Using older eyes with a newer board

[JawCrusher]

Not sure if this has been explored or conqured yet. Thought I'd make a little post about eyes and boards.

I curently have a 2000 LCD that HAD an IR3 board ACE'd by warped sportz. Wanting to get away from the IR3 board and the older style micro switch, I decided to pick up an A4 fly board that utilized the ribbon eyes. I was told no other eyes aside from the ribbon eyes would work. Wrong... I noticed that the female end for the ribbon eye port on the board had 4 contacts. They eye's I have on my gun each have 2 wires. Doing some testing with a fluke meter I was able to determine that the eyes on my gun would indeed work if I could get the eyes to "plug" into the small ribbon eye port. After some cutting and soldering, I was able to "plug" in my current eyes on the A4 fly board and it works like a charm. I thought I'd throw this out there because I know there might be some confusion about older or other eyes working with newer boards. Sure they'll work... it'll just take a little more fabrication.

Hope this finds someone well.

[JawCrusher]

Here's a diagram that may help. Sorry, it's VERY crude. Whipped it up on photoshop. If you own an A4 Fly Board you'll see exactly what the diagram explains. Basic draw-up for the wire schematics. Tells you what wires go where for both the receiver eye and the IR transmitter eye. Hope this helps.
NOTE: THE DIAGRAM BELOW IS NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE. PLEASE REFER TO THE REVISED DIAGRAM IN THE NEXT POST
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a112/Phunkadilic/flydiag.jpg

[JawCrusher]

Ok, so as mentioned, the diagram above is not entirely accurate. Though it will work, it's not the proper way to set up your eyes. The diagram below shows the proper setup as well as where the receiver and emitter eyes go.

A couple notes. For those of you who want normal IR eyes, do as the diagram suggests and simply buy/create an eye set with an IR LED and an IR (900-950 nanometer) phototransistor. Both look identical to a typical LED you find in many applications. If you want an eye setup that is identical to the "laser eye" setup that WDP offers, buy any LED for the emitter (any color) and a phototransistor with the range of 400-700 nanometers for the receiver. Please be aware that there is currently no such thing as a true laser eye. The "laser eyes" offered by WDP use visible color LED's with a phototransistor "eye" that detects when the light has been blocked or when it is passing. The smallest, readily available eye I've been able to find is 3mm. I believe that's what places like Warped Sportz and Tag Sportz use. Anyways, here's the diagram and I hope it helps some people out there.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a112/Phunkadilic/Angel/Eye/flydiag_rev.jpg
***NOTE**** Doing some testing, I found out that the way the PT connects into the board is actually reversed. The diagram above is correct for the most part but since the PT is a receiver, its polarity is reversed. So, if you have a PT, make sure to place the Negative end in the top contact (3rd down from the top) and the Positive end in the bottom contact (4th down from the top). Sorry for the confusion.

[Shibbykins]

that is a great tech addition. keep up the good work!

J

[newball]

How did you get the eyes into the slot on the board? Pics? Any plugs you can solder on?

[JawCrusher]

I went to an electronics store and found some very small connector plugs. The plug had metal contacts that were molded into the plastic. I took the metal contacts out and soldered them individually to each wire. They fit in the Angel Eye slot one-by-one. I used heat shrink to make sure the contacts wouldn't touch.

Best picture I have is this...

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a112/Phunkadilic/Angel/eye_harn.jpg

Since I've been doing testing with LED's and what not, my wires are all disconnected. I should be able to get a better picture and post it up.

[newball]

I think I get the idea but better pictures would be nice. I just ordered parts so that I can try this myself.

[JawCrusher]

I think I get the idea but better pictures would be nice. I just ordered parts so that I can try this myself.

What parts did you order (just out of curiosity).

[newball]

I ordered some different colored LED's http://www.pc-elektronik.dk/shop/productinfo.asp?id=9898 (I am from Denmark)
Photoresistor BPX 81 http://mse.beep.pl/i/bpx81x.jpg
Flat cable for the wires http://www.pc-elektronik.dk/shop/productinfo.asp?id=1033

I am hoping that I can fit the eyes instead of stock eyes with these components but I am not sure.

[JawCrusher]

I ordered some different colored LED's http://www.pc-elektronik.dk/shop/productinfo.asp?id=9898 (I am from Denmark)
Photoresistor BPX 81 http://mse.beep.pl/i/bpx81x.jpg
Flat cable for the wires http://www.pc-elektronik.dk/shop/productinfo.asp?id=1033

I am hoping that I can fit the eyes instead of stock eyes with these components but I am not sure.

That LED you posted a picture of looks VERY similar to the stock WDP eyes as far as shape. You're going to want to go with that style if you want to have it fit in the stock holes on your gun. My LCD was drilled since it did not come stock with eyes. I believe it was drilled to fit 3mm eyes.

[newball]

That LED you posted a picture of looks VERY similar to the stock WDP eyes as far as shape. You're going to want to go with that style if you want to have it fit in the stock holes on your gun. My LCD was drilled since it did not come stock with eyes. I believe it was drilled to fit 3mm eyes.

Yup, thats why i picked them. I hope i can make eyes to use stock because the price for eyes here is around 60$ which is crazy.