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!

Colour DMD shoot out ! - options

edsr

Registered
Joined
Oct 7, 2017
Messages
415
Location
Cheltenham
I’ll update this *original post* below, as and when people request changes in the thread.

Aims to be an impartial view of the products themselves, based on knowledge shared in the thread.

1. Dr Pinball LCD DMD (DIY kit)

Use @DrPinball ‘s board (and software) purchased from his website, and some other products (purchased from elsewhere), to build an ‘open source’ kit.

Multi-format LCD
£190
http://www.drpinball.co.uk/lcddmd.htm

Pros: cheapest option and open sourced - non-specialist components if replacements are needed later. Looks great. Works for 128x32 (etc) sizes too. Compatible with most games. Adjustable colours using supplied software. Has been in the field for 5 years. Allows extra mini/maxi screens to be connected, feeds to cameras, public displays, etc. Support provided.

Cons: panel is larger than the original display so sticks up (and down) and a mod is needed to lift the lighting board so it doesn’t snag on the panel. Mods to speaker panel also needed.

2. Pin2DMD (manufactured product)

@Rappelbox ‘s product

128x32 LED EUR€180
192x64 LED EUR€369
https://germangamingsupplies.com/RGBPINDMD-XL-192x64-DMD-for-Sega
https://germangamingsupplies.com/RGBPINDMD-SET-V3-ready-to-go-128x32-Standard-DMD_1

Pros: plug and play, looks great, adjustable contrast and brightness, own/preconfigured palettes, tool for own colorisation/palette. Can run 4 custom colours, or updated files that allow 16 colour mode for specific games, in various stages of development. Capable of Full Colour video, but not yet developed.

Cons: relatively expensive in large format, needs an external psu (included). Small additional software donation cost. Reliant on community for 16 colour files (or full colour) for each game.

3. DMDMK66 (manufactured product)

Brightness and colours are controlled by editing a text file on an sd Card. Each time it boots and a new file is found, the settings are overwritten. Any hex code colour can be used.

@pinballsp ‘s Product

192x64 LED EUR€265
128x32 LED EUR€188
128x16 LED (in development)
https://m.facebook.com/Pinballsp

Pros: middle price point (€265+) has optional ‘amber filter’ (removes glare/bleed from unlit pixels so they’re fully black) is fully plug and play, looks like a great product. Colour editing is very simple, by changing values in a text file on the SD card.

Cons: New to the market and so far untested by anyone on this forum (as far as I know). Can only run 4 colours simultaneously (although it can cycle between 4 x pallets of 4 colours each, switching every 25sec), so does not offer full 16 colour mode.

4. ColourDMD (manufactured product)

LED and LCD options. LED means more black between pixel and not as smooth (due to multicolour LEDs in each pixel not occupying the same physical centre of the pixel). LCD gives a smoother picture as pixels are emulated using a higher definition screen, but the colours aren’t as vivid and blacks not as good.

128 x 32 LED EUR€ 389+
128 x 32 LCD EUR€ 389+
http://www.colordmd.co.uk/colordmd_en/faq

Pros: Looks great. True plug and play - fully pre-configured for your machine, and files/code developed in-house. Can be reprogrammed to work on other compatible games by asking them to send you new files.

Cons: Only 128x32. The most expensive. Game specific so not all titles are covered.

5. DmdXPress (manufactured product)

Currently in development by DrPinball

128x32 LED £100 (approx)
192x64 LED £200 (approx)
http://www.pinballinfo.com/community/threads/dmdxpress.38622/

Pros: Cheapest option on the market and follows up a 5-year tried and tested product. Possible colour filter to mimic old orange displays.

Cons: Monochrome (selectable single colour). Not available, yet.

6. Pin2DMD (DIY kit)

<£100

Currently know little about this, but believe it’s possible to build your own (uglier) Pin2DMD solution by purchasing components, for under £100 and assembling/configuring yourself.

More info: http://vpuniverse.com/forums/topic/2250-pin2dmd-order-thread-worldwide/
 
Last edited:
Guys,
Please chime in with links to your products, features, benefits. Etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I can’t and won’t speak for the other products, only one thing to mention is that Dr. Pinballs solution is great for DIY enthusiasts and if I didn’t sell a product myself I would go with that solution. One thing is that he’s a part of your local community and not a „foreigner“ which in special cases might lead to better support. [emoji6]

Pin2dmd has always been a hobby project by lucky1 (active at several forums) and I started selling hardware from the very beginning, which was in 2015!
Only thing to mention is that you have to make a small donation to make it work, with that donation being fully forwarded to charity!!!

