+1 of open source

Either way I am interested.

Same here.

FYI: I've got something like this in the works.

OK, I read your message more closely. It looks like you're well under way too. Maybe we could collaborate on this a bit. I'll PM you.

Maybe one of you could make something like this for older games, like WPC or older 80s games.

I think Herg's GI OCD board basically does this, so I wouldn't need it there, but I have 10 early 80s Bally and Williams games that I would buy this for. Since LEDing those backglasses, the glare is pretty brutal.

The idea is to have it work for as many games as possible. I've PM'ed Schwaggs some of the details.

Cool. I've actually considered pulling the backglass LEDs in games like Fathom and Centaur because of the glare. I would definitely be in for something like this.

Yeah, but only for WPC95 and WPC89. It allows dimmed (or all the way off) backbox while playing. It's probably overkill if that's all you're looking for, though.

A while back, Mike mentioned his project for other machines, and I've been patiently awaiting it for my Sterns. Whatever you guys come up with, I'll be interested. Completed kits are great since my time is limited, but I'd build my own if I had to.

Any updates on this for Stern machines?

Also, anyone have suggestions on where to get an LED replacement kit for <$100? Nothing fancy, just a few strips of LEDs on a board with a power connector. At >$100, I'm enough of a cheapskate to make my own.

Herg, this might be what you want:

http://www.arcadeupkeep.com/#/bb-fbb-board/4554278423

Thanks. At $80, I'm still on the fence whether to build or buy, but that looks like what I want. I'd be doing 3 machines, and I already have a roll of LEDs, so making them myself would cost me time, but not a lot of dough.

Now, if they could be dimmed to one level while not playing, and to a different level while playing, I'd be set.

I'm interested in this module mod.

I'd be interested in a few

I'm still interested in this, and I actually went as far as implementing my own controller in my Tron.

I originally designed a controller PCB that allows synchronization of the Eli ramp lights to a ColorDMD, speaker lights, etc. You can see pictures here:
http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/colordmd-color-changing-tron-pinbits-eli-ramps-integration#post-1728912

Once I had that working, I realized I could use one of the "extra" transistors to drive an LED backbox panel. Since there's a microcontroller on the interface board, I can set it to any brightness I want through PWM rather than just ON/OFF. Also, due to a lucky coincidence, I had a couple of extra pins running from Eli's mod to the inputs of my microcontroller AND since my Eli kit is one of the prototypes, I have the source code.

I modified the Eli ramp code to use one of the extra outputs to indicate whether the game is being played or in attract. The MCU on my interface board then uses that to dim and brighten the backbox accordingly. It works great! Unfortunately, it will only work for my very specific situation. I still want this sort of control for my Metallica and LOTR, so if either of you guys finalize something, let us know.

No need to add it. It's already in the design.

We're kinda going off-topic, but you're the OP, so...

You can drive "some" incandescent bulbs with GI OCD as long as you pay attention to the current draw. Around 2A per string and 10A total is the limit. To get the draw down to these levels, you'll have to swap most of the incandescents out for LEDs.

Hm, cool. Maybe I'll use this as a project to learn how to lay out a basic PCB. Seems like it would be a fun project for a noob like me, and would be easy to make a little harness to connect to the mod plug or a splitter to power the +5, +12, Ground..

I wonder if I can just swap out the flourescent tube for a LED-based tube and then control it that way with this. I don't really want to spend 150 bucks or the effort to make my own LED backboard....perfectly happy with even, non-blingy lighting on my translite.

I ended up making my own backboards, and it wasn't really that much work. A LED tube would require that you controlled the AC, making it much more difficult.

Going back to one of schwagg's older posts, I saw the hint about using the flipper button, and just finished my own version of this a couple of nights ago. Rather than an RC circuit driving the FET, I have a microcontroller to do the timing and PWM the FET. The only real difference is that I can control the brightness this way.

I have some local friends that converted their flourescent to a LED tube in the same fixture..it's probably not that big a deal....but if this is only useful for lightboards, no use in me wasting my time on something I can't use. I'll just put some parchment paper over the tube like I'd done with LOTR.

That works for reducing glare, but the main goal here is to have the backglass/translite look good while in attract, but not cause glare while playing. That requires something actively controlled.

Depends on your personal definiton of "good", I guess. For me...it's "good enough". Definitely not worth spending 50-150 on a led backboard, 150$+ on EagleCAD, and god knows what on components, the PCB blanks, and harness to hook it up. My cheapskate solution definitely will not work for things like the animated LED panel for Tron that strobes the Portal beam...lol..

Then you're in the wrong thread. IMO, it needs to be lit fairly brightly to look good in attract, and if it's lit very brightly at all during game, it will cause glare.

I'd estimate I spent about $20 each building my LED backboards. A roll of LED strip cost ~$15 and is enough for 2 with some left over. Add in the foam board, hardware, connectors, wire, etc., and you're around $20.

The ready-made arcadeupkeep backboard that jayhawkui posted is $80, so your range is $20 - $80 for a plain lit panel. KiCAD is free. Components for mine cost less than $10, blank PCBs from OSHPark were <$7 each.

THANK YOU FOR POSTING!
Brad

Can you make a how to thread on this? What size foam board? How do you change from the fluorescent to the board? How do you secure the board? Where do you get the power from?

I don't really have the time to take all the pictures and write a thorough set of instructions that would be worthy of a new thread. It's pretty simple, though.

Board size is about 24" x 15". Exact dimensions don't matter as long as it fits. I actually used the corrugated plastic sheet that you can get at Home Depot.

Just take the fluorsecent bulb out and unscrew the electrical contacts. Using the same screw holes, a couple pieces of threaded rod, nuts, washers, and a couple of wing nuts hold the board.

Power comes from the same 12V source as pretty much every Stern mod in existence. A convenient connector is inside the coin door, right side, but you will have to run wire up into the backbox if you use that connector.