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Old 26th May 2018, 11:53 am   #1
PatMorgan
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Default 20'' sinewave display?

I've various sized LCD tv's in my garage and my HiFi (s!!) all set up on various speakers. I was browsing through the home-brew section and wondered if anyone has a cost-effective soloution to display frequency on an LCD to aCt as a 'lightshow'- for entertainment purpose- a sort of oscilloscope?

I'm sure I'm not the only one to have pondered this.
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Old 26th May 2018, 12:06 pm   #2
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

Easiest way is to feed them with a camera pointing at an Oscilloscpe
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Old 26th May 2018, 12:09 pm   #3
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

I think software is available enabling a PC to be used as a 'scope via the sound card.

You could feed the video output from the PC to the TV. Some TV's have an input enabling them to be used as a PC monitor, or you could use a convertor.
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Old 26th May 2018, 12:32 pm   #4
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

In the DOS/Windows era I used to have a program that you ran after starting a music player that displayed the waveforms with various randomly added distortion effects.
It would work on any modern flat screen with a VGA input.
You just need an old DOS box to run it on.
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Old 26th May 2018, 1:05 pm   #5
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

I'm sure I've seen scripts to allow a Raspberry Pi to do this.

A Pi has all the hardware you'd need: audio-in, A/D converter, and HDMI output to the TV.

The rest's just software....
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Old 26th May 2018, 1:49 pm   #6
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

I am pretty sure that the software could be found for almost all operating systems with a search.
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Old 26th May 2018, 1:55 pm   #7
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

There is no A-to-D on a Raspberry Pi. You'll need an external USB audio in device.
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Old 26th May 2018, 5:06 pm   #8
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

I'm sure I've seen input audio-sampling done on a Pi without an external USB audio-in or other hardware. Remember we're not after hi-fi here!
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Old 26th May 2018, 8:10 pm   #9
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

SoundcardScope is a free download. I tried it as I wanted a full screen display of waveform but unfortunately is shows typical scope controls. Might do what you'd like though.

It might be called "PC-scope"
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Old 27th May 2018, 12:43 pm   #10
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

Llama- thats just the job for the amusement/entertainment value I was looking for! Thanks everyone who answered.
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Old 27th May 2018, 6:03 pm   #11
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

(Composite) Video-toVGA converters used to be available. Would that not do the job you require?
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Old 27th May 2018, 8:22 pm   #12
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

I didn’t really want to use a computer/laptop- and so I wondered what might be out there as an alternative- I also don’t own a Pi but have plenty of laptops (as they are throwaway nowadays). In the w95/98 days, WINAMP used to have a ‘scope visual-

I have made a CRT display sound- as its easy, but having a large screen Plasma or LCD display would be good for AV.

There are so many cleaver individuals on here, I wondered if anyone had a CCT of a convertor.

I’m happy with the feedback I’ve received- Even putting a camera/dashcam in front of my 'scope would have worked.

The panel I've plugged into today has most inputs - the early ones had every eventuality.
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Old 27th May 2018, 8:23 pm   #13
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

Just a daft thought, Windows media player used to have ‘visualisations’ that basically made pretty patterns in time with the music, last time I remember it was back when I was using Windows XP! Might just be a case of using that on an old laptop and connect it up to the TV. I think one of the visualisations was a mock oscilloscope type display. Don’t know if they still do it in newer versions of media player?

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Old 27th May 2018, 10:27 pm   #14
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

As Lloyd says XP and windows media player! I now use VLC but it's 'visualizations' are rubbish compared to the old WMP
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Old 28th May 2018, 1:56 am   #15
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

Windows Media Player is still in Windows 10, and still has visualisations.
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Old 30th May 2018, 7:05 am   #16
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

Am sure I have an old Elektor/ETI somewhere that had a audio visualization gadget that showed groovey changing patterns on your tele. From memory they weren't very far out, just diamond shapes.

Also dredging the memory banks i think Techmoan featured a commercial device that did the same not long back.

For the ultimate scope display see - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19jv0HM92kw which we've covered before here on UKVRR

Andy.
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Old 30th May 2018, 10:02 pm   #17
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

Thanks Andy- I saw the same review of the Scope that he showed/demonstrated- its probably what sparked my request! There is some good stuff on Techmoans feed.
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Old 31st May 2018, 4:12 am   #18
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

I built the Elektor one and couldn't get it to work at the time, probably still in a box somewhere if I haven't recycled the parts.

Will have a dig and see if I can find the article.
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Old 31st May 2018, 6:36 am   #19
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

"There is some good stuff on Techmoans feed." He does good video's, well polished, must take him ages.

Audio visualization I found a bit heavy on the eyeballs, unless you had a suitable muscle relaxent, like 8 pints of Shipstones or Bass as suitable to hitching a ride on a Vogon spaceship. The Elektor project I guess was partly influenced by psychadelic's ( and cheap IC's) , but unless you've dropped a trip, tends to get boring. Those visualization's on WMP are good, but again you still need something other than Old Peculiar to appreciate them. Mind you I once had some 12 year old homemade wine that was decidedly mind altering.

I guess nowadays a laser display would be practical at home, but maybe not a good idea, lest you blind the cat or the missus : )

If anyone's interested in the Elektor article and Terry can't find it, I'll see if I can find it.

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Old 31st May 2018, 8:14 am   #20
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Default Re: 20'' sinewave display?

IIRC the Elektor one put Lissajous figures on-screen using two adjustable sinewave oscillators that themselves were modulated Might be mistaking it for another project though. I do recall making one back in 86(?) though.
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