Sega DMD and Data East 128x16 were the latest additions and are evolving huge, especially for Sega.


All 4 titles are being worked on being fully colorized with Baywatch finished (beta) and Batman and Frankenstein being next.
The set i sell includes everything, you don’t need to buy an external psu because the set includes it.
I hear chatter about my reliability and can only state that if it was so crappy, ****ty and whatsoever is being mentioned, I couldn’t count several parts suppliers, workshops, operators and other professionals to my customers.

Without our going further into detail , 3 figure sales are proof enough imo.

Don’t get fooled by other people’s prices, it has always been the same over the forums...

Greetings,
Dom

Link to my product:
https://germangamingsupplies.com/RGBPINDMD-XL-192x64-DMD-for-Sega
 
Thanks Dom. You’ll be please that I’m keen to leave bygones and politics out of this thread and keep us based on facts about the products costs and features. Are there any features or USPs you can add that other products don’t? I’ve just added adjustable contrast and brightness.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Adjustable brightness
Adjustable contrast
Own palettes
Preconfigured palettes
Tool for own colorization
Windows config Tool for own palette
 
DMD Extender

Just to note, the link in the original post is not correct - I no longer sell the LCD DMD product - it was time consuming to put together, difficult to ship (most of my customers are overseas) and most people are happy with the DIY approach, which costs about the same for the finished install, £190GBP.

Notable features are:
Editable colour palettes using supplied Windows app
Tried and tested design - I've been selling these for around 5 years now
Plenty of instructions on my website - www.drpinball.co.uk
I'm always available to give assistance, although it's not too difficult to get it all working

The DMD Extender can be used for:
Screen replacement for 192X64 and 128X32 screens in the majority of pinballs
Shows or competitions to put the DMD on a big screen
Streamers to get the DMD into their feed without the need for a camera pointing at the screen
Placement of mini screens within the playfield / apron area.

So it has multiple uses - it just so happens that the vast majority of people want to replace their 192X64 screens in the 4 Sega games.

David.
 
DMD Extender

Just to note, the link in the original post is not correct - I no longer sell the LCD DMD product - it was time consuming to put together, difficult to ship (most of my customers are overseas) and most people are happy with the DIY approach, which costs about the same for the finished install, £190GBP.

Notable features are:
Editable colour palettes using supplied Windows app
Tried and tested design - I've been selling these for around 5 years now
Plenty of instructions on my website - www.drpinball.co.uk
I'm always available to give assistance, although it's not too difficult to get it all working

The DMD Extender can be used for:
Screen replacement for 192X64 and 128X32 screens in the majority of pinballs
Shows or competitions to put the DMD on a big screen
Streamers to get the DMD into their feed without the need for a camera pointing at the screen
Placement of mini screens within the playfield / apron area.

So it has multiple uses - it just so happens that the vast majority of people want to replace their 192X64 screens in the 4 Sega games.

David.

Thanks David. I’ve updated the OP - please shout up with anything else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
So we just need @pinballsp to chime in with his features and benefits etc and we should have a pretty definitive side-by-side comparison


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Nope!!!

ColorDMD does NOT support Sega 192x64

Greetings,
Dom

I noticed that too Dom, but I then thought I may as well cover both sizes off and have edited the original post as such. Do you have a x32 version too Dom?
 
Last edited:
So we just need @pinballsp to chime in with his features and benefits etc and we should have a pretty definitive side-by-side comparison


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ok, here are the features, so you will may check, compare and decide.


1.- All DMDMK66 are 100% plug and play, do not need external power supply, do not need special cables, connect with the original cables/connectors and work immediately. Do not waste your time with wiring or source installations.

2.- You do not need to pay software licenses, that money that you save, consider it when comparing prices, although even without considering it my products are cheaper

3.- You do not need to make a request for firmware activation, you connect and it works immediately, you do not waste time waiting for weeks for an activation.

4.- Currently DMDMK66 192x64 is the most economical option for a SEGA DMD of 192x64. Now only 265 euros, you can compare the big difference in prices (and quality) with other options, more than 100 euros difference and very superior quality in Led solutions, and do not pay licenses so add 10 euros more that you save.

5.- DMDMK66 is a professional design, see pictures of my product and compare it with those DIY products, there is a big difference.

6.- Development and manufacture all DMDMK66, hardware and firmware, so there is no dependency of third parties, if you have any question or problem, always contact me directly, ALWAYS respond and quickly.

7.- I develop and manufacture ALL that I sell, I am not a distributor like others, with me you deal directly with the developer, so if there is any problem with hardware or software, I personally solve it for you. If there is a bug in the firmware, I study it, correct it and release a new version.

