13 replies to this topic

[naeyaert]

Dear Pinballers

 

It's been a long time since I've posted.  I have a pinball cabinet that I built in 2012 running a DMD and a 42 inch playfield and a 32 inch backglass.

 

I was SUPER EXCITED when I stumbled across DMDEXT from Freezy as my PInball all worked perfect EXCEPT I could not get PinballFX to use my real DMD.

 

I downloaded v1.8 of DMDEXT and got it working (test worked perfectly) and displayed large "dmdext" on my DMD

 

When I watch the command prompt and run "dmdext test -d auto" I see that it finds PinDMDv2 and also when I run PinballFX2 with the command prompt I see it saying "FRAMES COMING IN FROM PinballFX2" but I get nothing on the DMD at all.

 

It looks like the DMDEXT is running OK and it drives my DMD when I run the test - just NOTHING when I run Pinball FX2.

 

Can someone please help as I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong?  I don't have a lot of options in Pinball FX2 to play with and I cant see how to get this working as it's the last piece of my pretty good cabinet and I'd love to get Pinball FX2 running my realDMD.

 

Thanks in advance - cheers Rob 

Edited by naeyaert, 06 December 2020 - 07:15 AM.

[wiesshund]

so you ran
dmdext mirror --source=pinballfx2 --no-virtual

 

and then opened pinballFX2
and you do have the cabinet option enabled in FX2 right?
 

 

?

 

and nothing on the DMD?

Also from freezy's github, did you do these things?
 

1. Enable cabinet options in Pinball FX2
2. Resize the DMD to:
   • Width: 520
   • Height: 136

[naeyaert]

 

so you ran
dmdext mirror --source=pinballfx2 --no-virtual

 

and then opened pinballFX2
and you do have the cabinet option enabled in FX2 right?
 

 

?

 

and nothing on the DMD?

Also from freezy's github, did you do these things?
 

1. Enable cabinet options in Pinball FX2
2. Resize the DMD to:
   • Width: 520
   • Height: 136

 

 

 

Thanks for your reply - the ONLY item in your reply that I have difficult with is "enable cabinet mode" in PinballFX2.  Where do I do that as when I run Pinball FX2 and go into "settings", all I see are a number of audio and graphics settings and a "rotate 270" option which are all setup to play on my cabinet.  I do not see a setting "enable cabinet mode" unless it's in a .INI file or config file somewhere?

 

I did notice a "switch" on the DMDEXT help page that said "-d" (destination) so maybe I need to tell it "-d pindmdv2" perhaps?  I've not tried that but will tonight.

 

Any help greatly appreciated as I'm super keen to get my DMD working with PinballFX2

 

Many thanks 

Edited by naeyaert, 06 December 2020 - 06:59 PM.

[wiesshund]

Do you have the STEAM version of FX2 with cabinet mode unlocked?
Cause i believe it only works like that

I am not sure if you still have to request a cabinet mode key from Zen?

[naeyaert]

Do you have the STEAM version of FX2 with cabinet mode unlocked?
Cause i believe it only works like that

I am not sure if you still have to request a cabinet mode key from Zen?

 

Really?  Hmm I didn't know that.  I have a locally installed version of Pinball FX2 on my machine so are you saying that wont work with dmdext?

dmdext is saying it's seeking frames from Pinball FX2 when I look at the console and I proved the the "test" can push the image to the DMD.  Could it be that I'm just not running the command line properly?

 

Cheers

[wiesshund]

 

Do you have the STEAM version of FX2 with cabinet mode unlocked?
Cause i believe it only works like that

I am not sure if you still have to request a cabinet mode key from Zen?

 

Really?  Hmm I didn't know that.  I have a locally installed version of Pinball FX2 on my machine so are you saying that wont work with dmdext?

dmdext is saying it's seeking frames from Pinball FX2 when I look at the console and I proved the the "test" can push the image to the DMD.  Could it be that I'm just not running the command line properly?

 

Cheers

 

 

With out cab mode enabled, i do not think FX2 will send anything to the DMD

at least every thing i looked up stated so, including a steam post from Zen

And i think that is a steam exclusive feature?

