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Pin2dmd stuck on boot screen 'Bally/williams'

David_Vi

David_Vi

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I grabbed another Pin2dmd from a forum member for my Fish tales. Its one of @MadNat 's runs dated 2019,
I already have two pin2dmd in other pins working fine but the new one just sits at the boot screen.

I've swapped it with another pin2dmd to check it's not the pin or ribbon cable, I've tried updating it (it's now 4.19 I think).
I have a colour file which works fine in the other pin2dmd.

Swapped micro SD card with one from a working display, no luck.

On input test I get the same pins flashing open and closed as I do when I test the working pin2dmd on the pin next to it.

Tried resetting the settings to default.
The red led on the back occasionally flashes but nothing else.

It feels like there's nothing else to try so really would like some help!
 
Last edited:
Calimori said:
I can't see if you swapped the micro card out into a working one and another thing to try? I had an issue with a card not properly seated.
Click to expand...

Yeah tried that too 😔

Forgot to add it to original post, added now
 
Can I confirm that:
a) This Pin2DMD doesn't work when put into another machine that had a working Pin2DMD in
Eliminating power, cable, machine specific issues, micro card
And
b) A working pin2DMD has been put into this machine and worked fine
Eliminating power, cable, machine specific issues, micro card

It sounds like it is recognising the machine but isn't loading.
 
Calimori said:
Can I confirm that:
a) This Pin2DMD doesn't work when put into another machine that had a working Pin2DMD in
Eliminating power, cable, machine specific issues, micro card
And
b) A working pin2DMD has been put into this machine and worked fine
Eliminating power, cable, machine specific issues, micro card

It sounds like it is recognising the machine but isn't loading.
Click to expand...

Yup that's it, the red led flashes occasionally. I think that means it's receiving something?

Paul said:
The SD card does have the keyfile/licence file on doesnt it??
Click to expand...

Hope, but neither does my working one and I thought the displays from Madnat came already activated and that is stored in memory?
Also I thought the display pops up with activation required if that needed?
 
Paul said:
The SD card does have the keyfile/licence file on doesnt it??
Click to expand...
No @Paul it's stored in memory.

It would help to know which machines you are connecting the displays too.

Also can you confirm which version of PIN2DMD you have (there are 3 types produced during the various group buys).

Make sure pin1 on the ribbon cable lines up with pin1 on the connector. Maybe post a pic of you ribbon cable connnected
 
Color prism 4.26 (I updated it)

It was for Fish tales but currently trying in Road Show (as I kept swapping them when testing I forgot which was which)

MadNat said:
No @Paul it's stored in memory.

It would help to know which machines you are connecting the displays too.

Also can you confirm which version of PIN2DMD you have (there are 3 types produced during the various group buys).

Make sure pin1 on the ribbon cable lines up with pin1 on the connector. Maybe post a pic of you ribbon cable connnected
Click to expand...
Hope the pictures answer questions!
 

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The display should work with no SD card installed - just in single palette mode.

It's pretty much plug and play - for a long time the emulation is automatically detected, so no need to set machine type, enhancer, etc.

Theres nothing to "load" for the display to work. The files on the SD card hold details of which scenes to colour and custom palettes etc. So if there is no SD card it will just run.

All settings and activation are stored in memory.
 
Do I understand this correclty - both displays work fine in Fish Tales, but not in Roadshow?

If that is the case - you could try swapping the DMD controller board over from Fish Tales to Road Show.
 
Some helpful info here - interesting also with a Roadshow... seems a defective PCB in this case:
vpuniverse.com

PIN2DMD Not working

Hi guys, My pin2dmd just arrived, and I've plugged it in to my roadshow, unfortunately it just stays on this screen. I've activated the license key en copied the key to the sd card in my DMD. Who could help me out? Regards,
vpuniverse.com vpuniverse.com
 
MadNat said:
Do I understand this correclty - both displays work fine in Fish Tales, but not in Roadshow?

If that is the case - you could try swapping the DMD controller board over from Fish Tales to Road Show.
Click to expand...

