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Deadmau5 helmet (a "helmet" full of LEDs)

Dallas95

Dec 6, 2010
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What would you have to do to recreate this=
= from an electronics standpoint?
 

LTX71CM

May 23, 2010
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The blue mouse head? It's a simple LED matrix mounted and controlled in a creative way. You could roll your own with microcontrollers, transistor arrays and some programming or hack up a commercial LED sign.
 

Dallas95

Dec 6, 2010
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Any guides or anything you could show me or give me instructions on how to do this?
 

LTX71CM

May 23, 2010
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Do you have any electronics experience? Soldering equipment? Programming knowledge? Are you a technically inclined individual?
 

Laplace

Apr 4, 2010
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I'm not so sure that the mouse head is constructed from an LED matrix. It looks more like the result of video rotoscoping with color screening, and masking or keyframe tracking. The mouse head may just be a mask where another video signal is substituted for the mask. See your local weather report where the reporter is standing in front of the weather map. If this is done in real time it would require some sophisticated video switching circuitry. But if the effect is created at your leisure, then it could be done with some Adobe software.
 

LTX71CM

May 23, 2010
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Plausible but that would make for a lackluster live display. That means the live audience just saw a person in a mouse head, not beyond the realm of possbility but unimpressive nonetheless.

If you notice the (presumably LED) light reflects off of the ears, not a clear sign the display was real but it's either real or someone really paid attention to detail.

In either case I think both methods are an option depending on what Dallas95's ultimate goal is.

Edit: Just noticed a conduit coming from the back of the mask. I would have to think that's how the lights receive power and possibly control data. Glad to know that person didn't have a battery stuck in their face.
 
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ChoTai

Dec 6, 2010
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Deadmau5 helmet (a "helmot" full of LEDs)

I'm currently working on a Deadmau5 helmet. Specifically this helmet
CS1671816-02A-BIG.jpg


The wiring is going to be pretty simple as I don't want them to change color or anything but I had a question.

The way you see out of this thing is through the mouth and as you can plainly see, it will be filled with LEDs, Do you think it would be possible to see through the wiring and LEDs? If not does anyone have any ideas on a sort of work around to make sure I could see through this thing?

Thank You!
 

LTX71CM

May 23, 2010
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Are you two related? https://www.electronicspoint.com/lights-t229021.html

Just a coincidence?

Yes if spaced properly and wired with a little grace you should be able to see through the cluster of LEDs, about as well as you can see out of any other mask with hidden holes. I think the biggest hurdle is not being blinded by reflected light from the LEDs. If you use LEDs with a water clear lens maybe you could paint the back of the lights to minimize the problem.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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Coincidence or not, I'm merging them. :)
 

Dallas95

Dec 6, 2010
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I dont think he paid 46 thousand dollars for a mask that doesnt even light up lol. so anyways how would i go about doing this?
 

LTX71CM

May 23, 2010
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Dallas95 I ask again,
Do you have any electronics experience? Soldering equipment? Programming knowledge? Are you a technically inclined individual?
.

If your answer is no to everything above you need to start looking for someone to build it for you. On the surface it's a simple mask with LEDs. How you control and operate them however is a different story.

$46K seems a bit steep for what is essentially a custom mask shell with a few hundred RGB LEDs and a controller. Even $4,600 would be pushing it but is more in-line with what I would expect.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Fourty-six thousand dollars! :eek:

Someone saw him coming. :D
 

clear_skies

Dec 25, 2010
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Hi LTX71CM,

I'm very interested in creating this led head also, how much would you estimate it would
cost for the electronics? I'm looking for the cheapest solution with maximum effect, can it be done or will it definately be 1000's?

Thanks,
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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I would look at the drivers which exist for LED diplays. Typically these are modular, and drive (say) some number of 8x8 grids of multiplexed LEDs.

Those are for flat panels, so what you'd need to do is alter the number of panels in each row to make it follow a series of smaller circumference cylinders, or start omitting columns.

Rather than using an existing LED grid, you would want to wire up your own with the columns slightly wider apart at one end than the other so they stack up to form a cone rather than a cylinder.

You would have to map your spherical image onto the oddly dimensioned grid, and this may take a little software effort.

I think it might cost you thousands, but not tens of thousands.
 

clear_skies

Dec 25, 2010
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I would look at the drivers which exist for LED diplays. Typically these are modular, and drive (say) some number of 8x8 grids of multiplexed LEDs.

Those are for flat panels, so what you'd need to do is alter the number of panels in each row to make it follow a series of smaller circumference cylinders, or start omitting columns.

Rather than using an existing LED grid, you would want to wire up your own with the columns slightly wider apart at one end than the other so they stack up to form a cone rather than a cylinder.

You would have to map your spherical image onto the oddly dimensioned grid, and this may take a little software effort.

I think it might cost you thousands, but not tens of thousands.

Thanks for the reply. I did a little searching for how exactly Deadmau5's official LED head is done and came up with this.

..custom version that contains 964 SMD pixels (LEDs) around the front of the head...They are running 3 of XL's full spec Catalyst media servers....The second machine is used to run the LED Mouse Head...It is pixel-mapped in the Catalyst, which sends 12 universes of DMX via an ArtNet DataLynx OP box into the Head, and from there, protocol converters transform the DMX into visual information for the pixels....

Incredibly complicated. I suppose I'm looking for a cheap alternative method of creating a similar effect, even if I could just program certain patterns into a small rectangular grid for the mouth area of the head.

I'd love to hear any ideas you have for something like this, if any at all! Thanks again for your reply.
 
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