Main > Main Forum

What's the best appproch to make a homebrew Pinball Machine?

(1/4) > >>

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

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

Go to full version