Real PinMAME DMD in PinballX - Beta Attached

[Tom Speirs]

Ive updated to hopefully fix the lag issues.

In terms of the databases there is a new tag called <ROM>

I attach a sample XML.

Visual Pinball.xml

[randr]

Great will test this now...so I should just edit database manually? No big deal if that's the deal just making sure

[Carny_Priest]

I haven't "played" with the latest RC versions, but I have had the 8/18 4:00PM EST running in attract mode for the last 2 1/2 hours with no crash.

What I have noticed is that frame rate for ROM preview is really slow for Black Rose. Interestingly, that's the only one out of several ROMs that I have assigned that have a slow frame rate.

When there was a crash on yesterday's RC, it seemed to be when Black Rose was the one getting previewed.

I'm just using keyboard for input right now with default settings (cursor keys for navigation not shift)

[Tom Speirs]

Great will test this now...so I should just edit database manually? No big deal if that's the deal just making sure

Yes, you can just add the ROM field to some games if you cant use the game list manager.

[randr]

Still laggy..will add video in a min. May be related to gamex online log on? Video link soon

[randr]

menus are also laggy...like they start stop to appear like wheel images if needed i can video the menu also

http://youtu.be/PfvHnsY-j5I

[Tom Speirs]

It may just be that it forces "Full Screen Windowed mode" which will run slower. You can test this separately.

[randr]

I'm running full screen not windowed. Should I try windowed?

[Carny_Priest]

By the way, thanks for adding the new option to suppress the default menu filters. Simplifies the main menu.

[Tom Speirs]

I'm running full screen not windowed. Should I try windowed?

I am reffering to the "Full Screen Windowed" setting not windowed. Its a full screen mode but not an exclusive full screen mode. Its turned on by default with the new feature. Although you can otherwise test it under "Display Settings".

Please confirm it is that which is causing the lag.

[Tom Speirs]

Another release:

- Auto Frame Skipping

- Shows System Logo in desktop mode

- Performance enhancements

- Faster media matching, faster startup.

This should definitely fix the input issue with visual pinmame. However the fix for this may break other things in PinballX so needs testing.

Thanks.

Tom.

[rockyrocket]

Thumbs up here, pindmd v1 WORKS!!, and the option to simplify the context menu is most welcome - thanks tom .

Seems stable as well, the only thing I have noticed is that my intro movie is no longer auto rotated by pinballX, but that an easy fix on my end.

Again, well done.

[Carny_Priest]

8/18 8:20PM EST RC -

Testing in Full Screen Windowed mode.

I've had some instances where the program would crash but the playfield screen would continue to rotate to another table. Backglass video would not switch.

One time launching UW's Monster Bash, the table loaded but PinballX did not hide/minimize the backglass video preview. The next time, the table loaded and the DBS backglass came up but PinballX did not hide/minimize the DMD video preview. Monster Bash, by far, is the table that takes longest to load. Reboot and it was launching properly again.

In fact, I had that session in attract mode overnight without a crash.

Compared to exclusive Fullscreen mode, I have a little lag in Fullscreen Windowed but to me the difference is slight/almost imperceptible.

8/19 11:00AM EST RC -

I went back to exclusive Fullscreen. It has crashed a couple of times pretty shortly after the start of a session - the playfield screen would continue to rotate to another table. Backglass video would not switch. I've rebooted each time.

It's now been running for about 15 minutes in attract mode. No crashes.

[sigma415]

Tom,

What is your key assignment for the Left an Right keys ? Standard LShiftKey and RShiftKey ?

Could you please do me a favor and make two quick tests:

1.) Change left and right key to "Cursor Left" and "Cursor Right". (This is my configuration, where I have the problems)

Still no problems when switching PinMAME enabled tables ?

2.) Change left and right to anything else like OEMBackslash and OEMMinus.

Could you also hear the Windows sound "Bing" (something message like "unvalid key"), but tables are switching (with some lag)

OK, don't know if Tom or anybody else has done my test with changed left/right keys,

but I feel I have found the root cause for my lost keystrokes !

