• Complete turnkey systems including computer, Spin Browser VE user interface, and control software.
• Affordable video content, chosen for optimum beauty and educational value.
  
• Educational software-only versions.
• Rental and lease-to-own agreements.

Additional pricing factors for the Spin Browser VE system include quantities ordered, display screen size, custom software modifications, commercial versus educational application, and the like.

An orienting PDF document, discussing options of who provides what and why one might choose one route vs. another, ballpark costs, and more, may be found here.

To receive specific pricing and technical details applicable to your project and needs, please call or email TechnoFrolics.

The Spin Browser VE software includes a highly optimized method for playback of compressed digital video at full image size, quality and frame rates, through arbitrary frame sequences determined on the fly.

In most cases, clients provides TechnoFrolics with video source footage on tape. TechnoFrolics then digitized and formats this footage, providing the client with a complete Turnkey system including the computer and user interface.

Typically, the user interfaces takes the form of a rotary dial, optionally with Table of Contents and Play buttons. More exotic custom user interfaces, such as environmental sensors (light, sound, temperature), as well as drum pads, floor sensors, and the like, are available upon request.

Video content may come from any source, and may be up to tens of hours and hundreds of gigabytes in length.

• Document discussing aesthetic issues surrounding video production for the Spin Browser VE system, and listing some of TF's stock offerings SBVE-ContentInfo.pdf.
  
  
• Document providing video and audio technical format notes for video producers SBVE-VideoProducerInfo.pdf.
  
  
• Discussion of MJPEG compression quality, specifically as it relates to color space subsampling.
  
  
• For a complete list of Spin Browser VE software features, please see Appendix B of our Features and Advantages PDF.
  
  
• Spin Browser VE software setup.

Panel Mount Dial

• Photos of three different views of aluminum panel with stainless steel dial (with rulers).
  
  
• PDF CAD drawing of plate mounting.

Note that the 4”x4” aluminum panel may, for aesthetic reasons, be mounted behind display surface. Simply (but carefully) remove the dial by loosening the small set screw located on the dial flange. Be sure your design allows the dial to seat securely and fully on its shaft, and the set screw properly meets the ground flat on the shaft, when reassembling. Also, note that the mounting hole should be sufficiently large to clear the 4 button head screws securing the bearing block, not just the dial itself.

Hemispherical Dome Mount Dial

• Photo of anodized aluminum dome with stainless steel dial.
  
  
• PDF CAD drawing of mounting pattern for circular base.

AD4 Quadrature Adapter

The AD4 quadrature adapter is mounted in a PCI slot in the back of the computer case. It needs to be close enough to allow the short DB9 M/F serial cable to span the PC serial port and the AD4 quadrature adapter serial port. The special surge protected power cable connects the AD4 quadrature adapter to the PC power supply. Finally, the short RJ12 (6 wire phone-style connector) jumper cable connects the AD4 quadrature adapter to the CON-MD6-2J (RJ12 F-F coupler). The latter should be fastened to the outside of the PC case in a location allowing the jumper to reach. Notice in the first image below, there is protective tape on the sharp edges of the PCI slot and the card-place-holder-bracket (We use 3M 471 marking tape available at http://www.mcmaster.com p/n: 6047T33). This will ensure the jumper cable does not become damaged. Better still, if you have the means to do so, we recommend cutting or grinding a grove in the PCI-card-slot-place-holder bracket, deburring the edges, and protecting them with polyethylene edging (McMaster-Carr p/n 8500K77) as illustrated in the third image below.

• Photo of AD4 quadrature adapter installation inside computer case.
  
  
• Photo of PC case rear with connections between:
  
  
• AD4 quadrature adapter and PC serial port
  ,
  
• AD4 quadrature adapter and CON-MD6-2J (RJ12 F-F coupler)
  
  
• Photo of modified PCI place-holder-bracket.

Cable Wiring

The following diagram illustrates a complete wiring assembly of the Spin Browser video explorer from the dial to the PC. This diagram includes the plenum Cat5 cable extension as detailed below.

• Spin Browser VE permanent installation wiring diagram.
  

Plenum Cat5 Extension Cable (for situations where the dial is remoted from computer)

Note that in general it is best to let TechnoFrolics supply the extension hardware from the dial to the quadrature > RS232 serial adapter, rather than have the A/V installer extend the serial signal. The reason for this is that it allows powering the adapter off the computer's power supply, and thus power cycles the adapter when the computer power cycles. The directions below relate to the A/V installer pulling and terminating the Cat5 extension cable.

• Cat5 cabling needs to be terminated at each end with RJ12 connectors (like RJ11 four wire phone connectors, but with six wires/pins).
  
  
• Simply attach the two connectors identically in terms of what wire goes to what pin. In other words, if you placed the two ends of the cable with connectors attached, side by side (not facing each other mirror image!), the wire colors would all be identical.
  
  
• Twisted pair issues within the Cat5 cable.  The quadrature A signal must not be on the same twisted pair as the quadrature B signal.  (Thus, you could pair A with +5, B with ground, or whatever, just not A with B.) Please see an illustration of the pinouts for the RJ12 connector, identifying A and B quadrature channels vs. pin number.
         

Monitor Power Cycling Issues (nothing specific to the Spin Browser VE, but you might want to know)

It used to be, in the "Good Old Days", that switches on monitors were simple mechanical ones, where if they were ON, then whenever 120VAC power was applied, the monitor came on. Thus, an entire set of museum exhibits would start up when power to the building was turned on in the morning.

Those days, unfortunately (in this regard anyway), are gone. Now, virtually all monitors have switches that interface to an internal microcontroller. The consequence of this is:

• Some monitors still function in the old way (even if implemented by new methods).
  
  
• Some monitors will start on application of AC power only if you build a mechanical fixture to hold the power button in always.
  
  
• Most horribly, some monitors require a momentary press to start them up after an AC power cycle.

And unfortunately, one cannot even go by brand in determining which way they will work - even within a brand, some models function one way, and some another.

We mention for two reasons. First, just to alert you so you are not surprised after buying several dozen... Second, to share with you what we know regarding particular models.