LED-Wiz USB LED and Output Control Device now available. *Blinky lights*

[RandyT]

Though, it could be as simple as something like set49mode.  There will be preset lwa files the user creates (like joy4way.lwa, 4buttons.lwa, diagonal4way.lwa) and the utility would run LWSend with the correct file based on controls.dat...  I might just do that. 

Now you're firing on all eight (J/K)   This was the idea behind the LWSend utility and much of the way the software is structured.  You could literally have a separate animation, looping, looping for 5 times and staying on, or just turning them on.  Most everything can be done at this very moment, but even fancier stuff will be possible once the animations can be called from a script.

For instance, lets say I setup LEDs for each of 8 directions of a joystick (yes, only need three outputs for this as discussed earlier) and 6 lit buttons.

My normal setup is
456
123

So I'd have a 1button, 2button, 3button, 4button, 5button, 6button lwa files.

But for neogeo I do this
XX4
123

And if you were really cool, you could use RGB leds in white (or clear) buttons and they could light up the actual colors used in the games.

This would require way more info than controls.dat could provide, but perhaps an add-on for colors would be an interesting diversion.

Randy, is it possible to blink a led, say 4 times, then stay on steady?

It is possible to do this with the software in it's current state.  It'll take all of about 30 seconds to make with the editor

Thanks for bringing up the stuff you have thought of.  The interesting part about this device is that people haven't even begun to realize the cool stuff that could be done with it, especially with the addition of some relays. 

Here are some examples.

Have your monitor power on only after the machine is booted (no more Windows screens)

Power on the monitor only after you know PowerStrip is up and running.

Use it to control things on a homemade SkeeBall (Basketball, Redemption, whatever) machine  for sending pulses to a ticket dispenser or turning on a rotating light, running mechanical doo-hickeys....etc.

Couple it with a KeyWiz (GP-Wiz, IPAC, whatever) and have a 32-zone alarm system controlled by your PC

Chase lights on a JukeBox, or control the mechanics of a REAL jukebox

Control the lights and coin dispenser of a Slot, Video Poker, etc  machine (entertainment purposes only, of course)

Control the sliding blind in a live Peep Show (hmmm...second thought, that should be left to the professionals)

Anyway, you get the idea.  With the possibility for up to 500ma to be delivered by each output, it's good for more than just LED's.  We will probably look at adding a relay board to go along with this eventually but not right away.  Should be interesting to all the cool gadgets that end up attached to this thing

RandyT

[SirPoonga]

And if you were really cool, you could use RGB leds in white (or clear) buttons and they could light up the actual colors used in the games.

This would require way more info than controls.dat could provide, but perhaps an add-on for colors would be an interesting diversion.

Someone asked me about that some time ago.  I said i am not going to put it in controls.dat.  It would only be useful for less than 1/3rd of the games in controls.dat.  It would best be done as a seperate project/dat file.

Anyway, you get the idea.  With the possibility for up to 500ma to be delivered by each output, it's good for more than just LED's.  We will probably look at adding a relay board to go along with this eventually but not right away.  Should be interesting to all the cool gadgets that end up attached to this thing

That would be cool if you came out with a relay board.  You'd probably have to have relays that could handle high voltage, in case someone wanted to power a 28v pinball knocker... or whatever...

"Chase lights on a JukeBox, or control the mechanics of a REAL jukebox"
I could see someone writing a VU meter to do this

Also, if one could modify mame to create a universal output messaging system (which I think should be part of official mame as it would help document how the game interacted with the players) one could do T2 recoil, Irritating Maze puff of air, Afterburner step motors, Q*Bert knocker etc...

[SirPoonga]

The above command will play the animation file called "test.lwa" a total of 3 times and stop.  This command will play a big role in generic output control.  For example, a relay connected to a q*bert knocker might have a 2 frame animation defined where an output is turned on for 100ms and then turned off.  This command would be used to play that animation for one cycle when required.

FYI, if someone wants to try this, before I get my ledwiz, and is willing to "roll your own" mame I can tell you how to modify mame's source code to turn on and off a LEDWiz output using the clipboard interface.

Otherwise, this will be the first thing I do when I get an ledwiz...

If anyone knows where I can find a 27v-30v ac-dc power adaptor that would be great...  wait, radioshack has that 9v-30v one....

[MrTroy]

Ok... I feel like such an idiot asking this but... Why aren't my lights changing on my keyboard?

If I put.....I can't even paste it 
LWZ-S02:1 in my clipboard. My keyboard lights aren't changing. Is it because I don't have the correct hardware? Oh the command Monitor does pick it up when I do so. But my keyboard itself doesn't do anything.

[RandyT]

Ok... I feel like such an idiot asking this but... Why aren't my lights changing on my keyboard?

