Introduction: Extracting Blue Laser Diode From Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player
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About: Robb was once an Artist-in-Residence at Autodesk's Pier 9. they went to Carnegie Mellon to study Art. they mostly do tangible artifacts that are often complex. they can be reached at www.robb.cc
Photos showing process of removing laser from HD-DVD drive.
NOTE: in one of the final steps I shattered my diode. be extremely careful when punching diode out of its heat sink. when powered my shattered diode lit up very dimly. I hope you have better luck.
thanks to user mb4004 for help and to KipKay for inspiration.
28 Comments
13 years ago on Introduction
Is there any reason, other than getting it to fit in your project, that you need to remove the heat sink?
Reply 11 months ago
@robitguy4 only reason I see would be to upgrade to bigger heatsink or like you said fitting into a project
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
yes, the laser is the drive assy is not made to project a beam. my casing has a lens that causes the diode to produce a usable beam, otherwise, its just a light.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Ah, ok. What if one were to just modify the casing so it somehow fit around the heat sink?
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
you need a lens to focus the light into a beam. i don't think the lenses in the HD-DVD drive would work.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
K, just checking.
14 years ago on Introduction
Nice!
This would go great as an Instructable.
You should try it out!
And don't delete this slideshow; it's okay to have both.
+5/5 stars.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Thanks! but I figure I should confirm that this works before I make an instructable. i broke mine, so i have no way of knowing how bright they are. if anyone successfully extracts their diode and has photos of it in use, I'll happily use them in an instructable.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Why did you decide to extract it from your 360? Was there a problem with it?
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
i took it out of the HD-DVD drive, not the x-box. its an external HD-DVD drive. it was about 40 dollars on ebay and i wanted to make a blue laser pointer.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
how did it shatter? and how do you know?
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
it shattered when i used an object with too mall of a diameter to punch the diode from its place. the brass on the front surrounding the glass plate was caved in and the glass plate was shattered. when i apply current to the diode it glows very very weakly. considerably less bright than a $3 red laser pointer. the light emitted does not form a circle as it does with my red diode with out a lens, it makes a trianglarish offset uneven blob. i do not know that much about electronics or lasers but the performance of the diode(or what's left of it) doesn't match up with KiKay's blu-ray phaser when i am told that they use the same diode. i am fairly certain i was applying the right voltage because i supplied it thru a regulator circuit kit i bought on ebay that was specifically for blue laser diodes.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
what should you use to punch it out of the annoying little heat sink?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
i used to pliers needle nose and flat head i think it is called and put one on the left and one on the right and twist in opposite directions it will take some force because they a liquid welded together and practice on the red lase part before you try the blue laser if you want the blue laser and practice on the blue laser if you want red laser.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
a punch of the appropriate diameter. i don't know what the diameter is. you could probably use the tail end of a drillbit
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
i bought on ebay
Thats where you went wrong,my friend
you cant expect stuff like that from ebay to work well
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
the regulator i bought worked fine. i shattered the diode myself. my fault entirely, friend.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Ok...? I can't really remember posting that comment, I don't even support it anymore >_<
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
lol, i don't remember posting half of the comments I've posted. it's alright.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Yeah neither do i XD