Small-gauge film optical printer platform
Go to file
Matt McWilliams c7cb4ddbc5 Create the first design of the orbital mount and make slight adjustment to panel (screws were not attaching fully). 2023-09-24 22:46:38 -04:00
app Create the first design of the orbital mount and make slight adjustment to panel (screws were not attaching fully). 2023-09-24 22:46:38 -04:00
data Create the first design of the orbital mount and make slight adjustment to panel (screws were not attaching fully). 2023-09-24 22:46:38 -04:00
docs Upload screenshots of app 2018-10-05 18:05:16 -04:00
hardware Save work on the JK99 shield. 2022-11-13 17:35:18 -05:00
ino Commit all work in progress 2023-09-21 21:06:31 -04:00
notes Proof of concept works. Nano can proxy requests to ESP32 via soft serial and then receives confirmation after event. Nano has a cleaner serial interface and will not throw junk into mcopy app serial listener. 2023-07-04 18:45:51 -04:00
processing Create the first design of the orbital mount and make slight adjustment to panel (screws were not attaching fully). 2023-09-24 22:46:38 -04:00
scad Create the first design of the orbital mount and make slight adjustment to panel (screws were not attaching fully). 2023-09-24 22:46:38 -04:00
scripts Update lens assembly to start using a 2020 frame 2023-09-05 23:15:32 -04:00
src Manual merge from capper branch: all changes to devices library. 2023-08-06 15:04:33 -04:00
stl Work on projector (wrong) 2023-09-14 23:30:29 -04:00
.gitignore Proof of concept works. Nano can proxy requests to ESP32 via soft serial and then receives confirmation after event. Nano has a cleaner serial interface and will not throw junk into mcopy app serial listener. 2023-07-04 18:45:51 -04:00
.gitmodules Add sprocketed roller module 2023-04-28 15:35:54 -04:00
LICENSE Update license as work has been ongoing since 2018 2021-02-22 13:26:21 -05:00
Readme.md Add project home and mirrors to Readme 2023-04-07 09:44:51 -04:00
package-lock.json Create the first design of the orbital mount and make slight adjustment to panel (screws were not attaching fully). 2023-09-24 22:46:38 -04:00
package.json Create the first design of the orbital mount and make slight adjustment to panel (screws were not attaching fully). 2023-09-24 22:46:38 -04:00
tsconfig.json Refactor mscript GUI code into Typescript 2022-08-07 22:10:53 -04:00

Readme.md

mcopy

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

Project Home - git.sixteenmillimter.com/16mm/mcopy


  1. Introduction
  2. Downloads
  3. Usage
  4. Software
  5. Firmware
  6. Hardware
  7. Why?

Introduction

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

Components

  • Sequencer desktop app
  • Scripting language, called mscript, for orchestrating complex sequences
  • Arduino firmware for projectors, cameras, lights and existing printers
  • 3D models of parts used for modifying projectors and printers
  • Schematics for simple Arduino-based electronics
  • Filmout feature for digitally transferring video and images to analog film
  • Interoperability with the intval3 intervalometer

Downloads

Latest Installers

  • 1.6.9 for macOS, Linux (.deb) and Windows (.msi)

Older Versions

  • 1.6.7 for macOS and Linux (.deb)
  • 1.6.4 for macOS, Linux (.deb) and Windows (.msi)
  • 1.6.2 for macOS
  • 1.6.1 for macOS
  • 1.5.2 for macOS
  • 1.4.9 for macOS and Linux (.deb)
  • 1.2.0 for macOS and Linux (.deb)
  • 1.0.3 for macOS and Linux (.deb)

For Windows, you can install from source for now.

Usage

The software requires your hardware to be in place before the mcopy control app is useful.

mcopy app

Software

The mcopy desktop app is an Electron-based project which can be built for Linux, Windows and macOS. Pre-built packages will be made available for macOS, initially, with the other two target platforms to follow. To build the desktop app from source, see the installation and running instructions. The desktop software also interoperates with two related projects; the Bluetooth + Wifi capable, Raspberry Pi-based INTVAL3 and the Arduino-based intval2.

Firmware

This project contains Arduino formware for controlling:

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

Using a simple serial interface, this modular platform can be used to control DIY components, modified existing optical printers or a mixture of components. The desktop app can connect to multiple serial devices, so your mcopy optical printer can be built from various designs that suit your hardware tastes/needs/available parts.

Hardware

All non-electronic 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.

As a secondary capability, this desktop software and firmware package can be used to replace the sequencers for early-model JK optical printers, with some modification.

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.