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| What's the best appproch to make a homebrew Pinball Machine? |
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| mark shaker:
I'm just starting to dream about making a homemade pinball machine. It would be by far the most time consuming and expensive project I've ever done. If I ever actually do it, I probably won't get started for a few years. I can handle all the woodwork, metalwork, artwork and wiring, but I'm trying to figure-out the electronics. I see two approaches: 1) Use electronics from an existing pinball machine, and rewrite the software. 2) Drive everything with a PC. If I took the first approach, I would need an SDK or at least detailed knowledge of how to control the inputs and outputs, and perhaps example source code. If I took the second approach. I can perform the inputs using an I-Pac or other keyboard encoder. I might be able to control lighting using a couple of LED-Wizs. But how could I control the high-power stuff like solenoids, magnets and flashers? (I don't want to build my own circuit boards.) Any ideas or suggestion on either approach would be greatly appreciated. - Mark |
| t0rc:
I guess I'd start by designing a layout using a tool like FuturePinball http://www.futurepinball.com/ There is also a support forum where they discuss homebrew pinball cabinets. http://www.futurepinball.com/forum/ after browsing around the forums a bit, looks like people there are taking a HDTV turning it sideways and mounting it inside a cabinet. Good luck on your project! |
| CheffoJeffo:
Pick up a copy of the May 2007 issue of GameRoom and check out the article about Jeff Matthew's scratch-built pin. You may also be interested in the May 2007 and April 2007 issues which feature articles about the custom modding of existing pins for a charity auction. * CheffoJeffo wonders if Kev will see this blatant shill and reward him ... There was a custom Batman and Robin machine featured in Pingame Journal, but I'm not a subscriber, so can't comment much. Here is a link I found about it. There are at least two other scratch-built projects, but I can't find the links I had for them nor remember the specifics ... maybe they'll come to me after another cup of coffee. EDIT: Found another link -- Futurama custom pinball machine EDIT2: I totally forgot to mention that the upcoming October issue of GRM is supposed to feature an article on the construction of Rob Craig's MiniPin, an FP-based homebrew multipin. |
| mark shaker:
t0rc: I plan prototype my game using Future Pinball or Visual Pinball. Thanks for pointing me at the forum. I decided against a dedicated virtual pinball cabinet. I already have a pinball controller attachment (with nudge) for one of my cabinets. (Pic at the bottom of the note.) When people come over, they use it to play a childhood favorite or try a machine they always wanted to play. Then they go play one of my real pinball machines, and never go back to the virtual one. CheffoJeffo: Darn! The May 2007 issue of GRM is sold out. Does that article contain any technical details? If so, I could spring for the 2007 GRM CD. I was aware of the Superman to Futurama conversion. Ironically, I'm also considering a Futurama theme. Futurama, Bat Man and Cabin Fever are pretty simple looking pins. If I ever go forward with this project, it will have all the features of a modern pin, ramps, multi-ball and etc. All: I did think of a couple ways around the solenoid control issue. I could simply not have solenoids under CPU control: Just have them controlled by a switch and a relay, just like good old EMs. The only downside would be that it would be difficult to lock or hold balls. Does anyone know if an LED-Wiz can be used with relays to control a high power device??? - Mark |
| headkaze:
More links Scratch built pinball machine: http://www.users.on.net/~spaners/Coconut%20Island/ Digital pinball machine: http://www.ralphwiggum.net/multipinlog.html If you are going to use Visual Pinball you will have to use version 6. Also it will crash when you exit if your using XP SP2+ but I have written a launcher that will prevent it from crashing called VPLaunch. More details and download here |
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