Heh, see this is the confusion. I'm going to try and clear it up, someone jump in if I get it wrong.

I think we all understand what ColorDMD is. Complete system, doesn't change your game code, it just intercepts the DMD image stream, and applies color to it (simplistic explanation). You can update it with any of the ColorDMD ROMS at any time, free.

SmartDMD, not PMD, nothing to do with Mike, is a system for building a ColorDMD-like system, that used a computer screen to show dots. People have been building their own from parts off eBay etc for a while, and doing cool things with them. Like applying a 4 color palette to it that replaces the 4 shades of orange from a DMD. Jurassic Park was done with shades of red and yellow for instance, which gives it a sort of pseudo-colorized look.

Mike took that existing idea, and is doing a couple things with it. He's offering pre-built display kits, much like the ones you can build yourself, but with the sourcing and work done for you. You can use them anywhere a SmartDMD works, though I don't know what kinds of brackets are offered.

He's also doing a complete system, which pairs the above "generic" SmartDMD display with a file that patches your game ROM to do colors. Right now that's SAM only, and ACDC is the first one.

Initially he was going to charge for the color file, cheaper as a bundle with the screen, and it was "locked", meaning you couldn't edit the dots themselves, just change one color someone had picked to another.

Now it sounds like Mike is going to offer some of these for free, and "unlocked". It's not clear yet which ones will be free or not, and I presume the ones that aren't free will remain locked, because that's what keeps people from just sharing them. Those are guesses.

So that's where the SmartDMD confusion comes from. If that's even clear at all.

Um, what?

How about people who don't like my thread either stop posting in it, or directly name the problematic information? What is it specifically?

I'm getting sick of all you people coming in here and telling me I'm wrong, and attacking me, and not actually spelling it out. You're the ones with agendas as far as I can tell. Go yell at Mike for naming his product SmartDMD if it offends you so much.

So go for it. I'm not going to stop posting in my own thread. If I said something in here that's wrong then please quote it and correct it. If you're right then I'll fix it.

Otherwise just go away, you're not adding anything of positive value to this thread.

Dots

Actually they are, exact same size and spacing as the new ColorDMD ones.

Yeah, I dunno what happened, he's still posting updates, but it doesn't seem like you can actually order any right now. Supply issues maybe.

I can tell you this: we're not too far off from being able to compare Metallica colorization too.

I already have the ColorDMD installed in my game, I can't wait for this one.

Oh, ha. Yeah, I don't think Mike shipped them like he was planning, but since he's still updating I guess it's still going to happen. I dunno, it feels like the air came out of the balloon. I was hoping for some head to head comparisons or something, and the ColorDMD is shipping and I've seen no PMD ACDC reports.

Right, that thread is what I was referring to when I said he was still updating. But has anyone actually bought one? Are they actually shipping? I've seen no first hand reports yet. Ultimately this thread is about people comparing and making calls, and then hopefully reporting back and keeping the conversation going with first hand reports and experience.

If anyone has a PMD ACDC colored pin let us know!

Mike just updated today with this:

"Unfortunately, due to my increasing work load outside of pinball I will no longer be able to assemble “turnkey” SmartDMD kits. However, I will continue to offer “DIY” kits for folks interested in building their own SmartDMD systems. DIY kits are available for $199 + shipping and include everything minus the LCD screen and driver board."

So it looks like if you're looking to do some roll your own style stuff he's going to get you part of the way there, but he's not competing in the out-of-box experience.

That, combined with the pricing model changing to give away some of the coloring pretty much puts him back into the "generic" SmartDMD camp, for people who are looking for DIY stuff instead of turnkey.

If anyone builds one and installs ACDC please post your impressions and videos here still though, maybe we can still do some kind of head to head comparison for those who are curious.

Metallica too, since the ColorDMD version is dropping shortly, not sure if the SmartDMD one is colored enough to use daily now or not.

Uh, ok. Sorry you're too busy to make them, but congrats on whatever it is that's making you busy.

What's wrong with a head to head comparison and asking people for their impressions? Isn't that what we all want to see?

I've freely admitted my Metallica bias. I know the guy who helped pick the colors and he's got a great eye. Other than that what's the issue? This was supposed to be a turnkey comparison thread. If a couple DIY people didn't like it I can't help that.

I guess that's dead now, but after all your work and posts why not at least still try to compare?

I'm sorry, Mike kept changing what was happening, which is his prerogative, but it became hard to keep up, and I kinda let the thread die since the product didn't seem to be shipping. It's just a thread to try and have a space to compare things without shitting on either company's dedicated threads, it's not a sales page, sorry if I didn't meet your expectations.

