I had shoulder surgery yesterday so that has slowed me down a bit. I am REALLY close to having the demo ready and there are no road blocks. I just need to fix some small things and fix a delay.

everything is going to be one handed for me for a while.

Here is the first run at mode integration to prove everything is working. Still have to add in more error logic and mode detection, especially when more than one mode is firing. Right now there is just a priority set but it would be nice to show or cycle through running/active modes. I've created a lot of placeholder videos in place just so that we can get through the bugs and coding logic. Anyway, here is version v0.01 This code is not optimized at all so I know I can speed up the switching between videos.

Attract video, Recognizer animation, recognizer hit video, disc wars instructions... Lots more to do with only one arm for the next 6 weeks.

Latest video is up. I've been working out some of the phantom modes being called and how to handle that, and working through priority of the modes and hurry-ups and if it needs to cycle through them during certain circumstances.

Anyway. I spent the weekend playing with videos / starts/lit, active, and complete. Folder structure will be easy for people to add their own videos. basically /media/qmb/active.mp4,lit.mp4. and complete.mp4

I am also working on a script to pull the right scenes from a digital version that you own. This should work for any concerns about C/W.

Anyway, latest video is here, still some bugs but I am happy with the transitions between modes/states. There is a lot going on here in the background to get this done.

I really don't know yet, I need to factor in time and materials still but once I make a few I will have an idea. I have enough hardware for 10 prototypes. There are still LOTS of bugs in the code so I would hate to sell someone hardware without it working as good as the DMD does. My biggest issue right now is modes showing on the screen that haven't started and then how to handle crashes with the code, right now I just cycle the machine (it doesn't happen very often) but that isn't good for anyone else.

I like to show progress here, but still feel like there is a lot ahead to make it work, especially to make it easy to introduce your own videos or easily run a script that can scenes from a video you own (DVD, blu-ray, itunes, ultra-violet, etc, some personal owned video)

I will tell you, if you want to have the fastest and best experience, you will need the Total Light Show board from redSHIFT. I will have limited mode abilities with the other integration points. If you haven't seen his board, it is amazing. Be thinking about this if you are a Earlier Adopter and don't want to wait for other mode integration options (those will never be as good as TLS.)

This does not mean that other mode options wont be there, but those will not give you the full experience.

Okay so getting close on two versions of the LCD and I have a few questions for people. There will be two options which basically have the same hardware from my side.

1. TotalLightShow integrated. This will connect to the Serial Port of the TLS and receive mode stats from that board. If you already have the TLS all you need is to flash to a version that supports my LCD.

2. Direct Serial interface with the SAM CPU board. You will need to flash your ROM with support for the LCD states, which will be released in future versions of pinbrowser.

3. Eli Board Integration -- Not done yet.

Questions:

I have all modes working and each plays a video for the active mode. As soon as a mode starts it interrupts the current video and plays the new mode. Each state also has a video so for QMB you have Lit, Active, and Complete. For modes like ZUSE and TRON you have Active and Complete. In my opinion, these can conflict with each other when multi modes start, especially when you stack Clu, Light Cycle, and Quorra. Right now the code just plays the last video of the mode that started because usually the mode videos are too long to stagger and play.

Options:

1. Shorten the Lit videos to something like 5 seconds, and just show a quick video/animation for that lit mode, could even be a static image like I was originally planning. This would allow for playing of the three different lit modes, in short succession, one after the other until a mode starts.

2. Keep them longer and play the last mode that is lit. Shorten ZUSE and TRON to short animations and have those play once, and then continue the mode video where it left off.

3. Leave it as is, Videos interrupt each other with a default one set for when no modes are running or lit.

The good news is I could see this being easily adapted to any other SAM game. I feel like 90% of the work has been done for this first version and could be adapted to those other games where an LCD could go. You could also technically get a Smaller Translite and put a large LCD in the backbox since you can supply 1080p videos for modes.

The last big bug is the rPI is locking up after about a day of playing and you have to bounce it. I suspect I have a memory leak somewhere that I need to track down. I can't ship any of these until I figure that out.