[naeyaert]

 

 

Do you have the STEAM version of FX2 with cabinet mode unlocked?
Cause i believe it only works like that

I am not sure if you still have to request a cabinet mode key from Zen?

 

Really?  Hmm I didn't know that.  I have a locally installed version of Pinball FX2 on my machine so are you saying that wont work with dmdext?

dmdext is saying it's seeking frames from Pinball FX2 when I look at the console and I proved the the "test" can push the image to the DMD.  Could it be that I'm just not running the command line properly?

 

Cheers

 

 

With out cab mode enabled, i do not think FX2 will send anything to the DMD

at least every thing i looked up stated so, including a steam post from Zen

And i think that is a steam exclusive feature?

 

 

OK but I am running FX2 on my cabinet which has 2 screens already (playfield and backglass) and also a 'virtual' dot matrix that runs over top of my backglass already.  Does that mean I have "cabinet mode" already?

All I'm trying to do is get Pinball Fx2 to use my real PinDMD display by using dmdext.

 

Thoughts please?

[wiesshund]

 

 

OK but I am running FX2 on my cabinet which has 2 screens already (playfield and backglass) and also a 'virtual' dot matrix that runs over top of my backglass already.  Does that mean I have "cabinet mode" already?

All I'm trying to do is get Pinball Fx2 to use my real PinDMD display by using dmdext.

 

Thoughts please?

 

 

As far as i understand, if you dont have the steam version specifically, and you dont specifically have cabinet mode unlocked
which required some kind of activation code from Zen, you wont be able to get it to send anything to a DMD

Maybe someone else knows something different, but that's what everything that turns up says

 

And also, there are only 2 versions of FX2
Steam, and the Windows Store windows 8 version.

 

Do not think the Win8 one will send to a DMD at all?

I can not find any info on someone having set one up to do so.

Cause it does not technically have cabinet mode

 

Any other version comes from some place it should not have. 

And i would not know who could help with that.
Last person that tried, if you search the forums, got fed their own arms and legs

 

Setting up Backglass and DMD monitors for the beginner (zenstudios.com)

Edited by wiesshund, 07 December 2020 - 03:43 AM.

[naeyaert]

 

 

 

OK but I am running FX2 on my cabinet which has 2 screens already (playfield and backglass) and also a 'virtual' dot matrix that runs over top of my backglass already.  Does that mean I have "cabinet mode" already?

All I'm trying to do is get Pinball Fx2 to use my real PinDMD display by using dmdext.

 

Thoughts please?

 

 

As far as i understand, if you dont have the steam version specifically, and you dont specifically have cabinet mode unlocked
which required some kind of activation code from Zen, you wont be able to get it to send anything to a DMD

Maybe someone else knows something different, but that's what everything that turns up says

 

And also, there are only 2 versions of FX2
Steam, and the Windows Store windows 8 version.

 

Do not think the Win8 one will send to a DMD at all?

I can not find any info on someone having set one up to do so.

Cause it does not technically have cabinet mode

 

Any other version comes from some place it should not have. 

And i would not know who could help with that.
Last person that tried, if you search the forums, got fed their own arms and legs

 

Setting up Backglass and DMD monitors for the beginner (zenstudios.com)

 

 

 

***OK*** Here is an interesting update.

 

This now works and ALL I did was add the switch "-d pindmdv2" on the command line and presto!!! --- dmdext sent the video stream to the pinDMD.  I think I mentioned I had a suspicion in my earlier post that this might work as I could see dmdext receiving frames from the source (Pinball FX2) but not sending them to the DMD.  It turns out it needed to know the 'destination'.  

 

I didn't change anything and for the life of me I can not find anywhere on my Pinball FX2 the "cabinet mode" option.  It is not on the bottom menu and nowhere in the config menu.

 

So thank you for all your advice but I have **ONE** more quick problem.

 

If you see the image below you'll see this working as described above.  I have nowhere in my Pinball FX2 (v1.0.22) to setup the dot matrix resolution.  I'm using an app called "pbfx2dotmatrix.exe" to resize my DMD.  As you can see from the image below there is still something wrong with the resolution on my DMD - it looks a little ghosted and not sharp.  I've tried various DMD sized like 520 x 136 (like the below image) and it doesn't seem to improve it.

