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Pin2dmd going blank

A

Annualman

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Apr 22, 2021
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Scotland
I have a pin2dmd colour in my Creature. Sometimes during a game it will go blank - well can still show a couple of random lines.

Turning machine off and on again sorts problem. Only seems to happen during a game, never when just in attract mode. Infrequent and appears not related to how many games have been played that day.

No idea what’s up -any suggestions most welcome.

Mike
 

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My first guess would be the 12V power supply powering the DMD is inconsistent. Is it powered from the machine - or have you installed a separate 12V power supply?
 
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MadNat said:
My first guess would be the YOUE 12V power supply powering the DMD is inconsistent. Is it powered from the machine - or have you installed a separate 12V power supply?
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Thanks for reply. Good question, I have no idea - I’m rather new to owning. It was refurbished extensively by Garry before I bought it. Is there an easy way to find out?
 
The easiest way to test is to hook up a good 12V power supply direct to the PIN2DMD, and see if the display goes blank during game play. Just disconnect the 12V from the PIN2DMD screw terminals, and then connect your test 12V power supply to the same screw terminals and give it a go.

Maybe easiest to play a few games without the Backglass installed so you can get your 12V power supply plugged in.
 
Pics showing power. No screw terminals and leads go to main power board. It’s a large two screen colour dmd

Don’t have a spare 12v power supply. Will see what I can get

Mike
 

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Annualman said:
Pics showing power. No screw terminals and leads go to main power board. It’s a large two screen colour dmd

Don’t have a spare 12v power supply. Will see what I can get

Mike
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That's looks like a HD PIN2DMD... someone has soldered wires direct to where the screw terminals normally are (PW GND & V+)... which is a shame. Interesting that there are wires also connected to the X1 power input connector... Could there be a toy or external light taking power from those soldered connectors?

@stumblor built many of the HD EVO boards - maybe he could give an opinion on where those wires could be going.

If there is a toy or LED taking power from the PIN2DMD that could explain why the display goes blank at times (possibly when the LED or toy takes power?)
 
Ah. Those wires go to a @stumblor lollipop board that works the speaker LEDs

Could well be a @stumblor build. Has other boards by him added as well - though nothing else connected to pin2dmd and yes is HD 256x64 with the modified speaker panel
 
If it were my game - I'd install a separate 12V power supply and power the display and accessories from that rather than the pin.

Let's see what Davey says. Cheers
 
Annualman said:
Pics showing power. No screw terminals and leads go to main power board. It’s a large two screen colour dmd

Don’t have a spare 12v power supply. Will see what I can get

Mike
Click to expand...

Sorry not here to help but I like the way to the power has been tapped using a Z Connector... Does that come with the XL pin2dmds? @stumblor
 
Sorry to hijack thread, but strangely enough I have the same / very similar issue with mine.

It only happens when an extra ball is granted. So light Kiss twice, EB lights in centre shot and Pin2DMD goes blank as you make the shot and the Extra Ball animation is shown. Actually, it doesn't go completely blank - it just goes "spotty" and fixed. If you hot unplug and replug the 12v connector on back of Pin2dmd it all comes back to life and is then fine.

Somehow the data is getting scrambled and fixed static, but only when Extra Ball is awarded.

What I have tried so far:

1. Swapped Pin2DMD for one in another machine - no change, so likely not Pin2DMD Board at fault (and the Pin2DMD I originally had in the CFTBL works fine in both my TZ and Indy 500.
2. Swapped out DMD controller board for another known working board - no change.
3. Swapped out CPU board - no change.

So my thinking was that it may be a power issue

4. Tested 5v at test point on driver board. Was at 4.89v in normal gameplay and dropped to 4.83v during EB animation. Seems a little low but drop doesn't strike me as significant.
5. Tested 12v at J116 which was 14.83v during normal gameplay and increased to 14.89v during animation. Again, seems negligible.

I have temporarily "fixed" the issue by setting game to tournament play and changing to 4 ball game (should be good practice for Northern League Pinball when it restarts in a few weeks :)

But I would like to fix it Creech has great sounds / animation when EB is awarded.

@Annualman , maybe yours only resets when EB is granted? It would be good to know if we have same fault.

Paul
 
Asiapinball said:
Sorry to hijack thread, but strangely enough I have the same / very similar issue with mine.

It only happens when an extra ball is granted. So light Kiss twice, EB lights in centre shot and Pin2DMD goes blank as you make the shot and the Extra Ball animation is shown. Actually, it doesn't go completely blank - it just goes "spotty" and fixed. If you hot unplug and replug the 12v connector on back of Pin2dmd it all comes back to life and is then fine.

Somehow the data is getting scrambled and fixed static, but only when Extra Ball is awarded.

What I have tried so far:

1. Swapped Pin2DMD for one in another machine - no change, so likely not Pin2DMD Board at fault (and the Pin2DMD I originally had in the CFTBL works fine in both my TZ and Indy 500.
2. Swapped out DMD controller board for another known working board - no change.
3. Swapped out CPU board - no change.

So my thinking was that it may be a power issue

4. Tested 5v at test point on driver board. Was at 4.89v in normal gameplay and dropped to 4.83v during EB animation. Seems a little low but drop doesn't strike me as significant.
5. Tested 12v at J116 which was 14.83v during normal gameplay and increased to 14.89v during animation. Again, seems negligible.

I have temporarily "fixed" the issue by setting game to tournament play and changing to 4 ball game (should be good practice for Northern League Pinball when it restarts in a few weeks :)

But I would like to fix it Creech has great sounds / animation when EB is awarded.

