pixelmagic

Hello mr Silver, Again thanks for the info. I have the idea that we are not talking on the same subject here. The thing i see a problem with is in case of the ROM sending a signal that blinks (lets say the Start game button, going on-off-on-off-on-off). It would be nice if we could somehow recognize that ROM signal and convert it to a logical signal (on/off/blink fast/blink slow) in the VBscript. After that we would send that specific command to the Arduino and let it handle the true blinking (just like LEDwiz). I got some parts in today to make a driver for the Arduino so we can control high powered toys like CREE RGB leds and shakers. I hope to get that working soon.

Hi Mr Silver, Thanks for your very detailed answer and for myself confirming the things that i suspected. What you basicly say is that communications with the LEDwiz/Arduino should be as minimal as possible to avoid a device being 'busy' and then make VP stutter. Since the Arduino can be programmed i see some options in that way the LEDwiz does not have. Combined with maybe some other way of communication from the vbscript things could be possible. The way the ROM sends signals is logical with a non-computer device attached to it (lamp, motor, solonoid). These hardware parts can handle a on/off state very well. When you send to a computer device you would rather have 3 different signals (on/off/blink) instead of a constant changing signal. Maybe there is a way in vbscript to detect a blinking signal in a reliable way so the signal to LEDwiz/Arduino is the correct (on/off/action). I believe that the current way i send signals to the Arduino (only sending bytes) may help this a bit. On the Arduino side you could think of some sort of filtering data and in case of to much data in buffer just dropping some data, in order to keep data flowing from VP. Anyway, thanks very much and any more insight on the working of things is very appreciated. Erwin

It's to early to say, but i would like to know where the stutter with LEDwiz comes from. I talked with Chris about it and we do not share the same thoughts I think it could be because of the way the LEDwiz works and possible the lack of buffer memory or that the LEDwiz somehow uses some kind of 'i am ready, next command' handshake or something like that. I experience stutter when there is a lot happening on the LEDwiz. When i removed the not used toys (in my case everything but the rgb leds) and i noticed less stutter. The thing about the Arduino is that it uses the standard RS232 port for communications and has some buffering. Yesterday i tested with sending ALL ROM events to the Arduino and notices no stutter at all. I am heating up the soldering iron at the moment for starting my animated backbox and plan to use the Arduino for that, with feeding of ROM events right beside the LEDwiz. As stated before the main focus for me at the moment is creating things that are at the moment impossible or very hard to do with the LEDwiz. Keep you posted.

Hi All, Did some coding today and have made some progress. Did some configuration specialy for MM, linking the flashers and the pop bumpers. Here is a video: hm2lD38U2SQ Disabled my LEDwiz for this demo. Still a long way from a usable solution for everyone, but as you can see the concept is working just as well. I think i will next try to finish up my backbox with the LED's and then driving that on special events with the Arduino.

Hi, What i am wondering is, what will that do with the speed of things ? I i hear that Chris has stutter with hier absolute top of the bill system, what will others have. I notice stutter also on my cab with very low cpu speed and such. As far as i understand it, it has to do with the way LEDwiz handles the commands and the size of the commands. Will that become a problem seems the question. I have no idea if the Arduino will do a better or worse job at it. The way i see it at the moment that it could be a nice addition to the LEDwiz, that's how i will gonna use it. Please keep us posted on the progress with the second LEDwiz ! Erwin

To keep things simple: i think at this moment that the Arduino can be a nice extention to the LEDwiz. The LEDwiz will be easyer to connect and maintain, the Ardiono will require more technical knowledge about electronics and programming. Regarding the output, the Arduino cannot supply as much electrical power as a LEDwiz (remember it was specialy designed for this stuff). So with the Arduino there will be need for some kind of other solution like relais, optocouplers or transistors when switching high power. But on the safe side, this is always better and much safer foor you and the other hardware. At this time i am working on a second proof of concept that fits my cab. It will be beside the current LEDwiz extending the possibilities. I have some spare hours coming up and hope to get some work done. @ Chris: watch it man, your gonna be a programming guru !

