Pin2DMD for < $125 - DIY

[lucky1]

2 hours ago, vasectomboy said:

I guess some sort of proof that there's _some_ life inside the Nucleo?

True ! Maybe try using a ribbon cable to connect to the first LED panel.

 

2 hours ago, vasectomboy said:

Also what's the purpose of all the other connectors and the battery etc. in the PCB? Like DHT11, RS232, and the two IR-connections? 

 ESP32, DHT11, IR are only needed for GO-DMD clock project and not used by PIN2DMD.

[vasectomboy]

1 hour ago, lucky1 said:

True ! Maybe try using a ribbon cable to connect to the first LED panel.

 

 ESP32, DHT11, IR are only needed for GO-DMD clock project and not used by PIN2DMD.

We have a picture!!!!!!!! Thank you for the help!

 

Is the battery also needed only for the GO-DMD? RS232 is for debugging purposes I presume?

[lucky1]

9 hours ago, vasectomboy said:

Is the battery also needed only for the GO-DMD?

 

No, the battery is also for GO-DMD clock.

 

9 hours ago, vasectomboy said:

RS232 is for debugging purposes I presume?

 

No, it is used to send triggers to 3rd party mods like this

https://stumblorpinball.com/blogs/news/how-to-make-interactive-pinball-speaker-lights

[vasectomboy]

On 1/7/2019 at 4:12 AM, MikePinball said:

I have fixed a couple of problems on my first PCB and I have made it available in this append for anyone who wants it. As a reminder the "*ONLY* change is the addition of a SMD socket for the micro SD card and a SIL resistor array. If you are not familiar with SMD soldering then I would use the original PCB design. This PCB design has no warranties and you should verify before using it.

Mike Pinball

PIN2DMD_Nucleo144-MikePinball-20190106.zip

 

So, I'm looking for this package, but as it seems to be gone from the link, could somebody possibly upload it again to this topic? I'd need to know how @MikePinball connected the resistor array to the micro SD card slot.

[Rappelbox]

1 hour ago, vasectomboy said:

 

So, I'm looking for this package, but as it seems to be gone from the link, could somebody possibly upload it again to this topic? I'd need to know how @MikePinball connected the resistor array to the micro SD card slot.

 

For ease of usage please only use the layouts that are in the official repository. these are well tested and if you ever need help you won't probably get or it will be a very tedious task it if you use a proprietary design.

[vasectomboy]

35 minutes ago, Rappelbox said:

 

For ease of usage please only use the layouts that are in the official repository. these are well tested and if you ever need help you won't probably get or it will be a very tedious task it if you use a proprietary design.

As mentioned in the other topic I posted, the Chinese micro SD card reader that was introduced as cheap option for Nucleo-V4 PCBs is very hard to find, so I'm adapting the design choice MikePinball made in his board as option.

Edited February 10, 2023 by vasectomboy

[Rappelbox]

the waveshare microsd is pretty cheap and available at various sources...
why always this hunt for the last few cents, c'mon... we are playing with toys that cost several thousand bucks and you hunt for the last freaking cents, that can't be serious?!
And it's always things like this that cause trouble afterwards... i've gone through that myself and the only thing you get from it is: more wasted time!

[DocBlock]

Hello,

 

I'm returning to my pinball hobby after a good many years of a job that sucked the life out of me, and the color DMDs for pins is very appealing to me. Last I looked though, this was probably pre-PIN2DMD and used large LCD panels, etc, and felt very clunky. I own all 90's DMD pins, not too many, about 8. I have the electronics experience to assemble the boards and source parts, but this topic seems to have meandered greatly over the years. Is there a good starting point? Is the original PIN2DMD author still accepting donations? (I'd be glad to support him). Is there a more modern alternative?

My apologies if I am posting in the wrong place. I ran across the LCD panels on Ali Express and became very excited about the option to do this without costing me many thousands of dollars. Any words that anyone has are much appreciated.

[lucky1]

4 hours ago, DocBlock said:

Is the original PIN2DMD author still accepting donations? (I'd be glad to support him).

 

I´m still active and collect donations for the activation of the device firmware to forward them to the supported charity projects. I think they need the support more than me . A good starting point is the pin2dmd.com website.