Sorry I wasn't clear, doesn't work in fish tales either but I'll check again. The working pin2dmd was in Road show originally
 
ahh - sounds to me like you have a defective PCB unfortunatly. There really is so little to do to get it working. The fact it doesnt work in either machine, and that your other panel works in both, points to a defective component on your panel. Most likely the switch register would be my guess. Worth seeing if the blue led does flash - that tells you if good data is getting to the processor
 
This is what I get after resetting to defaults.
Says virtual pinball, whereas before I had it set to B/W, I thought these versions automatically detected the input?

It's yellow with the micro sd card in and coloured without

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20211106_143457.jpg
 
MadNat said:
ahh - sounds to me like you have a defective PCB unfortunatly. There really is so little to do to get it working. The fact it doesnt work in either machine, and that your other panel works in both, points to a defective component on your panel. Most likely the switch register would be my guess. Worth seeing if the blue led does flash - that tells you if good data is getting to the processor
Click to expand...

Previous owner had it working on a virtual pin, would that be affected too? And maybe this issue is only with real pins?
I can't see how it would have failed in the post or when I've installed it?
Could it have been something I did?
 
As I said before - it self configures. You've confirmed you've saved default settings with the new startup screen.

Is the blue led flashing with everything connected?

If not - there is no data arriving at the processor... which either means a bad ribbon cable or wrong way round, or data not getting from the connector on the PCB to the processor.
 
Also I'm not 100% sure as I've never owned one.. but I think Virtual pins connect to PIN2DMD via USB... They don't have a DMD controller like your real pin does.
 
Have you given the PCB a good look over for any signs of damage or foreign parts stuck to it? Bit of a long shot but always worth checking.

Also I would try running it without any SD card present (if you haven't already).
 
MadNat said:
As I said before - it self configures. You've confirmed you've saved default settings with the new startup screen.

Is the blue led flashing with everything connected?

If not - there is no data arriving at the processor... which either means a bad ribbon cable or wrong way round, or data not getting from the connector on the PCB to the processor.
Click to expand...

No blue light flashing.
I'm hoping it still works for a virtual pin, then the previous owner will take it back, if its just failed somehow in transit or here then I suppose I'm at a loss!
 
My guess (and it is a guess) is either U1 MAX232D and/or 74LS123 has failed. Could have been caused by accidentally connecting 12V to the 5V connector on the board.

If that is the case - could be an easy fix.
 
MadNat said:
Have you considered swapping with @David_Vi - his use doesnt need a working USB...
Click to expand...
Sending it back to the previous owner who was using it like this, hopefully it works.

MadNat said:
My guess (and it is a guess) is either U1 MAX232D and/or 74LS123 has failed. Could have been caused by accidentally connecting 12V to the 5V connector on the board.

If that is the case - could be an easy fix.
Click to expand...


I don't think I plugged into the 5v, but if I did and its an easy fix I'd be interested.
I suppose theres no way to check if those have failed. Would it still affect the usb/virtual pin input?
 
Thanks for the thought Nat but mine is totaly knackered , i even tried soldering the traces back on but they were thinner than hairs, when i switched it on the blooming thing got red hot so no hope for it .
cheers
Keith
 
David_Vi said:
Sending it back to the previous owner who was using it like this, hopefully it works.




I don't think I plugged into the 5v, but if I did and its an easy fix I'd be interested.
I suppose theres no way to check if those have failed. Would it still affect the usb/virtual pin input?
Click to expand...
I believe those chips are for presenting the real pin data in a readable format for the processor. So yes it would still work via USB in a virtual pinball, as those chips are not used in that kind of install. The 12V on a 5V connector could have happened before you received it David.

If @keith b smith hasn't thrown his away - you could try using that pcb - the USB connector has no functional use at all on a real pin, other than the original flashing of the firmware, which has already been done. Even if he's cooked it 😵. You're not far from my Keith - happy to have a look at it and see if its still useful for a real pinball user...
 
If the board is any use to you then please take it (the pin 2 dmd still works) (just lights up with P2dmd and virtual pin underneath so that bits ok and i would like to leave that in the machine but the control board is the old type i spoke to the guy in Germany (good luck with that one) did say mine was oso old it was obsolete (i think its 5 years old)P1010749.JPG
 

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