8.- I reply quickly to all questions, whether private or public, you can contact by email pinballsp@gmail.com, Skype pinballsp, Whatsapp +34693344445 or Facebook.

9.- I offer a good professional after-sales service, contact me and I ALWAYS reply quickly (check complaints about some competitor, here and in other forums about customers that ask/claim by email and never receive reply, there are a lof of claims in Pinside, Vpforums, etc..., also there are claims about people waiting for months to receive a product and no reply about claims from the seller).

10.- I am developing the Magic Color Tool Editor to color the entire DMDMK66 for advanced color, I will release as soon as possible to download from my Github.



And pictures attached on my current multicolor DMD DMDMK66, so that you can now compare the features and appearance of the products, to easily see the big difference with other products (prices, quality and after sales service).

You may see more pictures and also videos in my Facebook and Youtube chanel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRv1SSoJYVBCZjcUiYRWKwA?view_as=subscriber
https://www.facebook.com/Pinballsp/



i.imgur.com_2DjBLO9.jpg


i.imgur.com_ra3frww.jpg


i.imgur.com_mTFVoXf.jpg

i.imgur.com_u7UxSzk.jpg


i.imgur.com_OyccVmh.jpg

i.imgur.com_UI78nZu.jpg


i.imgur.com_XlHaLJl.jpg
 
Last edited:
Colordmd just kicks ass though with its colour - Nothing beats it and as I understand it they have a couple of interesting developments coming this year. I wouldn’t put anything in my machine other than colorDMD.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
HIGH DEFINITION DISPLAY

All ColorDMD displays use high definition LCD displays to provide the best possible viewing experience.

EASY INSTALLATION

The ColorDMD display custom mounting bracket allows simple swapping with an existing DMD. Two sets of mounting holes are provided to allow easy installation to both WPC and WPC95 speaker panels.

LOW VOLTAGE

In contrast to existing high-voltage plasma displays, the ColorDMD uses the low voltage 5V and 12V outputs from a power driver board. A keyed 4-pin power cable is provided for simple connection between the ColorDMD driver board and the existing power driver board. An expansion connector on the power cable provides support for other existing boards and devices.

STANDARD VIDEO INTERFACE

The ColorDMD driver board uses the standard 14-pin header for connection to the video ribbon cable.

USB PORT

The on-board USB port allows fast and easy installation of ColorDMD ROM updates.

NOTE: ROM updates must match the game for which your ColorDMD display was originally configured.

MENU SYSTEM

The ColorDMD integrates a familiar 4-button interface and menu system for configuring the features of your display. Currently supported features include the ability to adjust the backlight level, select WPC/WPC95 mounting position, or the ability to convert your ColorDMD display to a selectable single color display that can be used in any WPC/WPC95 game.

Over 60 games coloured LED and LCD versions


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
£360 for LED and £370 for LCD - LCD has great features like DOTSXL etc - no need to import local stockist Pinball displays.co.uk has them in stock for next day delivery


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
LED Board colordmd

uploads.tapatalk_cdn.com_20180110_0176945d85a01b95e697defb6e163502.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Neil, have you tried both the led, and lcd ?
What are the pros and cons of each ?

I want to emulate the original dots does the led do this ?
 
This is what I found on the matter. Not sure about emulating the original dots though - that’s definitely something I’m interested in but CDMD doesn’t do an XL model.

http://www.colordmd.com/led.html




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Ok, here are the features, so you will may check, compare and decide.


1.- All DMDMK66 are 100% plug and play, do not need external power supply, do not need special cables, connect with the original cables/connectors and work immediately. Do not waste your time with wiring or source installations.

2.- You do not need to pay software licenses, that money that you save, consider it when comparing prices, although even without considering it my products are cheaper

3.- You do not need to make a request for firmware activation, you connect and it works immediately, you do not waste time waiting for weeks for an activation.

4.- Currently DMDMK66 192x64 is the most economical option for a SEGA DMD of 192x64. Now only 265 euros, you can compare the big difference in prices (and quality) with other options, almost 100 euros difference and very superior quality in Led solutions, and do not pay licenses so add 10 euros more that you save.

5.- DMDMK66 is a professional design, see pictures of my product and compare it with those DIY products, there is a big difference.

6.- Development and manufacture all DMDMK66, hardware and firmware, so there is no dependency of third parties, if you have any question or problem, always contact me directly, ALWAYS respond and quickly.

7.- I develop and manufacture ALL that I sell, I am not a distributor like others, with me you deal directly with the developer, so if there is any problem with hardware or software, I personally solve it for you. If there is a bug in the firmware, I study it, correct it and release a new version.

