, so I know I'm not crazy.) I feel that given the purpose of these tools, sound quality is of the utmost importance, and I'm just not willing to compromise that for the nicety of car power.
As for a permanent install, I think I have a good solution which will involve encasing the mic elements in copper tube and resin (think old-school detcans) and then bolting them to the block. This should help with any ambient noise and will do a really good job of weather proofing the microphones. I just haven't had the time between school and work to test this out yet, but if it works, it will be offered in the future.
I need to get back to work, but as promised, pics:
*batteries not included :P
Shot of the volume adjustment. Everything is thru-mounted and feels SOLID. This isn't going to break anytime soon.
The hole around the power indicator LED is slightly sloppy, I'm going to grab some more drill bits tomorrow on my way home from work so that they are neater. This is how all of the units will fit together though.(except slightly farther apart on the IO).
You asked for it, and you got it: Detachable mics. I will be offering replacement mics just in case, and also mics for permanent install in the future.
Thats all for now. Hopefully I can get the group buy thread up soon. After that, these things will come flooding out of seattle
Last edited by Jeff_Ciesielski; 03-03-2010 at 04:32 PM.
Reply
0
0
02-16-2010, 10:05 AM
#127
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,770
Total Cats: 31
. The big factor is how inexpensively I can get copper tube.I'm trying to figure out how to do "dibs" because there is already a pretty big list of people who want these. I'll probably use that as a starting point and move on from there. As soon as I get this first batch shipped out, I'll be ordering enough parts to get one to everyone that wants one NOW, and I'll worry about upgrades later. Plus, I need to make back some of the money I've dumped into this and buy a 'scope to move much farther on the car-power thing
( my wife has been super supportive of this whole thing, but she has a limit on how much is cool for me to spend on car **** in a given month 
)
Reply
0
0
02-22-2010, 02:40 PM
#136
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,770
Total Cats: 31
Sorry for the delay guys. My soldering iron is heating up as we speak to finish the last 3 of the first batch. I turned 23 last week so there were some festivities accompanying the usual work/school/working on cars that got in the way of these being finished . Once this first batch goes out I'll be ordering all of the supplies for another batch of 20 or so.
The cross-eyed one at the top was the first of the batch...
Brain - Price is likely going to be $50 shipped. I say likely because I worked out all of my initial number crunching accounted for standard small flat-rate boxes from the USPS being the main mode of shipping. If I can make these fit (I'm pretty sure I can) then it will be $50. If not, I will adjust for the next size up (which isn't much)
Simonetrb- Pricing to Italy likely wont be cheap. When I get enough of these finished, I'll let you know.
. Once this first batch goes out I'll be ordering all of the supplies for another batch of 20 or so.The cross-eyed one at the top was the first of the batch...
Brain - Price is likely going to be $50 shipped. I say likely because I worked out all of my initial number crunching accounted for standard small flat-rate boxes from the USPS being the main mode of shipping. If I can make these fit (I'm pretty sure I can) then it will be $50. If not, I will adjust for the next size up (which isn't much)
Simonetrb- Pricing to Italy likely wont be cheap. When I get enough of these finished, I'll let you know.
Reply
0
0
03-03-2010, 02:18 AM
#138
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,770
Total Cats: 31
I've been somewhat overworked, so I took the weekend off (see the seattle thread). However, I did JUST (literally, 5 minutes ago) finish putting together the last of the first batch . I need to test and package them all as sets tomorrow night when I get home, and the GB thread will follow shortly after.
For those that are interested, these first batch will be followed shortly by another batch of 20 to cover all those that were interested. If there is demand beyond that, I'll see what I can get worked out with the mods as far as an ongoing thread (ala olderguy 02 clamps/ Brain MSs).
Jeff
. I need to test and package them all as sets tomorrow night when I get home, and the GB thread will follow shortly after. For those that are interested, these first batch will be followed shortly by another batch of 20 to cover all those that were interested. If there is demand beyond that, I'll see what I can get worked out with the mods as far as an ongoing thread (ala olderguy 02 clamps/ Brain MSs).
Jeff
Reply
0
0
03-03-2010, 02:56 AM
#139
Junior Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: South Jersey 5 min. from NJMP
Posts: 189
Total Cats: 0
[QUOTE=Jeff_Ciesielski;523058]I'm trying to figure out how to do "dibs" because there is already a pretty big list of people who want these. I'll probably use that as a starting point and move on from there.
Still In.
I believe I am 7th on the list. Ready to send payment, shipping to 08332.
Thanks
Still In.
I believe I am 7th on the list. Ready to send payment, shipping to 08332.
Thanks
Reply
0
0
03-03-2010, 08:26 AM
#140
Boost Czar
iTrader: (62)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 79,498
Total Cats: 4,080
Brain - Price is likely going to be $50 shipped. I say likely because I worked out all of my initial number crunching accounted for standard small flat-rate boxes from the USPS being the main mode of shipping. If I can make these fit (I'm pretty sure I can) then it will be $50. If not, I will adjust for the next size up (which isn't much)
let me know the final price and PM me and I'll pay. I'm going to the dyno on April 10th.
Reply
0
0
