1473 replies to this topic

[destruk]

me and snotz have been working on a 16 colour version of the .dll and pinDMD firmware for a while and it is now ready

it now supports all 16colour games + 16colour dmdlogo.txt files for your logo (between games)

one note! due to this board not really been designed to do 16colour the firmware has been hacked slightly + due to the nature of how these displays are refreshed the 16 colour gradient is NOT linear. it starts off dark but gets light very quickly. we tried to get it has linear as we could by tweaking a few things

so when you make logos keep this into account, might want to use lower colours and only a few high colours for best results


new .dll and firmware is in mine and snots sig

What 16-color games?

[russdx]

ok it looks like windows has just installed the D2XX drivers and not the comport drivers

install the VCP drivers from here http://www.ftdichip....Drivers/VCP.htm then plug the pinDMD in, it should show up as a virtual comport as well

What 16-color games?

some GEN_GTS3 games like mario mushroom world

Edited by russdx, 14 April 2012 - 11:59 PM.

[Arcade4]

ok it looks like windows has just installed the D2XX drivers and not the comport drivers

install the VCP drivers from here http://www.ftdichip....Drivers/VCP.htm then plug the pinDMD in, it should show up as a virtual comport as well

That is the exact file I installed originally. 2.08.14 WHQL.
I dont't see anything else to install on that page. I followed the installation instructions exactly as they have outlined.

[russdx]

oh that's strange

can you install

http://www.ftdichip....Prog_v2.6.6.zip

install
scan for device (magnifying glass icon)
then using the browsing tree on the left navigate to [Hardware Specific] and make sure Load D2XX is NOT ticked

[Arcade4]

oh that's strange

can you install

http://www.ftdichip....Prog_v2.6.6.zip

install
scan for device (magnifying glass icon)
then using the browsing tree on the left navigate to [Hardware Specific] and make sure Load D2XX is NOT ticked

Clicked on Ftprog.exe
clicked on magnifying glass icon
Browsed to hardware specific, and load d2xx is not ticked.

However not sure what to do next. there does not seem to be an install button and my device manager still looks the same as before.
Thanks for all the help.

[russdx]

ok close FT_Prog this is not needed

im not sure why it does not show up as a com port for you, i will try on my brothers windows 7 pc tomorrow

[Arcade4]

ok close FT_Prog this is not needed

im not sure why it does not show up as a com port for you, i will try on my brothers windows 7 pc tomorrow

Thanks.
It is not a huge problem as the pin DMD is working great.
However I am afraid to flash it because it does not give me a com port like your instructions read.
I will just wait and see what happens.

[H4CK3R]

Was wondering Russ... Anyway to use Billy's program

http://www.hyperspin...t/DMDImage.html

and have it stream live to the DMD so you can actually see the adjustments that you make?

H4CK3R

[destruk]

ok it looks like windows has just installed the D2XX drivers and not the comport drivers

install the VCP drivers from here http://www.ftdichip....Drivers/VCP.htm then plug the pinDMD in, it should show up as a virtual comport as well

What 16-color games?

some GEN_GTS3 games like mario mushroom world

no, from the manual for Gottlieb Super Mario Brothers Mushroom World -
"Display Test
This test allows the operator to check the operation of the 128x32 dot matrix display. The right flipper button is used to advance this test.
The first "THREE" steps check the different levels of display intensity. Each block that appears on the display should be of lesser intensity than the one to the left of it. When all FOUR blocks appear in the display at the same time, it is normal to see them slightly flicker."

This means those games only actually have 4 intensity levels, not 16. The only games with 16-shades are Stern SAM, so you'll already have support for that without needing to make changes later, and I'm sure the 16-shade support can be used now for the customized dmd logo text file, but for anything else it'd be a modification of what the real machines do.

[Zablon]

So I tried the new color scheme. I can't tell if either the Vishay only does 4 colors, or if it's a distance thing. Standing at the machine, it is very difficult to make out any detail, but stand about 10-12 feet back, and it's very clear. It might just be I need a bit less dynamic picture to be able to make out the slight differences in shade. Maybe 8 colors as opposed to 16 (as Russ mentioned).

Did a quick test pattern using 6 colors. I "think" i see 5 colors, but the "brighter" color is actually darker than the color that is supposed to be darker.
In the square you can see the white and next gray look the same. Still need more testing.

Edited by Zablon, 15 April 2012 - 05:18 AM.

