Generic pinball driver/IO board tester, any interest?

[HHaase]

Generic pinball driver/IO board tester, any interest?

I'm going to be making a short run of simple LED bank boards for helping me do diagnostic work on a later model ATARI pinball, but it would work just fine for bench testing on pretty much anything that uses 9 pin MOLEX connectors for solenoid and lamp drivers.

I figured I'd see if anybody else might be interested in some of these before I do the run. At the minimum, I'd like to get 10 of them made, which would work out to $12 shipped per bare board (Outside the US may be higher, due shipping). The more I get though, the lower the price.

These aren't complicated, really just a row of 9 LED's with associated resistors, a common power trace, individual grounds that run through either a .100 or .156 MOLEX. But handy to have either way. Here's what the board will look like.

http://tinyurl.com/4q75n8b

Anybody who might be interested in these? Not asking for any money until I have them in hand and ready to ship out.

-Hans

 

[mrbill08]

I would take 2. More if price gets lowered.

A request if possible - you have the real estate - if you have the time and ambition - why not lay it out for 18 leds (two rows of 9 each with their own 9 pin ) and you can choose to populate or not populate the second row?

Another great use for this: In addition to pinball use - make a harness for a jamma fingerboard adapter to test the switches in an arcade cabinet. Connect each switch to an led and if it is working when actuated, the led will light. You can get the 5VDC from the cabinet power as well.

Essentially, any switch closure that grounds when actuated will work with this.

Thanks for offering to do this, I'm in for a minimum of two.

Bill

 

[HHaase]

I would take 2. More if price gets lowered.

A request if possible - you have the real estate - if you have the time and ambition - why not lay it out for 18 leds (two rows of 9 each with their own 9 pin ) and you can choose to populate or not populate the second row?

Another great use for this: In addition to pinball use - make a harness for a jamma fingerboard adapter to test the switches in an arcade cabinet. Connect each switch to an led and if it is working when actuated, the led will light. You can get the 5VDC from the cabinet power as well.

Essentially, any switch closure that grounds when actuated will work with this.

Thanks for offering to do this, I'm in for a minimum of two.

Bill

I'll see what I can do about expanding it to the 18 LED's. Not a bad idea. It all depends on if I can get it to work with the spacings I need. Price starts to go up quick if I enlarge the board size too much. If I can't do it this time, I can always do a second run later on, not double up the connector types, and stagger the LED's.

For this run though I do want to keep the dual .100 and .156 header setup, that way I can put a .100 SIP socket on the bottom side, and can plug it straight onto the ATARI boards I need to work on without a pigtail. Makes it a bit more universal too.

-Hans

 

[mrbill08]

Either way I'm in. Just looking to maximize the functionality before you commit to have the PCBs made.

Bill

 

[HHaase]

Doubling up isn't going to be a problem at all, I was able to really condense the layout without losing any functionality. The biggest change though will be running a 10-led strip instead of individual components. (only 9 connected) So I did a similar layout with the single bank as well

The 18 LED bare board would be $13 each. About the size of a business card
The smaller 9 LED bare board woud be $11 each. Really small, 1.8" x 1.5"

Too bad I can't get enough interest in a run of 100 boards. Then it would be $5 for either size, plus I could step up to a nice looking green solder mask.

Tough call which way to go. The single works more for my own needs, but I can definitely see more people finding a good use in the double.

-Hans

 

[mrbill08]

Again this is your project - do what works for you - I'm only along for the ride...

Bill

 

[orion3311]

I might be interested in one of the 18 led ones...just to clarify, whats the input voltage for each led (i'm assuming that can be adjusted based on parts used).

This would be cool to use to test other boards that deal with lights and such.

 

[HHaase]

I might be interested in one of the 18 led ones...just to clarify, whats the input voltage for each led (i'm assuming that can be adjusted based on parts used).

This would be cool to use to test other boards that deal with lights and such.

It's marked for 5v, but you can use it for any input voltage you want with the correct resistors.

http://tinyurl.com/4f4wjfr


-Hans

 

[PeRFiDiouS]

I will take one of these in either configuration. Please keep me in the loop.
Thank you.

 

[HHaase]

Will Do.

