I’m looking at my first colourdmd purchase, what’s the main reason the lcd seems to popular? From the last couple of posts alone everyone is buying lcd over led.

Could a few of you guys with plenty of colourdmds chime in and give me an idea which way to go, I’m not really interested in the hi res where it merges the dots together, I like my dots to look like dots. thanks in advance.

The LED will fit easier in GB and newer sterns but the dot's tend to be brighter (almost too bright) and don't have the extensive options of the LCD. Some of the dot patterns on the LCD can really change the way the image renders and in some cases render it almost like animation rather than dots.

Just my .02

I generally like the LCD better because it's just more "mellow" on the eyes. I like the dots as well, I never use smear-vision modes. The only game I thought really benefited from LED was Tron. The colors were just too drab on the LCD...but on the LED, they really pop, and the intensity of the colors just really lends itself to Tron. Oh, I also have an LED in CV, since that's the only option.

LED is also good if you really like the intensity of a classic orange plasma DMD.

At the end of the day, they're both good and make games look better. You should be happy with either choice.

Surely most GB's have been smashed and/or burned by now.

Didn’t colordmd say a new display will be announced or released at the show as well?

Its this one that will be released at the show.

Yesssssss

I’ll see what they release and then buy a few

LED brightness is too intense and doesn't have the smoothing and DOTS XL mode of the LCD. It's just less flexible. However, because it is smaller, it will fit in machines that can't take the LCD. But if there's room, I will always choose the LCD for ColorDMD with the current choices.

I have both LED and LCD. The LED was originally on my Harley and... still is, LED seems to fit the older style pins, I swapped my LED to my STLE just to test, found it too harsh, and you can see the individual colors fire to make the LED create color, but when all the on screen animations move its very noticeable and dont care for it, just seems out of place with all the colors of ST, the LCD with DOT XL is perfect IMO. Only issue the gap which is easily fixed with stick on foam. I have no issue with brightness on my LCD. I am used to the OEM LED DMD dots size, which the LCD DOT XL mimics the same size dot.

IMO, I would say on Stern's, Whitestar and older go LED, anything newer like SAM, Spike I go LCD.

The gaskets I just released for angled Stern panel colorDMD installs is WAY better than weatherstrip, functionally and cosmetically. Cuts down SUBSTANTIALLY on dust behind the plastic and on the LCD surface, too.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/colordmd-gasket-for-angled-stern-speaker-panels

I have 10 color dmd's. 8 LCD, 2 LED. The 2 LED are because GI a d BR needed it. LCD gives you so many options.

Love to see Stern Playboy
Led pink bunny?

No, my GB is in storage, I am renovating the house......so now I have to wait until February! But a good thing. I will already place my order for a nice LED version!

Loan the game out to a family or friend whose house you visit most often then you don't have to wait till February to play it and enjoy it in color

Official announcement email was sent out earlier this morning. Looking forward to this one!

Capture (resized).JPG
Capture1 (resized).JPG
Capture2 (resized).JPG
Capture3 (resized).JPG

Have a question regarding using a ColorDMD (LCD) that I purchased for a Williams game over a year ago (Shadow) and would now like to use in Ghostbusters. Is the only extra item I need to purchase the 12V backbox power adapter?

http://shop.colordmd.com/spike-12v-backbox-power-adapter-cable/

Do I also need to purchase the 12v/5v Power Tap from either Mezel Mods or Pinball Life? ColorDMD is the option I take it that I need to select on the page if I need it?

https://mezelmods.com/collections/power-adapters/products/12v-power-tap-spike-system?variant=31545908936

Is this the correct cable if ordering from Pinball Life?

https://www.pinballlife.com/spike-12-volt-backbox-power-adapter-cable.html

Sorry for so many questions, lol. Thank you.

You also need the clear plastic screen to replace the red one and the standoffs

I have the LED version in my RBION, WWFRR, and JP. I prefer it and you can adjust the brightness level so I'm not sure why people consider it too harsh. Looks great in the machines and still looks "stock" to me with the dots vs. smoothing of the LCD. Is the install pretty easy for the newer spike systems? Anyone made a youtube tutorial yet? Hoping to acquire the funds to purchase soon!

