the license seems to be out of date and trial shows error message for lightburn.
also been trying to print from CorelDraw and AI but no luck. am I messing a step?
Pearl was only testing the LB interface for ULS lasers. That interface doesn’t work yet, though. So its license is not relevant, we’re not using LB on this machine.
CorelDraw and AI can be used. Corel should work fairly simple- but AI does some strange things, and you have to follow the instructions on the wiki exactly.
Also, the wiki (and the copious labeling) show the steps needed to set up the laser. The odd part is you need to jog the laser to the top left corner and set the origin there once upon power-up, otherwise the job gets weirdly offset.
I do intend to convert Pearl to use the same Ruida controller as is on Tarkin, and then it will use Lightburn in the same way. The settings library will be different of course. Pearl does have the conical chuck-style rotary which is usually the best chuck type to use
Thanks
Changing Pearl to a Ruida controller would be a downgrade. Pearl is not authorized to be converted to a Ruida controller due to the major differences that have been discovered between ULS rastering and Lightburn rastering. Unless the Lightburn developers make a big change there, we’ll probably be keeping the half ULS half Ruida laser flow we currently have for the foreseeable future.
It’s certainly not a downgrade all around, but yes there are differences and ULS raster does have a better look under certain specific conditions. Overall, even just looking at general rastering, LB is clearly superior to ULS in doing photo work.
But, I don’t plan to swap out for a Ruida at this time, because I know that this mode is valued and would only change it with a consensus to do so.
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I think it’s a matter of opinion at this point on rastering. I’ve seen a lot of photo rastering on both and I disagree wholeheartedly on which one is superior. They do vastly different things and depending on individual preferences, people may strongly prefer one or the other.
That may be the right conclusion but how was it decided?
Danny seemed to not know and he’s the laser area steward.
I thought stewards were included in decisions affecting their area.
Did I simply get that wrong?
It’s been discussed with Danny before, I’m not sure why it came across as a surprise.
Stewards are absolutely a part of those decisions, however the overarching goal is to offer high quality and a wide variety. Since we discovered some major differences in these controllers in that regard, it does not make sense to change them at this time. We would be taking away features to simply duplicate features that are already available in two other lasers. That doesn’t make sense.
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Yes I knew, we’ve talked about it. ULS (Pearl/Blue) has some differences in how it rasters over Lightburn.
The limitation isn’t in the Ruida, actually- it’s a choice LB made in how they format the raster data.
Overall, LB/Ruida on Tarkin produces radically better photographic work than ULS (Pearl), most importantly because LB offers precision control over line interval that ULS does not, and a wider range of dithering options. However, there is at least one raster “fill” aesthetic that works on ULS but I can’t readily reproduce with LB, again, because of how they chose to format the data. There is a way to do it with fills- actually it should be pretty good- but it’s a bit complicated to do.
Pearl is extra-finicky in that you need to set the origin on power-up and, if using AI, you have to follow the work placement instructions exactly. I do want to convert that to a Ruida and use LB, it will be more straightforward to use, more capable, and raster WICKED fast with that direct-drive lightweight carriage. But there’s no rush to do so.
I do want to get LB on board with reformatting their raster data- and Fill concepts- with more flexibility to do this and some other stuff. Like I say, they’re leaps and bounds above ULS in making good photo quality images due to direct control over line interval, more dithering (halftoning) methods, and the Adjust Image window. I’m kind of fascinated by the possibilities there.
The exact mode that makes a pretty excellent fill on ULS is actually sort of a happy accident, it’s “totally wrong” for burning images, it just happens that it has a great final look for fills.
Ultimately, “converting” Pearl just means mounting a Ruida, and making a breakout board to connect the 3 steppers to external drives along with like 4 limit/homing sensors, the door sensor, coolant flow sensor, red dot, and signal to the laser. It’s not all that much. This will replace the LCD panel and buttons with the same Ruida panel on Tarkin and it will be the same to use.
Well, Pearl will use a different Settings library that will be there on Pearl’s LB installation. It’s a smaller bed, not as much power, so it won’t cut as fast, but it might actually raster a bit faster than Tarkin due to that carriage being so light.
Correct, until the time that Lightburn is willing/able to support the style of rastering the ULS driver is currently capable of (I hope you can convince them!), Pearl will stay as is.
Heh, “totally wrong” seems like a wrong phrase to use when discussing art that is performed in a safe manner. Putting your hand in the laser beam – totally wrong. Lasering in a manner that produces a desired effect and is safe for the user and machine – perfectly fine.
I mean that with a subtle appreciation for the accidental hack that is a wild excursion from the normal “rules” of rastering that comes full circle to produce a unique, desirable result. I’m all for breaking the rules.
LB is already capable of some similar things, though. Several. I did a ton of experiments and am doing a lot to expand the rastering capability more than anyone realizes yet- but I’m probably going to need LB fully on board and they’re not, yet. We might be able to do it with external scripts but it’s more hack-ey and probably won’t work.
Indeed. What this eventually turned into is a new invention I’m calling “banshee mode”. It’s based on a really crude hack to exploit a Lightburn bug- and it suddenly creates AMAZING photo images quickly.
Why “banshee”? The acoustics of the laser hitting the wood is so loud you actually need hearing protection. I’m not exaggerating. The sound of the light is a deafening shriek and I’m pretty certain exceeds OSHA limits.
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