Ultimarc Pac-Drive Output driver board: Dev kit available

[AndyWarne]

Our new USB output output driver board is now available as a dev kit to bona-fide developers of plug-ins and other software.
The board is a simple 16-channel driver which is low-cost and very easy to use. It can be used for any devices such as LEDs, solenoids etc.
16 LEDs can be controlled per board with no additional power, more if a power source is connected.
Up to 4 boards can be connected.
The dev kit consists of a board with test LEDs attached and a sample VB application with source, plus sample C++ code snippets. All driver software is fully open-source.
Note that Mala and Game-Ex are already covered.
more details: andy@ultimarc.com

[Grasshopper]

All driver software is fully open-source.

 

I think this will massively increase the appeal and usefulness of this product.

[yugffuts]

Andy,

The board is a simple 16-channel driver which is low-cost and very easy to use. It can be used for any devices such as LEDs, solenoids etc.

Would that power 16 solenoids as well?  And you can chain 4?  So, 64 solenoids could potentially be powered through this?

I'm thinking custom pinball if that the case...Any plans to make a board with more capacity (meaning more than 16 outputs) down the line?

Thanks!

[AndyWarne]

Yes solenoids too, but this would require an external power supply.
Also a diode across each solenoid to remove back-emf discharge (standard practice when using solenoids with transistor drivers).
The main reason for sticking with 16 was that is the maximum number of standard LEDs which can be driven from the USB power. I wanted to keep it simple.
Down the line I could produce a larger board yes.
Andy

[yugffuts]

Andy,

Available for Dev Kits at the moment, so not available to the general public?  Any idea on cost?

Thanks

[loadman]

mmm simple, compact and solid no doubt   Yummy 

[screaming]

Finally gald to see a popular hardware dev coming around!  Good job, Andy!

[Minwah]

For anyone interested I am working on a standalone app. for use with the Pac-Drive.  It can be used as a simple output-tester, or run from a commandline (eg from e FE) in order to switch on button/controller lights.

I hope to add an 'attract mode' type animator function, although my main concern at the mo is just using it to light up the correct buttons for each game.

So far really impressed with the Pac-Drive

PS Hello all!

[CM]

Andy,
  You mentioned this was covered for MaLa already.  Does this mean a PacDrive LED plugin is already available or just planned?  I am guessing LEDWiz and PacDrive do not share plugins.

[swindus]

Support for the PacDrive in MaLa is already done and will be available within the next weeks when I release the new version of MaLa. The PacDrive is accepted and controlled by MaLa without a plugin and can be combined with the MaLa Hardware in any combination. You can also use the MaLa LED animation tool to create LED sequences for the PacDrive.

[CM]

Support for the PacDrive in MaLa is already done and will be available within the next weeks when I release the new version of MaLa. The PacDrive is accepted and controlled by MaLa without a plugin and can be combined with the MaLa Hardware in any combination. You can also use the MaLa LED animation tool to create LED sequences for the PacDrive.

Excellent.  I got 2 last week and am wiring them up now.  Look forward to the update!   

[loadman]

I found more info here:

http://www.ultimarc.com/pacdrive.html

[Popcorrin]

Does this board have the capability of differing levels of intensity on leds?

[loadman]

Nah... Its a simple cut down job

[Howard_Casto]

Ditto for mamehooker... it'll require a bit of testing, but I just need to add a few lines of code.  Support should be included in the 2.1 release!

[JeepMonkey]

Does this board have the capability of differing levels of intensity on leds?

This board appears to be strictly for discrete outputs (0 or 1).  You would probably need an analog output that modulates frequency to vary light intensity.

[Popcorrin]

I figured that was the case.  Thanks