After circuit diagram and description Musicolour III

[[email protected]]

Back in the 70's, Electronics Australia published a kit design for a
Musicolour 3. I have one that has ceased to work. Has anyone got a
copy of the original circuit and circuit notes? Would appreciate a
copy.

Cheers
Greg Smith, WA

 

[Phil Allison]

Back in the 70's, Electronics Australia published a kit design for a
Musicolour 3. I have one that has ceased to work. Has anyone got a
copy of the original circuit and circuit notes? Would appreciate a
copy.

** That could be the one published in the December 1971 issue, with PCB
labelled as " 71C12 " - OR it could be the one in September 1976, with
PCB labelled as "76PC9 ".




....... Phil

 

[David L. Jones]

<[email protected]>




** That could be the one published in the December 1971 issue, with PCB
labelled as " 71C12 " - OR it could be the one in September 1976, with
PCB labelled as "76PC9 ".

...... Phil

I read in the current issue SC that a new Musicolour project is coming
in the next month or two, using a dsPIC.
I wonder, would the Musicolour be the longest running and most updated
Aus magazine project?

Dave.

 

[swanny]

I read in the current issue SC that a new Musicolour project is coming
in the next month or two, using a dsPIC.

Sounds about right.
Why not use a DSP/Microcontroller when a few opamps will do?
Probably means they can keep the code a secret and sell pre-programmed devices...

 

[David L. Jones]

Sounds about right.
Why not use a DSP/Microcontroller when a few opamps will do?
Probably means they can keep the code a secret and sell pre-programmed devices...

This one is all FFT apparently, guess it allows you to do lots of
fancy stuff?
Hence the dsPIC programmer in this months SC.
If it's an actual SC project then the source code should be available.

Dave.

 

[Phil Allison]

"David L. Jones"

I wonder, would the Musicolour be the longest running and most updated
Aus magazine project?

** I wonder if there is ANY other project published by EA , SC or ETI
that is KNOWN to have caused the death of a constructor after it was sold
to them as a kit by DSE ??


WARNING:

If ever you construct or attempt to service one of the several " Musicolour
" projects - make ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN you have a ELCB or " Safety
Switch " in line within the AC supply to the unit whenever the lid is off.

Or you may become the second, known fatality in Australia.



....... Phil

 

[swanny]

"David L. Jones"



** I wonder if there is ANY other project published by EA , SC or ETI
that is KNOWN to have caused the death of a constructor after it was sold
to them as a kit by DSE ??


WARNING:

If ever you construct or attempt to service one of the several " Musicolour
" projects - make ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN you have a ELCB or " Safety
Switch " in line within the AC supply to the unit whenever the lid is off.

Or you may become the second, known fatality in Australia.



...... Phil

IIRC, they were switching the neutral to the load, so the lamp was floating at
mains voltage, even when 'off'.

 

[Phil Allison]

"swanny"

IIRC, they were switching the neutral to the load, so the lamp was
floating at mains voltage, even when 'off'.

** No - the active was switched

Which mean all the heatsinks on the triacs were permanently at 240 volts AC.




....... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Phil Allison"

** No - the active was switched

Which mean all the heatsinks on the triacs were permanently at 240 volts
AC.

** Or I should have said the COMMON heatsink was at 240V AC.



.... Phil

 

[Ray]

This one is all FFT apparently, guess it allows you to do lots of
fancy stuff?
Hence the dsPIC programmer in this months SC.
If it's an actual SC project then the source code should be available.

Dave.

I found Discolitez to be great piece of kit.

It's a free winamp plugin, and allows you to control lights according to
amplitude or frequency ranges.
It drives the good ol LPT port - if your PC has one these days :-\

Ray

 

[kreed]

"Phil Allison"






** Or I should have said the COMMON heatsink was at 240V AC.

... Phil

--------------------------------

I remember in incident of a person getting zapped by one of these
units at the local roller skating rink back in the 1980s, by a person
(probably the DJ) being "expert" without any actual knowlege of
electronics, deciding to remove the cover, and leave it off (while
still using the remaining channels) after failing to work out why one
channel didnt work anymore. Only a matter of time before someone
"touched" the insides.

Fortunately it wasnt fatal.


Also, in the same place remember seeing a series load of 12v "car
headlight" style sealed beams, that were wired in series (not enough
of them to make up the full 240v), some being housed in ceramic
flowerpots lined with tinfoil and coloured cellophane over the top of
them.

When I think back Its amazing there weren't more fatalities from
electrocution.