(Topic ID: 110936)

Pinduino: Ultimate lights and mods control!

By Prof_Pinball

9 years ago


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There are 373 posts in this topic. You are on page 5 of 8.
#201 9 years ago

Stringing these in is relatively easy. Need to figure out how to mount under the slings as well as remove the flippers to mount in the inlane/outlane ball guides.

photo.JPGphoto.JPG photo 2.JPGphoto 2.JPG
#202 9 years ago

Got the Pinduino installed and powering the GI lights. Here are a couple of videos showing a demo of the colors. The first is with the "standard" GI in the slings, lane guides, and spots on, and the second is with the GI unplugged. Now to do some quick programming and get this integrated with gameplay.

#203 9 years ago

First beta version of code is written and posted to github: https://github.com/elyons/professor_pinball_pinduino_sketches/tree/master/IM_interactive_GI

So quick, so easy. Takes longer to upload the video to Youtube than it did to write the program. In the video, I didn't unplug the lights I have under the backbox which are doing different lighting effects. When they go off, it washes out everything else (mostly due to the camera angle and that it is recorded on an iPhone.) However, you can get a good feeling of how the GI looks. Not too bad for a first pass and I think that this is going to work out well.

Things that I want to do next on this setup:
- Tie in the under backbox lighting with the GI lighting
- Add an addressable LED strip (tied to GI) to apron or inside the ball trough to get additional lighting
- Replace the GI under the slings and lane guides with addressable LEDs
- Replace the spot lights with addressable LEDs

Then I think this will be absolutely awesome.

Oh yeah, and do some more programming for effects tied to gameplay.

#204 9 years ago

Finished out the GI and adding LED strips to the apron and backpanel.

Demo/test of colors:

Tied into gameplay (programming needs some work as this may cause seizures):

#205 9 years ago

Where can we buy this board? I went to the github but couldn't find any links.

#206 9 years ago
Quoted from jwilson:

Where can we buy this board? I went to the github but couldn't find any links.

PM prof_pinball

#207 9 years ago

I updated the code for Ironman as well as some functions in the pinduino library to have better control over multiple sets of LEDs. In this setup, there are two sets of GI Leds that are being controlled independently: the GI bulbs in the standard sockets, and strips of LEDs along the apron and backpanel. This creates some neat effects as well as making it easier to track the ball duing game play. I think that having multiple colors cuts down down on the harness as opposed to when the playfield is only lit in one (non-white) color. Also, I added back in the spots above the slings and have them using white LEDs, which lights up the center of the playfield and probably also makes it easier to see the ball as it is moving around.

#208 9 years ago

Finished IM tonight. The ramp lights have been added back in and the GI code modified a bit to sync up with the ramp lighting effects. Note that this is being driven by two Pinduinos -- one for the ramps and one for the GI.

#209 9 years ago

I have a google doc availabel with instructions for installing the color changing GI and connecting it to a Pinduino: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q4ocskLaG9377kGTRL-7TVRDCNNiFv-U_TAz9zaoilE

1 week later
#210 9 years ago

Got my Pinduino board assembled last night. Everything went together nice, smooth, and quickly. The instructions that Eric put together were great. Only thing I did a little different was socket the 4 optoisolator chips.

Looking forward to playing around and testing it out this weekend. This is my first Ardunio project, so I'm still learning the ropes...

#211 9 years ago
Quoted from lyonsden:

I updated the code for Ironman as well as some functions in the pinduino library to have better control over multiple sets of LEDs. In this setup, there are two sets of GI Leds that are being controlled independently: the GI bulbs in the standard sockets, and strips of LEDs along the apron and backpanel. This creates some neat effects as well as making it easier to track the ball duing game play. I think that having multiple colors cuts down down on the harness as opposed to when the playfield is only lit in one (non-white) color. Also, I added back in the spots above the slings and have them using white LEDs, which lights up the center of the playfield and probably also makes it easier to see the ball as it is moving around.
» YouTube video

That looks awesome thanks for sharing vids!!

#212 9 years ago
Quoted from mbott1701:

Looking forward to playing around and testing it out this weekend. This is my first Ardunio project, so I'm still learning the ropes...

Congratulations, I'm sure you'll have a blast playing with it.