[maxxsinner]

Having dramas with the 16 levels also. After a game the screen does not seems to clear and the dmdlogo is overlaided on the final scores.

[russdx]

@Arcade4 you cant flash the firmware without knowing the comport number (you cant break it lol)

@maxxsinner have not seen this my self, have you installed the new .dll as well?

@H4CK3R yup that is possible but is quite alot of work.

@destruk ah thanks for that, those games where sending strange hues to the dmd so me and snots assumed they where 16colour games, by what you just said im guessing they are just 4 selected levels instead?


the board was never designed to be able to do 16colour so to try and do it really is pushing its limits. the gradient is far from perfect sadly

if the 16 colour is not working for you. just flash back to the 4colour firmware (also in the firmware.zip) the .dll quickly checks the pinDMD when it starts a game and checks what firmware you are running.

Edited by russdx, 15 April 2012 - 11:45 AM.

[destruk]

Gottlieb manuals say they are 4 levels just like all the other standard DMDs. Ben Heck has a working version of a 16-shade DMD for his custom machines now, and Stern SAM uses 16 shades too (both including "off"). PROC also supports a 16-shade DMD for their original games, so if the physical DMD supports it, then it should look ok. Some Vishay displays only do 4 shades - we'd have to find a model that was certified for 16 to get them to display right with it.

[russdx]

the actual DMD can do as many shades as you want, the dmd it self just turns a pixel on and off all the shades come from how you refresh the display

but to get more shades you need to refresh it faster. and to do this you need a FPGA. my original design was FPGA based but swapped it out for a micro controller due to cost (fpga very expensive)

to try and create the 16 shades iv maxed out the lpc2103, it cant refresh any faster lol. for proper 16 colour i would need to design a new board using an FPGA for a perfect 16 shade gradient. but seeing as NO machines at the moment support this it would be a waste of my time and money so i wont be doing that any time soon hehe.

(Both p-roc and ben heck use a FPGA)

my goal was to be able to support all currently emulated machines (4 colour)

Edited by russdx, 15 April 2012 - 12:56 PM.

[ebarlow99]

finally got my dmd back....got the Hyperpin txt file showing up between tables.......

[Slydog43]

todays release of Petaco FS blanks the DMD screen

Found more

Disco 79 (was a cabinet table)
Cyclopes

250cc
Agents 777
Airborne Avenger (not really needed since it was on the playfield, but pinmame runs it, just trying to be complete)
America 1492
Andromeda
Antar
Arena
Atarians (Same as airborne avenger)

That completes my A's testing.

Edited by Slydog43, 15 April 2012 - 05:38 PM.

[Snotz]

Here is a dump from one of the frames from Super Mario Brothers Mushroom World (I just got the frame dumping code working so I didnt see this before. I was seeing only the raw seg_data before which led me to believe it was 16 colors):

