Unofficial Pi Position Q&A & Support Thread

[Dk1983]

HDMI FORCE OUTPUT RASPBERRY PI

@portkey did a great job figuring out how to allow use of the raspberry pi hdmi port, in case your monitor is dead and you have a spare lcd you'd like to hook use. I was unclear of the process, so once I figured it out I decided to post this for others to use.

It's an easy change.

You need to edit your text file on your Pi SD card.

Which is as easy as copying his file text and pasting in the config.txt folder on your SD card. I've pasted the correct file to copy/paste below.
I would suggest copying your original file and pasting elsewhere in case you want to go back to not using the hdmi port on the Pi

Here is a link on 3 easy methods to edit your Pi depending on the computer you own.

3 Ways to Edit the boot/config.txt File on Raspberry Pi

COPY AND PASTE THE BELOW TEXT TO CONFIG.TXT FOLDER


# For more options and information see
# http://rpf.io/configtxt
# Some settings may impact device functionality. See link above for details

# uncomment if you get no picture on HDMI for a default "safe" mode
#hdmi_safe=1

# uncomment this if your display has a black border of unused pixels visible
# and your display can output without overscan
#disable_overscan=1

# uncomment the following to adjust overscan. Use positive numbers if console
# goes off screen, and negative if there is too much border
#overscan_left=30
#overscan_right=30
#overscan_top=10
#overscan_bottom=30

# uncomment to force a console size. By default it will be display's size minus
# overscan.
#framebuffer_width=1280
#framebuffer_height=720

# uncomment if hdmi display is not detected and composite is being output
hdmi_force_hotplug=1

# uncomment to force a specific HDMI mode (this will force VGA)
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=16

# uncomment to force a HDMI mode rather than DVI. This can make audio work in
# DMT (computer monitor) modes
hdmi_drive=2

# uncomment to increase signal to HDMI, if you have interference, blanking, or
# no display
#config_hdmi_boost=4

# uncomment for composite PAL
#sdtv_mode=2

#uncomment to overclock the arm. 700 MHz is the default.
#arm_freq=800

# Uncomment some or all of these to enable the optional hardware interfaces
#dtparam=i2c_arm=on
#dtparam=i2s=on
#dtparam=spi=on

# Uncomment this to enable infrared communication.
#dtoverlay=gpio-ir,gpio_pin=17
#dtoverlay=gpio-ir-tx,gpio_pin=18

# Additional overlays and parameters are documented /boot/overlays/README

# Enable audio (loads snd_bcm2835)
dtparam=audio=on

[pi4]
# Enable DRM VC4 V3D driver on top of the dispmanx display stack
dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
max_framebuffers=2

[all]
#dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d

dtoverlay=pi3-disable-bt
dtoverlay=disable-bt
dtoverlay=vga565-3

framebuffer_priority=2

dpi_output_format=421907
enable_dpi_lcd=1
display_default_lcd=1

dpi_group=2
dpi_mode=87

dpi_timings=320 1 16 30 34 240 0 2 30 22 0 0 0 60 06400000 1

dtoverlay=pwm-2chan,pin=18,func=2,pin2=19,func2=2
dtparam=audio=on

dtparam=i2c_arm=off
dtparam=i2s=off
dtparam=spi=off

 

[shawnjefferson]

I finally got around to mounting the Pi Position in my cabinet. I have a fully working Pole Position board set, and mostly bought the Pi Position to play PPII and other racing games. My pedal works great/excellent with my real boardset but does not work properly with PP2 (the issue of not being able to push it all the way down), so I tend not to even play PP2.

Thought I would post some pictures to show what I did. I made a small bracket that is bolted to a couple of the holes on the main cabinet cage.

 

[Dk1983]

GAS PEDAL FAILURE

I am having a weird issue, when first starting up pi PP1 plays as it should.

When switching to PP2 game is fine but I loose pedal entirely. Doesn't work at all

Even if switching back to PP1 still nothing

Only way to get it reset is turning off entirely

Ideas?

 

[ccie38296]

Update to my accelerator issues: After replacing my gas pedal pot with a new one from ArcadeFixIt and noodling around with the sensitivity settings, I got my Pi Position working right. PP and PP2 play just right. I ended up with "Reverse Dial" set to on and the dial sensitivity set to about 15. In the service menu the pedal input ranges from 01-02 to 98-99, which according to the PP manual is a good range. Gameplay is good and now the car accelerates properly based on pedal position.

