10 replies to this topic

[ravencab6]

I initially appended my sound issue on a recent inquiry regarding backglass credit/ball in play issues on Grand Slam and Supersonic tables.  I did receive some link guidance that I looked through. Thank you Thalamus!

 

I've decided to present my issue as a stand alone topic primarily to share more detail and frame my potential choices; at least as I currently envision them.

 

 

I built a two screen cab running windows 10.  I have 90 some tables, all of them VPX.  I'm running VPX 10.6 using Pinball Y as a front end.   A while back I removed internet access on the machine since I make any file changes, or table additions via a USB stick.  Just a few days ago I turned on the PC to add a few tables.   At that time, all sounds suddenly were gone.  I've subsequently tried quite a few tables across all eras, and all of them are totally silent except for two tables, Big Shot and Spirit of 76.  For those two, the only thing I hear is the clicking sound of the score changing on the backglass.

 

To be honest, I'm both stunned and disheartened (since with no sound I don't really have a working cab) at this development given its scope and impact.  I turned off the internet access in an attempt to stabilize the operating system and potentially avoid any new issues that might crop up via a Windows 10 update. To this point I've had a few table specific issues that I've posted to the forum for which I received prompt and spot on guidance that helped me quickly resolve the problem.

 

I'd like to take a moment to just share that  I really enjoy my new virtual pinball hobby, from the months long process to both build the cab and populate it with some great tables.  What has surprised me a bit, but I really appreciate, is how awesome the community support has been. Thank you.

 

So, I'm absolutely open to any and all guidance from the experts.  That said, if there's really no readily identifiable and straightforward solution, should I just consider any of the following.

 

- save my tables and ROMS folder to a separate drive and reinstall VPX 10.6 (knowing I haven't solved the issue and it could happen again)?

 

- do above and go with VPX 10.7 beta?

 

- understand this may be a unresolvable conflict between Windows 10 and VPX and simply move to Future Pinball?

 

 

Again, as a relative newbie I understand I may be overreacting, but to be clear, I'm open and willing to try whatever the community thinks is my best approach at this point.  I apologize for the long post.

[wiesshund]

First start at the basics
Do you have sound, in windows, from ALL attached speakers?
Is windows still showing the correct speaker setup?

 

If no sound in all speakers from windows, grab a pair of headphones, and one at a time, unplug your speakers/amps and plug the headphones into each audio output one at a time on the motherboard have windows do its sound test at each jack, see if you got audio on all audio jacks through the headphones.
(dont just unplug all the outputs at the same time or windows will most likely detect all the jacks unplugged and turn those outputs off, reverting to 2 channel sound)

If you do, then check your amps, or speakers.
Make sure none lost power, blew a fuse etc.
Not sure what you are using for the external side of the audio, but can worry about that if you know if you got sound out of the motherboard or not.

Edited by wiesshund, 28 August 2020 - 04:14 AM.

[BobAlbright]

I recently had. LOW volume problem that drove me crazy and it was such a simple problem. Be aware that volume can be changed with the number keys (2 I think). Not the numbers on the keypad, but the ones that run along the top of the keyboard

[ravencab6]

Thanks for the responses.  Regarding speaker setup, I'm using a Vizios sound bar via the 3.5mm jack in the back of the computer.  I actually swapped that out for another speaker setup that connects to the same jack to check if that was an issue.  In both cases, no change.  I do have sound.  For example, the chime like sound on pinball Y as I move left and right on the table wheel.  That sounds completely normal.  Also,  a couple older tables do produce the clicking sound from the score change on the backglass.  Regarding the volume keys, I made no changes there.  The volume on the tables isn't low, it's non-existent.  My tables (exception noted immediately above) are completely silent. No music, no vocals, no ball rolling, no bumpers, just nothing. I can't think of a single thing I might have done to cause such a broad change.

[wiesshund]

I'd check the audio settings in VPX then, make sure they have not switched to something else

[ravencab6]

To BobAlbright & wiesshund, thanks for responding to my issue.  Both of you got me to just go in and look at all the settings I could think of that involved sounds.  The F1, Sound Check box and the Preferences, Audio Options settings  Neither of those helped.  But then I looked at the the Buttons setting menu and saw that volume was controlled by the (+) and (-).   I pushed the volume up and my sounds came back.  I have no recollections of engaging those keys, particularly since they involve holding down the Shift key as well.  Regardless, I'm back in the sound game, and I thank both of you for keeping me at it.  As I noted before, all my tables are VPX and I'm quite happy with them.  That said, while I was without sound, I started to look at Future Pinball.  I'm interested in your input as to whether I should look into adding some of those tables as well.  I know there are many tables that both emulators support, but it looked as if FP had some cool ones I haven't seen in VPX.  Are either of you running both, and if so, thoughts?  Also, I put that question out to the larger community as well.

