Can we fix a dead nebula projecting spaceman?
Summary
TLDRThe transcript describes troubleshooting an astronaut nebula laser projector that arrived dead on delivery. The user methodically tests each component, determining the power cable was faulty. Upon disassembly, the internal construction and circuits are compared to a previous model, revealing differences in the power supply, control boards, motors, and unusual optical assembly. Although fixed with a new cable, the performance seems inferior to the prior version, but still produces an intricate laser effect when directly illuminating the optical components.
Takeaways
- 😀 The video details repairing a broken astronaut nebula projector.
- 😞 The projector was dead on arrival but the seller refunded and didn't want it returned.
- 🔌 The projector cable was faulty, replacing it fixed the issue.
- 👀 The internal design was very different from a similar previously repaired projector.
- 🔋 It uses a buck regulator power supply circuit to provide efficient 3.6V.
- 👂 Infrared remote control signal is passed directly to the LED board.
- ⚙️ The LED board can drive 4 motors, a laser and RGB LEDs.
- 🔦 The optical assembly is less efficient than the previous projector.
- 🪟 A rotating rippled glass disc and mirror reflect the laser beam.
- 📐 Firing the raw laser through the optics creates a complex morphing effect.
Q & A
What was the issue with the astronaut nebula projector that arrived?
-It was completely dead on arrival, even though nothing looked burnt or damaged. It simply would not power on.
What was determined to be the root cause of the issue?
-The faulty cable - once it was swapped out with a cable from another unit, the projector began working.
How does the infrared receiver function if it's enclosed inside the backpack?
-It's unclear how the infrared signals can reach the receiver inside the enclosure. This was noted as a questionable design choice.
How does the optical assembly in this unit differ from the previous one examined?
-Instead of a spinning diffraction disc, there is a rotating mirrored rippled glass disc that the LED shines through. This provides a more complex rippling effect.
Why is the light output of this projector less than the previous one?
-The light passes through the rippled disc twice, losing intensity. The previous design had simpler, more direct optics.
What regulated power supply circuitry was found in the lower section?
-A buck regulator using an MT2492 chip, along with an inductor, filters the input down to a steady 3.6V supply for the circuits.
What functionality does the microcontroller section provide?
-It controls the motor, laser and LEDs via transistors and MOSFETs. There are 4 motor channels and 3 LED channels for red, green and blue.
What simple hack provided an interesting alternate lighting effect?
-Shining the laser directly into the optical assembly, rather than the LED. This created a complex rippling projection.
Why might there be 4 motor channels when only 1 motor is used?
-It's unclear - perhaps for compatibility with other products or configurations that need more motors.
What are the overall conclusions about this astronaut projector?
-While an easy cable fix, the optics don't perform as well as the previous unit. But the circuitry and mechanics are still quite interesting.
Outlines
😕 Faulty Cable Caused Non-working Astronaut Projector to be Returned
The paragraph describes an astronaut nebula projector purchased for Christmas that arrived dead. Testing found the projector itself works with a cable from another unit, indicating the cable is faulty. The supplier refunded the purchase and the unit seems fully functional except for the bad cable.
🤔 Exploring the Internal Mechanisms and Circuit Boards
The paragraph opens up the projector and explores the internal mechanisms and circuit boards. Differences from a previously disassembled projector are noted. The power supply, LED driver circuits, motor drivers, laser diode, and unusual rotating rifled glass optical assembly with mirror are analyzed.
🎯 Infrared Receiver Embedded in Backpack for Button Control
The paragraph examines how the infrared receiver for remote control button presses is curiously embedded inside the astronaut backpack. It is unclear how the infrared signals can reach the receiver in this position. Wiring for the LED head module matches a previously disassembled projector.
