Uneven DOT-matrix

[Calafati]

Hi there,

I wonder if someone can help me out with this, I dont know wether this is normal or depends from suboptimal settings.

I enclose two pictures, especially on the second you can see that in the DMD there is a kind of grid, fields where the dots are more presents and lines where they are not.

The original displays are always okay but somehow I cannot adjust the settings that way, that the DMD is bigger on the one side but also "regularly", I hope you can follow me...

[deadmanworking]

@Calafati the external DMD sizes should always be in a width in multiples of 128 pixels and height in multiples of 32 pixels, otherwise you will notice this kind of Moiré pattern due to the uneven pixel scaling. Best looking on my system is 256 and 512 px width, 384 and 768 are OK as well. You can try dragging the border of the DMD with the mouse until you find the one "even" setting and then right-click > save globally or (easier) you can set this globally and even per table in DMDdevice. ini.

[Calafati]

Things are, I have somehow a problem with the settings.

As in the menue you can see that I do have an option to switch to the recommended 128x32-mode, respectively to save this resolution.

But in some way I cannot reach the button line on the very bottom of the window as you can see on the screenshot. No possibility for srolling down and on the other hand no possibility to increase the window or place it that high that I have the full buttons in the lowest line. I have to guess what the buttons could eventually mean...

So any time I choose this option, close the whole thing and open again the setting is again on 32x8.

Or do I make a mistake and the shown resolution IS already the correct option showed in the DMD itself?

If so, it seems that there is no sweet spot within the scale-range until the DMD touches the frame of the playfield

 

[deadmanworking]

The 32x8 is only for preview. 

The external DMD will always be guided from the input of the table/ROM so there's not really anything in this dialogue to help with your problem. 

BTW the buttons are "Close" and "Apply to xxx (current ROM) 

 

Try opening your Dmddevice.ini with a text editor and check for the settings saved for the ROM or table name. Or set width globally as a multiple of 128 / 32 in there and check what it looks like 

[Calafati]

Hmmm, I opened that file but canmot discover a global setting for nunbers of dots?

Checking the rom settings further down  there is also no resolution mentioned?

Edited May 10, 2025 by Calafati

[deadmanworking]

It's under the [virtualdmd] heading: 

 

 

For the individual table you will only have differing settings listed under a ROM/table name in case you right-clicked on the DMD and selected "Save xxx [name of ROM]"

[Calafati]

Okay, it works respectively I now know "which screws to turn". It seems to be a thing of try-and-error. I already found a sweet spot at w=384/h=128. A little smaller as the remaining space would still allow, but without a Moiré-Effect luckily. 

So many thanks for your Help as always 👊

 

By the way: as I just have your attention (please excuse hopping from topic to topic but you seem to be pinball-alknowing to me 😁): do you know wether it is possible to give the "Pause-Option" also to a controller button??? I already tried several combinations,  but there seems to be a difference to my keyboard: for example pressing "P" (or another set key) leads to a real kind of frozen motion, my preferred way.  Pressing P again returns to the running game.  However: switching this option to a controller-button and then use this one leads to the exit menue, respectively the same result as the exit-option and a second push leads to absolute nothing... Do you know an alternative to Break and reactivate a game by just pushing the same button???

🍻

Edited May 10, 2025 by Calafati

[deadmanworking]

Definitely not all-knowing, I simply encountered the same issues as you just a bit earlier

 

Regarding pause button, yes for some reason this doesn't seem to be registering correctly when mapped to a button. 

But I have a workaround for you: install the program Joytokey and then map the desired button to key press "P" - done. 

 

In fact I have mapped all buttons of my controllers to key inputs only - this makes it possible to use other software like Pinball FX with same button scheme you're used to. Also, you will be able to map configurations with multiple buttons - so you could define a kind of "shift" button, or define what happens if you press two buttons simultanously, giving you a lot more options, can highly recommend this 👍

 

[Calafati]

Okay, not allknowing but always highly appreciated 👊

 

That sounds nice with joytokey. And it makes sense as for the moment for example I have to use an app which allows me to Change Volume with the mouse wheel, whats good, but on the other hand it activates the ball addition too, which leads to failures in Game.

Is it also possible to define a Button for "dual use", as for example "pressing it alone = P = Pause/Restart" AND (for example) "pressing in combination with left flipper = louder"???

Anyway, I will try, it sounds fantastic as an ideal solution.

Many thanks.

[Calafati]

Okay, just downloaded "JTK" and tried to configure a USB Joystick (the possibilities indeed seem to be nearly endless 😁👍)

Seems that all buttons are configured (up to now in a very rudimentary setting only, very similar as my basic one but with additional Pause-Button).

 

But what I do not fully understand is simply the hierarchy: I gave a name to this project in JTK, but do not know where/how to connect it to pinball now. To be honest: it is a little complicated for me 😂

 

Under settings "USB-Game-Controller" this joystick is not found. Where do I now have to link VPX and my controller?

Edited May 12, 2025 by Calafati

[deadmanworking]

The profile name you assign within Joytokey is not a new controller, it's just an internal name in case you have different profiles for different games for example. 

To use in VPX you don't need to assign anything as your joystick is now functioning like a keyboard - you can try opening a text document and hitting your different buttons and they will show up like the defined keystrokes like "2" or "P" etc 

In VPX key settings, delete all button assignments and only assign the keystrokes as defined in Joytokey. 

 

If you want to assign a "shift" button, here's a guide how to do that .. you would basically create a second joystick profile with different button bindings that gets activated when you press a certain button. The same guide also covers other possibilities like different assignements for short press/long press and pressing two buttons simultanously etc. 

[Calafati]

Ah, now I understand. Many thanks and sorry for the confusion 💪😄

[Calafati]

I finally made it, forgot to set the button-settings in VPX back to NONE. By the way: I left the flipper buttons in the VPX-menue directly connected, only using the "steering Buttons" run over JTK as I discovered  (or am I simply haluscinating???) a little delay in the flipper arms using JTK there, too. Is that possible?? But also this combination ist very satisfying 👍 Setup now includes both Pause-Button (leading to EXIT if pressed longer) and also Shift Button (as combination with nudge Buttons for volume). Everythings in Order there now, thx a lot. I am working now on "pressing a Button more times in short time", it IS indeed fun to work with that nice App.

 

One hopefully last question (canmot promise 😂). Is there a possibility to link the F3 (table reset) to a Button also, as I cannot find it even in the VOX-menue itself.?

 

And - aaaaargh, I did not expected that it would happen that soon🤣  - one very last: I already tried it out but without any visible effect: is it possible to increase/decrease the nudge effect/intensity also in desktop mode? I discovered several videos but all have to do with the adjustment of the settings in a full cab by real shaking, not for changing the effects by just pressing defined Buttons...

 

THANK YOU very very much!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited May 14, 2025 by Calafati

[deadmanworking]

F3 is (like most F key functions) a default VPinMAME button and cannot be reassigned to another key in the VPX menu. But you can however assign a button to F3 in Joytokey and it will work, I have done the same on my cab, also F11 and F12 etc 

 

BTW really like the idea of short press>pause / long press>exit as a safeguard against accidental button press, I might implement that as well.. 

[Calafati]

My idea now is:

Short Press = Pause/Reentry

Long Press = Exit

Double or Triple Press = Reset

 

Eager to Check this Out this afternoon 😄

[Calafati]

BTW, the "Triple combination works perfectly".* So Happy for JTK 👍