(Topic ID: 117184)

PMD - Metallica SmartDMD

By PinballMikeD

9 years ago


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Coffin.png
Blackened.png
Battery.png
Lady Justice.png
Sparky Shot.png
Grave Marker MB.png
For Whom the Bell Tolls.png
Extra Ball.png
For Whom the Bell Tolls.png
Enter Sandman.png
Fade to Black.png
Battery.png
Replay.png
Fuel.png
Enter Sandman 2.png
Enter Sandman 1.png

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21
#1 9 years ago

We’ve decided to make the MET SmartDMD open source. This means you can completely customize your DMD: modifying existing artwork, substituting custom frame images, altering colors, etc. You now have the ability to utilize Pinball Browser to its fullest extent.

Please contact me directly for purchasing questions.

SmartDMD kits will retail for $199 + shipping and will include the following items:

(1) Raspberry Pi B+
(2) Preprogrammed 8GB micro SD card
(3) Custom SmartDMD Interface board
(4) Professional ¼” laser cut black acrylic mounting hardware
(5) Licensed copy of Pinball Browser software
(6) Professional quality power wiring harness
(7) Colorized MET code

You must purchase your own LCD and driver board:

(1) 15.6” Full HD LG/Philips compatable color LCD display

ebay.com link: itm

(2) LCD driver board with HDMI source input

ebay.com link: itm

I’ve configured the color palettes to provide an incredible level of flexibility. Basically, I’ve made a palette for virtually every key animation used. This means you can customize to your hearts content. Currently, the MET SDMD supports up to 512 customizable color options via the SmartDMD configurator. We are actively working on increasing the total palette count to 255 (or 4080 total customizable color choices).

We are also pleased to announce that all SmartDMDs can now be configured to offer 2x or 16x upscaling.

We understand that art is subjective, so we are giving you the ability to choose which option best suits your personal taste. This will be a configurable feature within Pinball Browser, enabling you to easily switch between the following Color Modes: Standard Dots, 2x Upscaling and 16x Upscaling. In addition, we are working on making this a pallet specific feature.

Here are examples of each Color Mode option:

16x
16x Upscaling.png16x Upscaling.png

2x
2x Upscaling.png2x Upscaling.png

Standard (example #1)
Standard Dots1.pngStandard Dots1.png

Standard (example #2)
Standard Dots2.pngStandard Dots2.png

Here's a quick video showing off the new Metallica SmartDMD with 2x Upscaling:

#32 9 years ago
Quoted from n0s4atu:

Damn it. Just when I thought I was done modding Metallica now there's this.
Looks fantastic.

Thanks for the kind words.

The video was just a teaser. I purposely didn’t show off any of the crank it up or wizard mode sequences. Trust me, the finished product will be impressive.

#37 9 years ago
Quoted from tilted81:

I had the same feeling, the Metallica ramp shot letters should be red especially to match the ramp flashers and Id like to see the pinball in the extra ball animation look silver.. Still pretty bad ass tho

I'm structuring the pallet layouts in an attempt to make this MOD extremely versatile. This way the colors utilized in many of the animations can be customized if desired, just swap the original colors out with the ones you like.

Screenshot (495).pngScreenshot (495).png

You don't have to spend hours reworking the dots because I've already don't that for you. The pallet info is stored on the MOD's SD card, so it can be modified in a matter of minutes via Pinball Browser. Here's a quick example:

Base image:

Screenshot (497).pngScreenshot (497).png

Base image with new colors for 5, 8, 9 and 10:

Screenshot (498).pngScreenshot (498).png

So, with a few mouse clicks the car is blue instead of red and the flames are completely different. These changes would apply to any frames/sequences using the "fuel" pallet. Anyway, you get the idea.

Like all PMD MOD's I want this product to be customizable, so the end consumer can tweak it and make their DMD look the way they want. The same thing is true for the dots. If you don't like the upscaled look, just select "None" for the Upscaling feature and you're back to good old dots.

Screenshot (499).pngScreenshot (499).png

#42 9 years ago
Quoted from Grinder901:

Wow the ability to change the colors ourselves? Awesome!

