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Short yet full Serum installation howto


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I/ Basic installation

Here are the installation steps:

 

  • I suppose you already have VPinMAME and Visual Pinball softwares set up and working (If not, I suggest the full installer "Main.Download.Installer" in the release section of the official Github https://github.com/vpinball/vpinball/releases). Throughout this howto, I will consider that you installed it in the standard directory "C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME", if not, modify the pathes accordingly.
  • Setup VPinMAME so that it displays colorization: either for a specific table pressing "F1" ingame or for all tables running "C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\Setup.exe" then clicking "Setup Defaults...". Check "Use External DMD (dll)" and "Colorize DMD (4 colors)" and click "OK":
    scree286.png
  • Download the latest DMD-extensions from freezy from the official Github https://github.com/freezy/dmd-extensions/releases . Choose the latest "dmdext-vx.x.x-x64.zip" if your VPX installation is 64 bits or "dmdext-vx.x.x-x86.zip" if your VPX installation is 32 bits.  Be sure to unblock the zip file before opening it (https://singularlabs.com/tips/how-to-unblock-a-zip-file-on-windows-10/). Uncompress everything in your "C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMame\" directory except the dmddevice.ini file if you have already Visual Pinball fully working. If this is a fresh installation, you may add dmddevice.ini too and then modify it to reflect your configuration (you may refer to the second column of the table here https://github.com/freezy/dmd-extensions#configuration). Follow the explanations here https://vpuniverse.com/forums/topic/9051-new-release-v220-final/. Be sure to check that: Visual C++ redistributable 2017 is installed, you may download it from here https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x86.exe (for 32 bits) or here https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe (for 64 bits) and that there is no serum.dll, pin2color.dll or dmdscreen.dll in VPinMame directory!
  • Download the latest serum.dll and serum64.dll from here https://github.com/zesinger/libserum/releases and copy them to VPinMame directory/unblock them
  • Be advised that installing dmdext, you could need extra installations to have PAC colorization files working.
  • If you don't have it already, create a directory "altcolor" in "C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME".
  • Then create a directory named after the name of the rom you want to colorize, for example "ss_15" if you want to install @dtatane Scared Stiff
  • Then copy there the ".cRZ" Serum file you downloaded from https://vpuniverse.com/files/category/173-serum-dmd-colorizations/. You now should have something like:
    scree285.png
  • Now you may start Visual Pinball and launch the table and enjoy your Serum-colorized table!
     

II/ Aliases
 

You know that you may have different installations for the same ROM or table (for example, a version with PUP pack and another without). For that, you create aliases (I can suggest this video youtube.com/watch?v=Wv8vpmzpdjs)And if you want to colorize the alias table too, create a subdirectory in altcolor with the name of the alias, copy the Serum file cRZ and rename it with the alias name too. So if the alias is "ss_PUP", you have the file "ss_PUP.cRZ" in "VPinMame\altcolor\ss_PUP\".

 

Edited by zedrummer
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9 minutes ago, CaptainPower said:

Do they need to have the same name as the Rom, one of the best parts of Pac was that it didn't have to be the Rom name. 

Do you talk about aliases Captain?

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1 hour ago, PEandS1Ws said:

Quote removed by Dazz

comments like this are a reason people leave the community and stop coloring! this is simply disrespectful!

 

in order to have full working pac support and likely also Serum, i'd rather go this way:

https://vpuniverse.com/forums/topic/7504-new-version-dmd-extensions-with-pin2dmd-coloring-plugin-and-pac-file-support/

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55 minutes ago, Rappelbox said:

in order to have full working pac support and likely also Serum, i'd rather go this way:

I understand that you advertise to sell Pin2DMD as you make your money from that, but this link is not working for ZeDMD users, as all coloring, as it does not support any color for ZeDMD at all. 

So please understand that not everyone is using Pin2DMD and there are other people out in the world. 

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1 hour ago, Rappelbox said:

comments like this are a reason people leave the community and stop coloring! this is simply disrespectful!

 

in order to have full working pac support and likely also Serum, i'd rather go this way:

https://vpuniverse.com/forums/topic/7504-new-version-dmd-extensions-with-pin2dmd-coloring-plugin-and-pac-file-support/

I think the second part of your comment is also disrespectful, I see people nervous, why is it?  that is we are on the right track!!!

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19 minutes ago, Westworld said:

I understand that you advertise to sell Pin2DMD as you make your money from that, but this link is not working for ZeDMD users, as all coloring, as it does not support any color for ZeDMD at all. 

So please understand that not everyone is using Pin2DMD and there are other people out in the world. 

well, oh no, your device got locked out. see what happens, how do think people feel about losing support for their pac files?

