257 replies to this topic

[webby]

 

Well here it finally is....  addressable LEDS!

 

 

After seeing randr showing off addressable leds in action in his cabinet, I knew I would eventually want it!  Well here we go!

 

The idea is that addressable leds can be controlled individually throughout a strip instead having the entire strip turn on / off / change colour, etc.  As a result you can create cool animation and effects that can be used on the sides and back of your playfield in a pinball cabinet. They are 3 pin strips that run on 5V with a 5V, DATA, and GND line. The controller I'm using is a Teensy, and the software that controls it is DOF (Direct Output Framework)

 

For my cabinet, my playfield TV lays down on rails, so I couldn't just stick the led strips on the inside of the cabinet, as they may get in the way if I ever need to remove the TV. So I needed to have them mounted on something.  You can buy proper aluminum channels, but to order them online was quite costly with crappy CDN dollar and shipping.

 

So I decided to use these shelf rail things I found. They are normally mounted on a wall with the opening facing the wall so you can install shelf supports in the slots. They were cheap and they were black so they matched my cabinet inside perfectly. I just had to put in some long strips of backboard for the leds to stick on, or they would be in too deep and it would be hard to see them while playing.

 

 

 

The led strips I purchased are 144 per meter. I have over 700 leds installed. Thats alot of leds! As a result I had to use a dedicated 5V power supply rated at 60A! No matter what length of 144 / meter strip you buy, they all come with 0.5 meter strips soldered together. So if you want a seamless looking strip, you'll need to cut off an led or two and solder it back together. Since my work's soldering station just died, I was stuck with my crappy 21 year soldering iron. For the side led strips I wasn't worried about cutting them to make them look seamless.

 

 

Here is the matrix I made for the back of the playfield. This will look like a low-res led screen. It can be made up of how ever many led strips you want as the DOF software will just scale to whatever you have. I used my 2 meter strips and their middle 0.5 meter sections for the back matrix, as they were the perfect size without me having to cut any strips and resolder them to size.  I did however have to solder the 5V, data and gnd pins to and from each strip.

 

 

...and here it is in the back of the cabinet.

 

 

The connections start at the Teensy controller which is plugged into the computer via usb. Then the Teensy has a cat5 cable output that uses 2 of its wires for the GND and DATA line going to the first strip...which is the right playfield strip. The DATA line then gets connected to and from each strip / matrix, for a continuos connection. 5V and GND also needs to be tapped in at the begginning of each strip and the matrix, as there are alot of leds that need power.

 

 

These LEDS are REALLY bright on max brightness. To cut down on that and also to make it so you can't even see the led strips when they are off.... I had a custom piece of tinted plex-glass (5mm) made for the back matrix. That alone wasn't enough, so I needed to add window tint to the front of the plex-glass. I put on 20% tint. This combined with the plex-glass tint was perfect and hid the leds completely until they light up. Now I want to do the same for the sides, but I don't know if I can get plexi-glass cut that small and long.

 

 

Success! After setting up the DOF software, the leds strips look amazing!   It's hard to describe all the effects they do while playing, but here is a picture showing the back matrix displaying animations while browsing in Pinball X.

 

 

 

....and here is a video describing what the setup is, and showing what is looks like in Pinball X!

 

 

 

 

I'll make another video that will show some gameplay that shows off the cool effects while playing!

 

Hi Terry,

Love the Machine and im following on Youtube also.

 

Also an idea for tinting the sides, when you fit glass run a strip of tint down both sides, instead?

 

Just a quick question about the matrix. I read that you need to inject power every 180leds or every other meter of LEDs in yous [and my] case. I dont see that on yours?

You have daisy chained power and the only input is the first Led, right?

Is this because your PSU is 60Amp?

Thanks,

Webster

Edited by webby, 14 September 2018 - 05:51 AM.

[TerryRed]

Hi Terry,

 

 

Love the Machine and im following on Youtube also.

 

Just a quick question about the matrix. I read that you need to inject power every 180leds or every other meter of LEDs in yous [and my] case. I dont see that on yours?

You have daisy chained power and the only input is the first Led, right?

Is this because your PSU is 60Amp?

Thanks,

Webster

 

 

 

No, I have injected power at the sides strips, and at the Back Matrix.

