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On-Deck Pinball |
PROJECT ABSTRACT
ASS WANTED A DIGITAL PINBALL MACHINE SO HE COULD PLAY ALL THE GREAT PINBALL GAMES HE ENJOYED AS A COLT.
WE DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR A FULL SIZE DIGITAL PINBALL MACHINE SO WE DECIDED TO MAKE OUR OWN MINI VERSION USING OUR STEAM DECK.
WE DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR A FULL SIZE DIGITAL PINBALL MACHINE SO WE DECIDED TO MAKE OUR OWN MINI VERSION USING OUR STEAM DECK.
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
- MAKE A STAND THAT
- HOLDS THE STEAM DECK AT THE PROPER ORIENTATION AND ANGLE SO IT CAN BE USED AS THE PINBALL PLAYFIELD.
- HOLDS THE SMALL LCD DISPLAY TO BE USED AS THE BACKGLASS
- HOLDS THE ARCADE BUTTONS FOR THE FLIPPERS,
- PROVIDES A MOUNTING BRACKET FOR THE USB-C HUB THAT CONNECTS ALL THE PERIPHERALS TO THE STEAM DECK.
- PROVIDES CABLE MANAGEMENT FOR FFCs.
- PROVIDES A SYSTEM BUTTON THAT CAN USED FOR 'INSERT COIN' AND 'START' EVENTS
- CREATE AN EMBEDDED SYSTEM THAT
- PLUGS INTO USB AND ENUMERATES AS HID KEYBOARD
- READS THE PRESSED STATE OF THE FLIPPER BUTTONS
- REPORTS FLIPPER PRESS/RELEASE EVENTS AS KEY PRESS/RELEASE EVENTS VIA HID
- REPORTS SYSTEM BUTTON PRESS EVENTS AS 'INSERT COIN' AND 'START' KEY PRESS/RELEASE EVENTS VIA HID
- FIGURE OUT AND IMPLE,MENT
- HOW TO RUN PINUP POPPER AND VISUAL PINBALL X ON THE STEAM DECK, IN WINDOWS, WITH THE EXTERNAL DISPLAY OPERATING PROPERLY AS THE BACKGLASS DISPLAY.
- IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO RUN PINUP POPPER AND VISUAL PINBALL X ON STEAM OS. IF SO, MOVE INSTALLATION TO STEAM OS
- HOW TO MAP THE RIGHT ANALOG THUMBSTICK DOWN TO THE ANALOG PLUNGER CONTROL AXIS IN VISUAL PINBALL X.
- HOW TO MAP THE LEFT, UP, AND RIGHT THUMSTICK FULL ACTIVATIONS TO THE LEFT, FRONT, AND RIGHT NUGDE ACTIONS IN VISUAL PINBALL X.
- HOW TO MAP A, B. X. Y BUTTONS TO VISUAL PINBALL X ACTIONS
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
THE PARTS
LCD
THE LCD IS AN ELECROW RR050 5" 800x480 PIXEL HDMI DISPLAY
THE HDMI AND MICRO-USB CABLES ARE 90 DEGREE TO STRAIGHT WITH 50 CM FFC
THE LCD IS AN ELECROW RR050 5" 800x480 PIXEL HDMI DISPLAY
THE HDMI AND MICRO-USB CABLES ARE 90 DEGREE TO STRAIGHT WITH 50 CM FFC
BUTTONS
THE BUTTONS ARE SANWA 24MM ARCADE PUSH BUTTON SWITCHES
THE BUTTONS ARE SANWA 24MM ARCADE PUSH BUTTON SWITCHES
CONTROLLER
THE EMBEDDED CONTROLLER IS AN NRF52840 DONGLE
THE EMBEDDED CONTROLLER IS AN NRF52840 DONGLE
USB-C HUB
THE USB-C HUB IS A HEARCOOL UNC3286 WITH 2 USB A, 1 USB-C POWER, AND AN HDMI PORT ON THE END
THE USB-C 180 DEGREE ADAPTER IS MADE BY JSAUX AND DESIGNED TO FIT THE STEAM DECK.
THE USB-C HUB IS A HEARCOOL UNC3286 WITH 2 USB A, 1 USB-C POWER, AND AN HDMI PORT ON THE END
THE USB-C 180 DEGREE ADAPTER IS MADE BY JSAUX AND DESIGNED TO FIT THE STEAM DECK.
STEEL SUPPORT ROD
THE STEEL SUPPORT ROD IS A UXCELL 5MM X 150MM STAINLESS STEEL ROUND ROD
THE STEEL SUPPORT ROD IS A UXCELL 5MM X 150MM STAINLESS STEEL ROUND ROD
PINUP POPPER / VISUAL PINBALL X
OUR STEAM DECK IS SET UP TO DUAL BOOT BETWEEN STEAM OS AND WINDOWS. PINUP POPPER AND VISUAL PINBALL X ARE NATIVE TO WINDOWS, SO THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE SET UP.
AN HOUR OR SO OF RESEARCH, DOWNLOADS, INSTALLS, AND CONFIG UPDATES TO GET PINUP POPPER AND VISUAL PINBALL X SET UP AND RUNNING WITH BOTH DISPLAYS PROPERLY CONFIGURED AND A FEW TABLES INSTALLED..
AN HOUR OR SO OF RESEARCH, DOWNLOADS, INSTALLS, AND CONFIG UPDATES TO GET PINUP POPPER AND VISUAL PINBALL X SET UP AND RUNNING WITH BOTH DISPLAYS PROPERLY CONFIGURED AND A FEW TABLES INSTALLED..