I sell, hardware right! i don't care about pin2dmd for vpins that much to be honest, it's maybe 1% percent!

Same counts for zedmd.

 

Community will tell whats right or wrong, not you nor I.


If you think I'm nervous then you're completely on the wrong track, more file formats offer endless new opportunities for me as a vendor, you'll see!  😂

And how "open source" is a system that can only be maintained by a single person that even denies bugfixes because they come from a person he doesn't like?!

 

I'm out of this for now, developing new hardware :D

 

One last EDIT:

Instead of convincing authors to change to serum you pissed off almost all of them by publicly sharing their files without their permission

AND

publicly announcing you'd find a way to make their work functioning on "unauthorized" (sorry i don't find a better term) devices.
 

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Wow, this worked for me.  Thanks for this great tutorial.  Can someone direct me to a tutorial like this on how to install pup packs.  Thanks in advance everyone.  Still pretty new to this community but learning a lot.  getting my files together before I build my cabinet.  but already tried a few  table w my tv connected and they look awesome.  

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Anyone have a fix for the "Unable to load DLL 'serum.dll'" error?  I've tried everything...

[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.825 INFO | Successfully loaded config from C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\DmdDevice.ini.
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | Determined color path from assembly path: C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\altcolor
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | Starting VPinMAME API 2.0.0 through VPinballX.exe.
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | Assembly located at C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\DmdDevice.dll
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | [vpm] Open(0)
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | [vpm] Set_4_Colors_Palette(0,...)
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | Setting palette to 4 colors...
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | [vpm] PM_GameSettings(0, SS_15, 1)
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | Enabling game colorization
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | Setting game name: SS_15
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.929 INFO | Setting color: #FFFF5820
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.939 WARN | Error initializing colorizer: Unable to load DLL 'serum.dll': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E) System.DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL 'serum.dll': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)
at LibDmd.Converter.Serum.Serum.Serum_Load(String altcolorpath, String romname, Int32& width, Int32& height, UInt32& numColors, UInt32& triggernb)
at LibDmd.Converter.Serum.Serum..ctor(String altcolorPath, String romName) in C:\Development\dmd-extensions-v2022\LibDmd\Converter\Serum\Serum.cs:line 66
at LibDmd.DmdDevice.DmdDevice.SetupColorizer() in C:\Development\dmd-extensions-v2022\LibDmd\DmdDevice\DmdDevice.cs:line 212

[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.939 INFO | No palette file found at C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\altcolor\SS_15\pin2dmd.pal.
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.939 INFO | ScaleToHd = False
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.939 INFO | Opening virtual display...
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.025 INFO | Found B2S, moving behind DMD.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.043 INFO | PinDMDv1 device not found.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.095 INFO | PinDMDv2 device not found.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.095 INFO | PinDMDv3 device not found.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.110 INFO | Added VirtualDMD renderer.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.110 ERROR | [PinUpOutput] Attempt to find PuP_Trigger function but dmddevicePUP.dll is outdated
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.110 INFO | PinUP DLL starting SS_15...
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.110 INFO | Added PinUP renderer.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.110 INFO | Transformation options: Resize=Fit, HFlip=False, VFlip=False
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.110 INFO | Applying palette to render graphs.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Setting up 2-bit VPM Graph for 2 destination(s)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Connecting VPM 2-bit Source to Dmd (Gray2 => Gray2)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Connecting VPM 2-bit Source to PinUP Writer (Gray2 => Gray2)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Setting up 4-bit VPM Graph for 2 destination(s)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Connecting VPM 4-bit Source to Dmd (Gray4 => Gray4)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Connecting VPM 4-bit Source to PinUP Writer (Gray4 => Gray4)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Setting up RGB24-bit VPM Graph for 2 destination(s)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Connecting VPM RGB24 Source to Dmd (Rgb24 => Rgb24)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Connecting VPM RGB24 Source to PinUP Writer (Rgb24 => Bitmap)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.125 INFO | Setting up Alphanumeric VPM Graph for 2 destination(s)
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.435 INFO | Creating FBOs for 128x32
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:50.951 INFO | [vpm] Close(0)
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:50.951 INFO | Closing up.
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:50.969 INFO | Source for 2 renderer(s) stopped.
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:50.969 INFO | Source for 2 renderer(s) stopped.
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:50.969 INFO | Source for 2 renderer(s) stopped.
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:50.969 INFO | Source for 0 renderer(s) stopped.

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1 hour ago, ytpewpew said:

Anyone have a fix for the "Unable to load DLL 'serum.dll'" error?  I've tried everything...
 

I wonder why yours says this - pin2dmd.pal.
[3] 2023/03/13 07:58:29.939 INFO | No palette file found at C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\altcolor\SS_15\pin2dmd.pal.

