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Randy T.: Can an LED-Wiz be used to drive pinball solenoids ???

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AndyWarne:


--- Quote from: headkaze on September 29, 2008, 12:42:12 pm ---I'm wondering if a U-HID would be well suited for a pinball machine. If your writing custom software it would be easy to interface with the U-HID as the drivers appear as standard keyboard and joystick. It also includes an LED controller and analog inputs so should be quite versitile. There is also a dll I've written that allows you to control the LED's easily through software.

--- End quote ---
This would work although the solenoids would need additional darlington drivers.
Many people have used our Pac-Drive boards for pinball drivers.
Note if you use a LED controller which uses modulation to vary brighness you need to ensure the modulation can be turned off and a solid on or off sent to the solenoid.
Andy

HaRuMaN:

...interesting...

mrjah:

After reading through this thread a couple of times, I would like very much to learn about simple ways to drive electromechanical actuators (solenoid or smaller) by computer control.  The programming options, the interface hardware, and the variety of actuators available.

Are there any good general primers out there for one or more of those aspects of the task?  Seems like it would be pretty simple after a quick learning curve.

yugffuts:

"Are there any good general primers out there for one or more of those aspects of the task?  Seems like it would be pretty simple after a quick learning curve."

Well, that's pretty much the problem. 

If someone like Randy or Andy, who have a history of putting out specialized quality products, put out a pinball driver board which handled the basic I/O for lamps, switches, and solenoid driving, with a simple write up for what's required (power supply, ports, etc), and some sample code, the whole BYOP market would begin to evolve.  It's this first step that needs to be taken and offered for sale.  Thus far, the people that have taken this step have not made the information available, so every BYOP project requires the fabrication of custom hardware.

yugffuts:

Oh, and don't take that like I'm telling Andy and/or Randy what to do.  I just think that a product like this coming from an actual business with a history would be better than just an individual doing the same.  GGG & Ultimarc have already displayed the ability to create quality parts and keep them in stock, whereas individual projects have a tendency to fade away.

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