8.- I reply quickly to all questions, whether private or public, you can contact by email pinballsp@gmail.com, Skype pinballsp, Whatsapp +34693344445 or Facebook.

9.- I offer a good professional after-sales service, contact me and I ALWAYS reply quickly (check complaints about some competitor, here and in other forums about customers that ask/claim by email and never receive reply, there are a lof of claims in Pinside, Vpforums, etc..., also there are claims about people waiting for months to receive a product and no reply about claims from the seller).

10.- I am developing the Magic Color Tool Editor to color the entire DMDMK66 for advanced color, I will release as soon as possible to download from my Github.



And pictures attached on my current multicolor DMD DMDMK66, so that you can now compare the features and appearance of the products, to easily see the big difference with other products (prices, quality and after sales service).

You may see more pictures and also videos in my Facebook and Youtube chanel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRv1SSoJYVBCZjcUiYRWKwA?view_as=subscriber
https://www.facebook.com/Pinballsp/



i.imgur.com_2DjBLO9.jpg


i.imgur.com_ra3frww.jpg


i.imgur.com_mTFVoXf.jpg

i.imgur.com_u7UxSzk.jpg


i.imgur.com_OyccVmh.jpg

i.imgur.com_UI78nZu.jpg


i.imgur.com_XlHaLJl.jpg

Thanks for the input.

What is the amber filter you mentioned in another post?

What connectors are on the board (usb / sd / WiFi?) etc?

How is the brightness etc adjusted? Are there controls on the board or can this be done using the software?

Some more information on this type of thing would be really good.

Thanks
 
Neil, have you tried both the led, and lcd ?
What are the pros and cons of each ?
My tuppence worth:

The LED is a colour version of the existing "traditional" DMD screens but obviously updated with colour. As Neil said, specific games have been coded to add frame by frame colour to existing animations (and non animated frames) for both screens which is much better than the 4 shades of orange being translated to 4 different colours AKA DrPinball screens and the like. LCD screens look more like a normal computer screen - ie, not so much like the original LED "pixels" (although it can somewhat emulate using pixel shapes) or the screens can be smoothed (non pixelated). It should be noted that the LCD screen is taller and therefore is a problem in some games (such as TAF with the THING lights underneath the DMD). The LCD screen can again emulate these lights for TAF but it is not as bright as the original lamps. You can retrofit SMDs on top but a bit of a faff.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the input.

What is the amber filter you mentioned in another post?

What connectors are on the board (usb / sd / WiFi?) etc?

How is the brightness etc adjusted? Are there controls on the board or can this be done using the software?

Some more information on this type of thing would be really good.

Thanks


Check the attached images, on the amber filter. It is an acrylic that increases the contrast and hides the LEDs, available for 128x32 and 192x64 in amber. I am also testing a gray filter. The improvement in the image, as you can see, is considerable.

DMDMK66 only needs the original connectors to connect to the real pinball. The USB is not useful for the real pinball, the firmware update and the configuration is stored in the micro SD card, so it is not necessary to connect it to a PC computer via USB. The WIFI is not useful either, I removed it from the DMDMK66 some time ago, for the same reasons, to update the firmware simply download the new firmware version of the Github, place the file on the SD card and the next time the DMDMK66 starts, it will be updated automatically, easy and fast, do not waste time connecting to the PC computer, and it is not necessary to remove the DMD from the pinball to update or reconfigure it.

All configuration values are in the text file dmdmk66.txt stored on the SD card. In the attached image you can see the contents of the file configuration, everything is there, with instructions to modify it easily. A text file that anyone can edit and change easily, is not a binary file as others use what forces to connect to a PC via USB and use a special program to configure the DMD (a total loss of time, nothing comfortable) .

SD Card configuration file, currently store following parameters:

1.- Brightness level (0-9). I suggest always 0 without filter, 2 with filter.
2.- Color RGB values for 29 preconfigured colors, you may change to create custom colors.
3.- Led panel type: RGB, BGR, RBG. This allow install an configure led panels from diferent manufacturers
4.- Color palettes, here you configure colors for your game, also allow configure 4 different palettes that will change automatically each 25-30 seconds for a more varied coloring throughout the game.


The Github on the DMDMK66 with updates, you have it on this link.
https://github.com/pinballsp/DMDMK66

Any new question, post here and I answer. You can also contact me directly by private forum, email pinballsp@gmail.com, Skype pinballsp, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Pinballsp or Whatsapp +34693344445.

