DBrown67 Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Hi guys!!! I'm relatively new to these forums but been lurking and researching recently. Taken the plunge to build my first Hyperpin cabinet but it will be a half size mini affair. I usually post over at BYOAC.com but this seems like the most logical place for a Hyperpin cabinet project thread. I know people say "go big or go home" etc. but I just don't have the room for a full size. Besides I have built quite a few arcade mini cabinets using Mame already so I'm moving into pinball territory for the first time and would like to keep the mini arcade theme going. Because I'm new to this I'm gonna need some help along the way. Any advice or criticisms are most welcome. If I'm doing something wrong or something could be done way better then please tell me. I'm not gonna get all stuffy if someone says something is poor etc. But I've had some steep learning to do and I'm still in the planning stage right now. One thing I have done already is invest in the VirtuaPin digital plunger. I always wanted this project to be as "realistic" as possible so the plunger and nudge effects had to be incorporated. It's not arrived yet but because I'm now invested into this project it has to be completed! One of the first things I've decided upon is the size of the play area monitor, as this basically determines the size of the finished project. I think I'm gonna go for a 27" HD monitor for this. It's big enough for my purposes. I also have already in the house 17" and 19" 4:3 monitors for the back box. So one of those will be selected. The DMD will be on a third monitor just below the backbox between two speakers. I really like that basic setup for a backbox, it looks so classic and neat to me. I also want the backbox to be able to fold down for moving about and be able to be completely disconnected from the main cabinet. My PC specs aren't brilliant, but I think they should be enough for this project: Intel E8500 dual core processor (easily overclocked) Windows Vista 32bit with 4GB RAM Radeon HD 4850 card 2.1 stereo system with mini subwoofer I know I'll need a third card to run three monitors. I'll sort that out later on. This PC is left over from when I built a new desktop this summer. So I don't need to shell out for another PC (I hope!) I also need to decide what toys I'm gonna be running in this thing. Due to it being a mini table I simply cannot get everything in there. For now I've decided to use 5x Siemens contactors for feedback. I definitely want this feedback at least as bare minimum. Don't think 7x contactors will be of any benefit in such a small cabinet. I *might* add a knocker and/or shaker in there as well, but these are strictly extras on the list for now as I dunno if they will fit. Then we come to the controlling boards etc. I'm looking at the LEDWiz and also a booster board. I want to add 2x banks of LEDS: one bank in the playfield at the back and one bank on top of the backbox. I dunno if I'll need a booster board or not. This is where I really need peoples help. I'm not averse to buying extra boards etc. This is not a budget project as I want it to be as nice as possible. I remember my early Mame projects and I've learned a lot since then with my builds. I've raised my own personal bar over the years and want this to be as good as my recent stuff, size permitting. No coin door for this project. I did think about it but to be honest it would make the main cabinet too tall and look out of proportion to the rest. I'll just place the necessary buttons on the front. So pics will be forthcoming when I get round to building. Need to get the monitor for the playfield as that is something I still need to buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebulon Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Even if you're using 350ma leds, you'll still be overpowering those 15 outputs with 2 sets of leds.....you could get away with one set, but you'll need something to drive the 2 sets safely. A single booster board will do the 15 outputs for the RGBs and leave a spare for a knocker or shaker. You'll only need 2 video cards for 3 monitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBrown67 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Even if you're using 350ma leds, you'll still be overpowering those 15 outputs with 2 sets of leds.....you could get away with one set, but you'll need something to drive the 2 sets safely.A single booster board will do the 15 outputs for the RGBs and leave a spare for a knocker or shaker. You'll only need 2 video cards for 3 monitors. Hi thanks for the input. Just what I need. Can the contactors be run from the LEDWiz directly then? Do I need a booster board for those? I understand I need an octocoupler to reduce lag on pressing the flipper button. This is the kind of stuff I'm trying to get to grips with. Been reading a lot of stuff on forums and on traders sites. To be honest I find some of the descriptions of boards/accessories on some traders sites quite complex. It's as though they already assume the buyer knows exactly how to wire them etc. EDIT: I just seen you sell an RGB lightbar all ready pre wired. This is the stuff I'm looking for. Obviously for a mini cabinet this would need to be shortened. Is this possible? For the playfield LEDS I was thinking of smaller lenses such as the ones Chriz99 used in his well known Big Bang Pin. I think they were mini Mars domes. They would probably suit a mini size playfield strip better. I did find a coin door that may be suitable for my sized project: http://www.arcadeworlduk.com/products/Black-Coin-Door-With-Cut-Out.html It's a bit more square than the standard pinball coin doors and would suit my sized cab better. Dunno though.... what you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebulon Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 The contactors are generally within the specs of the ledwiz outputs' capacity. Like anything electrical, they are prone to failure over time and when they short out (which they have been known to do occasionaly), they will take out the driver on the ledwiz. You can also protect the ledwiz by fusing the outputs with 500ma fuses rather than use a board for the contactors. If you want some wiring diagram examples of how to use the boards, you can always find them in the forum section of my site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxicgoblin Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 We are building similar virtual pinball machines here: http://www.toxicgoblin.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capp Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 We are building similar virtual pinball machines here: http://www.toxicgoblin.com Very Nice Build TG. would be great to see a vid of it in action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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