I also added Off Road, Super Sprint, and Championship Sprint. For Off Road's nitro button, I installed a small, 24 mm Sanwa button that closely matches the CPO color in the red graphic. It's easy to hit with your hand resting on the gear shifter. I ran that button to a USB keyboard emulator to trigger the LCtrl input in MAME. Works great, and pretty unobtrusive.

Overall the PiPosition is working well now. I'm doing HDMI out using the instructions in this thread and an HDMI to VGA cable along with a scan line generator to feed a VisionPro LCD in the cab.

 

[newsheriffintown]

I have had my piposition for over a year, never got around to trying it. Well, my niece is going to have a birthday party at the gameroom this weekend and my pole position just started acting up. It is one of the first games you see when you walk in so I'd prefer not to put an out of order sign on it until I can get the boards repaired.

I pulled out the piposition and it booted up to the screen that says the rom folder is empty.

I am not very computer or Pi savy. I've never used mame. I have tried looking but am not sure of the safest place to download the ROMS. I'd love to get the PP and PP2 ROMS with the freeplay hack.

I was able to get the microsd card to read in my computer and I can see the empty ROM folder. I hate to be lazy, as I am sure that with enough googling I might eventually find the right ones, but I am hoping that someone can point me to the proper files. I would like all of the files that are known to work without any extra buttons or modifications.

I also received mine before the 2021 update that Jason posted on this thread. I have downloaded it, but can't figure out what to do with it.

Anybody care to walk a dummy through this?

 

[TheShanMan]

I haven't made use of them yet, but there are lots of rom sets on the wayback machine these days. I'm not sure if there are "better" sites. I remember the good old days of getting roms sets via torrent, via newsgroups, and via mame.dk. That said, mame can verify/identify the roms, so hypothetically it shouldn't matter too much where you get them, as long as mame says they're good to go. I haven't bought a pi position yet myself, so beyond that I don't have anything to add.

 

[Inferno5]

I bought the pi position about a month ago. My OG boards were shot, so I was excited to try this pi interface board effort. Seemed legit.
I'm technically savvy, and I'll have to be honest, pi position is really half baked. Consider yourself VERY fortunate if you have a plug and play experience. I've read ALL the forum info, watched all the videos, replaced the pedal pot, ordered and deployed the "data transfer" usb cable to get the thing to coin, and do basic functions, everything. Oh, and unwound and rewound the gas pedal cable assembly, reversed the wires on the pedal pot, checked, rechecked, and checked again voltages, re-imaged the SD card, scoured the internet for different mames, you frigging name it, I've done it and done it again.

One issue which is consistent, when I rewind the pedal assembly, and set the analog control settings for pedal 1 to reverse, everything works for a few games. I'll "exit" like the video says, but the settings won't save. Better still, the pedal stops registering all together, or, I can lift it with my foot and get it to accelerate in reverse of the reverse setting. When I rewind the pedal assembly I get it to behave again for a bit and then the cycle repeats.
The pedal is NEVER consistent between pole pos 1 and pole pos 2. WTF is this all about?
This is a great work in progress but VERY far from perfected, and seems more like a beta effort that we paid $175 for. Definitely NOT a production release. I guess it depends on alot of variables. Some of it seems hardware related between the atari cab manufacturer efforts from 40 years ago, but a good embeded software developer could write code to overcome these issues people gripe about. Seriously.
I'm gonna send my OG boards in for repair and shelf the pi position for now. Too bad I really wanted this to fly, especially pole position 2.

 

[Arcdeeth]

I was able to get my pi position working by adjusting the mame settings for steering and throttle. However, I noticed my shifter changes between PP1 and PP2. Specifically, I can shift to high gear once but if I shift back to low gear whether during gameplay or not it switches to the opposite game I'm currently not playing. Is this also a mame setting? Thanks for any advice given.

 

[quarterbarrel]

Hey everyone,

I tried booting up a pi position for the first time this evening. Power light turned on, and shortly thereafter smoke started rising from the raspberry pi. Is this a know issue, with a known fix? Thank you!