This has always been the case. I guess we just didn’t do a good job of advertising that functionality. The SmartDMD Configuration Tool (see the screen shot in my previous post) give’s the end use the ability to adjust many aesthetic features. These adjustments are all stored on the MOD’s SD card, so they can be made very quickly and independently of the pinball machine. Here’s a list of some basic features that the end user can easily customize via the PB Configuration Tool:

1) Color Mode – standard dots vs. upscaled dots. You simply select or unselect the “Upscaling” feature, it’s that simple

2) Dot shape – each DMD dot is built using an 8x8 pixel array. You can customize the appearance of your dots by selecting or unselecting any of the 64 blocks in this 8x8 grid. You can make your dots squares, circles, diamonds, checkerboards, you name it. FYI - this applies for both Color Modes.

3) Pallet Colors – You can change the pallet colors as you see fit. Keep in mind that the end result is heavily dependent on how the person colorizing the game chose to structure their pallet layouts. Personally, I try to structure my pallets with customization in mind. Nothing is perfect, but it’s a cool concept and it gives the end user some leeway when tweaking their own game’s color settings.

More software features are always being developed (FYI - this applies to all of our MODs). Or course, any future soft enhancements will be free.

I'll post more soon.

#45 9 years ago
Quoted from ezeltmann:

Great work on the colorization . Sign me up as well.
One thing that stood out was a guy wearing a red shirt in the most pit. Unrealistic .lol

That was a chick

#46 9 years ago

A day in the life of Sparky (16x Upscaling):

105.png105.png
106.png106.png
107.png107.png
108.png108.png

#47 9 years ago

Here's a look at Blackened:

100.png100.png
101.png101.png
102.png102.png
103.png103.png

Props to Mark Galvez - you out did yourself on this sequence.

#48 9 years ago

16x is cool, but some stuff just looks better in 2x - only my opinion of course. That's why we are making the Upscaling feature a pallet based option. Personally, I'll be setting my grave marker MB pallets up with 2x, just looks better when in motion.

You decide:

2x
2x Grave Marker.png2x Grave Marker.png

16x
16x Grave Marker.png16x Grave Marker.png

#53 9 years ago
Quoted from John_I:

Looks great! Any chance of seeing something like this at Florida APE later this month?

Hi John,

ACDC is ready to go; all of the programming is complete. I’m just waiting on a few parts I need to start assembling kits. I doubt MET will be ready by then. I’m hoping to get MET done by the Texas show though.

#57 9 years ago
Quoted from iceman44:

Cheaper than Color DMD and better "upscaling".......
I'll take it whatever the F that means

Actually, PB has had the ability to color upscale for quite some time now. When I started colorizing ACDC Oga and I discussed using it, but after some initial tests I didn’t think it suited the game very well. I still think ACDC looks best in traditional dots, which is what I’m running on my personal machine. When I started Metallica we again revisited the upscaling concept and we both felt the 2x upscaling was well suited for the dots. I honestly didn’t think people would care much for the other upscaling variations Oga had developed. However, in keeping with the spirt of PB (which is intended to make everything a user definable option) we decided to make upscaling one as well. What I really like is the concept of using it for certain section of the game only.

Being Mike D has a few perks – like getting to send 4 hours a day colorizing dots

All joking aside, I have the ability to see what the frames look like in motion and that is something that no else has at this time (for PB anyway). Keep in mind that I’m the beta tester for all of the new SmartDMD features. I like the 16x upscaling, specifically for Sparky, but I find the 2x upscaling to flow more naturally for every other sequence in the game. Of course this is just my opinion and we all know that old saying

#58 9 years ago
Quoted from metallik:

Looks real nice
Clouds and hands in grave marker should be red to match the LE BG

I'll do my best to configure the grave marker pallet so that the sky, hands, clouds, and ground areas can be easily customized using the pallet. This is actually one animation that doesn’t use all 16 colors available in the pallet, so I have some room to work here. Again, everyone’s tastes are different. A Metallica fan knows instantly that this animation pages homage to the Master of Puppets album cover, but the casually pinball player that doesn’t listen to Metallica probably would see the connection. Some people would say, “Why is the sky red, it should be blue?” The point is everyone has their own idea of what they’d like to see. I have to design my product with everyone in mind. However, I am making an assertive effort to define and arrange my pallets in a way that they can be easily customized in order to accommodate people’s unique preferences. If done correctly, this will be the most user adjustable DMD for any pinball machine top date.

