LA3A 500 BUILD

[dmp]

he did suggest to take a look at http://www.astronics.com/ for the supply of EL panels, as they're apparently the closest to original spec of the currently available panels. Has anyone tried emailing them yet?

I believe this is the parent company of LSI that I contacted and posted info about on the first page. I'm still considering a buy of panels from them if it could reach the minimum order. So far a few people have expressed interest.

 

[Sammas]

he did suggest to take a look at http://www.astronics.com/ for the supply of EL panels, as they're apparently the closest to original spec of the currently available panels. Has anyone tried emailing them yet?

I believe this is the parent company of LSI that I contacted and posted info about on the first page. I'm still considering a buy of panels from them if it could reach the minimum order. So far a few people have expressed interest.

Hey I am definitely interested, but do you have any more specific information? The idea of $82 a pop for an EL panel is pricey when you can buy a complete T4B for $100. Such a thought is probably scaring people away.

...but I assume for $82 the sheet is larger, cuttable and would actually provide enough EL panels for a handful of T4B's?

 

[Ptownkid]

Totally OT...but is that company's name pronounced....Ass-tronics, giggle, giggle, snicker, snicker.

 

[kato]

Maybe joe electro would change his tune if he knew we aren't making T4Bs.

He's got 50 guaranteed buyers here. So how about $50 for one EL strip and two opto detectors. That's a quick $2500 and he doesn't have to build a thing - just hook us up with his supply.

Then we all put "opto powered by Kenetek" and rave about how it sounds more like a T4A than a T4B - he has instant internet demand for the best sounding T4Bs available. There are no markings on the EL panel so the fruits of his research are not revealed for exploitation. Everyone wins.

Incidentally the asstronics lead he gave you is the same LSI part mentioned by dmp for a possible group buy.
Kenetek has this to say about the part he's kindly suggesting:

"We discovered that the modern EL panels built by the "Original Equipment Manufacturer" (which was at least four times removed from Grimes, the original manufacturer of the EL panel used in the original LA-2A and LA-3A units) has updated their materials and manufacturing techniques to provide a brighter, more efficient and reliable EL panel. You see, the primary use for their panels is for instrument lighting in aircraft. While the "improvements" they made may benefit pilots, they were actually detrimental to the performance of the opto-attenuator units used in LA-2A, LA-3A and BL-40 units. Modern panels have a much lower threshold voltage and put out more light at lower voltages than the original panels. The result is that opto-attenuator units using these panels exhibit a sharp knee at the threshold of compression, and the unit goes into heavy compression much sooner than the classic units. It is difficult to dial in the exact amount of compression desired, and the musicality and versatility of the compressor is diminished."


PS, Sammas is not "astounded" that he said no. He meant to say "A resounding 'no'."


Ah, this F*cking thread has fallen apart. Redo.

 

[JAB]

Hey Kato
I had put it to Bill @ Kenetec pretty much in those terms (50 guaranteed happy customers), but he wasn't swayed. Also linked to the thread and mentioned the project, so he knows they're not for T4's. So it goes.
you're absolutely right, that's the parent company for the LSI panels. Sorry for not checking that out before posting the first time.

hey dmp,
sorry for not realizing you've already done most of the leg-work here.
So for LSI they say 82/unit @ 7 units?
Did Drip ever give you a number?
Either one of these looks like the path forward, so I guess the question is, who's cheaper, and who has a shorter lead time?
Regardless of who gets the money, I'm in for at least one.

 

[Echo North]

I'm definitely in for 1.

 

[ruckus328]

Gotta make it quick as baby screaming in the background but just my 2cents from a fellow forum member and someone who's been through this whole fiasco personally - buy a T4B from Drip / Kenetek / whoever, take out the guts and call it a day.

Astonics is LSI.  The $82 a pop is their way of saying "please go away, we know what you want this for and we don't want to be bothered if you're not a multi-billion dollar aircraft manuafacturer, I know, I've tried, in very large quantity request using reputable credentials, I got better than $82, but not that drastically better a price"

I don't want to start the T4B argument on Peter's thread but there's more to a good sounding T4B than slapping any 2 photoresistors on a LSI panel.  Sure, it'll work....maybe not so great though.  There's a lot of time and labor involved, Drip and Kenetek are proof of that.  Not trying to discourage you guys but reality is in the end you might ended up costing yourselves more money than just buying the sure thing.