First of all: I have changed the left/right key definition in PBX setup from standard Left Shift/Right Shift to "Cursor Left" and "Cursor Right"

Why I have done this ? I want to use my flipper (and magna save) buttons also as navigation keys for Windows Media Center, which I setup as "special table"

I did a test with PBX as small window on my desktop and have recognized, that the cursorkey inputs not only goes to PBX, but also to Windows by itself.

The focus highlight wanders around also on my desktop icons, when I press my left/right buttons.

This seems no problem for tables with DMD videos.

But when I reach a PBX table with PinMAME enabled DMD it looks like PBX is more busy communicating with PinMAME and the PinDMD v2 and looses sometimes keystrokes, while these keys still go to windows (cursor wandering around).

When I change the key settings back to LeftShift and RightShift (standard) all seems to be OK and PBX switches immediately to the next table.

My theory:

It looks like windows "steals" keys from PBX when Windows could handle them by itself (like Cursor left/right).

The Shift keys (pressed standalone) has no meaning for windows so they can be handled undisturbed by PBX.

I will upload a video where you can see this effect how the cursor wanders around the desktop and nothing happens in PBX.

Again: this happens only for tables, where PBX communicates with PinMAME and PinDMD !

@Tom: Is there any chance to get rid of this behaviour ? Or are we now at the fundamentals of PBX ?

Sure, I could change back to Shift Left/Right as the rest of the world, but then I have to give up my "Windows Media Center table" ;-)

EDIT2: Tests and video made with [updated 20140819 1100AM EST]

EDIT: This is the link to the video:

http://youtu.be/P7_R8l_9-LQ

[Carny_Priest]

I did notice that PinMAME DMD previews display now with DirectDraw on. It would be nice to have the option to turn DirectDraw off. DirectDraw on allows the user to scale the display, but introduces artifacts like tiling and banding because the size of the pixels and/or the gaps between pixels are no longer uniform. Turning on DirectDraw also decreases system performance although that may be much less of a concern with VP supporting DX9.

It's not a huge deal in the scheme of things as the DMD looks great during play, but if you want feedback then there it is. Still love having PinMAME-based previews. It's been about a couple of hours since I've seen a crash. Crashed twice after installation and then no issues since then.

[Tom Speirs]

New version uploaded.

Adds a new feature:

Require exit emulator key to be held down for 6 seconds to exit table. Shows a countdown.

[Tom Speirs]

New version.

Improved speed and fixes focus issues when starting with windows.

[randr]

Should I be running full screen windowed? Or full screen ? Or does it matter?

[Carny_Priest]

8/19 around 5:00 EST RC -

I don't have to keep the key held in to get the exit countdown timer. Just a click. But that's probably because I have both Quit and Exit Emulator mapped to Escape. I have to have it that way in order to quit a particularly stubborn Rosve old style B2S table where the backglass just won't clear with Exit emulator alone. I probably just can't use this feature at least not the way it is intended to work.

[sigma415]

With the 2 or 3 last versions my lost keys problem got worse when configured to cursor left/right: In fullscreen PBX gets completely stuck when reaching tables with PinMAME :-)

EDIT: Even with PinMAME completely disabled, in FS mode I get now this desktop properties popups. When pressing Exit (E) I hear the windows Bing sound.

Re-installed v1.85 for test and all problems disappeared ....

[Tom Speirs]

Should I be running full screen windowed? Or full screen ? Or does it matter?

It shouldn't matter but when the PinMAME support is enabled it will force it to run Fulll Screen Windowed.

[randr]

Ok so it's better and probably will get used to it but is slower still in full screen windowed

[Tom Speirs]

With the 2 or 3 last versions my lost keys problem got worse when configured to cursor left/right: In fullscreen PBX gets completely stuck when reaching tables with PinMAME :-)

EDIT: Even with PinMAME completely disabled, in FS mode I get now this desktop properties popups. When pressing Exit (E) I hear the windows Bing sound.

Re-installed v1.85 for test and all problems disappeared ....

Not sure what that could be. Could you try unplugging your pindmd to see if that is the issue?

Try turning off full screen windowed (with PinMAME disabled). You deffinitly wont see the desktop as its exclusive.

[Tom Speirs]

Ok so it's better and probably will get used to it but is slower still in full screen windowed

Yeah, Ive tried but there is no other way with PinMAME support.

[randr]

It's not bad nit picking really