Long post but hopefully everyone interested can give me some input.

a. I've got someone lined up to test on the LE, it should work but I will need to test the mode integration and make sure that all works with the roms. I also intend on doing something special with the Daft Punk Multi-ball but that will be later.

b. Yup, I have a Pro so I replace the plastic toy with the LCD and then default to this mode on start which gives you the Recognizer back

c. You could put the LCD anywhere you want (Including a 27 inch Backbox LCD But the default location I have is where the recognizer currently sits. You could put the LCD on the rotating arm and anytime it is moving show the Recognizer animation, or some other video of your choosing. I get the loss on the LE here, but I am sure someone more creative than me could come up with something. * ninja Edit -- I have the redShift blue apron in mine so I couldn't bring myself to cut out a spot for the LCD.

Okay I think I am going to stick to this priority:

ZUSE and TRON play once and do not loop
Lit shots play once, and will stack but then the video falls back to base video (either recognizer or disc)
GEM plays while active and loops because Gem.
all lit shots play once
If Clu and Light Cycle are lit, Light Cycle Wins
If Clu, Light Cycle, and QMB are lit, Quorra wins
mode completion videos play once and then default video plays if no other mode is running

All active multi-ball videos loop until mode completion.

Recognizer animation loops unless Disc is "lit (bank is down) and then the Disc animation defaults to the base animation if no modes are running
if bank is up, Recognizer animation is default.

Big Long Update:
Finally feel like the code is finished enough to start getting into peoples hands. There are still bugs, but everything seems stable enough to get in the hands of the pinheads that really want something like this. This was a lot more work than I originally expected. Getting the delay between video modes and integration with each mode was very time consuming. The default version that ships integrates directly with the Stern CPU board. I have a version that works with the Total Light Show board as well. I have not finished the code beyond player 1 on the Stern integrated version. If you start more that 1 player the mode states will carry over and show the wrong video. I am working on that.

I've shipped some beta units to work out any kinks with different install options and machines. I can make about 10 of these a week and maybe more during the holidays based on interest. I had to move from the raspberry pi zero to the raspberry pi 3 due to a huge hardware issue on the zero that I took too much time trying to fix.

Video:
Here is the latest video of some game play. I need to change the overscan settings a bit on the LCD to get it to fit perfectly, but you get the idea.

Price:
Price is $350 + Shipping. Domestic Shipping is usually shipping has been $12-15. I am still working through the logistics of international orders so bare with me. Maybe this wont be popular and I wont have to worry about it.

Order:
Website: https://flynnsbit.com/products/5-inch-playfield-lcd-for-sam?variant=5388723519516

Stock:
I have parts for 10 kits, but I still need to make the wiring harness for them. NOTE: If you have the LED version of the ColorDMD installed in your machine you will need an extra wiring harness (option in the store) so that the two mods do not share the same 12v source. They can conflict with each other and it will cause a subtle horizontal lines. LCD verison of ColorDMD is fine.

Code Updates and Instructions:
Future code updates can be downloaded and copied to the USB stick easily from any PC. Instructions on hardware install, pinball-browser firmware update for this mod, and anything else needed is coming. I am almost finished with that but need a few people to go through the install.

Videos:
This will also ship with videos that do not contain any copy-write material, but you can easily change those on the USB stick. I've made versions of the videos that show the mode running and instructions. Examples of those are attached. I am also uploading all of my hitfilm project files so that anyone can download the free version of HitFilm Express and edit videos to their liking. I'll try and make a tutorial on how to download and use hitfilm. I hope to have a place for the community to share videos they create with each other.

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Oh yeah, I almost forgot. For those with an LE that don't want to remove their recognizer, there could be another option in the future...

Video:

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Yeah the big LCD just came together this week. If you have some specific ideas you would want let me know or go ahead and create a video and I can test it.

Cost:
The main cost is the 27 inch LCD. I have 5 different brands of 27 inch LCD's I purchased to test if anyone wants one that isn't compatible.
This one I am using fits perfectly between the two metal hooks on the speaker panel and auto powers on and off with the source.

I am thinking $699+Shipping for the big version with all the brackets, LED Strip for Top translite, mount, power adapter. You could technically get the smaller one and just go source your own big LCD. You will also need to source the translite as I can't sell that (based on a notification I received).

