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Has anyone got a PIN2DMD EVO working on a real Metallica PRO pinball machine?

I got the files from j_m_ on pinside and donated to get pinball browser.  Applied macro to firmware, uploaded new bin to pin, convert SmartDMD.txt to PAL file and it  didn’t work.  I can see (wrong) colours on DMD, but when I put in SD card the dmd goes blank.

 Noticed j_m_  macro and smartdmd.txt files are coded for side loading and I don’t have that option on the evo...so tried changing it to InFrame, but no luck (same result above, blank with SD card in, wrong colours when out).  

Have also started all new and tried just coloring one screen and that isn’t working either (followed instructions on https://pin2dmd.com/pinball-browser/).  When SD card is in, the dmd only displays the boot screen always. I can see different colours where I made edits when SD card is not in (wrong colours), but when SD card is in the dmd just stays on boot screen.

Maybe I’m missing something small... I’m guessing it is something with my SmartDMD.txt file (which I convert to Pal file).  Not sure of resolution, hor/vert offsets, etc.  Many settings in there I can’t find info on.  Does inframe work?  Does pinball browser require a HEX file loaded? (j_m_ macro tried to load one, but he told me it isn’t needed).  Several posts mention needing to enter serial number, but I have never been promoted for that in pinball browser.

If anyone has got this to work and can help me out, I’d greatly appreciate it.

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Do you have the serial side channel connection ?

https://pin2dmd.com/pinball-browser/

The command LoadHex,"comm142.hex" in the pbm macro should ask you for your serial.

Maybe the lines for side-channel are commented out in macro using --. 

Mine starts with 

-- Pinball-Browser Macro for METALLICA v1.80
CheckVersion,"METALLICA",0x180
LoadHex,"comm142.hex"

-- the following 2 lines are for Side-Channel
PaletteMode,1
PaletteComm,2

-- the following line is for In-Frame
--PaletteMode,0

 

 

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I don’t have a side channel cable.  I thought I could use “InFrame”.  My pin2dmd does not have a connector (that I can see) to hook the side-channel up.  Do I have to have it?

j_m_ said his macro was written for GPIO and to comment out the hex line (when running macro it errors on the hex line cause I don’t have the hex file any, not included with the PB install or zip or folder)

On my MET,  I removed the old dmd, reused  same power cable/connector and the same ribbon cable/connector and have tried to use that way.  I don’t have a separate Pi or other cable.  Just those two.

So maybe back to basics... can you tell me what I do need to get this to work?  Or link to instructions?  The link you shared says InFrame or Side-Channel.  I thought side channel was for Pi installs, so I have been trying InFrame (without success).   

Many thanks.

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The EVO has a 3 pin header on the top named RS232 which is used for the serial side-channel connection described on pin2dmd.com.
Every version of pinball-browser is delivered with the latest version of the side-channel comm patch file. 
Alternatively you can click on comm patch in the SAM tab before running the macro to install the latest version.

You still need to run the 

PaletteMode,1
PaletteComm,2

command to make it work with the comm patch

49079280_1039771342878014_9132350770635603968_o.jpg

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So “InFrame” will not work then?  (Or just not with j_m_ build?).  The pin2dmd PB instructions make it sound like either will work.  I never even noticed those 3 pins...but from the beginning was trying the InFrame method.

I’ll make up the cable and try that route and start back over with the original macro, firmware and click the hundreds of msg box’s that PB shows. (Oga said he’ll fix this in the next rev)

I still don’t quite understand the hex file. Can you help with that?

the macro has in it   LoadHex, “comm143.hex”.

PB shows a msgbox asking where this file is when it gets to that line.  I don’t have the file (not in original zip/folder).  J_m_ said to comment it out.

I see the “Comm Patch” button under “Sam” tab you mention.  When clicking it asks me for the game serial number.  What do I need to do here to properly enable the serial connection?

Thanks

 

 

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Like I said before, no need for the hex file if you click on the comm patch button before running the macro. But still the two commands I mentioned above need to be in place and all commands for inframe removed. Look at the comments in the macro.
Inframe should also work but has some limitations. It uses the upper left  8 pixel to store the palette data. But these pixel could get overwritten by some dynamic scene content which will avoid the palette switch. Side channel is more reliable.