Ummm....why are you expecting the lights on your keyboard to change? 

If I put.....I can't even paste it 

Heh.  Sorry, that is one of the more humorous side effects of using the clipboard.  Here's a trick:  If you want to cut and paste an LED-Wiz command, either turn off the clipboard monitoring or copy everything but the first character (L).  Then you can paste in the command and then tack the L back in.

For the uninitiated, clipboard function isn't affected until you copy or cut something into it with "LWZ-" as the first 4 characters.  The resident software thinks you are talking to it and intercepts the command.

LWZ-S02:1 in my clipboard. My keyboard lights aren't changing. Is it because I don't have the correct hardware? Oh the command Monitor does pick it up when I do so. But my keyboard itself doesn't do anything.

The LWZ-S02:1 command doesn't turn on your keyboard lights, it turns on an LED (or some other device) physically connected to output 2 of the LED-Wiz!  If you want a nice high-output LED on output 2 to blink when MAME or some other app blinks the CapsLock LED on your Keyboard, you select 2 for the CapsLock Keyboard LED Emulation and then enable the feature.

There's not much value to having the LED-Wiz Resident software control the Keyboard lights, but it is quite useful to have it work the other way around.

RandyT

[SirPoonga]

Hey Randy, could you put a command format readme file in with the zip?  I am not liking having to open a browser and finding this thread everytime I need to figure something out

[SirPoonga]

Randy, suggestion for the sotware.  Have the taskbar icon open the panel when double click to, kinda like how volume control icon works.


Also, can I use the control center to just make a template (single frame) of outputs to turn on.  IE duration is infinite.  I am not seeing how to make an infinate frame.  Like you said, I should be able to make a light blink, then stay on in the animation stuff too.

Also, if I wanted to sync the pulse speed with the duration so a frame change looks smooth can you tell us duration of the pulse for each block? (I suppose I could find out the hard way by setting the pulse...)

[Toonces]

WooHoo! Blinky Lights! It was delivered today. certainly worth the money from a weight perspective alone

SirPoonga, can you please let me know what needs to be done to mame?

I want to play!

Thanks Randy!

Toonces

[SirPoonga]

what do you mean done to mame?

[Toonces]

Sorry, I was referring to this post.

FYI, if someone wants to try this, before I get my ledwiz, and is willing to "roll your own" mame I can tell you how to modify mame's source code to turn on and off a LEDWiz output using the clipboard interface.

[SirPoonga]

Ahhh, right.  First, search msdn for setclipboard data.
then open mame/src/vidhrdw/gottlieb.c

To the includes add

Code: [Select]

#include <stdio.h>
#include <windows.h>
Then find
WRITE8_HANDLER( gottlieb_video_outputs_w )

after the extern statement define this

Code: [Select]

HANDLE hText = LocalAlloc(LPTR, 64000 + 1);
char *pText = hText;Yeah, it should be more than enough memory for the knocker, probably could cut that 64000 down abit

comment out line

Code: [Select]

if ((last&0x20) && !(data&0x20)) gottlieb_knocker();
Now, depending on how often the ledwiz software monitors the clipboard will determin if all of this needs to be implements.  If it doesn't monitor it often enough. delete the second if statement and put in a timed animation for the ledwiz code.
Otherway you will have to supply the appropiate ledwiz command to turn on and off.

Code: [Select]

if(data&0x20)
{
//Knocker On
strcpy(pText, "LEDWIZ CODE TO TURN KNOCKER ON");
strcat(pText, "\r\n");
if(!OpenClipboard(NULL))
{
printf("Couldn't open clipboard\n");
}
if(!EmptyClipboard())
{
printf("Couldn't empty clipboard\n");
}
if(!SetClipboardData(CF_TEXT, pText))
{
printf("Couldn't set clipboard\n");
} 
if(!CloseClipboard())
{
printf("Couldn't close clipboard\n");
}   
}
if (!(data&0x20))
{
//Knocker Off
strcpy(pText, "LEDWIZ CODE TO TURN KNOCKER OFF");
strcat(pText, "\r\n");
if(!OpenClipboard(NULL))
{
printf("Couldn't open clipboard\n");
}
if(!EmptyClipboard())
{
printf("Couldn't empty clipboard\n");
}
if(!SetClipboardData(CF_TEXT, pText))
{
printf("Couldn't set clipboard\n");
} 
if(!CloseClipboard())
{
printf("Couldn't close clipboard\n");
}
}
I am not sure if strcat(pText, "\r\n") is needed, you can try without that.  But it won't hurt.

[Toonces]

Thank You SirPoonga! I will play around with this over the weekend. I am also looking forward to any upcoming software you might release. Do you think you might do something like a combined set49way & led program come out of this (something that does both 49 way sticks and led's using the same commandline app)?

