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myPinballs Drop in Replacement RFM/SWEP1 Computer Systems Now available

myPinballs

myPinballs

Registered
10 Years
Joined
Nov 19, 2011
Messages
5,681
Location
Pudsey UK
So i've been working on another project. - A drop in replacement computer setup that can run nucore/pinbox for pin2k computers. I wanted to create a system that contained everything that you need to upgrade an existing game and one that you could just slide in and connect up. No messing about and after a lot of sourcing different parts, connectors,cabling and components i have created just that.

IMG_3811.JPGIMG_3812.JPG

You get a full system mounted on 2mm zinc plated metal base that can be slid into the existing game computer bracket with motherboard,cpu,ssd,power supply and amp. The audio cable included will plug straight into the existing game wiring, as will the driver board cable and monitor cable.

IMG_3813.JPG

You will need to source a 22" or 23" lcd monitor to use with it, but these are easily found nowadays. I also have a list of ones i use myself. The power supplies are set for 120v operation, so you can just plug direct into the games old computer power lead. All voltages needed including the amp power are generated form a single psu.


IMG_3814.JPG

I use solid state drives, which are basically just flash ram, so boot up is fast and there are no moving parts like old hard drives had, so no danger of vibration issues, or the hd head smashing into the data plates etc

IMG_3815.JPG

As you can see the full unit slides easily into the existing game.

IMG_3818.JPG

The amps i am using are 2.1 surround with adjustable treble,bass and sub crossover level with separate sub volume. They are seriously loud!! :) Great care has been taken to orientate all connectors so existing cabling will connect easily.

Here's a quick vid of how it looks and sounds (sorry for the bad playing, was shooting the vid and playing one handed!)


The price for a setup like this is £420* plus shipping, or you can buy a kit of parts to build your own version and mounting ideas using my research of parts and cabling for £280* plus shipping. All parts are guaranteed to work with pinbox without any major setup headaches.

*Prices correct as of May 2018
 
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I would have killed for this a couple of years ago. 2 months after getting my RFM my Prism card failed. Cost me £300 to replace it and took months to source one. Fantastic work:clap::clap::clap:
 
I have a Lepai amp in my DIY setup. It really helps, even with the original speakers. Crank up the sub and FEEL the base.
 
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Too many projects, Jim. Finish the LED mod before I get bored and sell RFM :)
 
I think the 22" or 23" suggested above would be 16:9 or 16:10 widescreen. Mine has a 22" 16:10 and it works well.
 
That's what I thought when I heard that people were using widescreens but the 22" in my machine fits pretty well. It makes me wonder if a 19" LCD wouldn't be too narrow.
 
Sonny_Jim said:
If you use a monitor that isn't the right size/aspect ratio of the original cause the projected targets to be in the wrong place though? Or does Nucore/Pinbox have some kind of compensation?
Click to expand...

pinballmania said:
I use a 19" 4:3. Will try a widescreen next time.
Click to expand...

You can use any sized monitor you like as long as its got a vga or dvi connection. Personally, I find that 22" or 23" widescreen work very nicely in terms of overall size. Aspect ratio is 16:9 on my 23" monitor.

Also, i think that a 19" CRT arcade monitor is measured differently to a 19" lcd one. I read somewhere once that the equivalent size was 21" lcd 4:3
 
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Sonny_Jim said:
My point being is that with a CRT you can use the 'twiddle board' to adjust the screen size and position so that the targets are projected in the right position on the playfield. My worry is that with a 16:9 or a monitor of a vastly different size is that the targets will no longer line up with what's being projected.
Click to expand...

All the shots line up fine on mine hence me saying use a 22 or 23 Inch monitor and you can adjust the height and width on LCD screens to, but as I say you can choose whatever monitor you fancy if you want to try something different. I don't say things unless I know they work as that wouldn't be very useful. I have a list of makes and models of screens that I think work well that I can supply if people are stuck choosing.
 
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Just finished converting my RFM to Jim's system with a 23" monitor, looks awesome. Added benefit is the sound is much improved with the amp with adjustable bass and treble, sounds great. Also the computer is near silent compared my original.
 
kevlar said:
Just finished converting my RFM to Jim's system with a 23" monitor, looks awesome. Added benefit is the sound is much improved with the amp with adjustable bass and treble, sounds great. Also the computer is near silent compared my original.
Click to expand...