 

[Echo North]

Gotta make it quick as baby screaming in the background but just my 2cents from a fellow forum member and someone who's been through this whole fiasco personally - buy a T4B from Drip / Kenetek / whoever, take out the guts and call it a day.

Astonics is LSI.  The $82 a pop is their way of saying "please go away, we know what you want this for and we don't want to be bothered if you're not a multi-billion dollar aircraft manuafacturer, I know, I've tried, in very large quantity request using reputable credentials, I got better than $82, but not that drastically better a price"

I don't want to start the T4B argument on Peter's thread but there's more to a good sounding T4B than slapping any 2 photoresistors on a LSI panel.  Sure, it'll work....maybe not so great though.  There's a lot of time and labor involved, Drip and Kenetek are proof of that.  Not trying to discourage you guys but reality is in the end you might ended up costing yourselves more money than just buying the sure thing.

Definitely food for thought Mike and I think in the end you may be right. I may just crack the DRIP T4 I have in the basement.  Unless of course he is willing to supply the parts.

Mike

 

[kato]

Hey Kato
I had put it to Bill @ Kenetec pretty much in those terms (50 guaranteed happy customers)...

Hey JAB - I guess he has his mind made up. But thanks for making the inquiry for us.

[quote author=JAB]
So for LSI they say 82/unit @ 7 units?
[/quote]

I think Ruckus is right, that this is a please go away price. Just a few years ago, we thought $30 was steep.

edit: (or $27.50 directly from Bonnie if you got in early (2003).)

Ruckus - good thinking. I may just disassemble a T4 and be done with it.

 

[janczmok]

T4B ordered. will take it apart and then install it in the box

 

[haima]

Who did you order from?

 

[zayance]

+1 For Ruckus, tear the guts out

PS: For IF Drip GB and price drop, Did he responded at last or no news?

 

[dmp]

Part numbers for the 1mm pins and sockets? I think these are the same ones that were included in the EQN kits, but I haven't ordered them before.

 

[peter purpose]

Any 1mm/40thou pins will do ya. Likewise any matching sockets that'll fin in a 75thou hole.

 

[dmp]

These look like they will work (mouser / millmax)
20 X SOCKETS FOR 1MM PINS     575-029200   0292-0-15-01-06-27-10-0
20 X 1MM PINS   575-311720   3117-2-00-21-00-00-08-0

 

[peter purpose]

I'm sure they'll be fine.
Standard fare for the stuff we do around here.

 

[janczmok]

Some more parts arrived today and i'm getting the LA3A slowly together

Some questions:

Where to connect the LED's ? (with R-LED + LED position?)
RT (on Main PCB)
R13 = 68K ? or still unclear ?
Unnumbered Elco near T4, which value ? 470uf ?
D1 and R2 double assigned, which value on the addon PCB, which on the main ? all 1N4003 ? (what about CR1 + CR2?)
R28 = RV28 on Add-On PCB ?
R23 = RV23 (pot) ?
R31 = RV31 (pot) ?
CT4 ? Where ?

Thanks and sorry for the annoying question.

 

[peter purpose]

Some more parts arrived today and i'm getting the LA3A slowly together

Some questions:

Where to connect the LED's ? (with R-LED + LED position?) Marked on the board... look it up if you don't know.
RT (on Main PCB) It's marked
R13 = 68K ? or still unclear ? I think I ended up with around 10k, but I don't have the thing in front of me. Hold off on that.
Unnumbered Elco near T4, which value ? 470uf ? Missed that.. C5 470uf/16v
D1 and R2 double assigned, which value on the addon PCB, which on the main ? all 1N4003 ? (what about CR1 + CR2?)  ?
R28 = RV28 on Add-On PCB ? Yes
R23 = RV23 (pot) ? Yes
R31 = RV31 (pot) ? Yes
CT4 ? Where ? It's marked.

Thanks and sorry for the annoying question.

 

[peter purpose]

D1 and R2 double assigned, which value on the addon PCB, which on the main ? all 1N4003 ? (what about CR1 + CR2?)

Ask that again.... ??

 

[peter purpose]

Some stuff that might help.

biggun http://lazpro.com/la3adv.jpg