Did you ever figure out what the problem was? The exact same thing happened to me: plugged it in, powered it up, and the Pi started smoking. I had a Pole Position 2 board running in the cabinet without any problems, so I can't figure out what the issue could possible be. I just wanted to give this Pi Position PCB a try in a working cabinet before I got to work on restoring one of my other Pole Position cabs. Now I feel like I just threw $175 into the ether.

 

[tomservo]

Should there be continuity between the 5V lines on the 22/44 and 15/30 connectors on the Pi board? Just got a Pi board from ArcadeShop and can't get it to boot. I burned the latest SD image, but no luck. The grounds ring out OK between the 2 connectors, but not on the 5V between the 22 position connector pins 2/B and 15 position connector pins 2/B.

 

[Danschki]

Hello community!

I have since 3 weeks also a Pi Position Board and had at the beginning also problems with the control etc. a swap of the USB cable brought success, but I still have a problem.
I have a Poleposition 2 machine and would like to play PP2. unfortunately the only thing that does not work is switching between pp1 and pp2 . it always starts PP1, but would like to start directly in PP2. is that even possible?
what can be the reason that the switch between games does not work? on the original board the service switch works , only on the pi position not.
greetings from Austria.
Daniel

 

[tomservo]

Hello community!

I have since 3 weeks also a Pi Position Board and had at the beginning also problems with the control etc. a swap of the USB cable brought success, but I still have a problem.
I have a Poleposition 2 machine and would like to play PP2. unfortunately the only thing that does not work is switching between pp1 and pp2 . it always starts PP1, but would like to start directly in PP2. is that even possible?
what can be the reason that the switch between games does not work? on the original board the service switch works , only on the pi position not.
greetings from Austria.
Daniel

I think you can edit the arcpi-config.txt file on the SD card to choose which game to boot directly into.

 

[Danschki]

i have try this, but it will not work

 

[advans13]

This thread is getting longer than an actual PP repair thread!

 

[Danschki]

Can anybody help?

 

[fmetz374]

Has anyone experimented with the updating the tire screeching sound? I know initially Jason said it was a matter of editing the SD card image and replacing the sound file with a better quality tire screeching sound. I found these high quality mp3's for Pole Position available for download.

Pole Position (Arcade) (gamerip) (1982) MP3 - Download Pole Position (Arcade) (gamerip) (1982) Soundtracks for FREE!

Download Pole Position (Arcade) (gamerip) (1982) album to your PC for free as MP3. Free Pole Position (Arcade) (gamerip) (1982) soundtracks, Pole Position (Arcade) (gamerip) (1982) MP3 downloads. Browse our great selection of Pole Position (Arcade) (gamerip) (1982) music.

downloads.khinsider.com

Is there a more updated version of the SD card image posted somewhere? I've not updated mine since I received it a few years ago.

 

[fmetz374]

I finally understand why the video on the Pi Position is not as crisp/sharp as my original Pole Position PCB.

The problem is the Raspberry only outputs HDMI digital video or 15Khz composite video (no RGB), so there's no easy / cheap solution to get pure 15Khz RGB signals out of the Pi to feed the arcade CRT.

Composite video will not look crisp/sharp. Has anyone else noticed that the video is not as sharp? Has anyone found a way to output RGB using the Pi Position?

 

[toledoflyer]

I finally understand why the video on the Pi Position is not as crisp/sharp as my original Pole Position PCB.

The problem is the Raspberry only outputs HDMI digital video or 15Khz composite video (no RGB), so there's no easy / cheap solution to get pure 15Khz RGB signals out of the Pi to feed the arcade CRT.

Composite video will not looks crisp/sharp. Has anyone else noticed that the video is not as sharp? Has anyone found a way to output RGB using the Pi Position?

If it plugs into the original harness is has to be outputting RGB, there's no composite input on standard arcade monitors nor is there a pin on the original harness for it.

 

[fmetz374]

Thanks for input. I'm going to try the HDMI output suggestion from Dk1983 by modifying the CONFIG.TXT file. I've also purchased a HDMI to VGA adapter and then will adapt the VGA to CGA RGBS. I'm curious if the video will look sharper. Compared to my original Pole Position PCB, the image is not as crisp on the Pi Position. I'm hoping to find out why.

 

[PhotoJosh78]

Has anyone been able to successfully play TX-1 on the pi position? It seems like a title that would run well, given that it also uses a 360° steering wheel (I believe). I haven't been able to get it to boot, myself.