167 replies to this topic

[Tesla]

I know this is an old topic, but I want to report on that that the LVDS controller linked in this thread worked for me to connect directly to the ALP playfield. This makes the screen look far more clean than the OTG passthrough. The image is more sharp, has more accurate color. Banding / graininess are gone and the latency is noticeably less. Im playing with DLSR at 4k and the image is much better than I expected. I have mainly been using my cabinet as a VR super stubby and wasnt worried about breaking the screen. I just wanted the screen available for more social game time.

 

Thanks for posting and confirming it works. With the lack of directions (and the LVDS connector keying being bypassed) looks like you guessed right where pin-1 was. As I reviewed my old-install-pics (and others I found later, like on that Amazon-seller's 1upArcade version item page) looks like me and the guy that posted the recent Amazon review for the LVDS AtGames version ... guessed wrong and blew our LCDs. Of course, I DID originally make an effort to connect it properly (but you only get one chance).

 

While I was sorta forced into it, moving-up to a 1440p playfield screen was an excellent upgrade for me. Also, I just figured-out you can set the LG to "Faster" (which bumps it up to 75Hz ) and turn on the FreeSync . While not validated by Nvidia, the GSync seems to be working with my GTX-1070 card (running in a newer Intel-i7 computer now).

 

I got to thinking . 1080p was good at 24inches. A while back I picked-up a Dell 27-inch GSync 1080p Gaming-Monitor for $100. I tried to use it, but the resolution was too low ... even for casual Windows Desktop use. I ended-up gifting it to my grand-nephew (with my old gaming-pc with GTX-1660). That's still a viable-combo and he loves it (he's 11). So, anyway ... 1080p at 32inches is just not that good of a dot-density ... and we are so close (and at weird angle).

 

But the cabinet it a good size and I fear I would never have gotten into all this without the ALP to spur me along (I'd still be rotating my desktop monitor and playing at my desk). That $5000 for a pre-built VirtuaPin is a tough sell. The BuyStuffArcades controller for the AtGames BackGlass LCD did work (and I'm still using it).

 

Yeah, the OTG was a cool idea, but they way it was implemented ... it just introduced too much latency and extra processing for something like pinball. Also, the ALP end-up being a bit toyish. My exciters broke, I've had button/switches fail, and my on-board AtGames (nudge) accelerometer never worked properly. I've always been a fan of FarSight Studios though. Mine was only $400 at Sams-Club.

Edited by Tesla, 13 September 2025 - 09:32 PM.

[Tesla]

AtGames used some (cheap asian) keyboard switches inside a normal-sized plastic button shell. Fine for misc buttons, but not very durable. My left Flipper went out about 6-months ago. While I could have swapped-in one from my (un-used) Nudge-buttons, I instead picked-up some leaf-spring buttons on eBay. I finally got them install a month ago and so I can finally use and play pinball again. They feel and work much better. Also, been trying to get some other long-overdue mods done.

 

My cabinet has always been treated like a large computer-peripheral. While it's dedicated for this use, I like keeping the gaming-computer separate, under the cabinet. Back in December-2024, I freed-up my old Windows Daily-Driver, and dedicated it's use for my VPX/Pinscape Pinball cabinet. I migrated my old VPX install to it. 

 

Intel i7-7700K 4.2ghz (7th gen) with Asetek-Liquid-Cooler

16gb Kingston Hyper-X DDR4 ram

Nvidia GTX-1070 (8gb)

Samsung NVMe-SSD drives

Power Supply 850w

Windows 11 Pro (64-bit)

 

Playfield monitor is now a LG 32-inch 32QN600-B with 1440p 75Hz IPS-LCD FreeSync/GSync (2023 model) running on Nvidia DisplayPort (and GSync seems to be working).

I use a Pinscaped (NXP) KL25z for my buttons and accelerometer-nudging (awesome 100% working effect)

BuyStuffArcades controller for the backbox's AtGames 15-in 1080p LCD

My DMD (3rd monitor) is a Elecrow SH080 8-inch 1280x800 16:10 60-Hz IPS-LCD with Mini-HDMI

I've recently got some 7.1-channel SSF going with decent speakers and some ZK-TB21 2.1 Amps.

