bump

Any new progress?

Eli has a newly designed advanced board that is going out to the beta testers this week or next week. I also understand Eli has a new mount for each unit, so you won't need the DIY bracket.
As soon as we receive the new board, one of us will post our findings.

I have been enjoying this lighting for a few weeks and even with just the static attract modes, it's a great enhancement to my favorite game.

Everyone that sees this lighting on my PRO is very impressed, so I am very excited to try this new design. I am sure Eli will chime in if he has additional comments.

Thank you for the update!

You mean I'll have to throw away my beautiful aluminium bar?
Can't wait to test it out. I'm still very curious how this new board interfaces with the game. Should be cool!

patiently awaiting the final product ..... well somewhat patiently

Me too I can't wait... I'm dragging out my restore on Tron hoping these will be ready but it looks like I am going with the EL wire. Since I should be done in week or 2

Not sure why you would go with EL wire if you WANT fiber optic. The fiber optic works great in the PRO if all you want TODAY is programmable lighting that is not controlled by the game. Its certainly better that EL wire. I can't speak for Eli, but if you want it NOW I am sure he could package a version 1 together for you if you don't want to wait for the advanced version.

Sorry that did sound like I wanted EL over Fiber... I already have the EL here but I found out about this afterwards. I will use the EL for now until Eli is done then remove them and install the fiber kit.

Working on wiring up lightcycles and other mods to my PIG now

My Blue EL wire is crapping out anyway. So this seems like a better way to go. Cant wait.

When I installed the Fiber kit from Eli I sold my EL wire the very next day.
It is very cool and not limited to both ramps the same color. If you don’t like the colors you can easily change them.

Cool. Will he sell the whole kit fiber controller etc. Or do I have to go buy the fiber somewhere?

I have a beta kit and they came with the fiber and controllers ready to install. Beta testers did their own mounting but Eli will provide mounting brackets in the released kit.

He will sell the whole kit, so you will need nothing but what is in the kit. (well, maybe tie wraps to connect the fiber to the ramps )

Thanks guys!
Oh man...gotta have it!!!

Dibs! Man, I can't wait!

This looks incredible - please put me down for a set, providing you can post to the UK that is!!

I have Kimballs kit, was actually the beta tester for him and put the video together for him on my machine, but this kit looks amazing, if reasonable I want this

Chris

Hey Chris,
This is slightly off topic, but I'm curious. I had Kim's kit as well and never installed it. I sold it to a friend and he is now experiencing tons of interference with his disc optos when the kit is running.
Anything like that happen to you?

It would be awesome if you offered this mod for multiple other pins once you get this all ironed out ecutz.

Bump - maybe it is time for a weekly update.... any new progress?

Thanks for the update, still looking forward to this coming out. It will literally be the first mod on my Tron

Awesome...thanks for the update. Can't wait.

You have another sale out here in SoCal when you get these done. They look amazing!

Can't wait Eli!

While we wait, here is a video I shot of the intelligent board for the beta testers and Eli. I've been playing it for 3 weeks and its really cool even in this basic form. Looking forward to the next version with much greater capabilities. Have a peek!

Got a pro coming...will be a buyer of this once completed

Thanks for the new vid. I'm not gonna pretend I know what the heck Eli has to do to make this work. Still looks a bit chaotic, but getting better. I could not tell if certain switches or game states were making the ramps do anything. One of the coolest things about the LE ramps is the bonus music and ramp light show being in sync. If Eli can get that down on this upgrade, that will seal the deal. Very promising.

The microcontroller I'm using wasn't fast enough to keep up with the data that the machine is sending, which has as little as 100ns between state changes.

Is the data you are reading from J2 and J3 like on the Premium? Or are you reading it elsewhere? Just wondering if anything is being output on those pins on the Pro models?

TRON_wiring.JPG

What a an epic project! Looks great.

No there is none on the Pro. That would have made it to easy.

So, how dangerous is it to drill the ramps for zip ties? I don't really want to spend another 200 plus on LE ramps.

I drilled mine as long as you take your time it is not too bad. It is better than buying new ramps.

I assume you removed them from the game first?

Yes you need to remove them it gives you a good excuse to clean the back loop.

I would for sure.

Im not a betatester, and I dont have another similar mod...BUT When I got my ramp cliffys I had awesome success actually melting holes with a soldering iron.make a metal guide and melt away.

I ended up doing the same and it worked perfect for the ramp protectors. I will do the same when this mod is ready.

I used a dremel on mine. You remove the ramps, mark the holes where you want the ties and zip zip dremel away. I liked the dremel since I had control of area. A soldering iron would work great too. I would not use a drill as they are too large and easy to slip when working on a clear plastic area.

I have the locations marked on a picture, as I am sure the other beta testers also have a pic or two of the locations. Its not hard and took me maybe 1/2 hour tops to drill the ramps and tie wrap the fiber tubing to them.

It was also a good opportunity to clean the back of the playfield - man was it cruddy after only 1500 plays.

Guys,

Why not use these? They come real small and clear. No drilling. They also make tiny closed loop ones for you to ziptie too. No permanent mods. OP can include them in the kit for a few bucks.
http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=A10057&Search.x=0&Search.y=0

Eli,

Very cool! I saw this project when you first started it, and it was a bit less ambitious. I hadn't been following your progress, since I don't own a Tron. After pre-ordering yesterday, I was led back to your project, and I was blown away. The pictures and videos look awesome. The work to tie it in with the games modes sounds like it will be great in the final product, and I bet you're having a lot of fun doing it.

It sounds like you have a solution to the data sampling issue, but I think if it were my project, I would have used an FPGA for monitoring the data/address buses rather than a microcontroller. It's just so much information to sort through.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product and installing it in my new Tron once they're both available.

So, how dangerous is it to drill the ramps for zip ties? I don't really want to spend another 200 plus on LE ramps.

I went this route and did buy the LE ramps. You can definitely drill or melt the holes easily enough... but for me, once I determine a game is a keeper, I like to have some backup parts for the long term. And, if I do sell it one day, the ramps will be sold as well.

Here's a pic of Eli's kit installed on the LE ramps I got from Terry at PBL. The zip-ties should give you a good sense of where the holes are. Note that one ramp is upside down.

And another shot of the final product.

IMG_0969.JPG IMG_1012.JPG

That looks worth a shot too. As long as the adhesive is strong enough to last.

Hhhmmm. Anyone have pictures of these in action? I'm using the clear tape method now.

Def gotta get this mod looks outstanding

Any news from testers on the new board revision? Has Eli set a price on this sweet mod, yet?

No new board here yet. But Mark will likely be the first to see it.

Sign me up for one also.. VERY interested.