(Topic ID: 179074)

Are color dots always better?

By spinal

7 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 43 posts
  • 32 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by krivoap
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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    Topic poll

    “Are color dots always better?”

    • Color is better - replace it! 74 votes
      72%
    • Depends on the game 25 votes
      24%
    • Keep it like it was built - original dots all the way! 4 votes
      4%

    (103 votes)

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    IMG_0500 (resized).JPG

    #1 7 years ago

    Where do you stand on replacing original displays with Color DMD's? Let's take price and install out of the equation (assume color displays are free and take no work to install). Is color always better?

    All comments welcome!

    #2 7 years ago

    Depends. Some games really loses their charm with colors. Other times colors really improve the game.

    #3 7 years ago

    I put an LED color display in south park. Being a cartoon related show. It makes the game pop! Those orange dots look so plain now.

    #4 7 years ago

    Yes. I've replaced every single one. Color dots (Dots XL or LED) are beautiful. There's not one that looks better in Orange.

    #5 7 years ago

    Colored dots are better than not in nearly all cases. They are a must on games with muddy video (IM/SM/Avatar). They are a very nice upgrade for games with already great custom dots (XM/MET).

    #6 7 years ago

    ...as long as there all Orange lol There's a point where you just have to give up and get with new technology just as long as it doesn't break the spirit of the game, i.e.~Led's, Rottendog Stuff & MAME.

    #7 7 years ago

    Love the colour dots... If the there is no colourization of the game , it's nice to able to change the dots from time to time ... See you at YEGpin

    #8 7 years ago
    Quoted from Baiter:

    Colored dots are better than not in nearly all cases. They are a must on games with muddy video (IM/SM/Avatar). They are a very nice upgrade for games with already great custom dots (XM/MET).

    I did the opposite on my Avatar.
    I looked at the color samples of the game and said all that money for what?
    I put in a blue one because I thought that looked better w the color theme of the game.

    #9 7 years ago

    This is obviously an opinion thread, but the correct answer is "yes."

    #10 7 years ago

    No question ColorDMD is the way to go. I have replaced the traditional DMD on several of my games and love them. When I look at and play the games I have not converted, they look a little awkward now. ColorDMD is not a cheap upgrade, but I think it gives the games a more contemporary look.

    #12 7 years ago

    The colorizations have all been so good that there's no reason not to upgrade them, they really pop. What I don't like is when people apply the smearing effect, so all the dots blob together. Let the dots be dots!

    #13 7 years ago

    Is ColorDMD always better than original dots? I think so. When ColorDMD first came out, I saw it on an AFM at a pinball show. I thought it was an expensive novelty I would never own. Eventually I got one. And another... and another... Now all my games have Color DMDs. Even on games where full ColorDMD colorization isn't available, it can be an improvement over the original dots. For example, the original red dots in Ghostbusters are, well, horrible once you've seen a green ColorDMD display in that game.... IMHO.

    -3
    #14 7 years ago

    Too much money. Don't need it.

    #15 7 years ago

    Agreed. On some games it may add something, but definitely not worthed the price. Orange is like b&w for cinema: more abstract, more poetry and charm.

    #16 7 years ago
    Quoted from pinbuoy:

    I did the opposite on my Avatar.
    I looked at the color samples of the game and said all that money for what?
    I put in a blue one because I thought that looked better w the color theme of the game.

    I agree. Same goes for Tron. In most cases color is the way to go, but not always

    #17 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Too much money. Don't need it.

    He is asking : assume color displays are free and take no work to install

    #18 7 years ago

    I got all Color dmd's for my games MetallicaLe Acdc Luci + Tspp they really are Insanly awesome but Spiderman is still a great upgrade but less popping because of the mini clip from the movie.

    I love the Color dmd's, Best mod ever by far !

    #19 7 years ago

    As long as your retinas got cones, colour is better.

    #20 7 years ago
    Quoted from spinal:

    Where do you stand on replacing original displays with Color DMD's? Let's take price and install out of the equation (assume color displays are free and take no work to install). Is color always better?
    All comments welcome!

    By the way,install is really not a problem : if i can do it pretty easy then everyone can
    and Randy (at Color dmd) is Great with Helping if needed, when i sent a email questions he answered
    within an 1hour

    #21 7 years ago
    Quoted from pinbuoy:

    I did the opposite on my Avatar.
    I looked at the color samples of the game and said all that money for what?
    I put in a blue one because I thought that looked better w the color theme of the game.

    What display did you go with please?

    #22 7 years ago
    Quoted from IdahoRealtor:

    I agree. Same goes for Tron. In most cases color is the way to go, but not always

    Tron looks AMAZING with the LED ColorDMD (and the contrast turned up by 2). It was a little dull with the LCD...but LED is gorgeous. Avatar might benefit from the LED display as well.

    I'd love to see a video of Avatar in dots mode instead of smear mode. I think that lunch video in smear only is doing the display a disservice.

    #23 7 years ago

    I like ColorDMD and will one day have one in every game I own

    but, with some games, the original animations just are not great, and even the best coloring does not improve the look very much

    #24 7 years ago

    There are exactly zero games that look better with monochrome orange or red dots. Now you can argue they're better time capsules for originality, and I respect that, but it doesn't actually look better, just original.

