Details on PC Cabinet support for TPA

[Robert Misner]

all I have access to is a dual screen setup. so thats what I've been focusing my work on.
the camera packs are for the playfield so wouldn't matter how many secondary displays you have. Its just optimized to fill the screen as best I can.

However I can say that a custom overlay can be made that fits a smaller Dmd monitor (but probably not a real dmd)display extremely easily and you can use something like PinballX to manage the artwork with no speakergrills on a 3rd Backglass monitor if the Camera Mod ends up being limited to 2 screens for now.

I guess thinking about it 3 media packs make sense
1. 2 screen setup with dmd and speakergrill in backglass image.(Done)
2. 3 Screen setup with a real dmd that won't doesn't workwith TPA or mod so backglass image should just be art and dmd transparent hole.
3. 3 screen setup with 3 monitors second monitor is dmd monitor with small overlay and 3rd monitor is just art no transparencies.

any other configurations to consider?

 

[Pinzzz]

all I have access to is a dual screen setup. so thats what I've been focusing my work on.
the camera packs are for the playfield so wouldn't matter how many secondary displays you have. Its just optimized to fill the screen as best I can.

However I can say that a custom overlay can be made that fits a smaller Dmd monitor (but probably not a real dmd)display extremely easily and you can use something like PinballX to manage the artwork with no speakergrills on a 3rd Backglass monitor if the Camera Mod ends up being limited to 2 screens for now.

I guess thinking about it 3 media packs make sense
1. 2 screen setup with dmd and speakergrill in backglass image.(Done)
2. 3 Screen setup with a real dmd that won't doesn't workwith TPA or mod so backglass image should just be art and dmd transparent hole.
3. 3 screen setup with 3 monitors second monitor is dmd monitor with small overlay and 3rd monitor is just art no transparencies.

any other configurations to consider?

How does this setup run?
Steam?
Front-end like hyperpin?

 

[Robert Misner]

NoEx's is working on updating his mod to incorporate and automate many of these thigns, but I can't speak to what features exactly will be ready on the next public release.

What I've been doing is running it all manually using the logo utility.

My version of TPA is the current steam version and I have tested using it with PinballX..the issue with front ends is the Steam version launches the dx9 version by default,we've been successful launching the dx11 version by renaming the exe , however we need a newer version of the mod to detect that the dx9 named exe is really the dx11 so it triggers properly without having to manually launch the dx11 version.


for now to experiment and just give some feedback you can
1. download and setup NoEx's free camera mod.(try the camera files I've linked to start with but feel free to make your own and share them)
2. Setup game using to stretch over 2 screens based on previous instructions(around page 13)
3 install the company logo utility and download the backglass media pack to setup rudimentary backglass support for 2 screens(see my previous posts around page 13 for link)

 

[Robert Misner]

Here's a 2minute video of the current Camera Mod beta.
It has ini setting to specify a renamed exe and to autolaunch TPA so front ends like PinballX can launch the camera mod directly.
Once in the game any table you launch automatically changes to the current tables Backglass graphic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4bDOPhJ0nY

 

[SilverBalls]

Here's a 2minute video of the current Camera Mod beta.
It has ini setting to specify a renamed exe and to autolaunch TPA so front ends like PinballX can launch the camera mod directly.
Once in the game any table you launch automatically changes to the current tables Backglass graphic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4bDOPhJ0nY

Awesome - that was quick! Thanks a lot NoEx and Robert.

 

[mpad]

Woah. Including pinballx. Nice.
Thank you guys!
Do this Is a manual table launch after pinballx, or do you use some launcher utility?

 

[Jeff Strong]

Very nice!

 

[Robert Misner]

Do this Is a manual table launch after pinballx, or do you use some launcher utility?

just manually scrolling thru tables once tpa was launched

 

[SilverBalls]

Does the cam mod display the backglass using it's own tech, or does it make use of a 3rd party tool to show it? Not that it matters too much, but just interested

 

[Newer]

THATS A DREAM OHH MAN SO NICE:: ITS A XMASS PRESENT MAYBE FOR ALL USERS::tHANKS ALOT SOO SOO MUCH FOR WORKING ON THIS PROJEKT

YOR GUYS ARE SO GENIAL SO GREAT

GREETINGS FROM GERMANY TO YOU ALL OUT THERE

 

[Robert Misner]

Does the cam mod display the backglass using it's own tech, or does it make use of a 3rd party tool to show it? Not that it matters too much, but just interested

its using its own tech to display the backglass. No third party tool needed.

 

[Robert Misner]

welcome newer it is a very exciting time I agree

 

[SilverBalls]

its using its own tech to display the backglass. No third party tool needed.

Perfect

 

[L33]

Im looking forward to trying this soon. I might have to have it running on the top monitor though as the bottom DMD tv is possibly way too small and not all the monitor is visible. Only concern is I once tried this with the Zen Pinball and found that as the DMD was on the top monitor, it was hard to look up and see the dmd and look back to the play field without messing up somehow. Seems that dmd height can really make a difference to game play. But, still looking forward to trying, and if it works well, I may be tempted to change the backbox to suit TPA play. Pretty impressive work by you guys by the way.

 

[chinzman93]

Robert....I have a Hanspree 28" 16:10 monitor oriented in portrait in my back box. The donor cab was a 1970's William's Big Ben. It fills the back box nicely. Do you have any thoughts on how well this solution would work in that type of setup?

 

[NoEx]

With the default backglass images Robert designed (1600x1200), the DMD should fits correctly in the transparency mask but because of the portrait resolution the backglass image will be cropped on each side.

 

[mpad]

Away from the cab for weeks. This always happens to me when some great stuff happens.

 

[Robert Misner]

Im looking forward to trying this soon. I might have to have it running on the top monitor though as the bottom DMD tv is possibly way too small and not all the monitor is visible. Only concern is I once tried this with the Zen Pinball and found that as the DMD was on the top monitor, it was hard to look up and see the dmd and look back to the play field without messing up somehow. Seems that dmd height can really make a difference to game play. But, still looking forward to trying, and if it works well, I may be tempted to change the backbox to suit TPA play. Pretty impressive work by you guys by the way.

NoEx and I haven't discussed anything about this yet,but I've been thinking about this as well and I got a couple ideas i want to look into to see if I can't figure out a way to deal with dmd monitors.
I think typically most will have a portion of the screen hidden and usually the bottom,which is where the stretched part of the game window will be.

I wonder if something as simple as Windows magnifier can't be used to zoom into the dmd part of monitor thats hidden and displayed where you can see it zoomed in enough to fill the dmd hole in the cabinet..

Heres an example

 

[SilverBalls]

I wonder if something as simple as Windows magnifier can't be used to zoom into the dmd part of monitor thats hidden and displayed where you can see it zoomed in enough to fill the dmd hole in the cabinet..

Man you are to be commended for your ideas and workarounds.

 

[chinzman93]

Ok, that might not be an issue. I have BG images setup for my screen for VP. I may try to rename mine using Robert's naming conventions and give that a try. I am out of town now, but may give this a try this weekend.