And I have a APC-1350w-UPS protecting the whole thing.

 

While the AtGames Plunger was authentic feeling/looking ... and even looked like it might be hardware-hackable and get working on my Pinscaped-KL25z. But the other day, I went-ahead and removed it and adapted the large-ish front cabinet hole to hold a Launch-Button instead (most of my top 5 games had launch-buttons/triggers in real-life anyway).

 

I took a closer look at the 4-button D-Pad. Turns-out it was easy to connect to KL-25z. D-Pad's Pin-1 is Ground, and Pin's 2-5 are the arrows buttons. So, now, I have Volume Up/Down buttons and a couple of spares (so no lack of buttons any more).

 

I use a mid-level 2.1 Computer-Speaker-Set (with a small woofer/sub-woofer box) for main-music (Front Channel) speakers. I used an old Dell Sound-Bar for lower-playfield/flippers, and the baby AtGames backbox speakers I now use for upper-playfield mechanical audio. Unless there is an actual hole for the sound to escape, the speakers are mounted underneath or cleverly/artfully outside the cabinet (so you can actually hear them).

 

Not counting the used (2017 model) Gaming-PC (or re-purposed used stuff from my closet), I figure I have only spent about $1100 on the ALP and getting it to this point (including the various iterations) . While it is only about 90% the size of real 1980's (non-widebody) it does not seem small in it's current 11x11 game-room. No one that has ever seen it or played it said it seemed smaller. It is very heavy and while I understand that wood is preferred over MDF, it is very sturdy. I was able to keep/re-use the nice AtGames playfield LCD bezel and framing (which also holds the glass). The playfield monitor is about an inch under the glass (which is thick and very heavy).

 

We are not particularly careful with it while playing it. Meaning we bump and nudge it pretty good sometimes, and the flippers get slapped hard sometimes (just like a real pinball machine).

Edited by Tesla, 20 September 2025 - 06:25 PM.

[Tesla]

I've been working on getting SSF-7.1 Audio going on my little DIY, pieced-together-from-closet VPin-cabinet. Hopefully this will show others (who don't have a lot of money to dump-into all this) that you can get some good-results on the cheap.

 

I liked the "flippers/lower-table" sounds from the old Dell-Speaker-Bar enough to go ahead and mount it (mostly hidden) under the front of the cabinet. In all these years, some of the first holes I've actually drilled into the cabinet. So we can actually hear them, I think this arrangement is best. It is 2.0, and has it's own built-in Amp that runs on 12-volts @ 1amp. It took me like 4-hours to plan it and cut/drill the wooden mount/adapter/ cabinet re-assembly and testing. I think it's because I was very careful and only wanted to do this once. 

 

https://drive.google...?usp=drive_link

 

The stock AtGames back-box speakers look like nice 3.5 inchers, but behind the large-grills, they are really just fairly-lame 2.5-inchers. I finally got a couple of ZK-TB21 2.1 Amps (running at 19volts) hooked up. I use one here, and made these speakers the "upper table" mechanical sounds (works well as you can hear them and the sound seems to be coming from proper area on the cabinet).

 

The other ZK-TB21 2.1 Amp I use only as a Sub-Woofer Amp for now. My real Home-Theater Subs-Woofers are all spoken-for, so I'm using an old Boston Acoustics BookShelf Speaker. It's hooked directly to RealTek Audio Card on computer in Center/Sub jack.

 

https://www.vpforums...=55962&p=547966

 

I use a mid-level 2.1 Computer-Speaker-Set for main music speakers. It also has it's own built-in Amp and runs from 120v. I can get really loud and thumpy, but I make an effort to keep it all balanced. I placed it's small woofer/sub-woofer box under the cabinet near the other (sorta faux) sub-woofer. It's Left/Right satellites are just soft-mounted to the top of the BackBox for now.

 

I found NirSoft's Sound-Volume-View to keep Windows from changing my config whenever it feels like it.

 

https://www.vpforums...=44555&p=548032

Edited by Tesla, 20 September 2025 - 06:27 PM.