Thanks Again,

Toonces

[SirPoonga]

Probably not as you can put both in a batch file.  Plus you'd want to run them at different times.
The ledwiz you'd want to run when the game is selected in the frontend.  The set49mode you will want run just before the game is launched.

[Cameronj]

OK I just bought a beta version. It will be interesting to see what I can figure out with this sucker. I am not sure of what I want to do yet.

I need to find a good source for bright leds that aren't too expensive.

[MrTroy]

Open Beta..... 

* goes to sell a few things for cash*

[mahuti]

I'm a few days away from having some photos for you guys.. maybe some video.

I've been retooling my whole system, hopefully I can have it up and going soon.

[Cameronj]

Cool! I look forward to seeing it!

RandyT So how is progress going on this project?

Thanks,

Cameron

[RandyT]

RandyT So how is progress going on this project?

I've had a to take a short break.  We are in the process of dealing with banks for financing a multi-use facility in TN.  This will give us a bunch more room to manufacture some things that have long been on the drawing board, but not reasonably possible where we are now.  It's a pretty time consuming process.

But the LED-Wiz hardware is 100%, as far as I can see.  The installation page should be more than sufficient.  The "beta" is primarily related to the software's condition and even that can now do about 90% of what most might use it for.

Left to do:

Document the command language and a "how-to" for the software

Tweak a couple of software issues, add scripting and load support to the editor.

That's about it. 


Hopefully I can get back on it and take care of at least one or two of these things this weekend.

RandyT

[Smittydc]

Looks very nice randy.  One question for you - could you run more than 1 LEDWiz off the same computer?

[RandyT]

Looks very nice randy. One question for you - could you run more than 1 LEDWiz off the same computer?

This is something that can be done if there is sufficient demand. 

Essentially, each unit would have it's own USB ID and driver software associated with it.  You would then address the units by LWZ, LW2, LW3 and so on.

These are additional units I would need to create on my end.  You cannot use more than one of the same device on the same computer.


RandyT

[Cameronj]

RandyT,

Well I would buy a couple more if you would support more than one LED WIZ. For what I want, 32 just isn't enough.

Thanks,

Cameron

[jdjuggler]

Has anyone tried to use gl.tter's Light Signal Engine with the LEDWIZ?

Thanks.

[Cameronj]

Nope but I hope to. I haven't heard any updates to that project recently. I hope all is well with LSE and gl.tter.

[Fusion Disaster]

I just ordered one yesterday! Can't wait to play around with it.

RandyT: I would definately be interested in buying additional boards for use on a single PC. Let me know when/if you get that hammered out, and I'll give you some more of my money

[johnnysmitch]

I'm really looking forward to seeing this implemented into someone's cab. I've been holding off on starting my next project in hopes of seeing this in full action...

[mahuti]

Maybe this weekend. Have to get my machine up and running again. I rebuilt the control panel recently and I've had a bunch of problems getting it working again with all the new fancy stuff I put in. Dying to get it wrapped up and get the blinky lights in.

[Cameronj]

Well I wired up a prototype and it was awesome!!! There were a couple problems though.... In my fervor to hook up my superbright LEDs, I forgot to put in the current limiting resistor 

I am pretty sure I didn't kill off my LEDs, but my greens almost looked like lasers. Actually I might have killed a RGB. I will have to do it right tonight. Sometimes I am an idiot. 

Now we need all of the commands!

[SirPoonga]

Hey Randy, first I modified the thread title so it can be found by searching subjects only.

Second, about speed of interpretation.  How often is the clipboard scanned?
Does the command line util use the clipboard or talk to ledwix directly?

I'm just thinking timing might be an issue with getting arcade realism when using relays and other hardware.

[RandyT]

Second, about speed of interpretation.  How often is the clipboard scanned?

The Clipboard is scanned 10 times per second.  (100ms intervals)

Does the command line util use the clipboard or talk to LEDWiz directly?

It uses the clipboard.  That's why the resident software is required to be running first.

I'm just thinking timing might be an issue with getting arcade realism when using relays and other hardware.

Unwarranted.  The speed everything operates at keeps any "lag" to levels that are imperceptible to most humans.


Mini update (version not yet released):

The two Animation file playback commands have been obsoleted and replaced by a single command.  Originals are still present however.

Scripting support is about 3/4 finished.

New "Duration Offset" Comand - Lets you tweak the speed of an existing animation at playback time.



RandyT

[clonestar]

Please forgive me if it's already been answered but I didn't read all four page of this post.  Is there likely to be the capacity to add sound activation to this?

[mahuti]

It would be possible... it would just take a bit of work.

