Building A Virtual Pinball Cabinet

L33

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Aug 20, 2014
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Im just about to put the glass over the backglass tv (hope that makes sense). Its a real pain to get this tv on and off so I don't really want to have to remove it later on to connect wires etc to it. Does anyone know how these are usually connected up when used as a 3 monitor setup? i.e. are they connected with a hdmi, or that other lead with loads a pins sticking out (can't remember the name, but older computer monitors used to connect this way). Hopefully if I can get the lead attached now I won't have to take the tv off at a later date to change it. :)
 

L33

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Aug 20, 2014
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A DVI cable will do for the DMD as audio is not needed.

Dmd just arrived today so I'll have to suss out how it all goes together...wasn't expecting so many 'bits' to assemble...or the import tax!!!!!!!!!! (Plus a few hundred more exclamation marks)
 

L33

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Aug 20, 2014
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Well...pretty much finished this cab (to stage one as I'm calling it). Just on with filming the last bit...then looking forward to my first 'Steam Pc' tournament later :)
 

L33

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Aug 20, 2014
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And here's part 6...because The Pinball Arcade hasn't got cab support, I went for the 2nd monitor setup first meaning it was easier to set it up for Zen. This is what I call Stage 1 setup. Once FS bring out Cab Support I'll then work towards setup 2, and if I go down the route of VP, then that'll be setup 3.

Main thing is...it's now usable either way...Zen works flawless, but TPA only work DX9 on the lowest settings, but hopefully that'll change once my new comp arrives.

Im now going to give it a test run for my first PC Steam comp...thanks by the way to everyone who has helped me get this far. :)

Here's the link to Part 6. Hope you like...

https://youtu.be/8-xEfXBLDpA
 

SilverBalls

Active member
Apr 12, 2012
1,233
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And here's part 6...because The Pinball Arcade hasn't got cab support, I went for the 2nd monitor setup first meaning it was easier to set it up for Zen. This is what I call Stage 1 setup. Once FS bring out Cab Support I'll then work towards setup 2, and if I go down the route of VP, then that'll be setup 3.

Main thing is...it's now usable either way...Zen works flawless, but TPA only work DX9 on the lowest settings, but hopefully that'll change once my new comp arrives.

Im now going to give it a test run for my first PC Steam comp...thanks by the way to everyone who has helped me get this far. :)

Here's the link to Part 6. Hope you like...

https://youtu.be/8-xEfXBLDpA

Excellent work. Well done on a superb build. Once you get the new PC with the TPA DX11 build and camera mod running with dark brightness lighting you will be well pleased. Great video BTW :)
 

L33

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Aug 20, 2014
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Excellent work. Well done on a superb build. Once you get the new PC with the TPA DX11 build and camera mod running with dark brightness lighting you will be well pleased. Great video BTW :)

Cheers...I realised after uploading the video that I'd filmed the whole lot with the TV set to the wrong resolution...you can't really tell I don't think, but once I realised what I'd done and changed it it looked even better.

I'm looking forward to upgrading the computer as I'm realising with this competition that on certain tables the game lags...even on low settings. But I'm sure once I'm on dx11 everything will be miles better. And u never know, cab support could be just around the corner! :)
 

Robert Misner

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Oct 4, 2014
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really great build! looks awesome
You should take a look at PinballX as a front end (or Hyperspin)...it dynamically changes the back glass for you when you select a table.
 

L33

New member
Aug 20, 2014
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really great build! looks awesome
You should take a look at PinballX as a front end (or Hyperspin)...it dynamically changes the back glass for you when you select a table.

Thanks...I definitely will once my computer is sorted...its struggling at the moment so it's gotta go! :)
 

L33

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Aug 20, 2014
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Having now played in the PC tournament for a couple of days, I can honestly say that its so much better playing the game on a cab than on my iPad, although the iPad has the advantage that you can just chill on the settee and put your feet up... :) Not sure if something is amiss or not though, as there only seems to be a few of us in the Gold league...think there was 9 last time I looked...on iPad there were several hundred. But irrelevant really...think Im still last. Ha ha.

