What's new
Pinball info

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

ColorDMD

Banzaipinabll

Banzaipinabll

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 16, 2011
Messages
855
Location
Aberdeen
Alias
Mike
Thinking of getting a ColorDMD for either SS or TOM. Anyone got one who can advise whether it's worth the investments.
 
Go for it. They are now interchangeable so if you don't like it in one machine you can reprogram and put in another.

Only downside is you need a different mounting system for Sterns.

Not seen it in a TOM yet. SS didn't really do it for me, so I've never dropped in into mine. STTNG is Good, so is WH20. AFM is excellent.
 
I have one in my TAF and MM. I must admit I am considering one for my Shadow as some of the animation looks quite cool and they are interchangeable into other machines now so don't sweat over it too much. Generally though I like the orange dot matrix as it looks right, for example I didn't put one in my CFTBL as I think that looks better as it is. If a dmd blew in one of my games that might sway me though.
 
Thanks for the comments, looks like the credit needs to come out.

Is Pinball Palace the only place to buy in the UK??
 
You could try Ministry of Pinball in the Netherlands too.

PP is £319 + P&P
MoP is €440 (£312.50) + P&P

PP will be faster delivery because they're in the UK, and Sean's good at replying to emails if you have a problem.
 
Matt Adams said:
I have one in my TAF and MM. I must admit I am considering one for my Shadow as some of the animation looks quite cool and they are interchangeable into other machines now so don't sweat over it too much. Generally though I like the orange dot matrix as it looks right, for example I didn't put one in my CFTBL as I think that looks better as it is. If a dmd blew in one of my games that might sway me though.
Click to expand...
Matt, Creature is the best by far. Don't miss out and treat the Creach.
 
Sorry.... I'm not a big fan ... Animation is Tooooo blocky and still remains in the early Nintendo era. I think I'll wait for further improvements to the system before I buy another. There's better joy to be had out of that amount of coin.
 
pintableuser said:
Sorry.... I'm not a big fan ... Animation is Tooooo blocky and still remains in the early Nintendo era. I think I'll wait for further improvements to the system before I buy another. There's better joy to be had out of that amount of coin.
Click to expand...

Really? There are several modes to choose from - some replicating the original exactly, other than with colour, others convert essentally into as you say, blocky colour..
 
I have tried it in a few of my pins in different modes, and find the benefits don't equate to the outlay.
 
Matt Adams said:
presumably I can get 1 and try it in Shadow and CFTBL and see which I prefer?
Click to expand...
Yeah it's easy to swap, just download software for each game from colordmd website to a usb stick, insert into dmd pcb and press a button, done!

I love these, have 4 so far thinking about 1 more, like them so much I have them in games that don't have the code yet, sigma code looks great, joins the dots with choice of colour!
 
johnwhitfield said:
Go for it. They are now interchangeable so if you don't like it in one machine you can reprogram and put in another.

Only downside is you need a different mounting system for Sterns.

Not seen it in a TOM yet. SS didn't really do it for me, so I've never dropped in into mine. STTNG is Good, so is WH20. AFM is excellent.
Click to expand...
The latest ones have a different bracket that fits both Wms and Stern. I've had the same one in Creature and AC/DC. If you get one for a Stern, you get a longer power lead because it plugs in near the flipper RH button.
 
Just to give an update because i'd been whining that i'd not heard back from ColorDMD about working on colourising Rocky & Bullwinkle.

I've now heard back that they did start work on it but it's been shelved because they realised there isnt' sufficient space in the backbox for the LCD screen they use. Apparently it fouls the area where the Solenoids for the Hat Trick animation sits so until they can find a smaller LCD display they can't proceed with it.

I've never actually seen a ColorDMD outside of a machine. Does anyone have any photos of the kit so I can see what sort of sizes we're talking about?
 
Here's one I took a while back in a Stern Star Trek (it was an older ColorDMD so the bracket didn't have the right holes for the new Stern backbox, discussed with Sean at PP, swapped it with the newer one from Tron and all was good).

Correct:
image.jpg


Incorrect:
image.jpg
 
If anyone is able to take measurements for the metal chassis into which the panel fits i'd be very interested to hear what they are.

From what I can read it's basically an LCD panel from a notebook PC. Apparently R&B is now in the same camp as Cirqus Voltaire in that the physical layout of the cabinet is what stops a Color DMD from being fitted.

I realise that it's probably a low priority for ColorDMD to fix this which is why i'd be quite interested in offering my help to see if we can get to the bottom of the problem and find a solution.
 
Couldn't the speaker panel and translite above relocate 20 -25mm forward to make space? I'm guess not as this seems far to simple if I can come up with it! The bottom of the speaker panel would have to sit forward of the side of the head box but discreet black sides would compensate for that surely?
 
I think the problem is that the height of the LCD fouls the solenoid assembly. THe pictures below show it from the front and the back, and it's these solenoids that lift the hat trick animation. (Note: These photos are not from my machine)

rbfront.jpg
rbback.jpg
So from what I read from ColorDMD the only solution is to find a smaller LCD panel.

Ben Heck did something a while back where he stripped some of these down (http://www.amazon.com/Grey-12-2-Sunvisors-Monitor-Screen/dp/B00FL2M5J6) and then used an FPGA to replace the composite video input with something a bit more refined. I'd have thought a panel like that would be perfect for this sort of situation.

Here's the link to the Ben Heck video:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom