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easiest LED method?

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boboli:

I've been wading through hundreds of posts about LEDs, LEDWiz, MaLA hardware, etc. I'm having a hard time understanding what is the EASIEST, most plug and play method of getting all of my buttons lit up (and preferably only the ones that are used in a particular game). Seems like LEDWiz and MaLA hardware are the two prime methods that people use. Some questions:

With either route, are there configurations offered that don't require any soldering, resistor calculations, etc.? Seems like a pre-built Mala hardware does what I need, I just want to be sure. I have read descriptions on their sites too, but I'm still a bit confused.

For reference, my control panel is only 2 players, 6 buttons each, 1 trackball, + player 1 and 2 + 2 coin buttons.

I also have a few admin buttons but I'd be fine not lighting those.

Thanks

Kaytrim:

I had forgotten that Loadman made lighting hardware.  His stuff is nice however I like the Groovy Game Gear lighting stuff because thier LED boards fit right in the button and point the LED straight up the shaft.  Looking at Loadman's LEDs they are loose in the shaft and may not point straight.

One other thing to keep in mind is all the Front End support the the LEDWiz is getting.  The MaLa hardware is only supported by MaLa.  If I am wrong on this let me know.

headkaze:

The problem with the MaLa hardware mod is that it can only use 8 colors while the LEDWiz can use 110,592 colors. It depends on if your using RGB LED's too of course. But now Mala supports standard LEDWiz(s) hardware using the new plugin which is getting an update as we speak to version 2.

Another option is GameEx which I've written a plugin for and updated a few days ago (it's in active development so I'm still accepting requests for features). It has some cool attract mode features, and is the first to have speak button actions, and colors.ini support (which lights up the LED's using the game's real CP button colors). You can read more of the features here.

And another option is Atomic, which has had LEDWiz support for a while. Although it may need an update to keep up with the Mala and GameEx plugins. It is still quite complete, has custom button lighting per game and an animation editor.

The final solution is using my LEDWizGen program and the LEDWizLighter commandline app by swindus. This can be used to add LEDWiz support for FE's like MameWah which don't have LEDWiz support built in. You can do a search on this forum for LEDWizGen to get that.

So really all the popular FE's now have LEDWiz support, and it's just a matter of which FE suit's you or what LEDWiz features are suited to you as well. My GameEx plugin is alot cooler with RGB LED's but that will end up costing more for RGB LED's, two LEDWiz devices and the Electric Ice buttons.

Nothing wrong with lots of choice :)

boboli:

So if I buy LEDWiz, what kind of wiring and other supplies are needed? Remember, I'm looking for easy (along the lines of wiring up an iPac).

Also, I thought there was a limitation in that LEDWiz could only light up one player's controls at a time?

loadman:


--- Quote ---Seems like a pre-built Mala hardware does what I need, I just want to be sure. I have read descriptions on their sites too, but I'm still a bit confused
--- End quote ---
.
It is just plug-and play. What are you confused about?


--- Quote ---Looking at Loadman's LEDs they are loose in the shaft and may not point straight.
--- End quote ---
Seem fine on my cab. You can get the LEDs closer to the top of the bitton which makes them brighter.


--- Quote ---The problem with the MaLa hardware mod is that it can only use 8 colors while the LEDWiz can use 110,592 colors.
--- End quote ---
Correct. If you want RGB Leds use Led-Wiz


--- Quote ---So if I buy LEDWiz, what kind of wiring and other supplies are needed? Remember, I'm looking for easy (along the lines of wiring up an iPac).
--- End quote ---
Resistors, Wire & Leds.

So to answer your question:

1) If you buy MaLa hardware you get everything you need (pre-made or in kit form) but you have to use MaLa FE (not like that is a bad thing  ;D) I have Led-Wiz for testing but have had MaLa hardware in my cab for the last year and a half

2) It is bit more fiddly for a newbie but you get RGB and wider FE support

Enjoy

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