🔦 Comparison Testing Against Previous Model
The paragraph concludes by noting the projector is dimmer than the previous one disassembled. It plans testing to compare brightness side-by-side. Shooting the laser directly into the optical assembly creates nice effects but the product itself is disappointing.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡astronaut
💡repair
💡cable
💡circuit board
💡laser
💡LED
💡motor
💡power supply
💡infrared
💡optics
Highlights
The cable was faulty, resulting in the whole product being condemned
Interesting power supply design with voltage regulator to lower dissipation
Infrared sensor tapped directly across the 3.6V supply rail
Voltage divider circuit allows microcontroller to detect which button is pressed
Four motor drive channels allow control of multiple motors
Mosfets used to directly switch the laser and LEDs
Different resistor values used for each LED color
Ripple glass disc rotates to create interesting optical effects
Double pass through ripple glass reduces brightness compared to other design
Hacking laser directly into optical assembly creates complex morphing projections
Disappointing performance compared to previous astronaut design
More complex optical assembly but lower light output
Regulated supply aims to lower dissipation vs raw supply
Fault was just the cable, easy fix
Interesting to take apart, different and more complex than previous design
Transcripts
it is another nebula projecting laser
astronaut but this time it's different
because it's completely dead and it
comes with a cover
note hello Clive here is an alternative
astronaut nebula projector it was
purchased from
teu uh for Christmas but was dead in
arrival timu said there is no need to
return it and have refunded presumably
they want the e-w to be our problem
indeed I've opened it to look for
anything obvious I could fix but
everything looks in order at least
nothing is burnt so drawing except that
I can see pretty sure I put it back
together correctly the only thing I can
guess at is a motor which is a two- pin
connector shoved into half a four pin
header but I don't think that should
cause catastrophic fear of the entire
astronaut unless it's plge reversed I'm
not 100% which way it was originally
also interesting the position of the
infrared receiver which is inside the
backpack I'm not confident this could
ever work how does the infrared get to
it it is the same 3+2 wires connecting
the head as your for me but the infrared
presses the buttons that will be
interesting right
right so it came with this lead so the
first thing to actually do here is get a
little power analyzer and just see if
it's drawing any current at all if it's
like a short circuit or something so I
shall plug it into this little rang
analyzer it's drawing nothing and then
buttons
nothing okay let's rule out the obvious
first meter
is the polarity correct in this is it
even working this is set to 20 volts
that's
perfect so is the lead okay and is the
polarity
correct R in
here nothing that's an interesting start
hold on I'm going to get the other lead
from the other astronaut just give me a
second here where is it there it is
that would be a very very easy fix but
it never ever works out that easy does
it I shall plug this lid in here
hopefully the tip and ring of the crack
polarity let's plug it
in and push
buttons uh the NAB projector is now
working it's the cable that's faulty
right so now we've done that let's
explore it for is everything working
here oh there's the laser mhm not a very
bright laser I have to say God I can't
even see the laser unless
it's oh it's doing its fading thing
right okay enough let's open it up and
see what the circuitry is like in theide
how it compares to the other one I took
apart right I shall tie a knot in this
one just to remind me this is the dff
one I could just stick it in the bin
right now I may just chop the plug off
at the end if it's that end and just use
it as for the
lead so he says the infrared receivers
in here that's kind of interesting let's
pop this open I'm going to need a thin
screwdriver for
this that is not the suitable
screwdriver this is where I just scatter
all my screwdrivers everywhere I didn't
plan this did I um I'm not seeing my
screwdrivers one moment
please I found a suitable is screwdriver
let's see this infrared sent in here
let's uh zoom in a little
bit I still have a box with uh good
chunk of fanfold computer listing paper
in it from the era that I was doing
quite a lot of software writing in uh ql
super basic and uh Doss uh what was the
one with DOs it was a Microsoft quick
basic I think it
was what do we have what do we have what
do we have what do we have do we have
the infrared sensor in in here it may
just see through the
plastic so unscrew that
one unscrew
that there is the infrared sensor there
is a power
supply that's interesting this is
different from the other
one so it's got three buttons uh I'm
guessing it's
power plus one of the the the buttons
are all common to one reference so this
may be a standardized uh voltage regular
Supply
excellent that's intriguing what are we
going to find in the head is it going to
be the same mechanism as before with the
uh Distortion disc just basically um
spinning inside a little sort of cradle
which was quite an interesting
construction are these screws coming out
I think they're coming out they might
not be coming