I think it would be cool to have 5 Metallica machines in a row (maybe at Expo this year), each with customized pallet colors and upscaling. Then I think the versatility of SmartDMD would really hit home. I could easily make 5 unique variations of the DMD that would all have a completely different look and feel. In general, this is my goal with every PMD MOD. Our MODs aren't intended to be something you just stick in your game; they are tech toys that can be customized. When you get tired of the way it looks you can modify it.

2 weeks later
#64 9 years ago

When is the show?

We've been working on ACDC the last 2 weeks - just finished it this morning

Now I can get back to MET.

#66 9 years ago
Quoted from anubis2night:

May 15 - 17, 2015 in Dixon CA
Would love to see you there

If MET isn't ready by then I'd be disappointed in myself

#69 9 years ago
Quoted from DevilsTuner:

Any new screens to show

I finished up "Fade to Black" last night. I'm almost done with Blackend, so I'll post more pics soon.

3 weeks later
#71 9 years ago

This will be provided already colorized for $299. With that said, the program will be open source enabling people to change whatever they want (colors, dots, etc). I've been working on several other DMDs, but I haven't forgotten MET.

#73 9 years ago

Not sure. We're trying to finish up a few other projects as well.

To clarify, you can always run your SDMD as a single color up scaled display while you're waiting on the finished code. Also, I have no problem shareing the file as is (it's about 75% complete as is).

#75 9 years ago

PM me your number and we can workout the details.

1 week later
#76 9 years ago

I'd like to thank hassellcastle for demoing the MET SDMD at the Texas Pinball Festival last weekend. Thanks again.

#77 8 years ago
Quoted from DevilsTuner:

Any new screens to show

Here you go:

Battery.pngBattery.png
Enter Sandman.pngEnter Sandman.png
Fade to Black.pngFade to Black.png
For Whom the Bell Tolls.pngFor Whom the Bell Tolls.png

DIY kits are now available for $199. PM if you're interested.

#79 8 years ago
Quoted from NPO:

This is looking awesome! What do you get in the DIY kit?

This is covered in detail here:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/smartdmd-everything-you-need-to-know

2 weeks later
#80 8 years ago

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.

The screen and driver board can be purchased on EBay for roughly $100, this includes free shipping.

For more details on SmartDMD, including assembly instructions and software tutorials, please read this thread (moving forward this is where I’ll provided SDMD updates):

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/smartdmd-everything-you-need-to-know

My MET color file (this goes for Avengers, ACDC, and POTC as well) is free to anyone that already owns or wants to build a SDMD kit. If you want to purchase a DIY kit please email me directly at:

[email protected]

Thanks for the continued support.

2 weeks later
#81 8 years ago

Now that Oga has loaded up the software with 255 color palettes, I've gone back and started tweaking some of the animations. Here are a few screen shots. I'll try and get some video up on YouTube later this week.

Sparky Shot.pngSparky Shot.png
Coffin.pngCoffin.png
Extra Ball.pngExtra Ball.png
For Whom the Bell Tolls.pngFor Whom the Bell Tolls.png
Grave Marker MB.pngGrave Marker MB.png
Blackened.pngBlackened.png
Battery.pngBattery.png
Lady Justice.pngLady Justice.png

#82 8 years ago

Working on Enter Sandman today. It's shaping up nicely

Enter Sandman 2.pngEnter Sandman 2.png

Upscaled Sample
Enter Sandman 1.pngEnter Sandman 1.png

I'll have another FREE software update for MET SmartDMD owners later next week. Hopefully I'll have all the Enter Sandman and Fuel animations ready to go by then.

1 week later
#85 8 years ago

I finished up Enter Sandman and Fuel this week:

Here are a few samples:
Fuel.pngFuel.png

I'll test the new Side Channel setup this weekend.

Here's a look at the Replay animation (started this morning):

Replay.pngReplay.png

2 weeks later
#86 8 years ago

Finally got the serial side channel working. Now I can go back and tweak the Mystery, Snake MB, Pop Bumper and Guitar pic animations

#87 8 years ago

Moving forward I'll be shifting all PMD restoration & MOD updates to our new Facebook page.

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