If you have any questions please use the power of the community. Unfortunatelly I don´t have enough time to give one on one support.

[GraveD]

Has anyone made a run of these and has 1 spare they could on sell?
 

[m8rixsound]

If I'm only using this for virtual pinball, doI even need any micro sd reader?

[m8rixsound]

if I can activate using pin2dmd.exe, and the micro sd is otherwise only used for holding color palettes for real machines, why not just skip the micro sd altogether, thus lowering the cost to under $100 ?   

[Pinballuser]

You don't need one if you are only using it for a virtual machine

 

the board was modified to use a $7.00 dollar SD card reader (that's what I paid 2 years ago)

you are not going to break the bank by installing one

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806659966842.html?src=google&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt

 

 

My cost

$2.38   2 x pinheader 2x36 pins female double row 2.54mm
$1.00    4 x pinheader 1x36 pins male 2.54mm (To add to Nucleo)

$1.29   2 x IC socket 16pin

$0.67    1 x elevated socket 2x8 female 2.54mm
$0.67    1 x IDC socket 2x7 pins male 2.54mm
$0.74    1 x IDC socket 2x8 pins male 2.54mm

$0.53   1 x screw terminal block 2pin 5mm
$0.42   2 x tactile push button 6x6x10mm 4pin DIP

free     1 x LED 3mm
free     1 x 1kOhm
free     1 x 10kOhm
free     2 x 100kOhm
free     1 x 470 Ohm

$0.95    8 x 47pf
$0.35    3 x 100nF
2 x resistor network 4R 8-pin 220Ohm

1 x pinheader 1x3 pins male 2.54mm PIR (free from 40 pin header cut down to 36 pins)

NOT ADDED given that they are for Real pinball machines

1 x 74LS123 DIP
4 x 1uF 4x7mm radial
1 x MAX232 DIP
$6.78    1 x china 3.5v/5v micro SD card module SDIO/SPI

$12 in parts

 

 

and on a side note even if you are building this for a real machine I would pass on the

4 x 1uF 4x7mm radial
1 x MAX232 DIP

as this is to connect and trigger external components similar to DOF.

 

 

Edited December 17, 2024 by Pinballuser

[m8rixsound]

On 12/17/2024 at 8:34 AM, Pinballuser said:

you are not going to break the bank by installing one

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806659966842.html?src=google&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt

 

 

but what for?  Just to have it there?  I guess so

Edited December 18, 2024 by m8rixsound

[m8rixsound]

thanks for those details btw

[Rappelbox]

don't go cheap in small parts when at the same time investing in a pincab...  that doesn't make sense.
Cardreader can be used to store the keyfile, install firmware updates and a possible change to a real pinball.

it is not neccessarily needed but since you're soldering anyways and ordering small things it won't add up much to the overall cost.

[Gravelrash]

Hi, I DIYd one of these back in 2016/2017 for a real machine.  Now I've a small collection of machines so looking to DIY 10 to 12 builds.  My questions:

 

1. is the hardware information for the V4 NUCLEO-144 shield up to date

2. is the Nucleo-144 still the board to use for new builds

 

Thank you

[Gravelrash]

For question 1 I meant , is it up to date as at https://github.com/lucky01/PIN2DMD/tree/master/hardware/V4 NUCLEO-144

[Par4d1gm]

Hey thanks for the write-up. I already have one of these Im not using for anything. It does SDIO. Would it be supported ? If I reroute the pins correctly? (I think they don’t look oriented in the same order) also it’s 3V, does the resistor used in the circuit bring the voltage down to 3V? Thanks 

[Par4d1gm]

On 12/19/2024 at 2:20 AM, Rappelbox said:

don't go cheap in small parts when at the same time investing in a pincab...  that doesn't make sense.
Cardreader can be used to store the keyfile, install firmware updates and a possible change to a real pinball.

it is not necessarily needed but since you're soldering anyways and ordering small things it won't add up much to the overall cost.

But also going as far as ordering a different, customized pcb, just to use a cheaper micro sd module that is hypothetically redundant? I can see his point here, screw it I’ll just skip the card reader problem solved