out they do feel very loose but they
might not just been snug in too tight
which is good not like those ones you
get from China where they've just
basically just run it right into the
point of this is completely
different what the heck this is very
different there's the LED Source
projecting down onto something that is
then firing out at an angle this is very
interesting can we get this out a little
bit further as this glued in there is a
circuit board we should analyze the
circuit
board there's a laser as is often the
case there is a little four pin
connector with just two jammed on I
wonder why there's two drives are there
two transistors for driving that it
looks like there are two h options or
transistors
here I'm not actually even seeing a
transistor in one of those positions I'm
seeing the three for the
LEDs right there well let's unplug
everything so that one was in the
one to the
side that's actually a five pin
connector this is wedged on that's
exciting uh this is a
little connector for the well this is
the laser on
here these are well jammed and if these
been glued in it feels like
it but they may just be a tight fit here
is the one for the
LEDs and here's the one for the other
bit let's WAP this out and see what's
what's going on
here this is very
odd a first time for seeing this now the
other one the infrared receiver was
actually mounted below this pattern of
holes I wonder how efficient this one is
compared to the other one I may try them
next to each other and just see how
bright it is at this point I don't even
know how it's working is it a reflector
that it's actually rotating a a chromed
plastic
disc and is the laser glued in properly
or is it going to fall out like the
other one
did this ain't comeing out too easy
these uh screws required to come out too
let's just take all the screws out
that's usually a good
result now it's coming
out what a weird little mechan
ISM that is worth
exploring how
strange yeah we'll have to open that up
uh and I shall Also let's see is the
loser it's just wedged in
again with the defraction disc in front
of it the defraction material just of
jammed in there right okay well we know
what we'll do now I shall uh take a
picture of Sucker board and we shall
reverse engineer it and uh then take it
from there one moment
please reverse engineering is complete
let's
explore so the unit is divided into two
sections this it turns out is a power
supply section that's why it's got the
inductor it's got the infrared which
sends data up and it's got three
switches which uses a voltage divider to
provide a voltage level up to the top
let me Zoom down this
uh a bit
more so the incoming Supply comes in the
Jack here and there is a capacitor
across that for General decoupling it
would have been nice to put a diod in
that particularly given this is actually
regulating down 3.6 volts but they
didn't this is the inductor that couples
with this a616 3 Z now it's worth
mentioning that that a616 3 Z is
actually uh Mt 2492 that's a good
correlation of numbers there and this uh
is basically it's a little Buck
regulator that she uses the inductor to
drop the voltage down by providing
pulses and it effectively just kicks
back against it acts like a a resistor
to limit the current but ALS but using
inductive techniques it just makes it
more efficient and then there's a uh
voltage divider here that provides the
signal back to the feedback pin and by
changing the value of these resistors
you can set the output voltage in this
case they've used 3.6 volts and the
reason they've done that is to reduce
the dissipation of the resistors for
things like lasers and LEDs notably the
LEDs the infrared sensor is just tapped
directly across that 3.6v supply and
this pin goes straight up um and the
potential divider is formed by this
resistor down here and then these
resistors are switched in by the uh
switches let me show you the schematics
for this section
first I've abbreviated it
somewhat incoming USB Supply smoothing
capacitor Mt 2492
uh regulator and it produces the 3.6
volts that then goes up to the module
there's an infrared is tapped across
that Supply Rail and then it goes up to
the module and then the other module and
then this is the 100K resistor going to
the positive Rail and then each of these
resistors is switched to the negative
rail when you push the button and it
just means the voltage in the switch
connection that goes up to the other
control module again H just when it sees
if it says 3.6 volts it knows no buttons
are pressed if it says say for instance
you press this middle button it would be
half that it be 1.8 volts that would go
to and by looking at the voltage it
knows which button has been pressed it
means that they could use one line for
as many switches as they wanted and then
there's two other Connections in that uh
connector and it's two Zer volt
connections okay next circuit
board here is the next circuit
board the supply comes on here there is
loads of decoupling that capacitors
dotted about left right and Center all
over the circuit board there is a 4.7
Ohm resistor and a capacitor to provide
a filtered supply for the
microcontroller uh the motors the reason
there are so many connections is because
it can drive four Motors there's a
common positive connection and then
you've got 1 2 3 4 each with its own
transistor and um back EMF diode so
there's uh one uh the one motor that is
