When I started putting together Total Lightshow I only wanted lights. Lot's of lights! But I realised that I wasn't going to bother unless I could lock those lights into the game code properly, and not being able to hack the code directly, the next best thing is to read all the inserts and switches. Thus was born the Matrix Interceptor. And if you have been following the Total Lightshow development thread you'll know what it does.
I'm toying with the idea of taking the Matrix Interceptor from within Total Lightshow and offering it as a standalone mod-controlling board. Given that production of the PIG 2 seems to have ceased, maybe there is a need.
So, if you aren't familiar with the board, here is a quick introduction..
The board reads the ENTIRE insert and switch matrices of SAM(currently) machines, both Pro and Premium, and returns the following..
Any switch/s ON,
Any switch/s OFF,
Any Insert lamp/s ON,
Any Insert lamp/s OFF,
Any Insert lamp/s FLASHING.
It then drives 8 separate PWM power outputs (up to 6.3V), and 3 serial ouputs.
There are no alligator clips. Everything is plugged properly into and read at the main board, not out on the playfield. The real power of the board is being able to use COMBINATIONS of the above indications, along with timing and counting, to generate really complicated triggers for mods that can not only trigger in one way, but in different ways depending on different modes for example.
I have been thinking of GUI ideas for programming it, but as the possibilities are way too broad, it is only really feasible to program it properly though a Dev environment (it will ship as an Atmel Studio Project). Atmel Studio is free, and the only thing a user would have to do to program it is open up a window and choose which of the included chunks of code to activate.
I would include all the code devices I have developed for GI Theatre, which include faders, flashers, timers and switch counters to name a few. All the code examples would simply be commented out, and a simple copy/paste of a block of code would have it ready to go.
I may also include a library of standard images that can be played through LED strips via the serial outputs. LED strip images can be played at a chosen speed, can be played once or looped, and have a priority setting.
Now it may be simply too difficult for people to use, although all the code would be there in front of you, to be of broad interest. The board is obviously operational now as it is shipping as part of Total Lightshow, but I would need to do a bit of a clean up to get it fit for general consumption.
I'm thinking it would be around US$165(give or take, and this may change), including mounting hardware and all the cables required to get it connected. This is a bit more than the PIG 2 was, but it does more.
If there are only four guys out there who could be bothered using it, it's a bit tough to go through the work of updating it, but enough noise from the audience may get me over the line. I will actually be doing another rev of the board if I go ahead, to get some 12V outputs on it, plus a few other tweaks. I am also in the process of getting it going on White Star and some Williams platforms.
So, in short, it lets you read the whole machine's behaviour, and generate signals to drive your mods in any way you want. As an example, the primary use at the moment is replicating the GI lightshow and rising cross mechanism of Metallica Premium in Metallica Pro. You can dig up info from this long thread.. https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ramp-lighting-in-your-face-st-pro-brought-to-lifevideo
There are some photos below of the board and as it is mounted.
Shout out if you would want it, or if you have any questions on how it is implemented. If it is too hard, or too expensive, or just overkill, then it may not fly as an idea, but I thought I'd put it out there. It works, it's available now, it may fill a need.