Convert pinball to virtual pinball

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

Baby steps. My parts for my PC arrive tomorrow and once I get that built, I can start testing to make sure my wiring is correct. I have most of the wire labled...still a few left. I have some odds and ends I need to complete. This is been a long process.



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[allan]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

Since I'm waiting on my PC parts, I moving all the parts from the test bench to the cabinet. Lot of wiring and labeling.





[ATTACH=CONFIG]53794[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]53795[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH=CONFIG]53796[/ATTACH]

Nice. You can run a welder thru those starter relays. Those have some serious contacts... .
Should have started with a Jamma machine to warm up. I modernize and repair those were I can.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

My new gaming PC is built and working. I hope someone else can learn from my mistake. Remember that just because you CAN do something..doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Perface: Not being a gamer myself, I was very ignorant to a gaming PC. I bought a big Nvidia graphics card and stuck it in a Dell Optiplex 9020. It's not a good idea, IMHO. The graphics card generates a LOT of heat and the case is way too small to try to cool. And there's not enough fans.

This time I did it right. I got the right case. The right fans. The right CPU, ect., ect.

I have a litte wiring left in the pinball cab and then I have to download all the software again and that's a big ass chore. Whew!!!

[tsbservice]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

My new gaming PC is built and working. I hope someone else can learn from my mistake. Remember that just because you CAN do something..doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Perface: Not being a gamer myself, I was very ignorant to a gaming PC. I bought a big Nvidia graphics card and stuck it in a Dell Optiplex 9020. It's not a good idea, IMHO. The graphics card generates a LOT of heat and the case is way too small to try to cool. And there's not enough fans.

This time I did it right. I got the right case. The right fans. The right CPU, ect., ect.

I have a litte wiring left in the pinball cab and then I have to download all the software again and that's a big ass chore. Whew!!!

The harder it gets makes it really challenging and few ones are stubborn like you Billy.
Credit well deserved 😂

[allan]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

My new gaming PC is built and working. I hope someone else can learn from my mistake. Remember that just because you CAN do something..doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Perface: Not being a gamer myself, I was very ignorant to a gaming PC. I bought a big Nvidia graphics card and stuck it in a Dell Optiplex 9020. It's not a good idea, IMHO. The graphics card generates a LOT of heat and the case is way too small to try to cool. And there's not enough fans.

This time I did it right. I got the right case. The right fans. The right CPU, ect., ect.

I have a little wiring left in the pinball cab and then I have to download all the software again and that's a big ass chore. Whew!!!

For this type of graphics you don't need a graphics card that can do that much math. If you don't need to put life like hair on a monster then the latest and the greatest is an overkill. What is the minimum spec the software you are running will need?

Like a fiery on printer....

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

For this type of graphics you don't need a graphics card that can do that much math. Its you need to put life like hair on a monster then the latest and the greatest is an overkill. What is the minimum spec the software you are running will need?

Like a fiery on printer....

I have 3 monitors running at 1080p - playing field, backglass, and DMD.

PS - I don't have the latest and greatest graphics card. I have a used Nvidia 1060.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

This turned out to be one of the harder projects I've ever taken on. I won't go into detail but there were numourous potential pitfalls. At times it was difficult to discern a hardware problem from a software problem. Frustrating would be an understatement.

With that being said, I did it.

It works to perfection. The Ford solonoids work fantasicly. I had to put a motor control board on the shaker motor because it was too powerful. It felt like the earth was shaking.

The budget got blown out of the water. That's the only thing that kinda bothers me.

I'm still waiting on my AC/DC graphics. When I get those put on, I'll take some pictures and show the finished product.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

Cool! Congratulations on your success.

Now use it! Don't let it collect dust in the corner. =^..^=

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

I've been really really sick all last week with a BAD cold. At least I think it was a cold. I'm all better now.


Anyway, while my pinball machine plays flawlessly, I still had a few loose ends to take care of.

For starters, I have a lot of things that plug into an outlet.

- 40 inch TV
-32 inch TV
-15 inch TV
- gaming PC
- 24v power supply
-12v power supply

I don't want to have to turn all of that on and off individually. I want to push one button and have it all power up and be ready to play pinball. But how?

Moreover, the PC is locked away inside the pinball cabinet. There's no way to reach the power button.


I figured it all out but not without a few headaches. Anyone know how I did it?

[blackcat4866]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

A power strip wouldn't work. Maybe you created an access panel to reach the various power switches? =^..^=

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

Here's how I did it.

First, i ran a jumper from motherboard of the PC (power pins) to a button mounted underneath the pinball cabinet.

Second, I used a "smart" powerstrip. One of the outlets is the "control" and that's the one I have the PC plugged into. When the PC is powered on, the rest of the outlets are electronically powered on.


Lastly, I had to add a couple of programs to automataically start when the PC is first powered on.

And that's a wrap, folks.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

Just to be clear, the 'control outlet' (the one the PC is plugged into) can sense when the PC is drawing power and when it does, it turns on the other 3 switched outlets on the same power strip.

[allan]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

Please post a video clip of your machine in action for us if you can.

[slimslob]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

Here's how I did it.

First, i ran a jumper from motherboard of the PC (power pins) to a button mounted underneath the pinball cabinet.

Second, I used a "smart" powerstrip. One of the outlets is the "control" and that's the one I have the PC plugged into. When the PC is powered on, the rest of the outlets are electronically powered on.


Lastly, I had to add a couple of programs to automataically start when the PC is first powered on.

And that's a wrap, folks.

Check the CMOS for the PC. It might have an option for what to do after a power fail. If so, one of those options is "Previous State" which means that when the outlet strip is turned back on, the PC powers up automatically. You can then wire an outlet to be controlled by a wall switch. If the TV are all the same make, often the same remote can turn them all on.

Just to be clear, the 'control outlet' (the one the PC is plugged into) can sense when the PC is drawing power and when it does, it turns on the other 3 switched outlets on the same power strip.

Many decades ago either Popular Electronics or Electronics Illustrated had an article on building your own.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Convert pinball to virtual pinball

Check the CMOS for the PC. It might have an option for what to do after a power fail. If so, one of those options is "Previous State" which means that when the outlet strip is turned back on, the PC powers up automatically. You can then wire an outlet to be controlled by a wall switch. If the TV are all the same make, often the same remote can turn them all on.



Many decades ago either Popular Electronics or Electronics Illustrated had an article on building your own.

There's too much to go into on a message board. This setup is pretty much bullet proof. The only thing that isn't automatic is that I have to turn on the TV's by remote. There's really no way around that. I'm happy with it and it's worn me out.