THE STAND
DESIGN
THE FIRST DESIGN ATTEMPT IS COMPLETE.AND MEETS ALL THE STAND DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.
IT WILL NEED TO BE SPLIT INTO MULTIPLE INTERLOCKING SECTIONS TO ALLOW IT TO BE FABRICATED IN OUR 3D PRINTING DEPARTMENT.
THE FIRST DESIGN ATTEMPT IS COMPLETE.AND MEETS ALL THE STAND DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.
IT WILL NEED TO BE SPLIT INTO MULTIPLE INTERLOCKING SECTIONS TO ALLOW IT TO BE FABRICATED IN OUR 3D PRINTING DEPARTMENT.
FABRICATION
TO 3D PRINT THE STAND, WE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO FOUR SECTIONS.. TWO SECTIONS FOR THE RISER AND TWO FOR THE BASE PLATFORM. THE SECTIONS WERE BONDED BACK TOGETHER AFTER PRINTING. TO STRENGTHEN THE DISPLAY/SUPPORT RISER, A STEEL ROD IS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE TWO PIECES DURING THE BONDING PROCESS.
TO 3D PRINT THE STAND, WE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO FOUR SECTIONS.. TWO SECTIONS FOR THE RISER AND TWO FOR THE BASE PLATFORM. THE SECTIONS WERE BONDED BACK TOGETHER AFTER PRINTING. TO STRENGTHEN THE DISPLAY/SUPPORT RISER, A STEEL ROD IS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE TWO PIECES DURING THE BONDING PROCESS.
ADDING THE DISPLAY
THE DISPLAY FITS TIGHTLY INTO THE ITS BRACKET. MAYBE JUST A TINY BIT OF HOT-GLUE IN THE CORNERS IF WE DON'T MAKE A DISPLAY BACK COVER.
THE DISPLAY FITS TIGHTLY INTO THE ITS BRACKET. MAYBE JUST A TINY BIT OF HOT-GLUE IN THE CORNERS IF WE DON'T MAKE A DISPLAY BACK COVER.
ADDING BUTTONS TO THE BASE PLATFORM
THE BUTTONS FIT INTO THE FRONT SUPPORT SNUGGLY. WE SOLDERED ON WIRES, SHRUNK THE HEAT SHRINK, AND INSTALLED THE BUTTONS TO THE SUPPORT.
THE BUTTONS FIT INTO THE FRONT SUPPORT SNUGGLY. WE SOLDERED ON WIRES, SHRUNK THE HEAT SHRINK, AND INSTALLED THE BUTTONS TO THE SUPPORT.
ADDING THE USBC HUB TO THE BASE PLATFORM
THE USB-C HUB FITS SNUGGLY INTO THE BASE AND ACCOMODATES THE PERIPHERAL CONNECTIONS CLEANLY.
THE USB-C HUB FITS SNUGGLY INTO THE BASE AND ACCOMODATES THE PERIPHERAL CONNECTIONS CLEANLY.
ADDING THE CONTROLLER TO THE BASE PLATFORM
THE EMBEDDED CONTROLLER IS AN nRF52840 DONGLE. OUR FIRMWARE MONITORS THE FLIPPER BUTONS AND REPORTS BUTTON PRESS/RELEASE EVENTS AS KEYBOARD SHIFT KEY PRESS/RELEASE EVENTS. WITH WORKING FIRMWARE, WE MOVED THE CONTROLLER ON BOARD., ADDED A BUTTON/COVER, AND CLEANED UP THE FLIPPER BUTTON WIRING.
THE EMBEDDED CONTROLLER IS AN nRF52840 DONGLE. OUR FIRMWARE MONITORS THE FLIPPER BUTONS AND REPORTS BUTTON PRESS/RELEASE EVENTS AS KEYBOARD SHIFT KEY PRESS/RELEASE EVENTS. WITH WORKING FIRMWARE, WE MOVED THE CONTROLLER ON BOARD., ADDED A BUTTON/COVER, AND CLEANED UP THE FLIPPER BUTTON WIRING.
ADDING THE FFC CABLE MANAGEMENT
THE FFCs GOING FROM THE DISPLAY TO THE USB-C HUB NEEDED TO BE MANAGED SO THEY LOOK CLEAN AND DO NOT GET INTERFERE WITH STAND OPERATION. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE 3D PRINTED THREE CABLE RESTRAINTS. TWO ARE FOR THE VERTICAL CABLE RUN AND ONE IS FOR BOTH THE HORIZONTAL RUN AND TO HOUSE THE EXCESS CABLE..
THE FFCs GOING FROM THE DISPLAY TO THE USB-C HUB NEEDED TO BE MANAGED SO THEY LOOK CLEAN AND DO NOT GET INTERFERE WITH STAND OPERATION. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE 3D PRINTED THREE CABLE RESTRAINTS. TWO ARE FOR THE VERTICAL CABLE RUN AND ONE IS FOR BOTH THE HORIZONTAL RUN AND TO HOUSE THE EXCESS CABLE..
THE COMPLETED STAND
THE STAND IS NOW FULLY ASSEMBLED AND READY FOR TESTING
INITIAL TESTING
INITIAL TESTING OF THE UNIT. EVERYTHING FITS AND FUNCTIONS AS INTENDED.
HERE ARE SOME VIDEOS SHOWING USAGE AND GAME PLAY.
HERE ARE SOME VIDEOS SHOWING USAGE AND GAME PLAY.
- THIS VIDEO SHOWS BASIC USAGE AND GAME PLAY IN PINUP POPPER AND VIRTUAL PINBALL X
- THIS VIDEO SHOWS GAME PLAY IN THE EARYLY ALPHA OF PINBALL FX.