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000033333333300000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000333330000033
333000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000003333300FFFFF003333300000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000003
3330FF3FFF3FF03333300000000000FF0000FF000000FF000000FFFFF00000FF00000FFFFF0000000
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000333330FF33F33FF03333330000000000FFF0
0FFF000000FF000000FF00FF0000FF0000FF000FF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000003333330FF3F3F3FF03333330000000000FFF00FFF00000FFFF00000FF00FF0000FF0000
FF000FF0000000000FFF0000FFFF0000FF0FF0000FFF0000000000033333333300FFFFF0033333333
300000000FFFFFFFF00000FFFF00000FFFFF00000FF0000FF000FF000000000FF0FF000000FF000FF
0FF000FF0FF000000000333333333000000000003333333330000000FFFFFFFF0000FF00FF0000FF0
0FF0000FF0000FF000FF0000000000FFF00000FFFF000FFFF00000FFF000000000333333000033333
3333330000333333000000FF0FF0FF0000FFFFFF0000FF00FF0000FF0000FF000FF000000000000FF
000FF0FF000FFFF0000000FF000000033333003333333333333333333003333300000FF0FF0FF000F
F0000FF000FF00FF0000FF0000FF000FF000000000FF0FF000FF0FF0000FFF0000FF0FF0000000333
00333333000000000003333330033300000FF0FF0FF000FF0000FF000FF00FF0000FF00000FFFFF00
000000000FFF00000FFFFF000FF000000FFF0000000030000000000000FFFFF000000000000030000
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000FF0000000
00000000000033FFFFF000FF0FFF0FF000FFFFF330000000000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000000FF00000000000000000000333FFFF000FFF0FFF0FFF00
0FFFF3330000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000F3333FFFFFF0F000FFF000F0FFFFFF3333F000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000FFF3333FFFFF0
F0F0FFF0F0F0FFFFF3333FFF333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
3333333333333333333333333333333330FFFF3FFFFFFF0F000000000F0FFFFFFF3FFFF3333333333
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333330
F0FF3FFF0FFF0F0FFFFFFF0F0FFF0FFF3FF0F33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333330F60FFFF0000FF0FFFFFFFFF0FF0000FFFF
06F3333FFFF33333333333333333FFF33FF33FFFFF33333FF33333333333FFFFF3333333333333333
3333333333330FF606FF00000F0FFFFFFFFF0F00000FF606FF333FF00FF3333333333333333FFF03F
F0FFF0FFF3333FF03333333333FF00FF33333333333333333333333333300FF06FFF0000006FFFFFF
F6000000FFF60FF0333FF03300FFFF33FF3FF3333FFFF3FF0FF003FF033FFFFF3FFF33333FF033FF3
F3FF3FF3FF33FFFFF3FFFF33300FFF6FFFF0000006666666000000FFFF6FFF03333FFFF33300FF3FF
0FF0333FFFF0FF0FF033FF0333FF00FF0FF3333FF033FF0FF3F0FF0FF0FF0FFF0F000033000FF6FFF
F0000000000000000000FFFF6FF003333000FF33FFFF0FF0F00333FF0FFFF0FF033FF0333FF03F003
F0333FF033FF0FF030FF0FF0F033FF0FFF33330000FF6FFFFF000000000000000FFFFF6FF000333FF
33FF0FF0FF03FFF03333FF0FFFF0FF033FF0333FF03F033F0333FF033FF0FF033FF0FF0F033FF030F
F3330000006FFFFFF0000000000000FFFFFF600000333FF33FF0FF0FF03FFF03333FF03FFF0FFF3FF
F0333FF03FF3FF0333FF03FF00FF033FF0FF0FF0FFF0F33F03300000006FFFFFF00006660000FFFFF
F60000003333FFFF000FFFFF33F003333FF03FFF03FFFFF003333FF33FFF00333FFFFF003FF0333FF
FF03FFFFF0FFFF03300003333FFFFFFF066666660FFFFFFF3330000333330000333000003F0333333
003300033000003333330033000333330000033300333300003300FF03000033000333336FFFFFF00
6666600FFFFFF63333300333333333333333FFFF03333333333333333333333333333333333333333
33333333333333333FFFF00333333300333333666FFFFFF00000FFFFFF66633333303333333333333
333000033333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333330000333333330333
333366666FFFFFFFFFFFFF66666333333033333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333303333333666666FFFFFFFFFFF6666663333330
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
333333333033333336666663FFFFFFFFF36666663333330

I can see how it seemed to be 16 colors... the hue values sent via seg_data are 3, 6, 9 and F. All other 4 hue systems send 0, 1, 2 and 3. I could make GTS3 systems act like 4 hue systems based on this info.

@Arcade4 I have windows 7 x64 installed... dont use the default drivers that Windows 7 downloads for you. You must use the VCP drivers, located at http://www.ftdichip....Drivers/VCP.htm

[kruge99]

So is it recommended that we flash the firmware to the 4 colour version since the 16 color isn't going to be supported until SAM becomes something we can emulate?


Best Regards,
Todd.

todays release of Petaco FS blanks the DMD screen

Found more

Disco 79 (was a cabinet table)
Cyclopes

250cc
Agents 777
Airborne Avenger (not really needed since it was on the playfield, but pinmame runs it, just trying to be complete)
America 1492
Andromeda
Antar
Arena
Atarians (Same as airborne avenger)

That completes my A's testing.

You can add 250cc and Faeton to that list.


Best Regards,
Todd.

[russdx]

yes if it is not working out for people (seams to work well for me and snots though) id suggest just keep with the 4 colour firmware
i would need a new board running a FPGA for proper 16 colour



me and snots will put all our effort into animated logo's and will leave the 16 colour stuff untill sam is available(when ever that maybe)
thanks Destruk for pointing the GTS3 thing out

Edited by russdx, 15 April 2012 - 10:59 PM.

[Slydog43]

Going through my 'B' tables found these blank DMD screens

Bad Girls
Big House
Big Town
Black Belt - Zaccarria
Bone Busters
Brave Team