used with it 330 ohm resistor cuz it's a
standard npn resistor there's the second
motor there's the third motor and
there's the fourth motor it's just
basically four channels I wonder why
they've done that then for the laser
we've got a 7.5 Ohm resistor in series
from the power supply and we've got a
a2shb mosfet switching that directly
control for the microcontroller and then
for the LEDs we've got another three
a2shb mosfets and a resistor in series
of each color so 4.7 ohm for the red 1
oh for the green and 33 ohm for the blue
interesting there's two positions for
resistors here wonder why they've done
that that maybe it was for the red was
originally designated put there because
the red has a high voltage to drop and
more will be disappeared across the
resistors anything else worth saying no
that's it it's one of those things that
took a lot less time to tell you than it
took reverse engineer although to be
honest it wasn't that hard reverse
engineer here is the controller I'll
Zoom down this a little
bit so there's the uh Supply Comm on 3.6
volts there's the Zer volts there's the
little decoupled Supply 4.7 ohm leading
down to capacitor just to try and filter
noise from the microcontroller of the
switching of things like Motors we've
got uh the npn transistor the j3 Y
switching the motor there times four if
you want cuz there are four positions
the laser has its resistor going to the
positive rail then the laser diode have
just drawn one little beam of light
there cuz it is a laser and then going
down to the mosfet which has a 4K 7 P
down resistor but is driven directly
from the microcontroller for the the
LEDs this circuit is repeated three
times we've got the LED a resistor 4.70
1 ohm and 33 ohm for red green and blue
and then it's down to a mosfet again
with the 4K 7 pool down resistor and
that is it now let's take a look at the
interesting Optical module this module
here and it's not as good as the other
system it produces a different
effect if we take a look at it I'll zoom
out a little bit here so you can see it
in more detail I'll zoom out a bit more
cuz it's very big yeah
we have a this is the case open here so
we've got the cating lens for the LED
circuit board the LED circuit board just
basically has one of those Standard 1
wat 3 wat type beads on it and that uh
goes into the end of this uh cating lens
which is a total internal reflection
lens and that focuses the beam down onto
this rotating disc the disc is rippled
glass with mirror mirroring in the back
and it's just straight onto the geared
motor so that rotates slowly the beam
comes down goes through the Ripple
bounces off the mirror comes back
through the Ripple again and I'll show
you that effect and then gets diverted
uh through this uh front lens and then
far out the front of the unit I don't
think there's any other lensing that is
it this is just a a clear cover in the
front of this however it's not very
bright but see if you actually point the
laser down through here into this that's
a very different matter so I'm going to
set that up and I'm going to show you
the facts and what they look right right
now so one moment please
the unit is now running I shall turn the
light off and show you what this looks
like and this is it I have to say it's
not as bright as the other unit it's a
nice module but it really doesn't quite
put as much light through as the other
one because the other one is basically
just the LED and then it's rippled glass
and then a lens to focus that it's just
straight out the front of the unit this
one is trying to fire it through two
layers of the Ripple Glass effectively
which produces an interesting effect but
isn't as good now let me show you it if
I do a little hack and I put the laser
through this Optical assembly
instead so I'll let you judge is this a
better effect I'm not sure well it's
coming across on camera it's quite a
detailed complex effect but because the
mirror the laser is being shot into that
mirror and then back out again it
creates a fairly complex morphing
Rippling effect that covers quite a
large area it's not too bad an effect
but anyway watch your eyes the light is
coming
back so in summary um quite a
disappointing fault that you know the
cable had basically resulted in the
whole product being condemned as such
because it's faulty H but quite
interesting to take apart very different
to the other one although it looks
identical in the terms of the case the
whole functionality is different the
circuit boards are different it's
strange that it's using the regulated
power supply H to lower the dissipation
that's maybe a better move this actually
seems a more complex Optical assembly
than the other one particularly because
it requires the mirrored uh presumably
glass rotating disc the rippled disc but
it just doesn't pack out as much light
as the other one does because Perhaps it
is just trying to get too much into a
small era but an interesting thing a
very interesting thing and certainly
smacking the laser into the uh into the
optical assembly provided good and
interesting results but there we have it
uh it was an easy fix it just needed a
new cable but um to be honest it's not
as good as the other one it's uh just a
bit disappointing in terms of
performance but other than that
interesting circuitry and an interesting
Optical
assembly
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