Stern Whitestar PIN2DMD headaches.

[Flippermatt]

Hi.

 

Has anyone installed a pin2dmd on a Stern whitestar system ? I can't get it to work. I have disassembled the dmd controller board and merged it on top with Pin2dmd.  What about the power feed ? I have split the low voltage cable into two from the same source. One that goes to the controller board on top and the other one to the 5v connector on pin2dmd. Now Pin2dmd starts up fine with the config menus etc and the green led on the board is lit brightly. However the controller board led is very faint and eventually goes dark. Don't both boards run the same low voltage ? There is a 12v connector on the Pin2dmd board. Does that one connector need power to support the dmd controller board as well ? I have not powered this one as pin2dmd works fine with setting menus. I am able to see SIMPSONS PINBALL PARTY  just bruefly before both the Dmd and the led lamp on the controller board goes dark.

 

 To sum it up. What VOLTAGE goes where and how many feeds of power to which connectors ?

 

Enclosed is a pic how I have it powered now from same power source.

 

Any help highly appreciated 

 

Thanks

Matt

[dzorbas]

Hi Matt,

 

I would not recommend that approach. Don't use that top connector to power the display. By splitting that source, the DMD is probably drawing to much current which is preventing the controller board from getting enough juice.

 

Use the other header that is labelled WPC and take the power from the auxiliary connector that you will find in the front right corner of your game below the right flipper button. That connector provides both 5v and 12v as well as ground. Use the 12v line to power the display. The DMD has a voltage converter that will drop the 12v down to the necessary 4.7v that the panels need. You may think it's better to use the 5v but if it is not stable and drops below the needed 4.7v you will have issues. The 12v gives you plenty of buffer. Refer to the diagram below.

 

 

Any displays that I sell for Whitestar games come with a power harness that plugs into this connector. Try that out and see if it works.

 

Good luck!

 

Dino Z.