[Martoon]

Randy, once you're through with beta, etc. on this product,  I think there's probably several people who would be interested in an LEDWiz with more than 32 outputs (like maybe an LEDWiz 128).  For example, the people who have asked about using more than one LEDWiz on a computer.  For certain ambitious projects, especially with RGB LED's, 32 outputs only goes so far.  And I suspect a LEDWiz 128 would be a fair amount cheaper than four LEDWiz 32's?

[RandyT]

Randy, once you're through with beta, etc. on this product,  I think there's probably several people who would be interested in an LEDWiz with more than 32 outputs (like maybe an LEDWiz 128).  For example, the people who have asked about using more than one LEDWiz on a computer.  For certain ambitious projects, especially with RGB LED's, 32 outputs only goes so far.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of baggage that goes along with higher numbers of inputs in this type of product.  The LED-Wiz can power a low-voltage light bulb (or about 20 hight ouput LEDs) from each of its outputs, so we are talking about 4x the driver circuits,   There would also be 4x the bandwidth required on that one single USB port.  This would probably mean that the less expensive/complicated "Low Speed USB Devices" could no longer be used.

Then there's also the fact that the LED-Wiz doesn't just turn outputs on and off.  It has full Pulse-Width-Modulation support at 48 levels for each individual pin.  This provides better PWM resolution than currently available with "off the shelf" solutions.  It also has built in pulse effects that are all handled on-chip.  There is no possible way to implement all this with twice the number of inputs, let alone 4x, unless you had 4 processor chips that communicated with each other.

> And I suspect a LEDWiz 128 would be a fair amount cheaper than four LEDWiz 32's?

Looking at what I wrote above, this unfortunately would not be the case.  4x the number of connectors, 4x the board space, 4x the drivers, 4x the processors (or new development on a High-Speed USB processor that may or may not be able to do the job) and 4x the labor.  Not gonna save much.  If we were talking about very low output power levels and no PWM, it could be done inexpensively with multiplexers, but then it would suck for RGB LEDs (only 7 possible colors instead of over 100,000) and it wouldn't be an LED-Wiz anymore.

RandyT

[Martoon]

Looking at what I wrote above, this unfortunately would not be the case.  4x the number of connectors, 4x the board space, 4x the drivers, 4x the processors (or new development on a High-Speed USB processor that may or may not be able to do the job) and 4x the labor.  Not gonna save much.  If we were talking about very low output power levels and no PWM, it could be done inexpensively with multiplexers, but then it would suck for RGB LEDs (only 7 possible colors instead of over 100,000) and it wouldn't be an LED-Wiz anymore.

Ah, I see.  Well, never mind then.  Definitely wouldn't want to lose the ability to have controllable levels of brightness (especially with RGBs), which, IMO, is the really cool thing about the LEDWiz.

[Infinity_Yak]

I see some posts looking for good/cheap LEDs, so I thought I'd pipe up.

www.lsdiodes.com

Really, that's all you need to know

[RandyT]

I see some posts looking for good/cheap LEDs, so I thought I'd pipe up.

Thanks for the info, but....

We'll be putting our LEDs online shortly as well.  Prices on regular LED's will be about the same, but ours will be more suitable for "button bottom" installation.

Our prices on the RGB's will be better, however.

RandyT

[MYX]

Hey Randy, I have been reading this thing and just downloaded it to play with. This is very cool. I will be picking up one of these when we start building.

Ok this is the video editor in me, but... Could you add the ability to type in the number of the ms desired. I seem to be able to get some constant values 20, 108, 197, 268 as I click and scroll, or I have to click and wait. typing would be so much faster. This also goes for intensity as well.

Also, (and I admit I do not know how it would be done) But it would be nice if I could select a range of frames and change an attribute.

[MYX]

Sorry, after playing with it some more...
Hows about a copy paste frame feature.

If it is in bad form to be tossing these ideas out to you, let me know. I know you have been wracking your brain getting this done and it is only offered respectfully. 

[mccoy178]

punks.........................................................

[RandyT]

Heh.  No problem. 

I have done some video editing/animation in the past and modeled the animation control after it a bit.

Unfortunately, it makes one start to crave the more advanced features of a video editor through it's similarities.  I have considered adding so many of those kinds of things, but ultimately I would like to keep the editor as simple as possible.  This may sound limiting, but things will make more sense once the "scripting" function (which is really more of a sequencer) is ready.

The editor will be used to make small(ish)  animations.  Consider each one an "effect"  Each "effect" can be looped or repeated a certain number of times, and the overall playback speed altered.  The Sequencer will let you stitch those "effects" together to make larger animations and make it easier to re-use parts so you don't need to make them over and over.

For now, the sequencer will be you and a copy of notepad.  But it will eventually evolve to a editor with selectors and the like.

Now if I can just get the sequencer to do what I tell it 

RandyT