Finally a complete VFX1 Linkbox Solution!!!

December 2011

I’ve come back to this project after several years in school. I always wanted to complete it so I spent some of my free time over the last year doing just that. This link box takes the information provided on my website on earlier VFX1 Linkbox pages and uses it to produce a complete solution. I’m very happy to finally have finished this. I still love to use the VFX1.

This linkbox provides video to both LCDs, stereo 3D using line blanking interlaced stereo, fully calibrated head tracking support, full control of the VFX1 through USB, audio input, and microphone output. I’ve written the firmware, software, designed the hardware, and even built a chassis. The final product has turned out quite nice.

Shown below is the front and rear panels of the VFX1 Linkbox itself. The Linkbox can accept a single video input on the LEFT INPUT channel which it splits and feeds to both internal video boards, or it can be setup for dual input video on the LEFT INPUT and RIGHT INPUT channels. If you want to use line blanking interlaced 3D stereo then just the LEFT INPUT channel input is used. The rear panel allows the input video to be routed to the video cards via the L VIDEO IN and R VIDEO IN. The L MONITOR and R MONITOR ports are pass throughs for displaying on an external monitor. Then there’s the power plug, audio input, microphone output, and the USB port for controlling the VFX1.

To calibrate the head tracker in the VFX1 and the sensors in the Cyberpuck, I had to create a calibration table.  The images below show the CalSuite software which controls the VFX1 as well as the calibration table.  The cal table image on the right shows a computer controlled tilt and pan unit that I can step in sub degree steps for calibrating the sensors.

For more information I can email out a complete package of information that contains all the source code for the firmware and software, as well as the chassis design files, pdfs on calibrations, and VFX1 linkbox theory of operations.  The file is ~35Mbytes so I can’t link it here.  Email me at klmellott at gmail.com and I would be happy to send out the information.  I’ve saved the VFX1 Theory of Operations from the zip file as a webpage.

About Me

Hi, my name is Kevin Mellott. Virtual Reality is one of my major passions. My original Mellott’s VR Page was started on Geocities in 1998 as part of a class project. Much of the original content is still maintained on this site for reference. This new website is intended to give the older site a new look and allow me to expand with new projects in the future.