I've update the first post. But as I've always said, if something isn't accurate just post it.

You wanted to argue about generic SmartDMD stuff, and this simply wasn't the thread for it at the time, I was trying to compare the solutions for people who weren't looking for DIY, and just wanted plug and play.

Obviously that's pretty moot now, since Mike has transitioned to just providing parts to help you roll your own. Mike, I'm not actually clear on what you get for the $199 now. No LCD and driver board, so what's left? The mounting hardware and cables?

Given that there isn't an out of box showdown to talk about anymore, I relinquish my request to keep this from being about DIY stuff, so feel free to bring up or link things that are relevant.

I don't know the average price for an LCD screen and driver board for instance, so if people can give me some numbers I'll put them in the first post.

This thread was for people like you. That's all. No agenda against DIY. Was just trying to provide a place to discuss the shit you can just buy, plug in, and be done with.

If you like tinkering and rolling your own thing I totally respect that, was never crapping on it, please keep doing the mad scientist thing, I love it. I've done plenty myself.

But sometimes I just want to pay for something, plug it in, and play pinball. Neither way has to be "right", it's just different approaches. Don't understand why that's generated animosity towards me from a couple people. If I said anything confusing because "SmartDMD" kind of applied to two different things that weren't really the same then I apologize.

Sorry to hear that man, I was glad to see you posting your Fathom updates again, I hope you're able to finish that.

Well it doesn't really matter if I've made up my mind or not, the point is that other people can make up their own minds by seeing what's posted. What I put in my personal machines shouldn't make any difference towards what other people do. You've gotta figure out what's important. The products both have their own strengths and only you can decide which ones matter to you personally.

I have my own biases, I'm human, but I haven't been really arguing for one product or another, not with any strong opinions or real arguments at least.

Frankly there are two people who seem to have an issue with what I'm writing, and see the post above, everyone else seems to notice they just complain about some supposed misleading thing I'm saying, but never actually quote it.

If you have an issue please quote it specifically, so we can resolve it. If I'm wrong I'll correct it, and if not I'll try and explain better.

On my phone so I can't answer in detail, but things you're complaining about, like the $50 color file thing? Straight from Mike. Not my fault you weren't paying attention to his threads like I was. He's changed his pricing and product repeatedly since I started this thread. Sorry if I didn't keep up or it was confusing. But things like the $50 fee were simple facts, straight from the source.

Back home now, so I can quote better.

Here's the deal: you've been annoyed with me about SmartDMD representation from the very beginning, you made that clear. But you've never actually called out facts, and now that you are, I'm sorry, but you're off base.

Part of this is on Mike. Sorry Mike, not trying to play gotcha with you, but you announced things, and I started this thread, and then you kept changing things up. Even in this very thread actually. Which is totally your right! But it's not been easy to keep up with it all, and now you're not actually even doing the whole plan (for now at least) so I've kinda given up a little to be honest. I think what I have in the opening post is accurate, but if I missed something let me know.

Anyways, skipping that confusing changing part, you're acting kinda outraged that I would say extra color files are $50. Or you can't edit the dots. That's because that's what Mike said! Yes, of course you can edit dots with Pinball Browser and a homebrew SmartDmd display, but we weren't talking about people rolling their own, we were talking about the commercial kit. Which was including "locked down" files, that you could not edit. Repeat, couldn't edit them, not like normal. You could change the palettes, but you couldn't edit the dots. And they weren't free, you could get additional ones for $50.

Again, this is all straight from Mike. And I had no problem with any of it. If someone is going to spend hours and hours of their time and want to be paid for it and not give it away, and have locks on it to keep people from just copying it and messing with it? Totally cool by me. Don't like it? Color your own, give it away, whatever. So it wasn't a ding on Mike.

These are facts, not things I made up.

Thing is, in the middle of the thread Mike went "screw that, I'm giving everything away!" And cool, good for him, he's of course free to do that. But it wasn't clear what that meant. He's promised people who were coloring for him a cut of the sales. So were they going to still get paid? It seemed like the deal was some files might be given away, the ones he did himself at least, some might be $50 still, or maybe they'd be "pay what you like". I still don't honestly know.

If you know then speak up. But you didn't know about the $50 charge, or the locked files, so I'm kinda thinking you're not actually sure yourself. I think you're just defending "generic" SmartDMD, which is totally open, totally editable, and a DIY kind of product.

As I've repeatedly said, this thread isn't about that. Roll your own all you like. This was for comparing "out of the box" experiences, where you bought a complete product, plugged it in, and got color. No muss, no fuss.