[ellitehaxor]

Hi Terry, love the build been following your build for some time now and decided to pull the trigger on the light and feedback upgrades for my cab (long over due). I was looking at the addressable LED's add on and I was wondering which Teensy board did you go with? I was looking at the 3.2 version, but noticed the hardware improvements of the 3.6 version. I didn't know if you would have a good recommendation of which one to use on a system similar to yours? Thanks for your time and the dedication you put into the pinball community. Keep up the awesome work!!

[TerryRed]

Hi Terry, love the build been following your build for some time now and decided to pull the trigger on the light and feedback upgrades for my cab (long over due). I was looking at the addressable LED's add on and I was wondering which Teensy board did you go with? I was looking at the 3.2 version, but noticed the hardware improvements of the 3.6 version. I didn't know if you would have a good recommendation of which one to use on a system similar to yours? Thanks for your time and the dedication you put into the pinball community. Keep up the awesome work!!

 

I use a Teensy 3.1 which is now replaced with 3.2, and that is what many people today have been using with good results.

[ellitehaxor]

Thank you very much for the info. Will be getting that one.

[TerryRed]

Here is a new preview video of my Transformers PuP-Pack...but now with all new high quality stereo music from the OST of the movies! This is not cruddy mono SAM sound from the rom...this is all new music files played from Pinup-Player controlled completely by gameplay events. Let's call them PuP-Tracks!

 

I show many of the modes quickly so you can hear a lot of the music. 

 

You also get to see "Battle For Cybertron". The final game mode. I have a good 19 videos just for that mode, but you only see some of them in the video.

 

Featuring:

 

-new OST music for every mode (a lot)
-your choice (Autobot or Decepticon) will determine the main mode's music that will play (one player only)
-Autobots and Decepticon's main mode music will also change with every new game!
-OST music is totally optional
-I have a special track at the end (for High Score) just for Optimus Pin!

 

I made this work by using Pinball Browser to "mute" all the music files in the table's rom. Sam sound is limited to mono 24000Hz quality...so these PuP-Tracks are a complete game changer for SAM tables that was only previously possible in the Future Pinball versions.

 

To use these PuP-Tracks, you will need to use my "muted" custom rom.

 

You can always turn down the table's VPX sound if you want the PuP-Pack's music louder.

 

This PuP-Pack will REQUIRE an even newer update (possibly 1.3.7 beta) to Pinup Player that will be made available.

 

This PuP-Pack should be available soon. I'm currently converting it down to a smaller size from the current....yup.... 3GB+ that it is right now! Since I was able to convert Stranger Things: SE from 2.5 GB down to 600MB....I'm hoping I can do similar with this Pup-Pack!

 

Heavily inspired (and a few music files borrowed) from Rom and SLAMT1LT's excellent FP version.

 

Enjoy the video!

 

https://youtu.be/i5Y8nRuu4aE

 

 

Edited by TerryRed, 18 September 2018 - 04:22 AM.

[TerryRed]

When it's approved on DOF Config Tool...you too can have this new Transformers light show. This was the quickest and easiest DOF MX Led update I've ever done. Explosions, laser blasts, electrical effects, and flasher effects positioned around the playfield.

 

https://youtu.be/59stshEQDZk

 

Edited by TerryRed, 26 September 2018 - 06:37 AM.

[TerryRed]

So this is my final look for my Jaws PuP-Pack. I MUST have everything locked down as final before I can make the rest of the pack because of the drop shadows and also the effects I do. This video shows the default look, but at half way you will see the DRAIN effect I’m playing with. Just wait for it. This Pack is using a video underlay layer at 60fps for the water, main video layer in the middle, overlay still image for the frame, and the bottom middle video layer changes for Text and modes, or can be used for UltraDMD for those who need to. I also have an Overlay Video layer for the Drain effect…maybe others…not sure yet.

 

 

https://youtu.be/oz4FUCJaBb0

 

[gimli246]

Looks Cool Terry !
 

Edited by gimli246, 03 November 2018 - 04:28 PM.

[TerryRed]

Here's a video demo of my new Masters of the Universe (VPX) PuP-Pack. I went beyond my original Mastered mod for the FP table! This PuP-Pack features an Underlay layer for the sky that will change video effects for each MB mode as well strike lightning when you hit your flippers. The castle's eyes will change colour for each MB mode and other events. The center videos play action from events throughout the entire game. All of this is covered by an Overlay layer of Castle Grayskull. This all makes for a stellar combination!

