mcopy/Readme.md

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mcopy

An open platform for controlling small-gauge film optical printers (16mm, Super8, 8mm).


  1. Introduction
  2. Software
  3. Firmware
  4. Hardware
  5. Why?

Introduction

The mcopy project is comprised of software and hardware for optical printers, built with re-purposed broken projectors.

Downloads

Components

  • Sequencer desktop app
  • Scripting language, called mscript, for complex sequences
  • Arduino firmware for projectors, cameras, lights and existing printers
  • 3D models of parts

Software

The mcopy desktop app is an Electron-based project which can be built for Linux, Windows and Mac.

Firmware

This project contains Arduino formware for controlling:

  • projector
  • camera (see intval2 for more info)
  • light
  • projector + camera
  • projector + light
  • camera + light
  • projector + camera + light

Using a simple interface, this modular platform can be used to control custom-built and modified legacy optical printers.

Hardware

All hardware for this project is available as plaintext OpenSCAD files and 3D print-able .STL files. The hardware component of this project is aimed at modifying broken Bell & Howell projectors into USB serial-controlled projectors to be used in optical printing.

Why?

I'm interested in expanding the viability and access of the 16mm film format and to repurpose thre rising tide of discarded film technology.