DIY laser turntable plays Morton Subotnick's "Silver Apples of the Moon"

[Sloyment]

It only works properly with a CD

[dddrum]

This should have been developed right around the time the CD was introduced. They could have sold combo units, like they did with CD/cassette tape players. Imagine... we could expand our music libraries in the new-tech medium, while retaining the ability to play our vinyl collections, AND extending the life of those LP records indefinitely. WIN-WIN!

But then, we would not be forced to re-purchase our extensive, lovingly assembled collections, would we? Can you say "cash cow," kids?

[eurscher1]

11-06-2011; Doesn't it seem rather "Bang & Olufson-ish" to you this concept has indeed been deployed? Albeit crafty,Unkle Morton deserves equitable YouTube studio-time,instead.I'll patiently wait for this electronic composers' next anticipated impetus,the electronic synthesizer equipment he's operating can be ubusually difficult to configure for imaginarians like myself.Photo-diodes are susceptable to hacking tactics.-Seclusionos.

[oatstao]

since when can one generate audio with photo diodes? There are basic principles here people are missing that are not in-tact for this to work. hahah when he pulls across the grooves, since when would a Lazer make the noise of a physical mass induced Stylus? DEBUNKED. on top of the multi layered overlay of 'sound effects' to give the impression of esoteric distortion and simple bit mashed sounds (all preprocessed/rehearsed of course) funny! . hahah

[Jarren202]

Crazy! Nice work.

[SPAZZOID100]

sounds like SHIT

[fredontube]

The photo diode should be on the same side as the laser, the groove reflects the beam back!

[hotlanta71]

sounds great!

[thenoti1]

love the sound...it's crystal clear (-:

[EA78751]

thanks to everyone whos contributed their ideas and observations to this thread.

[keb1980]

A high resolution scan is still a digital copy and that mean the audio is taken in samples. A laser can convert the grooves of the lp into a wave a light and then to a sound wave. This means that the audio stays analog.

[myrecordcollection]

That's really cool. And good choice with the record--love that early synth stuff. Then again, that laser pointer would probably make any record sound synthy.

[akrillx]

there have been turntables that play vinyl with a laser since 1990???

[rockabillycat1954]

there is a laser turntable available, however it costs thousands of dollars. here's the website for it elpj.com

[W2QYVkz789]

It's like to an optical fibre turntable.

[YearOfCam]

You're on to something ... I have long believed that the time of laser-read vinyl has come --- IN FACT it came back in the 80s when they had seemingly perfected CD technology. If they can read those pits etched in aluminum, then surely they can do the same with vinyl.

Why a major manufacturer hasn't put laser to vinyl to produce something as good as analog but without wear and tear to the record, is beyond me -- wouldn't you all say the time has come? (how 'bout it, manufacturers?)

[cranie4]

@YearOfCam They have and do exist. Back in the 80's the patent was purchased by a company with vested interest in the success of CD's and buried it. Only now can you buy one. However I was not impressed with the sound quality. You get more benefit of it's "no wear" feature than it's sound quality over a needle. Listen to the examples to see elpj.com

[spacehelmetforacow]

@cranie4 The main problem with them is that, with no needle to bulldoze dust out of the way, and only analog out (preventing digital noise reduction), you hear EVERY SINGLE dust speck and mold spore.

That, and the turntables cost nearly $10,000 each!

It's a nice idea, but it needs work...

It's a cool idea

[FooNado]

Ok so as much as i understand even if you will assemble all of this together there is still no way in receiving a stereo sound using everyday household tools.

[albertusj]

If you make the laser spot smaller (50micron) you'll get the high frequencies too. Right now the sport is massive so only the low frequencies come through.Cool experiment.I assume you just convert the light intensities to voltages and amplify.Lotsa fun.

[albertusj]

Mount your laser assembly on the tone arm. the arm will provide tracking. How do you process the signal from the fiber?

[kevoice]

A few years ago I ran across a program (source only) called d-needle which converted high resolution scans of albums into audio. The audio was pretty bad, but it was recognizable. Perhaps an integration of the two ideas would yield better results

[EA78751]

hmm I wonder if it sounds worse than mine!

[F0gstridEr]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

[powerfist]

Awesome...

[footinmouthindustrys]

thats awesome!

[DeRex9]

fantastic idea

D.....................;-)

[Trance88]

That is uber cool! If you could just develop a tracking system it would be even cooler!!

[2012timesend]

What is the lasers output power ?

[EA78751]

its the <5mW cheapo type from the drugstore.

[Maxxarcade]

That's cool... I wonder if it would work better on a brighter colored vinyl?

[EA78751]

like see-thru? I cant even begin to imagine...

[Bloodclaatkrabbz]

@Maxxarcade: doesn't work, because not enough light is reflected. Google ELP Laser Turntable, there is a finished commercial product of this kind out there. Pricetag is hefty of course......

[Jakstr1981]

@Bloodclaatkrabbz It actually is working. The work he's playing is..... unique. It can be found here on youtube. Of course... he is picking up a fair amount of noise as well.

[Bloodclaatkrabbz]

@Jakstr1981 I'm not saying the principle doesn't work, I was responding to Maxxarcades question, saying that any kind of transparent or oddly colored vinyl won't work, because it won't reflect the light properly. Google ELP laser turntable and read the QA section..

[ChemicalComedown]

That sounds so TRIPPY . . .

[ChrisLody]

That's really cool, got to try that myself. I remember seeing an actual laser record player on a program called Tomorrow's World back in the eighties. It had 3 lazers I think to calculate the height of the peaks and sounded really nice. Cost a fortune though. And yes, I like experiments: )

[biggerflexible]

This is what i'm talking about.

[synthmonger]

This reminds me of a sculptor who took needles that picked up audio on rotating ceramic cylinders. I take it you've experimented with other surfaces?

Very cool man.

[EA78751]

sounds cool. who is that? I should have tried playing the label in the middle of the record. oh well.

[synthmonger]

I can't remember. I think it was a local artist in San Francisco. One of the teachers talked to me about it only for a few minutes.