With a single image, I cannot make an animation with movement, only that still image will be seen. If you can provide the 3D model, then I could animate and create the video with the creature in motion, like the original.
 

 
An alternative is to use my 3D model, this is already done, we would only have to change the texture to make it all that fluorescent green color.

It can be put in the same position as the original creature and create the animation to make the same movement. This image that I attached is my 3D model, with the latest changes and improvements that were made in the face. The model is full-length, I think I put an image long ago

 
40a0cd0a-f49c-4644-9d90-82d314f1e824.jpg

 
Can't you record a video of the hologram in operation?

I do not have the machine, and sending that hologram to another person is a responsibility that I do not want to assume, because it would no longer depend on me to prevent damage.

 
I still made some modifications to the main board of the kit. These affect the way the power supply is connected.

I have added two 4-pin male connectors, 3.96mm pitch. The kit will include a cable with two female connectors, to connect the 12v supply voltage, from any of the J116, J117 or J118 connectors on the driver board. The pinball cable that is connected to these connectors can be connected to the second 4-pin connector on the HolomodSP board.

Additionally, on the bottom side of the board, as an optional extra (with a small additional cost), I can install a round jack type connector, in order to connect an external power supply (12V DC).

All the videos that I provide are stored on the Raspberry's SD card, in this way the USB flash drive is not necessary. As for the configuration, by default all videos are enabled, as well as the options (UFO, text, bubbles with characters), in this way an SD card is not necessary on the main board.

When I release the update to be able to use your own videos replacing those of the kit, they should be stored on a USB flash drive, in the same way if someone wants to disable any video or change any settings, must insert a micro SD card into the main board to create and modify the configuration file (one is created automatically, with the default values, when inserting an empty SD card formatted in FAT32). If you want the USB flash drive and/or the micro SD card, I can include them as optional extras.

Also to update the firmware of the main board, a micro SD card is needed, only at the time of updating, then it can be removed, unless someone wants to change the default settings (disable some video, change options, use own videos ).

holo_001_bis.jpgholo_002.jpg

 
We continue working with the videos, extracting characters from the playfield and vectorizing them for maximum quality. The car in the attached image will probably be used in the bubble video, the 3D cube/stone video and specifically in the FILM video.

I have already ordered to my supplier, the custom cables and connectors for the Kit main board. I hope to receive the PCB of the main board this week, I will assemble and test it, then I will make a video of everything working on my desk with the CPU. I will also send a complete kit to my friend Carlos, to install and test in his Creature, he has a better camera to take quality photos and videos of the complete product mounted on the machine and running with the 6 videos of the initial version.

If everything goes as I expect, I will open the order list very soon.
 
7fb7b843-2d39-4900-9002-ad4b5959118a.jpgc71d8cfa-fab0-40ac-9536-639a42c4de54.jpg

 
For the final tests I have redesigned my TEST board, removing the LED arrays from the motherboard, which are not necessary, and creating a small custom board with all the signals from the Creature board. This mini board has 92 LEDs that monitor the status of all lamps, bumpers, flashers, coils and Hologram mechanisms (64 lamps and 28 power outputs).

As for the HolomodSP Kit, the program configuration for the initial 6 videos is quite simple and finished, but the trigger of other videos is somewhat more complex, because I must combine the state of switches and lamps, with some additional strategies. Basically, the problem is that many of the lamps on the playfield, blink or activate without relation to the specific event but by some light games that the game makes, to make it more colorful.

In the attached images the new design of the TEST board, already ordered to the PCB manufacturer. The graphic designer is now rendering the final versions of the 6 videos, I am waiting to receive them, and already try everything.

ScreenHunter_028.jpg

ScreenHunter_034.jpg

 
Thanks Cenobyte. I can add the DMD frame reading to trigger videos, but that requires modifying the kit hardware and using a Multicolor DMDMK66 (also modified to add a serial port).

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1097-pinballsp/01682-dmdmk66-128x32-multicolor-100-plug-and-play
https://www.facebook.com/commerce/products/1726716827369824/

 
With the current version, the possible combinations, of the status of any lamp, switches, flashers, bumpers, coils and hologram mechanisms, gives you many options to trigger videos. There are a total of 64 lamps, 40 switches and 28 output signals (high power, low power, flashers), pictures attached from the User Manual of the Creature, where I have marked the signals that will be used to trigger the 22 videos of the kit.

I do not think it is necessary to capture DMD frames to trigger videos, although it is something that I could study in the future, if I start doing it now the product release will be delayed much more.

 
DIAGRAMA_LAMPARAS_COLOR.jpgDIAGRAMA_SALIDAS_DIRECTAS_COLOR.jpg
DIAGRAMA_SWITCHES_COLOR.jpg

 
It depends, there are videos that are easy to trigger, such as the KISS and the CREATURE FOUND, but there are other more complex ones that require combining switches and lamps.