#213 9 years ago
Quoted from mbott1701:

Got my Pinduino board assembled last night. Everything went together nice, smooth, and quickly. The instructions that Eric put together were great. Only thing I did a little different was socket the 4 optoisolator chips.
Looking forward to playing around and testing it out this weekend. This is my first Ardunio project, so I'm still learning the ropes...

Great to hear. Also, good idea with the socket for the optoisolator.

#214 9 years ago

Great work with this!! Why do you keep putting out all this cool stuff. I'm trying to get rid of my Iron Man to fund a Kiss and now am having second thoughts due to this multi color GI. ARRRGGGGGGHHH....

#215 9 years ago
Quoted from Deez:

Great work with this!! Why do you keep putting out all this cool stuff. I'm trying to get rid of my Iron Man to fund a Kiss and now am having second thoughts due to this multi color GI. ARRRGGGGGGHHH....

Thanks. Kiss is looking pretty nice, so it is a tough choice. However, it will be a year or two before Kiss' code is absolutely awesome, so you have some time (if you can wait). In any case, if you already have a Pinduino installed, updating the GI isn't too bad and costs another $20. Also, it may even add value to the machine when you decided to let it go.

#216 9 years ago
Quoted from lyonsden:

Thanks. Kiss is looking pretty nice, so it is a tough choice. However, it will be a year or two before Kiss' code is absolutely awesome, so you have some time (if you can wait). In any case, if you already have a Pinduino installed, updating the GI isn't too bad and costs another $20. Also, it may even add value to the machine when you decided to let it go.

You're right. I think I might just keep it and upgrade the GI. It looks so awesome. It's not like Stern is going to stop producing the pros.

2 weeks later
#217 9 years ago

Anyone thinking of doing the GI mod with LOTR? Could be really cool effects with that pin.

#218 9 years ago
Quoted from Hitch9:

Anyone thinking of doing the GI mod with LOTR? Could be really cool effects with that pin.

Good idea. My LoTR and Tron are at a buddies house, and will get the GI treatment. Depends on which one makes it back first.

1 week later
#219 9 years ago

I hooked up the Pinduino to my F-14. I'm still messing around with it and trying different effects now that it's in the machine. Eric has been great answering questions and helping with suggestions.
It's not as cool as some of the stuff Eric and you other guys have done, but I think it's a good start. I have LED strips on the sides of the shooter lane and the apron area.

#220 9 years ago
Quoted from mbott1701:

I hooked up the Pinduino to my F-14. I'm still messing around with it and trying different effects now that it's in the machine. Eric has been great answering questions and helping with suggestions.
I posted a video of some game play with my version 1 test setup. It's not as cool as some of the stuff Eric and you other guys have done, but I think it's a good start. I have LED strips on the sides of the shooter lane and the apron area.
» YouTube video

This is looking great! Fantastic work. Especially since you pioneered all the wiring to connect to a new system and wrote all the code for it. If you have the time to document this, it would be great to see how you connected everything.

1 week later
#221 9 years ago

Continuing to have fun testing an re-configuring the Pinduino setup on my F-14.

I now have addressable LED strips on the sides of the playfield, apron, diverter, and radar scope. Put an updated, revision 2, video on YouTube.

*Update: I also put strips under the cabinet for an all around lighting effect. Here's a link to a basic install overview/guide I put together based on Eric's other guides.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4v11BwvP9WodWZ4RWVuVldZd2c/view?usp=sharing

#222 9 years ago

Looks awesome, nice job!

#223 9 years ago

very cool ,
Is there a specific kit for WPC games?

#225 9 years ago

I know it works but does the kit come with a cable for wpc?

#226 9 years ago

Yes, same harness. The connector might have more pins than what's on the wpc board, you can just offset it.

For example system 11 board has 9 pins, but the connector in the kit has 10

Offset_Connector.jpgOffset_Connector.jpg

#227 9 years ago

top man,
This is going on the list

#228 9 years ago

Great work, mbott! If anyone is connecting a pinduino to a WPC 95, just let me (prof_pinball team) know and we will include a 4-pin .156 plug in your kit to make it easier to connect to power (example: TOM, J118, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AILkBQkR4-VTdYEEuH_BTGi2seYsod-aqP9rHbFgXhY).