Great to hear that you got it all installed ok and that you like the improvements. I love the big screen and faster computer in mine to :)
 
very awesome. shame the ongoing nucore/pinbox court case leaves things in limbo :( but if you already have access to it this looks like a nice drop in.
 
myPinballs said:
So i've been working on another project. - A drop in replacement computer setup that can run nucore/pinbox for pin2k computers. I wanted to create a system that contained everything that you need to upgrade an existing game and one that you could just slide in and connect up. No messing about and after a lot of sourcing different parts, connectors,cabling and components i have created just that.

View attachment 16276View attachment 16277

You get a full system mounted on 2mm zinc plated metal base that can be slid into the existing game computer bracket with motherboard,cpu,ssd,power supply and amp. The audio cable included will plug straight into the existing game wiring, as will the driver board cable and monitor cable.

View attachment 16278

You will need to source a 22" or 23" lcd monitor to use with it, but these are easily found nowadays. I also have a list of ones i use myself. The power supplies are set for 120v operation, so you can just plug direct into the games old computer power lead. All voltages needed including the amp power are generated form a single psu.


View attachment 16279

I use solid state drives, which are basically just flash ram, so boot up is fast and there are no moving parts like old hard drives had, so no danger of vibration issues, or the hd head smashing into the data plates etc

View attachment 16280

As you can see the full unit slides easily into the existing game.

View attachment 16281

The amps i am using are 2.1 surround with adjustable treble,bass and sub crossover level with separate sub volume. They are seriously loud!! :) Great care has been taken to orientate all connectors so existing cabling will connect easily.

Here's a quick vid of how it looks and sounds (sorry for the bad playing, was shooting the vid and playing one handed!)


The price for a setup like this is £300 plus vat & shipping, or you can buy a kit of parts to build your own version and mounting ideas using my research of parts and cabling for £200 plus vat & shipping. All parts are guaranteed to work with pinbox without any major setup headaches.
Click to expand...

I would like to buy one of these complete setup...awesome work!
 
Thank you Jim it runs perfect.
Very good plug and play.
Wow what a great sound it has now.
Super clear picture with my 22 LCD
Its fast and silent
:clap:
But I cant find the jukebox function
 
Thanks for the great feedback and comments. Glad you are liken the improved experience. :)

The jukebox functions are located in the hidden menu, which is accessed by pressing both volume buttons together with the coin door open. This is also where you can set which game the machine will boot as
 
Just developed a new nice and simple LCD mounting kit for securing replacement LCD screens in pinball 2000 games. Often the securing of LCDs can be time consuming or a little tricky. No longer! 5 minute job now. I've sourced black metal strips and red posts and spacers to match the original cabinet colour scheme to. I quite like the idea of utilising star posts in other guises :)

IMG_7312.jpg

IMG_7311.jpg

Also allows the re-mounting of the original UV tube assembly if that's your thing to.

IMG_7313.JPG

Kits are £36 inc. vat plus postage. All made to order, as per all my other products.
 
Very nice job on the replacement parts Jim!

I wish somebody in the UK would find a way to make or import replacement CRT's though. The LCD (and even LED) screens are not suitable for Pin2K games due to light leakage and poor black levels. They ruin the Pepper's Ghost illusion.
 
PeteB said:
Very nice job on the replacement parts Jim!

The LCD (and even LED) screens are not suitable for Pin2K games due to light leakage and poor black levels. They ruin the Pepper's Ghost illusion.
Click to expand...

Not sure what LCDs you've been using but i don't agree here. I've used LCDs for the last few years as technology improves and brought converted RFMs to the last 2 NLP shows for people to see the results. Its all about using a quality LCD screen. The other benefit for an LCD is the picture fills the backbox whereas a 19" CRT has a border around it. My view is crt screens are only useful for old arcade game uprights. Pin2k isn't limited to them.
 
myPinballs said:
Not sure what LCDs you've been using but i don't agree here. I've used LCDs for the last few years as technology improves and brought converted RFMs to the last 2 NLP shows for people to see the results. Its all about using a quality LCD screen. The other benefit for an LCD is the picture fills the backbox whereas a 19" CRT has a border around it. My view is crt screens are only useful for old arcade game uprights. Pin2k isn't limited to them.
Click to expand...

Every LCD monitor on the market suffers light leakage. It's due to the backlight (either fluorescent or LED) always being switched on so you never get true black levels. You can try this by placing a monitor in a dark room and setting it to a plain black screen. You will see the black has a glow to it.

The only alternative to CRT's for black levels are OLED screens where each pixel emits its own light. When a pixel is black (off) it really is black, but they're extremely expensive and the only ones available are large TV's in the 50"-65" range.
 
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