EDM-LCD-CS-EP

[LightORamaDan]

terrypowerz wrote:

I can highly recommend one of these little jewels:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102975
It will not only help better match the impedance of the output from your sound card to the input of the EDM, it will also allow you to have an easy fine tuning adjustment so that you can set the audio level a but easier and make it less sensitive to inadvertent volume adjustments on the PC. (The EDM has a pretty high gain audio in stage)
It is a MUST have if you are using one of the MP3 directors (maybe in the future)!

That is a neat little gizzmo. Making sure that the volume level on the PC does not get changed can be a bit of a problem with kids in the house!

Dan

[Paul Roberson]

LightORamaDan wrote:

terrypowerz wrote:

I can highly recommend one of these little jewels:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102975
It will not only help better match the impedance of the output from your sound card to the input of the EDM, it will also allow you to have an easy fine tuning adjustment so that you can set the audio level a but easier and make it less sensitive to inadvertent volume adjustments on the PC. (The EDM has a pretty high gain audio in stage)
It is a MUST have if you are using one of the MP3 directors (maybe in the future)!

That is a neat little gizzmo. Making sure that the volume level on the PC does not get changed can be a bit of a problem with kids in the house!

Dan

I can vouch for that!!! : )

[jjdurrant]

Cool.. I will swing by Radio Shack today. So.. as of now I plan to test with the radio control and have not changed any of the dials or switches on the EDM. Think that will be ok?

[terrypowerz]

jjdurrant wrote:

Cool.. I will swing by Radio Shack today. So.. as of now I plan to test with the radio control and have not changed any of the dials or switches on the EDM. Think that will be ok?

I think the EDM ships with most of the items adjusted about right for starting out.

Do NOT touch the adjustment for MPX... it is correct and you do not want to attenpt to adjust that unless you really know what you are doing.

The tiny switch that changes the output power range from 1 to 10 mw or 2 to 100mw SHOULD be in the 1 to 10 mw position when you initially test it out. I wouldn't change it unless it is REALLY needed. The little blue trimmer pot right next to the switch adjusts the power within those ranges set by the switch.

Be certain to have the antenna plugged in BEFORE powering it up... at least the wire antenna that comes with it. It presents a load that is needed on the output stage of the TX to prevent possible damage.

Start off with the volume set pretty low on whatever is feeding the audio to it (computer, mp3 player, whatever) and lisen to the transmission through a radio to determine when you have enough for decent volume by listening for hints of distortion... especially on strong bass notes, loud passages in the music, and for sibilance on vocals like on the sound of the letters K and S. When in doubt... back it DOWN just a tad.
Ideally... if you have the control listed in my link above, you will be able to use a fair amount of volume level from the computer, and adjust it down with the external control to a much lower setting. That will help prevent a mishap and give a pretty punchy signal even though attenuated to the correct level.


Hope that helps a little bit!

[jjdurrant]

terrypowerz wrote:

jjdurrant wrote:

Cool.. I will swing by Radio Shack today. So.. as of now I plan to test with the radio control and have not changed any of the dials or switches on the EDM. Think that will be ok?

I think the EDM ships with most of the items adjusted about right for starting out.

Do NOT touch the adjustment for MPX... it is correct and you do not want to attenpt to adjust that unless you really know what you are doing.

The tiny switch that changes the output power range from 1 to 10 mw or 2 to 100mw SHOULD be in the 1 to 10 mw position when you initially test it out. I wouldn't change it unless it is REALLY needed. The little blue trimmer pot right next to the switch adjusts the power within those ranges set by the switch.

Be certain to have the antenna plugged in BEFORE powering it up... at least the wire antenna that comes with it. It presents a load that is needed on the output stage of the TX to prevent possible damage.

Start off with the volume set pretty low on whatever is feeding the audio to it (computer, mp3 player, whatever) and lisen to the transmission through a radio to determine when you have enough for decent volume by listening for hints of distortion... especially on strong bass notes, loud passages in the music, and for sibilance on vocals like on the sound of the letters K and S. When in doubt... back it DOWN just a tad.
Ideally... if you have the control listed in my link above, you will be able to use a fair amount of volume level from the computer, and adjust it down with the external control to a much lower setting. That will help prevent a mishap and give a pretty punchy signal even though attenuated to the correct level.


Hope that helps a little bit!

Great info. I did power it up initially without having the test antenna plugged in. Hope I didn't damage anything.

[jjdurrant]

I am having some trouble with the transmitter. It powers on but I am not getting a signal on my receiver. I noticed the IC chip was already installed and not wrapped in foil like the instructions say. Does that matter?

I tried hooking the cable directly to my sound card, and to the headphones jack on my pc speakers. Neither worked.

[Surfing4Dough]

jjdurrant wrote:

I am having some trouble with the transmitter. It powers on but I am not getting a signal on my receiver. I noticed the IC chip was already installed and not wrapped in foil like the instructions say. Does that matter?