3 weeks later
#229 9 years ago

Has anyone done it for T2?

#230 9 years ago

I don't think anyone has done this on a T2, but people have integrated it on other WPC systems. I wrote up a couple of guides using a ToM and TAF:

ToM: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AILkBQkR4-VTdYEEuH_BTGi2seYsod-aqP9rHbFgXhY
TAF: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HKyJwPsHfhxWkHS7zmrljCiCwN6ou_A6P5EYyhbwRRM

The process for both is the same:
1. Get power to the Pinduino
2. Intercept Flashers/Coils from power driver board
3. Install LEDs/other mods
4. Program Arduino

#231 9 years ago

SOLD OUT!

The Professor Pinball team working on the Pinduino (Copperpot and I) have sold out of Pinduino boards. While we are working on the next version of the system, we realize that our progress is going much slower than we had anticipated (regular life getting in the way) and there will be a long gap before the next version is available.

The goal of the Pinduino project is to make it easier for people to come up with creative ideas for modding their machines, and share them openly and freely. The results have been astounding and have created a virtuous cycle of sharing! Our ideas seeded other projects, which have been contributed back to the open-source code base, and those projects have given us ideas for expanding the Pinduino library and supporting more games.

While it was fun to design a product and bring it to market, we were selling our kits at cost. After taking into account all the growing pains encountered scaling from manufacturing a handful of kits to 50, we are in the red in the project. However, we considered this a great learning experience and much less expensive than taking college courses, and enjoyed every aspect of the project.

We are happy to share our experience with anyone interested (just post your questions), but at this point we consider v0.2 of the Pinduino a closed project. However, we want to continue to foster a growing and open modding community and have open-sourced the Pinduino board design. If you want a board (or 50 of them), feel free to make them.

Here is a link to the .brd and .sch files used in EAGLE: https://github.com/elyons/professor_pinball_pinduino_sketches/tree/master/pinduino/board_files

Finally, we want to thank everyone who supported us throughout this project, and hope that you continue to share your creations with the entire pinball modding community. Also, we hope that others in the modding community will consider open-sourcing their end-of-life projects so others can pick them up to create and share new mods.

#232 9 years ago

Bummer. I knew I should have bought a few to put on the shelf.

I look forward to your next version.

#233 9 years ago

Also, folks, if you do want to go through the process of ordering these boards for yourself, let me or Eric know. I can walk folks through the process. I mean to eventually have a tutorial for the full end to end process (From EAGLE schematic to board to ordering and delivery), but with a new job I've been burning the candle at both ends and just haven't had time to do it.

-Wes

1 week later
#234 9 years ago

Just an FYI: I made an update to the Theatre of Magic code to minimize the extent and brightness of the ramp lights flashing while the pops are activated.

1 week later
#235 9 years ago

*************UPDATE: PINDUINO BEING MADE AGAIN*****************

Rock914 (http://www.rockcustompinball.com/) is picking up the pinduino and will be manufacturing them again. If you are interested in purchasing one, please send him a PM. The Professor Pinball team is happy to see one of the greats in custom lighting solutions for pinball carrying on the Pinduino, and we are looking forward to seeing his new creations! Of course, Professor Pinball will be happy to answer any questions people have about using/programming the pinduino.

#236 9 years ago

Glad to hear this! Thanks Eric

#237 9 years ago

That's great news. Hopefully with some assembled products a larger audience will get interested (at least I presume they will be assembled).

#238 9 years ago
Quoted from Prof_Pinball:

*************UPDATE: PINDUINO BEING MADE AGAIN*****************
Rock914 (http://www.rockcustompinball.com/) is picking up the pinduino and will be manufacturing them again. If you are interested in purchasing one, please send him a PM. The Professor Pinball team is happy to see one of the greats in custom lighting solutions for pinball carrying on the Pinduino, and we are looking forward to seeing his new creations! Of course, Professor Pinball will be happy to answer any questions people have about using/programming the pinduino.

Thanks guys!

I am thrilled to continue on with this project. I was amazed when I first seen some of your videos just thinking of all the possibilities.

Boards and components are being sourced now. My intention is to provide complete pinduino boards, complete game specific kits coded and ready to install, as well as the diy boards for those who wish.

