Video killed the DMD (radio) star ?

[DRD]

Looking at the armada of games that have come out with TV screens in the backbox .....

I wonder whether we are going to see the DMD games fall in price and desirability. DMD games had been the benchmark of pinball for about 25 years from TAF through to ACDC and GB.

Top end wpc games are now up to 6k or so. Which puts them into used video screen game price territory. When you see a bank of video screen games in a line, the DMD games do look a bit tired.

Now I believe that screens add virtually zero to a games desirability. Funhouse not having a DMD does not bother me, but that is not how the market works.

• DMD games top out at around 6k, and most folk are open to buying these.
• Alpha numeric games top out at 2k or so, and there are many buyers who will never buy one as they are pre_DMD. This has always been an issue for titles like funhouse and bop.
• Numeric SS games have an even smaller pool of buyers. Prices generally top out at maybe 1k unless you are into A list fathom, flash gordon, centaur .... Where decent ones are maybe 1.5k. Minter A list go for much more
• Electromechanical games have an even smaller pool of buyers

 

[Davey D]

I much prefer the looks of DMD and alpha numeric over the new wave of LCD screens. When I see the newest stern stuff it really does nothing for me at all. Really don't like the aspect ratio of them. The JJP ones I find much less offensive though being a full backup display

 

[Mercifull]

I think The Mafia has a clever use of a small LCD screen. I like the on playfield screens (not the embedded one) in Alien and Star Wars but I have no love for the full backglass screens. Deadpool doesn't look too bad because of the 8-bit type graphics but I don't particularly want to see full video. My personal preference is for colorDMD but regular ones look pretty fab too.

 

[Pick Holder]

It is called progress and being cost effective.

DMDs (plasma) are harder to produce and expensive. Remember the Stern LED DMDs with all the issues?

The display Stern use is very cheap, and let's face it - looks good. DMDs are hitting nearly 30 years old now in pinball machines. The AFMrm display is very expensive as they are specially made in that size.

The reason most people buy DMD games is most the second hand market consists of these. I would guess more DMD games were produced than alpha numeric/SS games.

As for EM - most people wouldnt touch them as they are harder to maintain.

Games today also consist of more data so they can add video files. They are no longer governed by the size of eproms.