This article contains fotogallery and youtube videos from backlighting plastic model of Revell Titanic 100th aniversary.

Titanic 100th aniversary by Revell

Next video depicts process of assembling plastig model with appropriate stages of electronics assembling.

Preview of finaly assemled model with remote IR control show next video.

Final version of program code is available for download here.

The T565A oscilloscope is a universal device for observing voltage waveforms from the lowest frequencies (DC voltages) up to 2 MHz. It can monitor periodic and non-periodic (transient) events with a voltage of 10 mV to 500 V. The large frequency range of amplifiers and time base allows extensive use of the T565A oscilloscope in various fields, such as. in radio engineering, low-current and high-current electrical engineering, in physics, chemistry, biology, both in research and in operation. In all these applications, the possibility of measuring the observed voltages is fully applied.

Schematic and device description in czech language can be obtained from here.

Krátka videoukážka zobrazuje odkrytované zariadenie v prevádzkovom stave.

Vacuum tube tester Tesla BM215 is well know testing device used in supply shops in socialistic Czechoslovakia. For further reading you can visit pages http://www.oldradio.cz/meraky/bm215.htm .

Photogallery of my device during cleaning process and first mesaurment:

List of mesaurment cards is available from link http://www.oldradio.cz/meraky/bm215/karty001.htm . For new or some exotic types of vacuum tubes can be used online generator of mesaurment cards http://sroll.net/ok1srd/technika/bm215/.

Next video show mesaurment device in partialy disasembled state.

The project of program-controlled backlighting of collector’s figurines combines the practical use of arduino IOT modules to provide program-controlled lighting effects as well as the application of LED lighting.

Requirements for the final proposal:

• the ability to independently control the light intensity and color tone of the light in a group of 6 collector’s figures,
• the selection of the backlight program mode must be possible by means of the IR remote control,
• the control module must be compactly integrated in the protective cover,
• the power supply is solved by means of a small pulse source,
• the output power must be sufficient for backlighting consisting of 2 * 3 RGB leds with a consumption of about 10mA per segment (expandable to 9 or 12 collector figures.

The control electronics module consists of a pulse power supply with an output of approximately 30VA. The Arduino Mega module was used as a control module due to the sufficient number of programmable PWM outputs. The PWM output makes it possible to ensure the gradual switching on and off of the individual light strips placed in the packaging of the collector’s figures.

Problems in the implementation phase and their solutions

In the conceptual design phase, despite the selected module, I encountered the problem of insufficient number of PWM outputs, which I solved by introducing a two-state control for the red backlight component (this is a compromise solution).

Power amplification of the outputs is achieved by using Darlington transistors TIP120 purchased from e-bay.

Description of the technical solution of the backlight

The backlight of each figure consists of a pair of LED strips, a part with warm white and an RGB strip. The pictures in the photo gallery show a more detailed link.

Block diagrams of electronics modules

The connection of the control module with the block of Darlington transistors is shown in the following figures (block interconnection diagrams).

The procedure for 3D printing of the protective cover is shown in the following photo gallery.

Tom and bottom part aligned for testing purpousis

Demonstration of the control program

You can download one of the driver versions as an arduino sketch.

I firmly believe that this text will serve as inspiration for the backlighting of other collector’s collections.