@Annualman , maybe yours only resets when EB is granted? It would be good to know if we have same fault.

Paul
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Hmmm. I will now play and see. But if it does it’s not every time as I can get EB and all is well and yes the sounds and graphics are great.

Out of interest in attract mode do you get an all green screen with the high scores superimposed?
 

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Went through extra ball and all well. Played a game with no issues. (Still nowhere near getting on the high score table !
 
Annualman said:
Hmmm. I will now play and see. But if it does it’s not every time as I can get EB and all is well and yes the sounds and graphics are great.

Out of interest in attract mode do you get an all green screen with the high scores superimposed?
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I don't get that screen at all in attract mode. Are you running the @slippifishi colourisation?
 
Asiapinball said:
It only happens when an extra ball is granted. So light Kiss twice, EB lights in centre shot and Pin2DMD goes blank as you make the shot and the Extra Ball animation is shown. Actually, it doesn't go completely blank - it just goes "spotty" and fixed. If you hot unplug and replug the 12v connector on back of Pin2dmd it all comes back to life and is then fine.
Click to expand...
I double checked the colour project and there is nothing special going on for the extra ball scene from my side, it uses some classic colour modes that are tried and tested - if you are categorically able to replicate it on that scene everytime then maybe I can try switching the scene types up a bit if if you think it might help.

Annualman said:
Out of interest in attract mode do you get an all green screen with the high scores superimposed?
Click to expand...
That's very funky and not something I've ever seen in a trillion dumps from this game; it's like it's corrupted but it's not actually corrupted fully, there are a few rows at the bottom of the display that are still showing the universal logo. And score 2?! What about 1 and GC?

I am officially out of my league on the hardware side :) but if there is anything that needs to change in the project then defo happy to help
 
slippifishi said:
I double checked the colour project and there is nothing special going on for the extra ball scene from my side, it uses some classic colour modes that are tried and tested - if you are categorically able to replicate it on that scene everytime then maybe I can try switching the scene types up a bit if if you think it might help.


That's very funky and not something I've ever seen in a trillion dumps from this game; it's like it's corrupted but it's not actually corrupted fully, there are a few rows at the bottom of the display that are still showing the universal logo. And score 2?! What about 1 and GC?

I am officially out of my league on the hardware side :) but if there is anything that needs to change in the project then defo happy to help
Click to expand...
Well I do like to be the source of a novel issue. There is a rabbit hole side to this pinball ownership and problem solving

How would I get a new set of files to reinstall as seems maybe this is the issue for the green logo problem. Or maybe it’s the smd card?
 
slippifishi said:
I double checked the colour project and there is nothing special going on for the extra ball scene from my side, it uses some classic colour modes that are tried and tested - if you are categorically able to replicate it on that scene everytime then maybe I can try switching the scene types up a bit if if you think it might help.
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Yes, every time.; I have been replicating it with the glass off whilst trying to diagnose issue. The animation for the extra ball is really flashy which is why I like it so much and what made me think it may be a power issue. It seems to be the brightest, flashiest animaton.

Interestingly, in tournament more you get 5m points awarded instead of the extra ball and that all works fine, so it does seem to be an issue only when the EB animation plays. But the 5m animation is certainly not flashy.

I will see if I can hook up an external 12v supply to see if any change.

Paul
 
Annualman said:
How would I get a new set of files to reinstall as seems maybe this is the issue for the green logo problem. Or maybe it’s the smd card?
Click to expand...
I can generate and send you new files easily enough if needed. It's a very long shot but maybe the files on the SD are corrupted somehow? Here are the latest HD files: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q6zvWlTpk8XEBNqiGEIYgYcBgIKZ8AAW/view?usp=share_link

Otherwise to me this looks like some kind of data issue, are all the DMD cables definitely sound? I suspect there is an underlying issue here (ie. the one you started the thread with) and this attract screen might be a relic of it - not trying to palm you off, but might be best to get that underlying issue sorted first and then let me know if this is still happening so we aren't chasing two problems with one fix. To my knowledge no one else has come across this attract issue.

Asiapinball said:
I will see if I can hook up an external 12v supply to see if any change.
Click to expand...
It's been so long since I played creech, do all the playfield lights flash when you get an extra ball? Maybe it is power related, but I'm sorry I don't know enough about that side of it, I'm so screwed if (when!) either of my machines break down :D
 
slippifishi said:
I can generate and send you new files easily enough if needed. It's a very long shot but maybe the files on the SD are corrupted somehow? Here are the latest HD files: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q6zvWlTpk8XEBNqiGEIYgYcBgIKZ8AAW/view?usp=share_link

Otherwise to me this looks like some kind of data issue, are all the DMD cables definitely sound? I suspect there is an underlying issue here (ie. the one you started the thread with) and this attract screen might be a relic of it - not trying to palm you off, but might be best to get that underlying issue sorted first and then let me know if this is still happening so we aren't chasing two problems with one fix. To my knowledge no one else has come across this attract issue.


It's been so long since I played creech, do all the playfield lights flash when you get an extra ball? Maybe it is power related, but I'm sorry I don't know enough about that side of it, I'm so screwed if (when!) either of my machines break down :D
Click to expand...
Thank you. I will look at first issue more and check cables connectors etc I am so very out of my depth with both hardware and software issues. Not saying I’m old but there were no PCs when I was at university and a transistor was a small thing that took a PP9 battery and just about received radio Luxembourg on a good day.

Many thanks for your input much appreciated. Your Creech colouring is outstanding.

Mike
 
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