Even it is also much more complicated, because there are lamps that flash during the game, and not only when an event is activated. The machine also makes sequential lighting of lights without being related to what each lamp indicates. Filtering and eliminating those flickers and sequences, so that they do not interfere with the triggering of a video, requires several programming tactics, which I have to see for each specific video.

It will only be checked to trigger a video, when any switch on the playfield is closed, then according to each video the program will also check the status of the lamps. And to filter and eliminate flickering lamps, the program will save the status of all lamps in the last 5 readings.

For the first 6 videos, programming is simple, but some of the other videos will be much more complicated.

About the KISS, in the tests I did with my LED TEST board, I only detected that the animation came out in the DMD, when closing one switch on the playfield (switch 15), I do not remember that it was triggered with two or more switches.

However, I will try everything with my new TEST board, before releasing the first firmware version.

For the video of the Creature found, I will use two of the three output signals, because there is one (I think that of the lamp), which is activated sometimes throughout the game, for a few moments, I don't know if that is a bug of the original pinball program, but I have already seen it in videos of the real machine and also in virtual.

 
kiss.jpg

sw15_002.jpg

 
Three background videos are planned, two of them are already made, the one with the bubbles and the one with the RITA boat, and the third one is in development (stone in the cave of the final scene of the film, which will show on their faces, images and scenes from the movie). These videos are automatically triggered at random, while there are no other videos playing.

There is another video of an Auto cinema, with scenes from the movie, but it is not yet decided in which case this video will be triggered.

There is no possibility of unexpected situations, all videos will be programmed to be triggered according to rules based on the state of switches and lamps in the game.

 
Thanks Manny65, I'll check.

 
It is an option, working with the sounds I tried it a long time ago, and I discarded it because it is much more limited than directly reading all the input / output signals of the pinball.

It is true that working with sounds allows easier programming, but with less possibilities for future updates, and especially to trigger videos in somewhat more complex situations.

In fact I have a sound card design that works with WAV/MP3 files stored on SD card, which I did many years ago, I think in 2007, based on technical information I exchanged with Ed Cheung. It is a design that can be used to trigger videos, just as it can be done with frame detection in a DMD.

In short, the product can be made in a few ways, each has its advantages and disadvantages. The simplest is for sounds (tried and rejected by me a long time ago), but it is the most limited if you want to do more elaborate things, however reading all the inputs / outputs of the pinball you have many more possibilities, but it is more complex to program.

 
*************************************
  

Take this opportunity to update the status of product development.
 

1.- The graphic designer is rendering the 6 videos, with the final versions. It is a process that takes a long time, even with an Intel I7, there are videos that can take up to 24 hours to create. In any case, I will have them all 6 this weekend, at least that is what the designer has guaranteed me.

These videos will be with variants so that the user can configure some of them.

.- Video start with company logo
.- Video boot check system
.- Video background boat RITA
.- Video KISS (one per letter).
.- Video background bubbles (user configurable to enable / disable large bubbles with characters).
.- Video Creature Found (user configurable to activate disable UFO and "Creature Found" sign)

 
2.- The hardware, there has been an incident with the PCB, I attached a photo of the manufacturer, and it has been delayed. These boards are panelized, this means that, in this case, they will be assembled in panels of four boards each, so they are mounted much faster. The problem is that the manufacturer did not do them well and they broke. These panels have rails on the sides, that is quite common when they are going to be mounted in Pick and Place machine, but also in my case they also need to add 4 holes of 4.3mm in the four corners to automatically align the stencil to place the solder paste. The problem is that these rails make them 5mm wide, and put holes of 4.3mm there, they will surely break, as has happened. They are doing the boards again, this time as I suggested making those rails 7 or 8mm wide.

I hope to receive the boards next week, I guess in the second half of the week (Wednesday or Thursday).

And with this everything will be there, I'm not missing anything else, I have the acrylic bracket, the 11.6-inch screen, the final design of the main board, the first 6 videos, and custom cables and connectors are already ordered. Everything is ready to open the order list, before I will assemble everything and make some videos so that the product works on my work table with a real CPU, and on a machine (this time with better quality photos and videos, another friend who has a Creature will try it on his machine).
 

 
PCB_roto_002.jpg

 
Today I received all the PCB boards, the definitive versions for the Kit, and those of the TEST to LEDs to test the status of all the Creature pinball signals during the tests I will make of the complete kit. The PCB boards of the kit are manufactured in panels, this is the main board four PCBs per panel and the WPC output adapter are 16 boards per panel. So the manufacturing is much faster, I can mount several boards at the same time in the Pick and Place machine, and also apply solder paste to many boards at the same time.

I assemble everything and try it. I will also prepare two complete kits to be tested on real Creature pinball by my friends Orlando and Carlos, so they can take pictures and videos of everything in operation.

I also had news from the graphic designer, he has been a few days without internet access and could not send me the videos. Today he sent me the final versions of the following videos: Company logo and game name, System check, Creature (4 versions, combining with and without UFO and text "Creature found"), Kiss (one video per letter) . I still have to receive the System Check videos with one error per phase, the Bubbles video, and the RITA Boat video.