The smoothing is optional. Default on the LCD display is dots, also there's "dots xl" which keep the dot shape, but make the dots a bit larger so there's more color. Sure, the smoothing is there if you want it, too.

https://www.colordmd.com/ColorDMD%20LED%20Installation%20Instructions%20SPIKE%20Rev1.PDF

https://www.colordmd.com/Assembly%20for%20Instructions%20SPIKE%20CHROMA%20Rev2.PDF

Thank you, didn't know that. Do you know which power adapter I would need? I see several of them and just want to be sure I order the correct one. The ColorDMD I have is around a year and a half old and originally purchased for a Williams game.

You need this:

http://shop.colordmd.com/spike-12v-backbox-power-adapter-cable/

And this:

http://shop.colordmd.com/clear-shield-and-mounting-standoffs-for-new-stern-cabinets/

Motocat beat me to it. Colordmd web site has what you need.

Sorry I don't I made my own connector. Takes about 3 minutes if you have the parts

where did you connect to?

Thanks guys! Just ordered both items.

I don't have the machine open and I can't get to it but it's the little board next to the next to the power supply. In this pic it has the red lights on it. https://funwithbonus.com/wp-content/uploads/GarySternBackbox.jpg

I'll grab some pics in a couple hours.

Totally agree. I go with XLDOTS on all my games.

Dots XL FO LYYYYYFE!!!!!!

There any videos that show dots vs dots xl? As I’m really not a fan of the hi res mode everything just looks mushy!

Best word I could think of to describe how it looks to me.

The "hi-res" smoothing mode looks like crap, IMO. Dots XL is where it's at, but I don't know of any comparison videos.

Yep - that's the one!

Except on Judge Dredd. Made the dmd look like animated video

Haven't seen that one in the smudge mode. All the ones I've seen/tried it on look worse, so I always go with DOTSXL.

On LotR and BSD I think DOTSXL is the way to go. It definitely is on a machine by machine basis

LotR, especially, looks abhorrent with smudge mode.

Yep all mine on dots xl.

J85M, have some faith in the LCD with DOTXL will mimic your current STOCK display, but with color. Only difference being the gap between the screen and shield, with foam, you wont notice it during game play. I am fairly comfortable in saying you'll pretty much only use DOTXL.

since Star Trek is complex like GB here you go, I believe they video renders you see on youtube and the webiste are pulled from the LCD using DOTXL and for good reason esp.. since you use a computer screen to view it, it will look exactly like the video shows.

All of mine are set to hi res. Love it.

2018 Houston Arcade and Pinball Expo is happy to showcase the ColorDMD game #80 release throughout the weekend in a GB premium. Many thanks to Einstein's Pub who is supplying an awesome game for everyone to enjoy. I am looking forward to seeing it in person.

Ditto ...and Greg will forever harass me because of it (in a fun way)....

choice is good.....

Yup...FOREVER! ...and your choice is wrong.

DOTS XL FOREVER!!!!
SMEAR MODE NEVER!!!!

I'm agreeing with Rare again, oh boy. I agree Dots XL is best, one exception, TSPP looks good in smear mode if you want the characters to more closely resemble how they looked on the Tracey Ullman show.

I've always been stuck on led vs LCD.

My games are movie clips (iron man, Tron) figure led is better.

Then I think about other games like Metallica and get stuck again.

And all is right in pinball land!!!!....

Things pretty smoooth around here.....

LOL...nice. My thing has always been this: I love pixel art. There's an art to pixel art....and just like I wouldn't use a smoothing mode when playing 8-bit or 16-bit games, I wouldn't use it on pin displays either. With good DMD pixel art, your brain fills in the blanks between the dots and automatically smooths out the image. The High-rez mode does it with an algorithm, and makes circles (such as Simpsons eyes) or straight lines (such as the side of Bart's head) into jagged stair-step patterns. With dots, it looks more correct to the artist's intention, and your brain fills in the blanks and "sees" circles and straight lines, even though they're not really there.

You make a very strong argument. Preservation of an art form, scientific theory, ....
And yet you are still dead wrong.

Mine also. Looks way more pleasing to my eye. Glad the LCD has option to make all happy.

Switched mine to dotxl today. Still on the fence. I'll let you know who's wrong in a day or 2.

Ghostbuster video preview! Looking forward to this one!!!