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Calling all PinSound owners

Matt Adams

Matt Adams

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 29, 2011
Messages
1,388
Location
Middleton-on-Sea
Hi, I have just put a PinSound board (the 1st I have owned) in a Tommy but when I switch it on it says "there are no wave (wav?) files in the audio directory".

I have downloaded the sound off the website and put them on the memory stick (I can physically see they are there when its plugged into the computer) but no joy.

I am thinking that maybe the structure of the files on the memory stick is wrong but their web site doesn't give too many answers!

What am I doing wrong?

Matt.
 
You have 2 options Matt:

1) Format the memory stick and copy the whole zip file you downloaded from the website in to the root. When you turn on the machine the Pinsound board will automatically extract all of the files to the correct places and convert the sound files from ogg to wav. This will take quite a long time to complete though as the processor on the pinsound board isn't very powerful.
2) Download the Pinsound studio from their website and use it to open up the soundtrack on your PC. This will convert all of the sound files from ogg to wav a lot faster and you copy the whole folder structure accross when its done. This method also allows for multiple soundtracks to be stored on the memory stick which you can change mid game by turning the volume all the way down to 0 and then back up again.

Essentially the problem is the board only reads wav files (when its trying to play sounds at least) but the files on the website are distributed as oggs (to save space and make downloading faster.)

Give me a call if you get stuck and I'll help you out :)
 
aaronhicksuk said:
Essentially the problem is the board only reads wav files (when its trying to play sounds at least) but the files on the website are distributed as oggs (to save space and make downloading faster.)
Click to expand...

Yes I'd advise converting the files using the software due to the speed. When I put my board in like you I let the board itself convert the files and it took around 30 minutes to do it. The board should also detect the OGG files and convert them automatically to WAV so they compatible so I'm not sure why your board hasn't managed to do this. But as Aaron says try converting the files in the software first and see if that works.
 
I think it only does the audio conversion if you copy the zip file.

I think it expects files in the audio folder to be wav format already. I had fun trying to work out why I could only get one soundtrack to work on my T2 at first and then the penny dropped on what was going on.

The documentation online isn't particularly clear but better than for some stuff!
 
Thanks guy's, I didn't realise you had to just leave the machine to do its thing.

So I have downloaded and unzipped the TOMMY_OST-1.0_JULIEN42 file from the pinsound web site. Now I should format the usb and just dump the whole TOMMY folder onto the usb or the 5 folders contained within it?

Sorry to be thick but I am a bit when it comes to this sort of stuff.
 
Don't extract the archive unless you plan to use Pinsound Studio, just copy the zip file onto the memory stick on its own. The board will extract and convert the audio for you but slowly, expect it to take half hour. This is the easiest way to get it going.
 
Yes do not unzip the zip file, just put it as is onto the stick and the board will do its thing. Just be prepared for a bit of wait while it converts the files.
 
Matt Adams said:
OK, done that and it is now saying "preforming audio conversion" while playing some funky music so it sounds promising, off to have an excited cup of tea :popcorn: Thanks guys
Click to expand...

That's the ticket, every so often you get a sweet ladies voice that says "10% complete....20% complete". etc. After it has done this once it doesn't need to do it again unless you load on new audio.
 
Must say the pinsound unit is great, had never heard one before in a home environment until the meet on Sunday at Cryptkeepers.

Really affective, still big bucks but if you needed a new sound card its a no brainer
 
Sounds like you should have it working by now.:) Has this gone into the Tommy with the white custom decals?
 
Hi, yes it is in that one :)

Ok so it competed loading (took about an hour!), I came back to the machine and it was all quiet so I pressed the start button and a game started but no sound at all, I switched it off and on just in case it had to reboot but exactly the same, silent!

Any idea what I should look at now?

Matt.
 
I know it sounds silly but is the volume turned up? I'm not sure how it works on Data East but think its probably a potentiometer. If it is then I can recall reading something in the documentation that applied but I'll have to check and let you know.
 
I've just read that you probably have to turn the pot all the way down and then back up again before it works, so yea try playing with the volume control. :)
 
Well I have tired moving the volume control about constantly while a game was started with no joy. When the game 1st boots up it does make a noise and while it was decompressing the files it was playing sounds ok, weird.

I should also mention that it has a flipper fidelity speaker set, I don't know if that makes any difference?

Just downloaded the latest firmware and am off to try that :)
 
Ok, so updated the firmware and restarted the pin, sounded hopeful as it was playing some music when I rebooted but it is still silent on starting a game. If I turn the volume control down and up again it does the "jackpot" callout from the game but then falls silent again.

Any further tips? I may try downloading the original sounds and trying them on the off chance the file is corrupt or something, not quite plug and play are they!
 
To the pinsound board? I think there is only one and the slot is labelled data east, I will have another check, thanks Andy, you know what I'm like! I need to email you for some bits as well :)
 
To the pinsound board? I think there is only one and the slot is labelled data east, I will have another check, thanks Andy, you know what I'm like! I need to email you for some bits as well :)
 
Just for anyone who's interested I finally got this sorted. I got another Pinsound board for my SW as well as a set of pinball pro speakers. Installed the board, fine, installed the speakers and it was doing the same as the Tommy. It turned out to be caused by the volume adjuster on the after market speakers as in the picture. I guess they fit this as you would have no way of balancing between the cab and back box speakers which are all adjustable on the new board. Anyway I took this out and put the original wiring loom back on and its all good :)

I had a few mails from Pinsound (who I mentioned the upgraded speakers top) but they couldn't suss it. Surprising really as they were all working fine when it was decompressing the files and booting up but not gameplay!

Sounds awesome now

20160107_202928.jpg
 
Matt Adams said:
Just for anyone who's interested I finally got this sorted. I got another Pinsound board for my SW as well as a set of pinball pro speakers. Installed the board, fine, installed the speakers and it was doing the same as the Tommy. It turned out to be caused by the volume adjuster on the after market speakers as in the picture. I guess they fit this as you would have no way of balancing between the cab and back box speakers which are all adjustable on the new board. Anyway I took this out and put the original wiring loom back on and its all good :)

I had a few mails from Pinsound (who I mentioned the upgraded speakers top) but they couldn't suss it. Surprising really as they were all working fine when it was decompressing the files and booting up but not gameplay!

Sounds awesome now

View attachment 25068
Click to expand...
Good news that we now have it working Matt! Send me a video clip when you can!
 
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