[wiesshund]

Since you have a cabinet, i am assuming you have some type of usb control emulator?

Perhaps either it had a moment and phantom keyed something, or has some odd pre programmed key combos you are not aware of?
I know some of the kinda standard generic arcade ones have some key combos programmed in them, like hold button 1 4 and 2 to emulate one thing and
1 3 and 2 for another etc.

Not sure about the special controllers here though

 

btw, i dont think VPX requires holding shift for its volume control.

FP?
There are some FP tables that i like that do not exist for VPX, nor would they as they are originals.
FP is a bit more hit and miss, for me anyways, because i find a lot of tables that have action and physics like playing pinball through thick pudding.
Though i guess if i took a moment to look at how it sets up physics, i could change those.

Then again, sometimes i get a VPX table that feels slow as snot to play.

Still, FP is worth having, Terry Reed does some really nice DOF table mods, even though i dont have DOF, i still run the tables cause he has usually also de funked the tables physics.

 

VPX i just export the physics from the fastest craziest table i have, and if a table annoys me with feeling slow, i import the physics file, maybe FP lets you do that also, i am not sure.
 

[ravencab6]

To wiesshund, thanks.  You're correct regarding the Shift key for volume.  I misread the button assignments screen.  In that case, given what I experienced, maybe I did hit the volume down key at some point without realizing.  I guess my sound has usually been as expected so I didn't use those keys much at all.  Now, coin door ROM volumes, I've adjusted those quite a bit.  That said, I'm planning on setting PinVol up as the sound volume can vary from table to table.  I have a two screen cab, but don't have a usb control emulator (not even sure what that is).  Therefore, I'll just go with user error on my part and consider it yet another VP learning experience  I figured that since PinballY; which I'm using now, also supports Future Pinball, I could merge, or use that front end to switch between VPX and Future Pinball.  I've watched a couple Terry Red videos, and he does a good job explaining the setup process, but FP does seem a bit more complex (making me somewhat hesitant) than what I've experienced so far with VPX.

[wiesshund]

control emulator?
like i guess a kl25z, or or a 0-delay encoder (if you dont want things like knockers and solenoids etc) , or an ipac.

 

Then again, one could just cut up a usb game pad for the controller, if you just wanted the basics, wont impress anyone, but it would work.
And it has no volume control LOL.

 

FP

 

here is the most important thing about FP and front ends

1) install BAM if you did not install FP with the all in one installer (FP doesnt update, so no worries outbout it outdating)

 

2)...

WorkingPath=C:\Pinball\FP

TablePath=C:\Pinball\FP\Tables

Executable=FPLoader.exe  (Because i installed BAM in the FP folder itself)

Parameters=RunWait, /STAYINRAM /open "[TABLEPATH]\[TABLEFILE]" /play /exit /arcaderender,,hide UseErrorLevel

 

PinballY i believe is kind of similar to PinballX, and needs similar setup

Hyperpin is same way

Check with terry to be sure
Those 4 lines can save you many a headache

 

Other than that, FP is a lot simpler than VPX i think, as far as just setting it up and running.

 

I wonder how long ago FP and VP split apart from their common ancestor
the two sure contain a good number of absolutely identical files LOL

[Link]

hello all

  i am desperate at this point.

  I have 145 tables and have finally gotten all of them up and running for the past 3 months.  And suddenly 4 days ago i lost all sound on all tables all at the same time.  I have since spent dozens of hours following rabbit holes of answers and have even gone as far as deleting the entire thing and re-installing with absolutely no change.  All speakers test fine and are in the correct position in windows and work fine for all other applications except for VPX..All I have is DOF for all 145 tables. ALL ROM volumes are all the way up and the equalizer shows the graphic representation of the sound but there is no noise, I have all but given up and hate to think I have wasted the better part of a year with only a 3 month payoff. Any assistance would be truly appreciated

hello all

  i am desperate at this point.

  I have 145 tables and have finally gotten all of them up and running for the past 3 months.  And suddenly 4 days ago i lost all sound on all tables all at the same time.  I have since spent dozens of hours following rabbit holes of answers and have even gone as far as deleting the entire thing and re-installing with absolutely no change.  All speakers test fine and are in the correct position in windows and work fine for all other applications except for VPX..All I have is DOF for all 145 tables. ALL ROM volumes are all the way up and the equalizer shows the graphic representation of the sound but there is no noise, I have all but given up and hate to think I have wasted the better part of a year with only a 3 month payoff. Any assistance would be truly appreciated

[wiesshund]

 

hello all

   ALL ROM volumes are all the way up and the equalizer shows the graphic representation of the sound

 

 

 

Please clarify that?

what equalizer where? and what is it showing?
screen shots maybe