[Tesla]

I did some more work on my cabinet. Sounds and plays even better now.

 

The new APC-1350-UPS is a keeper and everything is plugged into it (on the "Battery-Side"). I installed a proper/new Tripp-Lite main Power-Strip, a couple of small ferrite-cores and more-carefully re-ran all the cable to minimize a ground-loop hum I was getting after installing all the amps, power-supplies, and speakers for the poor-mans 7.1 SSF. 

 

https://www.vpforums...=55962&p=548110

Edited by Tesla, 19 September 2025 - 06:56 PM.

[Tesla]

So after a couple of years of just having my LG 32-inch 32QN600 Monitor (1440p IPS 75Hz FreeSync) just laying down inside the ALP cabinet (on its back) on the cabinet's existing horizontal supports (on some dense foam of proper height) ...

 

... I finally installed it properly on a VESA thin wall mount. Surely, not as easy as it sounds.

 

Then, the steel-mount was modified, adapted, and mounted to those two upper horizontal cabinet MDF braces (using two 1x1/8-in Steel rails and 1/4 inch bolts) . I kept AtGame's (removable) nice black-plastic bezel (as it also holds the thick glass). Finally, I modified the bezels left mounting rail, Dremeling-off 3mm, so now the monitor's LCD-panel is perfectly centered. 

 

It's all screwed-down and level now, but fully adjustable later (or removable for maintenance). Nothing is actually touching the actual LCD-panel of the monitor (the bezel hovers above the panel about 2-3mm on edges). I think the panel mounting now basically looks aesthetically the same as when the old 1080p panel was installed.

 

The last pic of VESA-mount on the Google-Drive is still missing the glass and rails so you can see the install better (but one of the other pics up there shows those installed)

 

https://drive.google...?usp=drive_link

Edited by Tesla, 28 September 2025 - 06:14 PM.

[Tesla]

So, I have (and use) one of these.

 

https://www.buystuff...=43602325602529

 

Right now, it's just on some minimal plastic standoffs, foam-taped to the inside of the backbox.

 

I purchased a small aluminum project-box to mount it in. I'm hoping to shield it's EMI from affecting the 15-inch LCD-panel (just 1 inch away), the speakers (just inches away), and maybe even HDMI and it's 12v power. Also to finally give it a chassis-ground.

 

Question:

Notice how to mounting holes have grounding pads (and even some solder to help with a good-grounding connection to the "chassis"). While the nice/sturdy plastic-stand-offs I'm using don't really facilitate it, should the PCB be grounded to the whole aluminum-box anyway ... and treat the box as "the chassis"? 

 

The bulk of this cabinet ... I'm just seeing MDF, wood, and plastic ...

Edited by Tesla, 28 September 2025 - 06:11 PM.

[rickh]

No shielding is necessary unless you need FCC compliance.

 

Rick 

[Tesla]

I installed my BuyStuffArcades HDMI-Controller-Board (for the AtGames 15-in Backglass 1080p LCD-Panel) in a metal aluminum box.

https://www.buystuff...=43602325602529

 

For shielding, grounding, and to give it more of a "chassis". I suppose the back is like the chassis, the cover is like the shield, and they are both tied to the board's grounding pads. The new stand-offs are nice, but plastic ... so I created and installed a grounding-wire. 

 

I double-checked with an ohm-meter, and with a bare (un-mounted) PCB, all those pads are already tied together and tied to ground.

 

I also used the Google Translate App (camera function) to read the board's Chinese meus in real-time. Now that I can actually read it a little, I was finally able to scroll to a hidden/buried menu and change the Language to ENGLISH. I then set the Brightness and Contrast a little better. Interestingly, you can even adjust the actual back-light intensity separately.  Now, it looks very sharp, bright, and pretty (but blacks are still black). Totally different feel now that I can actually read and use the menus natively. And it goes without saying ... none of this was possible with the old proprietary AtGames backglass-LCD controller.

 

Some pics are on my GoogleDrive with the others:

https://drive.google...?usp=drive_link

Edited by Tesla, 28 September 2025 - 03:25 AM.