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SOLVED: Unreadable dialogue box B2S Backglass Server

Andy B

Andy B

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Joined
Oct 6, 2014
Messages
1,375
Location
Hull. England.
Now solved - Turns out it WAS related to windows scaling (as suggested by a few - thanks!). TV playfield was set to 300% (recommended). When I reduced to 100% the text in the box was fine on the backglass. However flip side of that was it made Windows difficult to see on the main screen. So I've switched it back to 300%. I will switch back to 100% for the few occasions I might need to (e.g. when checking backglasses etc.).

This was just a pain before but now it's a hinderance.

When I right click in the backglass on any table to bring up the settings, all of the text is squashed up like it's too big for the box - see photo.

Since as all I've needed to access it for thus far is to hide the grills on tables I've been getting by since as the "Grill Hidden" option is one of the few things I am able to read clearly!

Now, I have hooked up a sainsmart relay board for some output devices and set up, downloaded and installed the dof config file but none of the devices are working. The power LED is on on the relay board and one of the solenoids actually fires a couple of times during the PC bootup.

I have checked the "Activate Plugins" box in the B2S Backglass settings (again another one I can actually read) but because of the squashed up text I am unable to see if the "Plugin Settings" button is greyed out or not to go down that diagnostic route.

Has anyone had this issue before and can tell me how to fix it please?

I have made sure the scale setting on that screen is set at 100% (it does not allow a scale less than 100%) and I am unable to resize the box using the cursor.

I am basically stuck on next level of diagnostics until this text issue is fixed.

Thanks in anticipation of any help.

Andy
 

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Could try changing the font scaling % (right click the desktop and select display properties).
Course this will affect all system fonts so you will want to put it back when you are done.
 
PS - Sainsmart boards do fire coils when the computer starts.

I stopped using them about 5 years ago. They are very buggy.

I use a PacDrive to do all the button LEDs and then use 8 of the 16 output boards to fire a relay board like this:


I have had Sainsmart boards lock on as well if VPX crashes locking on solenoids.

In 2023/4 we have better ways of doing it.
 
Pick Holder said:
PS - Sainsmart boards do fire coils when the computer starts.

I stopped using them about 5 years ago. They are very buggy.

I use a PacDrive to do all the button LEDs and then use 8 of the 16 output boards to fire a relay board like this:


I have had Sainsmart boards lock on as well if VPX crashes locking on solenoids.

In 2023/4 we have better ways of doing it.
Click to expand...
Problem with Sainsmart was hadn’t installed drivers (found out when I looked in device manager).
 
HomerRamone said:
Could try changing the font scaling % (right click the desktop and select display properties).
Course this will affect all system fonts so you will want to put it back when you are done.
Click to expand...
Tried scaling already to no avail but thanks for the suggestion.
 
Wonder is maybe its using a font that isnt installed. Its using Microsoft Sans Serif - would have thought that was a stock windows font.
 
No wait - scratch that. The EXE version uses MS Sans.
The other version is using tahoma..
Looks likes its all screwed up to begin with though
 
Last edited:
Try these.
(Backup your old files first!)
 

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Andy B said:
Problem with Sainsmart was hadn’t installed drivers (found out when I looked in device manager).
Click to expand...
I would simply change it - they are a pain in the backside.

You used to have to also enter the serial number of the main chip in the sainsmart into a certain file in the direct output folder. I think this is no longer needed....... but not 100%

Seriously - get rid of it.
 
Pick Holder said:
I would simply change it - they are a pain in the backside.

You used to have to also enter the serial number of the main chip in the sainsmart into a certain file in the direct output folder. I think this is no longer needed....... but not 100%

Seriously - get rid of it.
Click to expand...
Took your advice and ordered a couple of those relay boards you linked to.

Machine has Ledwiz board installed so think I can use that to trigger the relays.
 
Andy B said:
Took your advice and ordered a couple of those relay boards you linked to.

Machine has Ledwiz board installed so think I can use that to trigger the relays.
Click to expand...
Just be careful using certain controller boards as a few of them trigger all outputs upon booting. Which means all your solenoids slam on for about 20 seconds....

I use the pacdrive with the special firmware on it.

See the options:

Screenshot 2024-01-04 at 10.43.40.png

Every other board I have tried seems to be buggy..... This board drives 5v LEDs directly for your buttons.
 