I tried hooking the cable directly to my sound card, and to the headphones jack on my pc speakers. Neither worked.

If nobody here is able to help, then you might shoot an email to edm_sales@edmdesign.com. I have had good support from them whenever I had a question.

Also they have a group on yahoo that people post questions to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/edmdesign/

[jjdurrant]

Thanks. I already emailed them and joined the Yahoo group. We'll see what they say. I am wondering if having it powered on initially without the antenna fried something. I wouldn't think so though.

[Scott T]

I would not use the "test" antenna that is include with the unit for more than 10-30 minutes. When I tested the RF reflection power using a SWR meter on the test wire, very little was going out through the wire, most was reflexed back into the transmitter.

Look at building or buying a di-pole antenna.

[jjdurrant]

EDM support is great.. I received the following reply within an hour:

--

Make sure that the two level pots near the White/Red is set to mid position.
Make sure the antenna wire is plugged in firmly to the yellow connector.
Make sure the blue pot near the red switch is turned fully clockwise.

With no audio input the receiver should go quiet without any noise. This will tell that there is at least a RF carrier transmitted.

If you still can’t get it to work our service support agent in the US can check, repair or replace the pcb for you under warranty.

[jjdurrant]

No luck... I am going to be shipping it back tomorrow. Their customer service is top notch.

[ryebred]

cmoore60 wrote:

If you run speakers and the transmitter off of the computer then there is a slight time lag on the transmitted signal to the listeners radio. This will cause a little bit of an echo effect.

Wouldn't this mean then that the broadcast sound will always be slightly out of time with the lights due to the lag? And if you used a boom box then both the speaker sound and the radio sound would be slightly behind the lights.

[jjdurrant]

Here is the latest email from EDM:

Hi,

When they got it, when tested seemed to be working fine. Maybe intermittent fault in the FM module on the pcb.
We instructed them to just change the FM module. They should post it back to you today after some testing.

Regards, EDM Sales

[Greg Young]

ryebred wrote:

cmoore60 wrote:

If you run speakers and the transmitter off of the computer then there is a slight time lag on the transmitted signal to the listeners radio. This will cause a little bit of an echo effect.

Wouldn't this mean then that the broadcast sound will always be slightly out of time with the lights due to the lag? And if you used a boom box then both the speaker sound and the radio sound would be slightly behind the lights.

After I have completed a new sequence, and am sure it is on the dot timed using the visualizer, I consider it semi-completed, until the holiday season begins.

At the start of the season, once the lights etc are up and running, I consider the first night as a dry run, and listen and watch the display.

I tend to like to have the display "pop", by having the lights lead ever so slightly ahead of the music (.02 seconds or so).

In many cases I need to skew the sequence a little earlier (to the left) to make what my audience views, line up with what I intended.

I go by radio audio, as that's what 95% of my viewers use to listen, as it tends to be too cold up North to leave the car windows down! That being said, the delay between the radio audio and speaker audio is not great enough to be a problem, if they choose to listen using the speakers..

Greg

Greg

[Steven]

jjdurrant wrote:

Thanks. I already emailed them and joined the Yahoo group.

Since you joined the Yahoo group, you could take a look at these pictures of my home-brew antenna.

[Steven]

cmoore60 wrote:

then there is a slight time lag on the transmitted signal to the listeners radio.

Unless the transmitter has an audio processor (most inexpensive ones do not), then the delay from the computer output to the radio speaker is negligible.

The significant effect is when the speaker is some distance away, such as near the house. Then you have the much slower speed of sound that can cause an echo between the radio and the house speaker.

[ryebred]

Steven wrote:

The significant effect is when the speaker is some distance away, such as near the house. Then you have the much slower speed of sound that can cause an echo between the radio and the house speaker.

The distance from where I am mounting my speakers to the sidewalk is about 25 feet. The distance to the street where someone might sit in their car to watch the show is about 30 feet. Is this enough of a distance to notice an echo effect?

I am guessing that since your speakers are in the front tree and only about 10-15 feet from the street that you have never had this issue Steven? You haven't had to adjust your sequences like Greg has have you?

[Steven]

ryebred wrote:

I am guessing that since your speakers are in the front tree and only about 10-15 feet from the street that you have never had this issue Steven?

No, but if I turn the volume up I hear an echo from the sound bouncing off the house across the street.

[ryebred]

Steven wrote:

No, but if I turn the volume up I hear an echo from the sound bouncing off the house across the street.

I bet the sound was really echoing all over the time that guy pulled in front of your place and rolled down his window and turned your music up really loud on his car radio.

Well, at least your neighbors are in on your display so you don't have to worry about them being bothered so much.

[edvas69]

What i found to be the best way to ensure you dont get any echo effect is to use another radio to recieve the transmission and then use the speakers from that radio for your music in your yard. This way you ensure no echo effect and also you always know if your transmitter is transmitting.