How to make spike mods that are interactive

Hello
I am making a interactive topper for ghostbusters I have on order. I plan on powering it with an external supply. Think I need a way to get a signal from the game to fire relays for the different lights.
What is the best/safest way to get signals from the game. One way I thought was build an optical coupler into the light lines. Or just use the signal voltage.
Is there something on the market.
Does stern sell a node board with outputs one can use? It would be easy for them to sell one.
Thanks
Fortytwo.

#2 7 years ago

DAV

PersonX99

I'm actually developing something to do something similar for SPIKE (in my case, I am doing it for KISS).

I have an potential optical solution, but I am still waiting on parts to come in to test it. (This is the favored solution, though more difficult to install).

I have also build a wiring harness to tap into the 5V signal lines on the bode boards. I'm not entirely sure this will work, but it requires more work building the wiring harnesses (I'm getting tired of crimping the tiny wires).

I will post my results.

#3 7 years ago

MJP

markp99

Inactive member

Nashua, NH

8y 72,800 1,389 3

Quoted from PersonX99:
I will post my results.

I'll be watching too

#4 7 years ago

EDO

Fortytwo

Pinside member

I have ordered a Adriano relay board from Amazon. 8 relays optically coupled high load switchable. For the 10 bucks I figure why not. I do like your option with sensors. Didn't even think of that.
Another thought I had (pending actual game coming) was to buy a node board for switch and lights. Program it to the same ID and hook the relay board to those contacts. Cost and final design is a big factor here.
Fortytwo.

#5 7 years ago

EDO

Fortytwo

Pinside member

Lightbar is almost done. I'm short two LED bulbs that we're back ordered.
This video shows everything on and going. It will be more impressive when things are turns on and off.
All 4 reds tied together. - containment unit flashers
Outside rotators - multiball
Inside rotators - multiball
Green moving corners. - slimer
Front left purple and back right green - a flasher
Front right purple and back left green - another flasher

Now I wait for the bulbs and the game to figure out tie in.
Fortytwo.

#6 7 years ago

EDO

Fortytwo

Pinside member

I got a optical isolated input relay board today in the mail. $10. You can even isolate the relay voltage if you want to.
This fires when the input is pulled low. No input is off high is off. I figured I can tie it into he light and when the transistor pulls he led on (low) it would turn on the light. Of course having the game and a manual would help.
Fortytwo.

image_(resized).jpeg

#7 7 years ago

EDO

Fortytwo

Pinside member

2 months later

#8 7 years ago

DAV

PersonX99

I am getting ready to test the first of two optical solutions. Since all of my other machines (WoZ excluded) have undercab flashers bars I built, I wanted one for KISS as well. So far, I have added two optical mods to this game. The first is LEDS in the demon mouth and under the plastic behind it (facing down). Using a simple photoresistor, I was able to tie it to the LOCK insert. I did the same thing with the ramp that goes behind the back panel. I used purple strip leds and put a photoresistor under the mode insert for the ramp. The ramp glows purple, and at different intensities based on the mode. Its is a subtle but nice effect. For the ramp light, I simplied the design and used a static value resistor. The mod is tiny( built into a cable), modular and plug-n-play. I have since built several of these for applications that are best suited for this kind of mod.
For the next stage, I am using a IC on a board that will drive 8-channels. I am testing the board in KISS this week so the plan is to use it to (optically) tie into the flashers and drive my undercab flasher bars. Since it will be completely generic, I can not only use it for SPIKE pins, but pretty much any other pin as well.

**I should play my pins more, but I have fun modding them too.

#9 7 years ago

EDO

Fortytwo

Pinside member

Keep me in the loop here. I wouldnt mind seeing a schmatic once you got it going. I have accidently ordered a spare relay board. ill have to use it on another game. The only negative i can come up with is, the relay board fires based on a low signal. So i would need to design the photo resistor to pull it down rather than up. I might need a central board to connect the photos to and then translate up to the relay board.
I do have mine mounted in the bar along with the power supply. For the signal cable to it i used cat 5 since its cheap for a 8 conductor and i have ends readily avalible. I Must label it to NOT BE SPIKE, just in case.
I wish Stern put a mounting bar in the head for us to add boards as needed without drilling new holes.

BTW still waiting for my GB Prem.
FortyTwo

#10 7 years ago

EDO

Fortytwo

Pinside member

updated video, FWIW

1 month later

#11 7 years ago

DAV

PersonX99

Testing first version:

2016-08-13 18.45.34 (resized).jpg

#12 7 years ago

EDO

Fortytwo

Pinside member

Looks good.
Do you have a schmatic? What photo resistors are you using. Does this give a high or low output when triggered? I'm hopefully getting my game soon and will be rushing to get this mod built to tie in my topper. Has been sitting for months.
Thanks
Fortytwo.

#13 7 years ago

DAV

PersonX99

I'll have to draw a schematic. It's a simple opto switch (hi) feeding into the base of a darlington pair to allow the higher current draw of the LED strips. Pretty much any photo resistor will work because the resistance drops when light is applied to the surface. The "gotcha" that I discovered is the sensitivity factor which is adjusted using a second resistor. I used a lower value to make it less sensitive to ambient light, but I think this value is a bit too low. In my next build, I will increase this resistor value it so that it is much more sensitive. I am going to try a few more prototypes and if it works out, I will make a PCB for this to save time building them. This one only has 8 channels, but my next one (for Ghostbusters) will support 16.

1 month later

#14 7 years ago

EDO

Fortytwo

Pinside member