I'll probably just over-order when I do the run, and if I get stuck with a few..... I'll eventually sell them off. I just need a good night sleep before doing a final review of the schematic, make sure I didn't miss anything. Only had 2 hours sleep last night, BAD time to submit an order like this.

-Hans

Edit:
AHHHHH, now I get it why you wanted the 18 LED's on it. 6-button fighters with an 8 way joystick, correct? Yeah, I'll do the 18 LED version on the initial run. Will still do everything I need, but more for you guys.

-Hans

 

[HHaase]

Ok, these are going off to the printers today. There were a couple more final revisions to it, both because I goofed in my own needs, and also for Zaccharia pinball guys. So here goes with the final stats.

20 LED's, in 2 sets of 10.

Dual connector styles, either .100 or .156 molex. The .100 can be done as separate 10 pin headers or a single 20 pin as needed. You can still use 9pin connectors too if you want, just leave one resistor un-used.

Dual voltage inputs, one per LED bank. This way you can have split +12v/+5v if you want, or jumper it for a single input if you want.

Your choice of using the 10Led strips or the 2mmx5mm rectangular LED's.

A proper green solder mask, these will be production quality boards, not prototypes.

Price..... $7 shipped for the first board, $6 each per additional. I'm doing a good sized run, so nobody here will be left out. Will be delivered here in 2 weeks.

Here's what it looks like
http://tinyurl.com/4v8ddye

-Hans

 

[HHaase]

Forgot to add....

Order placed, expected delivery on March 24th.

-Hans

 

[HHaase]

Arriving sooner than expected, will be here Tomorrow!

-Hans

 

[mrbill08]

pm sent for your paypal address to order some.

Bill

 

[HHaase]

I got myself a box via UPS today.

Had some of these inside it.....

http://www.siegecraft.us/pinball/tester-002.jpg

So, I just HAD to put one together to test it out.....

http://www.siegecraft.us/pinball/tester-001.jpg

It came with friends...

http://www.siegecraft.us/pinball/tester-003.jpg

So, now that they are no longer just vaporware, I'm ready to open the doors to sell. It will take me a few days to get everything sorted out and shipped, as I'm still waiting on the shipping envelopes, and I need to tweak the parts list a touch.

Pricing stays as I last quoted, and I am selling these ONLY as un-assembled bare boards right now. $7 shipped for the first, $6 each additional in the same order, within the USA.

Outside the US, I just haven't calculated shipping yet, but will do so upon request.

-Hans

 

[HHaase]

Just to update, I should be shipping these out on Monday. Still a bunch available.

I also added a page on my website with parts and assembly instructions, not too much there yet, but enough to get going. I'll be expanding this as I get a chance.

http://www.siegecraft.us/tester.html

-Hans

 

[HHaase]

First batch got mailed out today, should be arriving to you guys in a couple of days.

Still have a bunch available.

-Hans

 

[HHaase]

Boards should be arriving to you guys any day now, if they haven't already.

Updated the information on my site for these things.

Added info about wiring pigtails, an alternate assembly design for testing special solenoids on Williams pinball machines, and how to use the testers once assembled.

Page is a work in progress of course, and I'm looking forward to feedback on anything else you guys come up with.

http://www.siegecraft.us/tester.html

-Hans

 

[Mark Hooks]

I will take two. Lemme know when they get there.

Ok, these are going off to the printers today. There were a couple more final revisions to it, both because I goofed in my own needs, and also for Zaccharia pinball guys. So here goes with the final stats.

20 LED's, in 2 sets of 10.

Dual connector styles, either .100 or .156 molex. The .100 can be done as separate 10 pin headers or a single 20 pin as needed. You can still use 9pin connectors too if you want, just leave one resistor un-used.

Dual voltage inputs, one per LED bank. This way you can have split +12v/+5v if you want, or jumper it for a single input if you want.

Your choice of using the 10Led strips or the 2mmx5mm rectangular LED's.

A proper green solder mask, these will be production quality boards, not prototypes.

Price..... $7 shipped for the first board, $6 each per additional. I'm doing a good sized run, so nobody here will be left out. Will be delivered here in 2 weeks.

Here's what it looks like
http://tinyurl.com/4v8ddye

-Hans

 

[HHaase]

Oh, the boards have been here for about a week now, already mailed out a bunch of them.

-Hans