    #25 7 years ago

    Can not wait to see TWD in Color dmd

    #26 7 years ago
    Quoted from thunderking50:

    Can not wait to see TWD in Color dmd

    That will be my first color dmd

    -1
    #27 7 years ago
    Quoted from Aurich:

    There are exactly zero games that look better with monochrome orange or red dots. Now you can argue they're better time capsules for originality, and I respect that, but it doesn't actually look better, just original.

    I just saw the new BSD color DMD. For me, BSD is cool becuase of that misty, dark, edgy vibes. The monochrome reminds me b&w, it adds to that dreamy feeling and gothic atmospheres. The new color DMD makes it look like more childish and immature. Or anyway it turns the theme into something more shallow. I have the same feeling for other titles. IMHO.

    #28 7 years ago
    Quoted from Luppin:

    I just saw the new BSD color DMD. For me, BSD is cool becuase of that misty, dark, edgy vibes. The monochrome reminds me b&w, it adds to that dreamy feeling and gothic atmospheres. The new color DMD makes it look like more childish and immature. Or anyway it turns the theme into something more shallow. I have the same feeling for other titles. IMHO.

    I'm obviously being hyperbolic, it's all opinion. Yours just happens to be wrong.

    #29 7 years ago

    I've yet to play a game where full color dots were not better than orange. I don't really care about color vs. orange (red blue whatever), but the color adds legibility if nothing else.

    #30 7 years ago

    Yes color dots are always better (or hi-res in some situations). To me the graphics are more legible in color. Especially themes like TSPP and SMVE...can't wait for GOT and TWD.

    #31 7 years ago

    Given the increased emphasis on screen oriented technology these days, definitely yes.

    It is as much about attracting new players in the vicinity of the machine now as it is about conveying information to the current player on the machine.

    Red/orange screens just can't compete with a colour display, much like a Nokia 3210 can't compete with an iPhone7.

    #32 7 years ago

    I don't care about the display much myself. I only look up there briefly to see shots needed, score, etc...I'm usually watching the ball. I actually took a color DMD out of my Medieval Madness and Tron (went with a blue Xpin). I've also moved around color DMDs from various games...for example I don't really care for the color DMD on Addams Family, Indiana Jones, ACDC and other games with a dominant color scheme (ex: orange/yellow for IJ). But on a game like Monster Bash, No Good Gofers, or South Park as someone else mentioned, it fits better IMO. I'm not going to rush out and buy a new color DMD for any game like that but if I have one floating around already, sure. I've sold many pins with color DMDs to pinball newbies and I'd say it's pretty split between "oh yeah it has to have the color display" and "eh, I don't care about that, especially if it lowers the price by $100". Not many that would trade back to a regular plasma DMD without incentive though.

    #33 7 years ago

    Hmmmm,

    Let me think about it.....

    I feel the animations look much better, and are much easier to work out. I noticed things after adding a ColorDMD that I hadn't picked up before.
    So, yes, I have them in all my suitable pins.

    IMG_0500 (resized).JPGIMG_0500 (resized).JPG

    #34 7 years ago
    Quoted from Rarehero:

    Tron looks AMAZING with the LED ColorDMD (and the contrast turned up by 2). It was a little dull with the LCD...but LED is gorgeous.

    That may be the best example of the advantage of LED since display colors are fairly dark (blue/brown).

    #35 7 years ago
    Quoted from Lethal_Inc:

    What display did you go with please?

    It's a used Blue Xpin, w the extra blue plexi.
    I heard about the blue displays, saw a few pictures, put an ad out,
    got 2 offers and took one of them.

    #36 7 years ago
    Quoted from Luppin:

    I just saw the new BSD color DMD. For me, BSD is cool becuase of that misty, dark, edgy vibes. The monochrome reminds me b&w, it adds to that dreamy feeling and gothic atmospheres. The new color DMD makes it look like more childish and immature. Or anyway it turns the theme into something more shallow. I have the same feeling for other titles. IMHO.

    I just put an LED ColorDMD in my BSD. Even with just sigma red it looks better than the original red filter. If I take my BSD to Louisville I might leave it on red for awhile to see if anyone notices and then switch it over to full color.

    #37 7 years ago

    I run my TWD in grey sigma mode, and it looks like classic Night of the Living Dead movie. I'm sure the same could be true for BSD in red with sigma.

    #38 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Too much money. Don't need it.

    Agreed, but like my mom always said need and want are two very different things. The "want" factor has put 4 of them in my gameroom so far. We don't need pinball machines either, and plenty of them are in the "too much" category.

    #39 7 years ago

    What do you guys do with your old ones? Is there a market for these used dmd's or you just throw them away?

    #40 7 years ago
    Quoted from AlexSMendes:

    What do you guys do with your old ones? Is there a market for these used dmd's or you just throw them away?

    I don't know about everyone else but I never throw anything away.

    #41 7 years ago

    Sell of keep the DMDs, they still have value.

    Quoted from AlexSMendes:

    What do you guys do with your old ones? Is there a market for these used dmd's or you just throw them away?

    #42 7 years ago

    Um, er, yeah, if someone wants to come over and install free Color DMDs in all my games, I won't stop them!

    #43 7 years ago
    Quoted from dmbjunky:

    I don't know about everyone else but I never throw anything away.

    Yes, my hoard of spare parts seems to have grown along with my collection of machines. It has come in handy when not only on my machines but when a need pops up on a buddy's as well.

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