Video Edits:
Here are all of my non-copywrite video project files. The timings are in them that seem to work with modes, completes, hurry-ups, etc. Those can also be any length but will affect the flow. https://1drv.ms/f/s!AnreFtnjNkJZ8R4R30UimbD66y8s

Video editing was done using HitFilm Express (it's free): https://hitfilm.com/express

Font used is the Creative Commons version for TRON here: https://archive.org/details/CrrNtn
The L E G A C Y part of the logo is: Helvetica Neue Ultra Light

-FB

It's a fun idea... This would take some SERIOUS work to get all the details right and I don't think there is enough memory in the SAM systems to allow for all the code necessary to pull all states, scores, shot scores, etc. I would need the raw data and not a "clone" of the dmd which I know a few people have done with a Pi.

It just a video on a loop so the overlay is built into the video clip. I can post those project files from Hitfilm if you want to see how that is done. As soon as I get a chance this weekend (after building and completing the orders outstanding) I plan to create a video tutorial of how I created each segment. It's REALLY simple once you figure out what is going on. The code for mode stacking, default video if nothing is running, short videos for the lit shots and complete shots, and then loops for the base videos was what took me 3 months to do. Also, any base video will be inturrupted with the mode video if that starts

Video Mode timings:

Attract is 10 seconds
Game Start is 50 seconds
Game Over: 7 seconds
Tron Active: 5 seconds
Most active modes are between 3-5 minutes
Complete modes: 10 seconds
Lit shots: 5 seconds (even if they don't look like videos, they are still an image in a mp4 file)
Shoot the Recognizer: 50 seconds (and this loops if the bank is up)
Disc Lit: 2:40 (loops if bank is down and no other mode is going)

You get the idea. The videos can be whatever length you need and the code will handle, but these are the length's that made since to me while playing.

Images in the overlays are pulled from here: http://tron.wikia.com/wiki/Special:Search?search=Codex&fulltext=Search&ns6=1

I would love to see what other people can do with the videos. I probably spent too much time on video editing, however, it was fun for me and I learned a lot.

Getting caught up on orders, printed out 4 pi mounts today and took some pictures of everything that comes with it for the instructions. I still need to test each one on my machine before they go out. Everyone's order should go out USPS on Tuesday.

There is definitely a bug with the Discmb video sometimes not starting and GEM Hurry up conflicting with the base videos, but everything else seems pretty smooth.

rai you can order here: https://flynnsbit.com/products/5-inch-playfield-lcd-for-sam

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Totally agree here, the TLS kit integration is solid. Your's is in the box, I just had to work out Australia shipping!

Some fun pics for today.

Lots of 3d printing and worked a bit on getting it more level once I moved it to the studio. I am trying to get it to the point where the auto bed level sensor doesn't require me to adjust it on every print.

Also, playing with apron ideas. The 4.3 inch LCD will fit perfectly in the instruction card spot but it will require a 3d printed custom case for the actual LCD instead of using the default so that it is completely flush and fills in the entire space. I don't think just shoving an LCD in there looks good with the case it comes with.

Merry Christmas all.

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Anytime you want. Hit me up over DM and we can sync up this week when I don't have everything torn apart.

Everyone's units shipped today so I am caught up. I should have the creative commons videos out this week and a new code update this weekend.

Spent my day off working to finish up some bugs in both the SAM integration and the Total Light Show code. I've got some work to do around recovery from modes not reporting in when complete. There is also a pretty big bug on the SAM side with DiscMB_Complete that keeps that mode running even when complete.

Today I figured I would go ahead and try dual displays at the same time. I really did this so that I could test both the SAM and TLS code without taking everything apart, and it ended up being something that I got excited about once it worked. I am getting close on the 27 inch mounting and how that will work but needed some hardware that isn't here yet. This is two kits, the TLS, power running from a secondary 5v source so I don't blow everything up, One plugged into the TLS board and one plugged into the SAM board.

The nice thing about running both the SAM integration AND the Total Light Show at the same time is you can show different videos/media on each display which should make for some interesting integration.

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That's very cool! Does it have mode integration with the RZ cpu? I want to do something like this with my TNA when it gets here.