 

I'm grateful for all the help but can someone please let me know how I get the DMD to look sharp please?

 

Cheers Rob

 

 

<<<<ARGH! HOW DO I ADD AN IMAGE ON HERE TO SHOW MY DMD PLEASE>>>>>

Edited by naeyaert, 07 December 2020 - 10:21 PM.

[wiesshund]

I would pop the image on imgur and then click the image button in the post editor
and paste in the image url from imgur
 

easier than uploading here.

 

On the DMD resizing part, i am not sure
the settings you would use in FX2 itself, as far as i know, only exist in the steam version, and it sounds like you got your version
from the windows store, so not sure how to work with pbfx2dotmatrix.exe

[naeyaert]

I would pop the image on imgur and then click the image button in the post editor
and paste in the image url from imgur
 

easier than uploading here.

 

On the DMD resizing part, i am not sure
the settings you would use in FX2 itself, as far as i know, only exist in the steam version, and it sounds like you got your version
from the windows store, so not sure how to work with pbfx2dotmatrix.exe

 

OK -- Here is my image on my blurry DMD.

 

I see "steam" in my menu on PinballFX2 but I have no way of editing the size of the DMD.  All I get is "off, Large, Small etc".

I've not had time to play around with it yet but have used pbfx2dotmatrix.exe app to resize / reposition DMD to no affect.

 

I'd LOVE to be able to get my DMD super sharp like the preview videos playing on my DMD from within PinballX

 

Any help appreciated....

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

 

 

Edited by naeyaert, 08 December 2020 - 11:54 PM.

[wiesshund]

You might have to shoot Zen an email and get a cabinet mode key to see the settings you need.
From what i read (can't even go demo fx2 from steam anymore, isnt in the store, so i cant just go try it) you can not see those settings.

And i am not sure how the 3rd party dmd tool you are using works.

Normally, you enable cab mode, set the DMD size etc
and then just start dmdext as you are now, with put the helper app.

[naeyaert]

You might have to shoot Zen an email and get a cabinet mode key to see the settings you need.
From what i read (can't even go demo fx2 from steam anymore, isnt in the store, so i cant just go try it) you can not see those settings.

And i am not sure how the 3rd party dmd tool you are using works.

Normally, you enable cab mode, set the DMD size etc
and then just start dmdext as you are now, with put the helper app.

 

OK so if I understand you correctly, you're saying that the quality of the realDMD image (like in my photo) totally relies on the settings inside Pinball FX2 to be set correctly and not dmdEXT itself?

 

Is that correct?

 

So just on that, I purchased a copy of Pinball FX3 with the cabinet mode key so I can now at least set these parameters for the DMD and the Backglass.  If I set those correctly do you think that will clean up my DMD image to be sharp?

 

Last question - what would the correct settings (resolution) be for a PinDMD v2 (grey scale DMD)?
 

Cheers again for the help

[wiesshund]

Well DMDext can only display what is being sent to it

I mean there are some things you can adjust in dmddevice.ini, but i do not think those will have much effect on what i am seeing in your image.

 

I have a feeling that what you are seeing is a byproduct of that go between helper app that you are having to use for FX2

not sure if there is any config changes for it that would help as i dont find much info on it.

 

My best guess is that is is mirroring the entire window to dmdext, as the window border and all is being sent, and it appears to be getting sent

like a jpeg image or something similar, rather than just communicating the DMD pixels to be lit and at what brightness value.
So dmdExt is simply displaying what it is being shown, exactly as it sees it.

 

It may help with getting rid of the borders

I found this thread discussing it, the external DMD

DMD now working for Cabinets. Heres how to set it up!! (zenstudios.com)

There is also a link to a thread here, discussing how to do it via auto hotkey as well, as the above app costs money

http://www.vpforums.....24545&p=290475

 

As for the PinDMD V2

 

from dmddevice.ini

 

  [PinDMD2 ]

enabled = True

 

 

 from command line

Add   -d pinDMDV2   to the command line for launching dmdEXT.exe  

Edited by wiesshund, 15 December 2020 - 08:54 PM.