Hi all, It all started with the never satisfied Chris wanting more and more on his cab. I had some ideas before on using a Arduino for the job. Since then it has become more then a idea and i feel like sharing this with the community to see where it could end up. The plan is like this: We use a Arduino board instead OR beside a LEDwiz. The Arduino is a programmable board with lots of connections. You have to prgoram it to do something. This is a step to make, but i think a step worth taking. The main thing is that a .vbs script (like the ledwiz.vbs) is catching the ROM events from VP/MAME and forward it to the Arduino thru RS232. From that point the Arduino handles what happens. It controls a led/light going on or off, triggers a solonoid or starts a shaker. The bonus i think with this is that it could be possible to make series off effect with only 1 ROM event. Think of getting an extra ball and letting 10 leds on the siderail of your cab running up and down. Or a replay knocker getting fired 3 times instead of 1. Or even keeping things lit for a period of time. From what i think at the moment is that it could be possible to have less lag in VP on much events. This because much less data is written over the USB port and in a different way. The plan on this moment is to try and send ALL ROM events to the Arduino and on the Arduino design something that filters out the needed actions. The way i have it at this moment is that we have a maximum of about 250 events. Is this enough to catch ALL events from ALL pinballs at the moment ? There are some pro's and con's on this approach. i will try to sum them up, feel free to add to them Pro: more outputs available more options on creating effects with outputs flexibility possibility to piggy-bag Arduino's (multiple) fun factor Con: more and other hardware needed Arduino cannot directly steer high amp stuff like CREE leds Some programming skills needed to program Arduino (minor if good executed) there is going to be some soldering needed only 14 PWM outputs and 32 digital outputs not sure on actual performance of Arduino To show you the the concept could be working here is a little youtube video showing the Arduino with 2 leds, one for start game and one for launch ball, blinking at the same time the cab's lights are blinking. rr9np3o75KI Ok, lots of text and info, can't wait for your reactions on this, positive or negative At the end of it I would like to say that this idea would not be possible without the brilliant idea and design from manofwar and mr. silver. links: Arduino main site The Arduino i use Ebay

Hi, Could it be possible with AHK to display a small image permanently on top of the table ? I would like the option of displaying a button card on the bottom left where the instructions are. Could allso be used for instructions. Only problem could be is that not all tables have the same size apron, but that would be the next challange

Sorry, cannot confirm, have not played with it enough to notice these things. Played yesterday evening a bit but no such problems at all. Don't have TOTAN and don't know what TZ is, names are not my best side. Saw that there is no media pack for HS fo TOTAN ?

All my work for nothing Frohe Weihnachten !

Download at http://www.autohotkey.com/download/AutoHotkeyInstall.exe Extract the files, enter the compiler directory and folow the screen. you will end up with a new .exe file. I think this is also the way with the anti-multinudge with mercury switches (the A:: Send A: Sleep 1000 thing in some other topics) but did not tryed it, since i have not yet got my switches. Good luck !

Have you recompiled with autohotkey ?

It works perfectly for me, i see the graphic and get paused. Very nice work !!

This is great, thanks a lot !! (after losing some games with my knee to the button)

Nice to hear that, i have done some work in VB before, just need to catch up Any chance i could get the current source ? I am not real familiar with HyperList, but before inventing the wheel again, could a future app make use of the database system ? Thanks for the comments so far

Don't know what language it is written in, but it does not look that complicated (at first glance) so rebuilding should not be a problem. I see a lot of advantage in the option of just look at the tables\ directory and based on that give an overview, maybe with a rename option to link files together. That part should not be so hard. The recognition of files is the hard part i think, since there are a lot of tables out there. So it should need a 'update' option to get the latest list of tables. Just shoot the idea's, when it comes together in my head i will try to take a shot

Nope, don't have the code, but mayby willing to try to set something up. First need to get HyperPin working on my cab

Hi all, Just wondering, what would a good editor need ? I would think of the following things: reading out current settings choosing directory with your VP/FP tables automatic recognising of the tables (input needed) possibly renaming tables and images generating the correct settings files detecting of missing files (images, movies) If we could come to some sort of project description maybe i could spend some time on trying to make something. Any additions to the list above are welcome