2 replies to this topic

[EalaDubhSidhe]

I have a friend with a couple of Sega pins - Frankenstein and Baywatch - which both employ the larger, 68000-driven 192x64 dot DMDs. The DMDs do still work, but the display board for one of them is shot to the point of being probably irreperable, or at least in any economical fashion. Replacement driver boards are like gold dust; both hellishly rare and hellishly expensive.

What he wants me to ask, since people are starting to employ actual DMDs in virtual pincabs, is this; is this some technical way in which he, as a bypass solution, could rig up a small computer - something along the lines of the Raspberry PI, let's say - to run yer basic PinMAME rom emultion, and have the actual DMD linked to it to display the output? What other functions would the replacement computer have to do in this case, could the computer sync up with the remaining driver and power boards, or would it have to take over everything? If that was so, then would latency become an issue?

I told him I'd ask, though personally I'm not hopeful; I figure if there were feasible repair applications to be made in this way, they'd be employed already. Still, no harm in trying...

[Joe]

pinmame does not do sega / stern / de DMD's 100% also the people are starting to employ actual DMD I don't think they do the big DMD's.

[CaptainNeo]

there is no way for him to run the boards and hook up the game to a computer. They cannot talk to one another. He needs to fix that board. Sega's large DMD's are very very sensetive to the 5 volts. If it's off at all, it's going to reset. Have to make sure you have good solid connection on that 5 Volt connection. new header pins and new tri connectors should be added. Plus on the other end as well. Even my Batman forever will reset the display in midgame sometimes due to connector problems. Every board is fixable. Unless it's broken in half. Even then you can fix it if you want to put the time into it. Especially the DMD boards which don't get acid damage. If he can't fix it, send to Rob (borygurd) he's phenomenal, reasonable, and great guy to deal with. He can fix anything and has vast knowledge in these boards.