Pick Holder said:
Just be careful using certain controller boards as a few of them trigger all outputs upon booting. Which means all your solenoids slam on for about 20 seconds....

I use the pacdrive with the special firmware on it.

See the options:

View attachment 240917

Every other board I have tried seems to be buggy..... This board drives 5v LEDs directly for your buttons.
Click to expand...
Thanks Phil.

The relay boards arrived yesterday and I hooked them up to the LED-Wiz that was in the machine and reconfigured the DOF file accordingly.

I only wired up one contactor (left flipper) to test. It would not fire when I used the DOF Configuration Test table. It would fire when I manually jumpered the relay to ground though so relay board works.

I have not tested the LED-Wiz board that was already installed in this machine since I got it (though it was hooked up to a bunch of flasher LEDs with in line resistors and fuses when I got it (that I have subsequenelty rmeoved as they weren't to my liking) but bizarrely not to the start and launch buttons which would have been the first thing I would have done to make them interactive)) so I am suspecting it's non-functional. It does make the USB connection noise when I plug it in to PC but there doesn't seem to be any power LED on it.

I think I'll just buy the pacdrive and see if that works.
 
Andy B said:
Thanks Phil.

The relay boards arrived yesterday and I hooked them up to the LED-Wiz that was in the machine and reconfigured the DOF file accordingly.

I only wired up one contactor (left flipper) to test. It would not fire when I used the DOF Configuration Test table. It would fire when I manually jumpered the relay to ground though so relay board works.

I have not tested the LED-Wiz board that was already installed in this machine since I got it (though it was hooked up to a bunch of flasher LEDs with in line resistors and fuses when I got it (that I have subsequenelty rmeoved as they weren't to my liking) but bizarrely not to the start and launch buttons which would have been the first thing I would have done to make them interactive)) so I am suspecting it's non-functional. It does make the USB connection noise when I plug it in to PC but there doesn't seem to be any power LED on it.

I think I'll just buy the pacdrive and see if that works.
Click to expand...
You have done your config files for DOF havent you?
 
Andy B said:
Thanks Phil.

The relay boards arrived yesterday and I hooked them up to the LED-Wiz that was in the machine and reconfigured the DOF file accordingly.

I only wired up one contactor (left flipper) to test. It would not fire when I used the DOF Configuration Test table. It would fire when I manually jumpered the relay to ground though so relay board works.

I have not tested the LED-Wiz board that was already installed in this machine since I got it (though it was hooked up to a bunch of flasher LEDs with in line resistors and fuses when I got it (that I have subsequenelty rmeoved as they weren't to my liking) but bizarrely not to the start and launch buttons which would have been the first thing I would have done to make them interactive)) so I am suspecting it's non-functional. It does make the USB connection noise when I plug it in to PC but there doesn't seem to be any power LED on it.

I think I'll just buy the pacdrive and see if that works.
Click to expand...
Typical - they don't have the special drive in stock!
 
Pick Holder said:
You have done your config files for DOF havent you?
Click to expand...
Yep. I updated the config files for DOF.

Previously I had it set up for the LED-Wiz for the start and launch buttons on ports 1 and 2 of the LED-Wiz board (they weren't working) and 1 x sainsmart board for the 12v solenoids - I did not hook up the 24v contactors (there are 2 - one each for the flippers) The sainsmart connected solenoids were working OK. The LEDs hooked up to the LED-Wiz were not working.

I have now updated and installed the config file set up for just 1 x LED-Wiz board and one 24v contactor on port 9 (figured if I moved it to a separate bank of 8 that might rule out a faulty first set of 8).
 
Managed to get a Special PAC Drive from Ultimarc.

Installed pac-drive hooked up to the relay boards you recommended Phil.

Updated DOF config based on removal of Sainsmarts and installation of PAC Drive. Couldn’t get it to work 🙁

After much testing, configuring, re-installation and some re-wiring, worked out it was due to jumper settings on relay board which were set to high voltage rather than low voltage triggering. Moved the jumpers on the two inputs I had wired up and now I have working 24v left flipper contactor (which I have to say I am underwhelmed by) and a 12v solenoid left sling.

Busy tonight but will be wiring up trst of output devices tomorrow.
 
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