Starting off I will be populating the pinduino board as I try to source this out. I hope to have these back and available in about 5 weeks. You may noticed a few differences if you currently have a pinduino but no need to worry. I will be making changes as needed.

I will be coding a STTNG here as soon as the boards come in followed by TZ and NGG. I am very excited to bring some new life to some of my favorite older titles.

If you are interested in a Pinduino please pm me, I have a small list started already. Please let me know if you would like a DIY or a complete board. I will also be stocking the leds needed or you can always source yourself, the info is in this thread I believe.

Chris
www.rockcustompinball.com

#239 9 years ago

Glad to hear the dyi kits will still be available. Let me know when you have them up on your site and I'll add the link to my Pinduino article.

I'm sure you've thought of this, but as you get the kits done I would post them in any club that may exist for that game.

Will you be selling some of the previously coded kits?

#240 9 years ago
Quoted from terryb:

Glad to hear the dyi kits will still be available. Let me know when you have them up on your site and I'll add the link to my Pinduino article.
I'm sure you've thought of this, but as you get the kits done I would post them in any club that may exist for that game.
Will you be selling some of the previously coded kits?

Thanks Terry.

Great idea on the club posts. Yes, for the coded kits all old and new coded titles will be available. The code for each game will also be posted so those who choose the diy route can get the code. For any title i do not personally do i cannot offer the exact length of leds needed ect.. unless i get reliable information on lengths and placement of the addressable led strips. The complete kit will have everything needed, programed Pinduino, correct size addressable led strips, RGB gi bulbs, wiring, ect.. will probably also have an under-cab kit option as well.

#241 9 years ago

Just to add on -- everything that Wes and I did for the pinduino is available online:

Documentation for assembling the pinduino, building kits for various machines, programming the Pinduino:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2njOnd06CCOdlBCVzdiWFZhUVE

Pinduino programming library: https://github.com/elyons/professor_pinball_pinduino_sketches/tree/master/pinduino

Pinduino game code: https://github.com/elyons/professor_pinball_pinduino_sketches

=====Boring stuff about licenses=====

All of this is licensed under GPL3, which was the license used for the base NeoPixel library I used for programming arduinos and addressable LEDs: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_NeoPixel

=====End boring stuff about licenses=====

In any case, I am very excited to see more Pinduinos being made. Rock914's hard work to provide these and take their production to the next level is a great thing for the pinball community.

I'll keep posting new code and new instructions when I get the time and put those somewhere other than google docs (thanks Terryb for hosting, even though I haven't had time to post), and it is great to know that I will be able to order Pinduino's from Rock914.

#242 9 years ago

Deleted post -- had to do with GPL3, but was too boring.

#243 9 years ago

I am very lucky to have my STTNG as one of Rock's pins he will use with this board. I am excited to see this and all of the good he is doing for the pin community.

Thanks Rock and all that you do for us!

#244 9 years ago

I'm impressed by how much Arduino Megas have come down in price since this project was started. A year ago, they were $20. Now, you can find US suppliers for $10 and China/Hong Kong suppliers for $8.

#246 9 years ago

Tron is getting the full Pinduino treatment. Independently controlled addressable LEDs on the ramps, backpanel, apron, and GI.

photo.JPGphoto.JPG
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#248 9 years ago

That's going to look crazy cool.

#249 9 years ago

Hi, I've done something similar with my "old" lethal weapon 3 from data east, see my posting here: http://pinball-mods.de/2015/08/27/general-illumination-durch-rgb-leds-ersetzen/.

It is originally written in german, but there is a google translation available just by clicking the translate icon on the right.

The controller itself is arduino based, but does not use the shield discussed earlier in this thread but instead queries the whole switch matrix, which is at least on data east possible without any additional electronics as data east uses 5V column drivers. so no level shifting is required. just directly connected to arduinos input pins.

In this basic form you can derive the game state from switch signals like the main mpu does, and control the "light show" accordingly.

maybe someone finds this approach interessting.

Bye Steve

#250 9 years ago

Hi Steve,

Great work! I hadn't been able to figure out how to scan the switch matrix. I read through your page, but was wondering if your code was available to see how you did the switch scanning with a Mega (and no additional boards!)

Best,
-eric

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