Ok so something I haven't talked about is what is going to be driving this pinball. I was originally going to use the original Stern guts, but I made a friend that's helping me out (big time), and he's donated (I'm going to pay him whether he likes it or not) a prototype starter kit to drive solenoids, keep score, and eventually display scoring on a monitor (just like OZ baby). This is far beyond what I thought this project would turn into.
So I decided I should probably start shopping around for a monitor just so I have it ready when I need it. I started looking at 24" monitors figuring that should be big enough. Then I went and actually measured the head I have. It's fricken 30" wide! Yea, that's 28.5" of backglass width, they didn't give a crap about size back then. So then I'm thinking even if I go with a 27" LCD, I'm still going to have gaps on the side. If I jump to 32" not only is it going to start getting expensive, it's not going to fit in that backbox (shy by 1/2-1"), and it seems to be overkill considering it's just scoring. Then I started thinking so I just want the LCD to display basic digit scoring only (pop a 19" monitor 1/4 of the way up an opening in the backbox), and then still have a traditional backbox backglass with static backlighting? I could, but then I'd be under utilizing the potential of the system.
I took a good look at the inside of the backbox, filled with everything I don't need inside for this project. I looked at how the backbox was constructed, and it's literally just a basic box made from plywood with a couple holes in the bottom to mount the bolts to the threaded inserts in the bottom cabinet. So I said "That's it! I'm building a custom backbox!". Why the hell not, that way I can make it exactly the width I need it to be so there's little to no border around the monitor. My cabinet is 22" wide, the 24" monitor is going to be 22" wide:
AMAZON
Making the backbox 23.5" outer width. Yes, that only leaves 3/4" inch of gap on each side for flipper button pusing if the backbox is flush against 2 other pins, but who says I can't have some gap? I can also make the backbox lighter so it's easier to transport (if I ever end up taking it to shows), maybe even modernize it a bit. I mean the donor cabinet is from early solid state days (no sounds but chimes in the lower cabinet), so there aren't even spots for speakers in the backbox. Hell, since I have the space (monitor height is only 16") I think I'm going to put some decent speakers above (another thing I need to start shopping for now).
I went ahead and pulled the trigger on an amp and a set of speakers.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049P6OTI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037Z1FOU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I figure for $42 I can't lose. Both have good ratings, and the amp is used a lot on virtual pinball cabinets. It has that new T-class chip amp which is supposed to give you really clean sound. The speakers are 3-way which mean they provide both tweeters and a mid-range sound. I'm sure it's way better than any stock pinball speaker system (other than flipper fidelity or Stern).
Thinking about covering the speakers with a breathable panel (so sound comes out), but adding a decal to make it look like an amp:
So I decided I should probably start shopping around for a monitor just so I have it ready when I need it. I started looking at 24" monitors figuring that should be big enough. Then I went and actually measured the head I have. It's fricken 30" wide! Yea, that's 28.5" of backglass width, they didn't give a crap about size back then. So then I'm thinking even if I go with a 27" LCD, I'm still going to have gaps on the side. If I jump to 32" not only is it going to start getting expensive, it's not going to fit in that backbox (shy by 1/2-1"), and it seems to be overkill considering it's just scoring. Then I started thinking so I just want the LCD to display basic digit scoring only (pop a 19" monitor 1/4 of the way up an opening in the backbox), and then still have a traditional backbox backglass with static backlighting? I could, but then I'd be under utilizing the potential of the system.
I took a good look at the inside of the backbox, filled with everything I don't need inside for this project. I looked at how the backbox was constructed, and it's literally just a basic box made from plywood with a couple holes in the bottom to mount the bolts to the threaded inserts in the bottom cabinet. So I said "That's it! I'm building a custom backbox!". Why the hell not, that way I can make it exactly the width I need it to be so there's little to no border around the monitor. My cabinet is 22" wide, the 24" monitor is going to be 22" wide:
AMAZON
Making the backbox 23.5" outer width. Yes, that only leaves 3/4" inch of gap on each side for flipper button pusing if the backbox is flush against 2 other pins, but who says I can't have some gap? I can also make the backbox lighter so it's easier to transport (if I ever end up taking it to shows), maybe even modernize it a bit. I mean the donor cabinet is from early solid state days (no sounds but chimes in the lower cabinet), so there aren't even spots for speakers in the backbox. Hell, since I have the space (monitor height is only 16") I think I'm going to put some decent speakers above (another thing I need to start shopping for now).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049P6OTI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037Z1FOU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I figure for $42 I can't lose. Both have good ratings, and the amp is used a lot on virtual pinball cabinets. It has that new T-class chip amp which is supposed to give you really clean sound. The speakers are 3-way which mean they provide both tweeters and a mid-range sound. I'm sure it's way better than any stock pinball speaker system (other than flipper fidelity or Stern).
Thinking about covering the speakers with a breathable panel (so sound comes out), but adding a decal to make it look like an amp:
Just starting to go through your old entries since I'm back and have more time on my hands. Sorry about the delays...seems like you have been busy. (I actually haven't read anything written after this entry, so if it is old information or changed, I apologize.) In your previous entry, 6/13, you mentioned that you freed up a solenoid channel. This makes me fear that you are compromising your design to fit into the single driver board that you received. The solenoid driver boards can be daisy chained together, so if you need more than one, just tell me, and it can be sent. (The software currently supports 16 solenoid boards and 16 input boards or a total of 128 solenoids and 256 inputs). If you need more than that, you can simply add a second serial port which would double that number.
ReplyDeleteThe speakers on the top look nice really nice, but speakers on the bottom would allow you to move the monitor higher. You are tall and it might make it easier to read for taller people. Course, it might be easier to read while playing the pinball if it was closer to the playfield. Who is to say.
The mockup of the backbox looking like an amp looks sweet.
I "may" need an extra solenoid driver then.. I was going to keep solenoids to things that could get stuck (flippers / kickers), mostly in case if something does get locked on, it doesn't start to smoke or catch on fire (I suppose a fuse could remedy that too). Anything additional like VUK could be done with a door actuator, which should be safe since the switch could turn it on, and then off... Heck, if it got locked on, it's designed to stay on.
ReplyDeleteAs for the speaker location, yea I was going for keeping the monitor as close to the playfield as possible. I may tilt the monitor back to avoid glare, then point the speakers down so the sound is directed towards your ears.