 

The original (stunning) Castle Grayskull image was made by Ankit Bhatnagar.

 

The modified image was edited by Tarcisio Caleiro.

 

The Visual Pinball X conversion (of Rom's excellent Future Pinball original table) was converted by randr.

 

Pinup Player (the software that plays the active video backglass) was created by Nailbuster.

 

PuP-Pack was created by: TerryRed...and will be available soon. I gotta sleep and do some testing first. 

 

https://youtu.be/L7-L2aJjjrM

 

[Cameron]

Wow! All of that music was like a nostalgia overload from my childhood. This is really awesome! 

[GeorgeH]

Terry,

 

I could be persuaded to add dynamic flippers to MOTU if you want to post an update.

 

George

[dajz]

It looks really beautiful, can't wait to try this table.Keep up the great work

[TerryRed]

Terry,

 

I could be persuaded to add dynamic flippers to MOTU if you want to post an update.

 

George

 

I will eventually add the pup-pack to the FP table at some point...but I can't do the same to the "in-game" videos, as this pack is working with actual videos files. The pack will only work correctly with a 2nd screen because it uses multiple layers that will get pushed "behind" the FP window.

 

I'll let you know...but I have so many projects waiting still.... I wanted to add DOF and PuP support to FP Transformers as well...still gotta get that done.

[goofything]

Terry, I'm constantly amazed at the quality of your cabinet given what I believe is not a super-high end spec'd computer. Is that correct or has it been upgraded? I assume you're still running the i5-2500k and gtx 960, right?

Edited by goofything, 06 November 2018 - 10:22 PM.

[TerryRed]

Close.... i5 2500K, GTX 970, 8GB DDR3 Ram, all in 4K

[TerryRed]

A new "full gameplay" video of me playing randr's VPX conversion of Masters of the Universe in my cabinet running my new PuP-Pack with the "Text on Topper" option, as well as my DOF and addressable led effects for the table. I recorded this using a dollar store "bendy" cell phone clip and my cell phone. Works pretty good!

 

https://youtu.be/PJ3gZWmpX58

 

 

Edited by TerryRed, 10 November 2018 - 06:07 AM.

[goofything]

Great Pup-Pack. I'm still amazed how smooth your computer runs all of that with relatively modest specs. You must have made a lot of tweaks to your system.

 

Very nice.

[TerryRed]

Great Pup-Pack. I'm still amazed how smooth your computer runs all of that with relatively modest specs. You must have made a lot of tweaks to your system.

 

Very nice.

 

Thanks. No tweaks at all really. Its just a matter of having both Windows and VPX setup correctly more than anything.

[TerryRed]

Cool new feature for PuP and Popper! Transparent 24 bit Videos! Video Wheel ARCs! Overlay transparent Videos!

 

Here is a demonstration of a new upcoming feature in Pinup Player and Popper. Transparent (24 bit) Video support for any PuP screen! This means you can have loads a neat overlay video effects while browsing through Popper....and in PuP-Packs! Very cool stuff!

 

The Tarcisio Caleiro ARC used in the demo is NOT the final version...its an older WIP version that I used for testing because I still had the project file.

 

Note the ARC actually has a transparent center that shows an additional Transparent VIDEO layer underneath (the red LAVA liquid looking stuff). This mean we can have animated wheelbars or ARCS! Different ones per system,etc Very cool! You can also just have no "image" and just use an entire Transparent Video Arc!

 

Since all PuP screens can be transparent, this means that other screens can be used in a similar manner. So you'll see the "Loading" screen is a transparent "blood" animation that still shows the playfield video playing underneath! Imagine all the cool effects that can be done!

 

Unlike the Jaws "Drain test" video that had a similar effect....that video was "fake". It was a composited video combining the blood layer and another video underneath.

 

This is REAL-TIME 24 bit video with transparency! Cool as f**k!

 

Note: As far as how far this can be used, or how welll it will run on all systems is unknown. I've only tested this on my PC running in HD. I haven't tested in my 4K cab yet, as I'm far away from home right now.

 

https://youtu.be/T6XkWoBrqWk