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Thanks for helping me through this.  Still not working... Followed instructions, only extra bit was I put LoadHex,"pb:/Sam/comm.hex" in the macro to replace the LoadHex,"comm142.hex".  PB put it in the macro automatically when I ran the Comm Patch and I wasn't sure if it ran or had to be in the macro and run with all other macro commands.  (would this in the macro cause problems?)

Here is what I did...

Downloaded original j_m_ pbm and smartdmd.txt files. [MET v1.80 macro (cross shaped).pbm version]
clean open of PB, Load latest MET firmware (from stern website), click "Sam" tab, "Comm Patch", type in 6-digit-serial-number (from inside cabinet).  Load macro, exchange the 'hex' line mentioned above. Run macro.
Asked for serial number, type same 6-digit one.  Click Y on the hundreds of msgboxs that pop up warning about 'unusual to define a palette for non-full dmd frame'
Save firmware, put on USB drive, verify and upload to MET pin
Open Pin2DMD Editor, load pallet (smarttxt.dmd), Export Project (Real Pin).
Copy PAL file file to SD card

Made RS232 cable.  Installed.  Tested via PIN2DMD menu "Test Input" and it says "OK" where if I unplug it it say, "Loop Error".  So I assume my cable is OK.  When I test input it looks like it cycles between Pin 11 & 17 closed.

reboot MET, nothing on DMD.  Remove SD card and there are colours, just crazy colours.  Put back in SD card, reboot and back to blank dmd.  It shows boot screen and then goes blank when SD card is in it.

The beginning lines of my macro are below.  Note: I have moved this pin2dmd to my STTNG where I have one also and it works.  So I assume pin2dmd hardware or sd card is not the problem...

At this point I'm curious if reloading the comm patch caused a problem or selecting YES for all those msgboxs in PB does something.  You can select No and it keeps going...No difference on screen.

 

-- Pinball-Browser Macro for METALLICA v1.80
CheckVersion,"METALLICA",0x180
LoadHex,"pb:/Sam/comm.hex"

-- the following 2 lines are for Side-Channel
PaletteMode,1
PaletteComm,2

-- the following line is for In-Frame
--PaletteMode,0

ExtendMemory

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On 1/12/2021 at 6:10 AM, JohnnyArcade said:

OK...trying everything here and changing all settings... I changed PAL Storage to "RAM" and the DMD now works and colours are there.  When Pal storage is at default "Flash" dmd remains blank when sd card is inserted.

Is this the correct setting?

Setting PAL Storage to RAM is recommended.

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...
On 1/10/2021 at 4:15 AM, JohnnyArcade said:

Has anyone got a PIN2DMD EVO working on a real Metallica PRO pinball machine?

I got the files from j_m_ on pinside and donated to get pinball browser.  Applied macro to firmware, uploaded new bin to pin, convert SmartDMD.txt to PAL file and it  didn’t work.  I can see (wrong) colours on DMD, but when I put in SD card the dmd goes blank.

 Noticed j_m_  macro and smartdmd.txt files are coded for side loading and I don’t have that option on the evo...so tried changing it to InFrame, but no luck (same result above, blank with SD card in, wrong colours when out).  

Have also started all new and tried just coloring one screen and that isn’t working either (followed instructions on https://pin2dmd.com/pinball-browser/).  When SD card is in, the dmd only displays the boot screen always. I can see different colours where I made edits when SD card is not in (wrong colours), but when SD card is in the dmd just stays on boot screen.

Maybe I’m missing something small... I’m guessing it is something with my SmartDMD.txt file (which I convert to Pal file).  Not sure of resolution, hor/vert offsets, etc.  Many settings in there I can’t find info on.  Does inframe work?  Does pinball browser require a HEX file loaded? (j_m_ macro tried to load one, but he told me it isn’t needed).  Several posts mention needing to enter serial number, but I have never been promoted for that in pinball browser.

If anyone has got this to work and can help me out, I’d greatly appreciate it.

Hey Johnny

wondering did you ever get this working?

I have the files from J_M_ (donation made), have the pinball browser w/license, I’ve patched the rom, but I think I need to now convert SmartDMD.txt to PAL file to put on the sd card, issue I have is I’ve no license to do that, despite having 3 Pin2dmd’s, they were all activated by the vendors so I don’t have the license file to activate pin2dmd editor.

Edited by Cathaldub
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