If there is one thing I could add to this cab set up, although it would take FS to implement it...is a short cut to restart a game. When you are playing a tournament game and your first ball wanders off with a mind of its own, straight past your flippers...Im always in 2 minds wether to restart the game, but when the second ball does the same I'm like....right...restart! I then have to press a few buttons and wait for each one to register, which may only take a few seconds, but when you are as pants at this game as I am, and you have to keep on restarting the game, eventually something in the brain tells you that pressing the buttons repeatedly as fast as you can and shouting at the machine is going to speed things up, when in reality it doesn't!!! :) It'd be great if you could just press a button and your back at the beginning again. Might seem trivial, but it'd make the game a lot less stressful, haha. :)
 

EldarOfSuburbia

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Feb 8, 2014
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Not sure if something is amiss or not though, as there only seems to be a few of us in the Gold league...think there was 9 last time I looked...on iPad there were several hundred.

This is only the second PC tournament. Anyone who was already in Silver or Gold on another platform started there, but all the PC tournament "newbies" started at Bronze. 40 players were bumped up to Silver after the last tournament, which means there will be a few more Gold entrants for the next one. But probably only 4 or 5.

Right now Silver is stacked with some top players, it's a bit cutthroat to say the least. May take a couple more tournaments to filter everyone to their "right" levels.
 

L33

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Aug 20, 2014
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This is only the second PC tournament. Anyone who was already in Silver or Gold on another platform started there, but all the PC tournament "newbies" started at Bronze. 40 players were bumped up to Silver after the last tournament, which means there will be a few more Gold entrants for the next one. But probably only 4 or 5.

Right now Silver is stacked with some top players, it's a bit cutthroat to say the least. May take a couple more tournaments to filter everyone to their "right" levels.

Ah I see...there's some pretty good scores in this division...I could be battling to stay in the gold league...

On the plus side...this might be the only chance I have of a top 10 finish! :)
 

L33

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Aug 20, 2014
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Well...gotta say that was the best tournament Ive played in so far. Got to use the cab for the first time and gave it a real run for it's money. Obviously still not fully setup as far as TPA is concerned, but the overall experience was far better on the cab than the tablet. I think it's about time I actually studied how to play these tables and pinball in general, but 6th place in the gold league is not bad for a beginner.....although I think there were only 10 or 12 in the league :) Gotta say though, there were some great scores in that league and Im not sure I'll be catching them up real soon. But, practice makes perfect, and it was a great way to break in the cab :)
 

L33

New member
Aug 20, 2014
418
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Is anyone able to advise on the following?....

I've been asked if I can show a particular game playing on the cabinet...so I set up 2 video camera, one on the back of the table and one for the playfield. However, it didn't show great detail and sound was a bit dodgy.

So I'm wondering, is there any way to record what's happening on the main playfield TV and perhaps on the 2nd TV too...and at the same time so everything would be in sync...via the computer? So rather then record with a camera, the computer records what's happening on the screen?

Not sure if that makes sense, but hopefully it will. Thanks in advance guys.
 

Jeff Strong

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 19, 2012
8,144
2
Yes, you can record with the computer. If you have an Nvida card, you can use Nvidia's Shadowplay (it's integrated into your video driver software) or otherwise you can use a program such as FRAPS. Windows 10 also has a game DVR function built-in
 
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L33

New member
Aug 20, 2014
418
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Yes, you can record with the computer. If you have an Nvida card, you can use Nvidia's Shadowplay (it's integrated into your video driver software) or otherwise you can use a program such as FRAPS. Windows 10 also has a game DVR function built-in

Cheers for that Jeff...had a quick look at the above and running into a couple of problems...but it's due to this crappy laptop again. Ive googled the issues Ive been having and it just so happens that my laptop is the laptop that there are issues with, so really this has been the tipping point for me and it's time to replace it. So I'll make a note of the above and get it working once the other computer arrives. Cheers again.
 

L33

New member
Aug 20, 2014
418
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I purchased a virtuapin plunger kit and I'm looking to put it on my cab...does anyone know if it'll work at all with TPA?
 

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