 

[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.721  INFO | Successfully loaded config from E:\Visual Pinball\VPinMame\DmdDevice.ini.
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.868  INFO | Determined color path from assembly path: E:\Visual Pinball\VPinMame\altcolor
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | Starting VPinMAME API 2.0.0 through VPinballX.exe.
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | Assembly located at E:\Visual Pinball\VPinMame\DmdDevice.dll
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | [vpm] Open(0)
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | [vpm] Set_4_Colors_Palette(0,...)
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | Setting palette to 4 colors...
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | [vpm] PM_GameSettings(0, SS_15, 1)
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | Enabling game colorization
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | Setting game name: SS_15
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:27.876  INFO | Setting color: #FFFF5820
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.565  INFO | Serum colorizer v1.3 initialized.
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.565  INFO | Loading colorization at E:\Visual Pinball\VPinMame\altcolor\SS_15\SS_15.cRZ...
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.565  INFO | Opening virtual display...
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.850  INFO | Found B2S, moving behind DMD.
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.891  INFO | Added VirtualDMD renderer.
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.968 ERROR | [PinUpOutput] Attempt to find PuP_Trigger function but dmddevicePUP.dll is outdated
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.968  INFO | PinUP DLL starting SS_15...
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.968  INFO | Added PinUP renderer.
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.968  INFO | Transformation options: Resize=Fit, HFlip=False, VFlip=False
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.968  INFO | Just clearing palette, colorization is done by converter.
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:28.984  INFO | Setting up 2-bit Colored VPM Graph for 2 destination(s)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.001  INFO | Connecting Serum to Dmd (ColoredGray6 => ColoredGray6)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.011  INFO | Connecting VPM 2-bit Source to PinUP Writer (Gray2 => Gray2)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.011  INFO | Setting up 4-bit VPM Graph for 2 destination(s)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.011  INFO | Connecting VPM 4-bit Source to Dmd (Gray4 => Gray4)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.011  INFO | Connecting VPM 4-bit Source to PinUP Writer (Gray4 => Gray4)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.011  INFO | Setting up RGB24-bit VPM Graph for 2 destination(s)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.011  INFO | Connecting VPM RGB24 Source to Dmd (Rgb24 => Rgb24)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.011  INFO | Connecting VPM RGB24 Source to PinUP Writer (Rgb24 => Bitmap)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.011  INFO | Setting up Alphanumeric VPM Graph for 2 destination(s)
[13] 2023/03/13 15:02:29.277  INFO | Creating FBOs for 128x32
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:36.347  INFO | [vpm] Close(0)
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:36.347  INFO | Closing up.
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:36.360  INFO | Source for 3 renderer(s) stopped.
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:36.360  INFO | Source for 2 renderer(s) stopped.
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:36.360  INFO | Source for 2 renderer(s) stopped.
[12] 2023/03/13 15:02:36.360  INFO | Source for 0 renderer(s) stopped.

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2 hours ago, ytpewpew said:

Anyone have a fix for the "Unable to load DLL 'serum.dll'" error?  I've tried everything...


[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.043 INFO | PinDMDv1 device not found.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.095 INFO | PinDMDv2 device not found.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.095 INFO | PinDMDv3 device not found.

Also Are these set to False in your ini File

[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.043 INFO | PinDMDv1 device not found.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.095 INFO | PinDMDv2 device not found.
[8] 2023/03/13 07:58:30.095 INFO | PinDMDv3 device not found.

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1 hour ago, marcobus2005 said:

hello, 

good job!

Serum is ok for me now, but all my pac files dont work anymore... 

How can I coorect this issue?

thank you

 

 

use the files from here instead:

 

- use the x86 files for now

- do NOT replace your dmddevice.ini

 

 

 

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The same applies to me: I've replaced dmddevice.dll and DmdDevice.log.config in the C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME folder with the DMDExtension 2.0 Versions and Scared Stiff is running fine - but all other previously working colorizations have gone. Recovering the old files from the backup reverts to a working version with .pal/.vni and .pac only.

 

So I can make only serum work OR the existing file formats but not both.

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1 hour ago, VPCabINet said:

The same applies to me: I've replaced dmddevice.dll and DmdDevice.log.config in the C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME folder with the DMDExtension 2.0 Versions and Scared Stiff is running fine - but all other previously working colorizations have gone. Recovering the old files from the backup reverts to a working version with .pal/.vni and .pac only.

 

So I can make only serum work OR the existing file formats but not both.

When using Freezy do not have these files in the VPinMame Folder > serum.dll, pin2color.dll, dmdscreen.dll
Pac files will not work with Freezy

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