And I will have everything to open the list of orders to those interested, the price will be fixed as soon as everything is tested.

 
PCB_CREATURE_002.jpgPCB_CREATURE_005.jpg
PCB_CREATURE_003.jpgPCB_CREATURE_001.jpg

 
The background video of the RITA boat is already finished. In this video there are many animated things; the movement of the boat, the trees, the moon, the clouds, the focus of the boat, the boat's floats, the mast lamps flash, and the water is real extracted from another video. The text "There it is", is fixed with a visual effect from time to time.

The rest of the videos for the initial kit version are being rendered, and everything is ready for the final tests. All videos include sound, for use in a future firmware update, plus some additional hardware that may be needed.

I was checking the options to add sound, and the simplest is a cable that connects the audio output of the Raspberry, with the line input that has the pinball sound board. A more advanced option will be to use additional hardware with a DAC controller for I2S.

We also have fully rendered the classic car for a new video, some real headlights of a Chevrolet have been added. I also attached another drawing of the creature, for another of the new videos we are preparing.

As for the possible Creature video that emulates the hologram original, the designer has changed the texture to the 3D model we made, so that it resembles the fluorescent green of the hologram. The creature's posture is not yet correct (in the attached image), these are only tests, in addition light effects will be added to simulate the green fluorescence of the original. Being a 3D model we can put it in any posture and animate it as we want.

 
coche_pinball.jpg
71281165_375150883394096_7143744701718331392_n.pngCriatura de Frente.PNG

 
As for the matter of sound, as far as hardware is concerned, I have been looking at the schemes, and fortunately there is a sound input/output line connector on the sound card.

This connector can be used both to connect an external sound amplifier, to have better sound quality, and to connect external sounds to mix them with those of the game.

I can offer as an optional extra, a cable that connects the Raspberry audio output of the kit (with a round jack), to the line input of the sound card, with a 2-pin connector. The volume would be adjusted with a parameter in the configuration file, in order to correctly balance the volume of the machine's sounds with those of the kit.

Another option is to create my own sound card. This would make the functions of triggering videos with the sounds of the game, and at the same time replace the original sound card to play our own sounds stored as WAV files on an SD card. This way its possible to customize the machine with sounds other than the originals of the game, or keep some and change others.

 
wpc89_sound_001.jpgwpc89_sound_002.jpgwpc89_sound_003.jpg

 
Hello mavantix

I will think about it, but there are several problems why my videos might not be used in Mike's product, or they would lose quality.

 
1.- Mike's videos are played horizontally, mine vertically (1080*1920).

2.- Even if Mike's monitor/TV has a Full HD resolution (1920*1080), the image is only displayed in a small part of the visible area of ​​the screen, that means a much lower real resolution of the image. My videos are all 1080*1920, if you scale them to an area with a lower resolution you will lose quality, even if you keep the same image size.

3.- As I said, Mike's videos are not displayed in the entire visible area of ​​the screen, the image is small with respect to the visible area because he uses a large monitor / tv, I think 17 inches, in addition the image must be positioned in a specific place so that it is visible through the hole of the game board. My videos are displayed in the entire visible area of ​​an 11.6-inch monitor (in an upright position) across the entire width of the screen, without margin with the upper edge of the screen, and below with a margin of about 150 pixels (for an 11.6 inch screen, 16:9), to fit the length of the hole in the game board.

4.- The viewing angle will be very different. My screen is very close to the hole of the game board, about 3cm. Mike's screen is attached to the bottom of the cabinet with a support that should leave the screen separated at least 10-12cm from the hole, probably more. Although this is to everyone's taste, I prefer the screen very close to the hole, so that the image looks good from any angle, even for those who are watching the game around the machine, not just for the player.

5.- Even using the editor that I think Mike delivered with his product, the proportions of the length and width of the mask of my video may not be the same.

6.- There are videos of my product that have no signals of triggering in Mike's kit, for example, the Kiss and I think that many more like Extraball, Jackpot, SuperJackpot, Snackbar, etc ... (my product will have 22 videos).

7.- All the videos of my kit are in H264 format (without audio in this version) and that is the file format that I provide, I don't know what video file format the Mike product uses. You may need to do conversions (h264 to mp4, mpeg2, divx ...)

If I decided to provide my videos, I would provide them as they are delivered with my product, I would not make adjustments so that they look correctly on Mike's product. The adaptation can be a very laborious work, because may need to edit all the videos, change the resolution, orientation, adjust margins, image size with respect to the background, precise location of the image on the screen so that it comes out centered on the Game board hole, adjust the shape and proportion of the mask, etc ...

 
I don't know what kind of connections that board has, if it has any audio line-in to mix external sounds. And if it has one, what kind of connector it installs (RCA, 3.5mm stereo jack, 2.45mm pins), impedance, input sensitivity, etc ...

If you have a user manual, it should indicate all features and connections.