Regards



i.imgur.com_brAKZA7.jpg


i.imgur.com_hbMblU8.jpg


i.imgur.com_QC62caj.jpg


i.imgur.com_2psMDcu.jpg
 
Last edited:
The amber filter reduces the ability to "see" the individual LED bulbs so the unlit "pixels" are less notable giving a crisper look

Yeah just seen the post in the other thread. I think it’s a good idea as the video I saw looked too bright.
 
Check the attached images, on the amber filter. It is an acrylic that increases the contrast and hides the LEDs, available for 128x32 and 192x64 in amber. I am also testing a gray filter. The improvement in the image, as you can see, is considerable.

DMDMK66 only needs the original connectors to connect to the real pinball. The USB is not useful for the real pinball, the firmware update and the configuration is stored in the micro SD card, so it is not necessary to connect it to a PC computer via USB. The WIFI is not useful either, I removed it from the DMDMK66 some time ago, for the same reasons, to update the firmware simply download the new firmware version of the Github, place the file on the SD card and the next time the DMDMK66 starts, it will be updated automatically, easy and fast, do not waste time connecting to the PC computer, and it is not necessary to remove the DMD from the pinball to update or reconfigure it.

All configuration values are in the text file dmdmk66.txt stored on the SD card. In the attached image you can see the contents of the file configuration, everything is there, with instructions to modify it easily.

The Github on the DMDMK66 with updates, you have it on this link.
https://github.com/pinballsp/DMDMK66


Any new question, post here and I answer. You can also contact me directly by private forum, email pinballsp@gmail.com, Skype pinballsp, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Pinballsp or Whatsapp +34693344445.

Regards



i.imgur.com_brAKZA7.jpg


i.imgur.com_hbMblU8.jpg


i.imgur.com_QC62caj.jpg


i.imgur.com_2psMDcu.jpg

Looks great. Especially with the filter.

You showed a Baywatch running your screen in an earlier post on your thread - would it be possible to show another video with the amber filter (as it looked a bit too bright in the video, I assume without the filter)?

Also is it possible to emulate the old 4-shades-of-orange with this screen, by configuring the text file? I’ve not quite got my head around how that works but I’m sure it’s straightforward.

Thanks again,

Ed
 
.

One more important feature of the DMDMK66 that I forgot to mention.

DMDMK66 works with AUTO DETECTION. This means that ALL supported pinball manufacturers are automatically detected, the user does not need to configure the DMD to work in each manufacturer as other products need.

Then, again, it is easier to configure and does not waste time, you can change the DMDMK66 from one pinball to another from a different manufacturer, without having to reconfigure anything.

I'm now working to add Gottlieb and Spike, both also with Auto Detection. And next will be virtual pinball. Also working with Advanced Color for color frame by frame for best quality.

.
 
Looks great. Especially with the filter.

You showed a Baywatch running your screen in an earlier post on your thread - would it be possible to show another video with the amber filter (as it looked a bit too bright in the video, I assume without the filter)?

Also is it possible to emulate the old 4-shades-of-orange with this screen, by configuring the text file? I’ve not quite got my head around how that works but I’m sure it’s straightforward.

Thanks again,

Ed


I do not have the Baywatch pinball here, that video was made by a client who bought me the DMDMK66 for his machine. But I have here the CPU and the video controller board to play any game on my "work desk". In the attached images, you can see how I play a Bally / Williams game on my work table, with the CPU and the video control board, I do not need the full machine to play the game. I can do the same with the Baywatch, using the SEGA CPU and the video controller.

I will take a video comparing the game, with the filter and without the filter, I will edit it to put both videos together and I will publish it as soon as possible. I also want to make a comparison with the new gray filter, to see the differences, if any, with the amber filter.

Of course, you can configure a set of orange tones to emulate the original plasma DMD. In the current configuration file there are three preconfigured orange tones, and in any case you can configure the RGB value of any color to create new custom colors.


i.imgur.com_IQW98oF.jpg


i.imgur.com_rTneD9z.jpg


i.imgur.com_986JqRa.jpg
 
Last edited:
I do not have the Baywatch pinball here, that video was made by a client who bought me the DMDMK66 for his machine. But I have here the CPU and the video controller board to play any game on my "work desk".

I will take a video comparing the game, with the filter and without the filter, I will edit it to put both videos together and I will publish it as soon as possible. I also want to make a comparison with the new gray filter, to see the differences, if any, with the amber filter.

Of course, you can configure a set of orange tones to emulate the original plasma DMD. In the current file there are three preconfigured orange tones, and in any case you can configure the RGB value of any color to create new custom colors.

Great. I like the separation / spacing between the pixels. Looks quite close to the original screen I have.
 
Back
Top Bottom