DMD Glare problem solved!!!

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I have found a solution to DMD glare. My solution is a film applied to
the DMD which will eliminate all of the glare in most instances. It is
slightly tinted so it reduces the DMD brightness slightly. On most
games this is not a factor as the DMD is still bright and readable. The
tinting is not the way it works though. I have treated my TAF, TZ, and
MM and the results are amazing! The product will soon be on my website
for those interested.

-Tom

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8f4tt/tomstwilightzonepinballmachineaccessories/index.html

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

twilightzonepinball wrote:
> I have found a solution to DMD glare.

there was a problem?

> My solution is a film applied to
> the DMD which will eliminate all of the glare in most instances. It is
> slightly tinted so it reduces the DMD brightness slightly. On most
> games this is not a factor as the DMD is still bright and readable. The
> tinting is not the way it works though.

Polorizing filter film.

Kirb

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

kirb wrote:
> twilightzonepinball wrote:
> > I have found a solution to DMD glare.
>
> there was a problem?
>
Typically no but there certainly is for some flourescent bulb lit
translites.

>
> Polorizing filter film.
>

Or privacy filters (like those found on ATM displays or on PC monitors
where sensitive information is being entered--for example in
hospitals). When you look at them straight on they are slightly
dimmer, but go off axis 30 degrees or so and they black out the screen.
The trick is to turn them sideways so that they "black out" in the up
and down direction versus side to side.

You can find these in a size that would fit the DMD where it completely
makes the reflection go away, but unfortunately I couldn't find it
large enough to use for a translite. I've got some sample material on
a game with flourescent lighting, and it works very well. If anyone
can find appropriately sized filters, games like TSPP not suffer as
much from reflections.

The filters I've tried are 3M Vikuiti filters.

steve SDTM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

On 13 Sep 2005 12:14:01 -0700, "pinsane" <nospam4me2day@yahoo.com>
wrote:

[...]

>You can find these in a size that would fit the DMD where it completely
>makes the reflection go away, but unfortunately I couldn't find it
>large enough to use for a translite. I've got some sample material on
>a game with flourescent lighting, and it works very well. If anyone
>can find appropriately sized filters, games like TSPP not suffer as
>much from reflections.

I never noticed a reflection problem on my TSPP. Are you guys playing
in bright daylight or something?

 

[henri]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:42:41 +0000, Manic wrote:

> I play in dim light and at least when new the bulb in
> TSPP's backbox DOES really glare. Haven't gotten around to
> trying to mute it.

big ugly bright white tube that makes the translite look faded? what
BUBWTTMTTLF?

oh yeah, not everyone has converted the backbox to GI and flasher lights!
not that _i_ did it, but thanks to tim h. the reactor flashes with the
pop bumpers, etc etc, nice warm GI glow from the translite too

henri

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Sorry Kenbo, I wasn't very clear...

> I never noticed a reflection problem on my TSPP. Are you guys playing
> in bright daylight or something?

The problem I was referring to isn't bright lights reflecting off of
the translite glass, it's the brightly lit translight reflecting off of
the playfield glass--thereby partially obscuring the top part of the
playfield. This issue is more obvious when the translight is really
bright, and you're trying to play in rooms with low ambient light.

The 3M filter material will completely eliminate the reflection of the
translite off of the playfield glass, while having no noticeable impact
on brightness when you view the translight from a normal playing
position. Unfortunately, you have to buy several pieces to cover an
entire translite.

Note: I don't know if this is the type of material Tom is proposing to
use to control DMD reflections

steve SDTM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:42:41 GMT, "Manic"
<manicmusicREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I play in dim light and at least when new the bulb in
>TSPP's backbox DOES really glare. Haven't gotten around to
>trying to mute it.

OK, call me dense. How does this glare affect the game? Does it
reflect off the playfield glass or something? Or is it just an
aesthetic preference that affects the appearance of the translite?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

On 13 Sep 2005 14:36:37 -0700, "pinsane" <nospam4me2day@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>Sorry Kenbo, I wasn't very clear...
>
>> I never noticed a reflection problem on my TSPP. Are you guys playing
>> in bright daylight or something?
>
>The problem I was referring to isn't bright lights reflecting off of
>the translite glass, it's the brightly lit translight reflecting off of
>the playfield glass--thereby partially obscuring the top part of the
>playfield. This issue is more obvious when the translight is really
>bright, and you're trying to play in rooms with low ambient light.

I never noticed that, but my basement gameroom is sort of bright with
an big incandescent light above and behind the player. If I notice it
now it's your fault

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I have found that there are several techniques which can be used with
the film which ensures success. Translights and BGs are not good
candidates for this method, but DMDs work perfectly. For those who like
mods, the treatment is great for TZ so you can better see my Starfield
backboard. On TAF, you can see the whole top of the playfield, rather
than have the ball disappear into a glarefest on the main ramp. On MM,
you can clearly see the castle and all the ramps. I think it is a nice
improvement. I will also include an explanation of the prinicples at
work and what techniques can be used to maximize the film's
effectiveness.

-Tom

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8f4tt/tomstwilightzonepinballmachineaccessories/index.html

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I am surprised that you had any success with polarizing film and
translights. The reason is that if you place a piece of polarizing film
behind the translight, it will obviously polarize the light striking
the back of the translight, but then the light scatters as it passes
through the translight. This scattered light would then reflect off the
playfield glass as glare. To make it work, the film would have to be in
front of the translight (yea right). The tinting of the film would also
severely reduce the brightness and affect color balance of the
graphics.

-Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

twilightzonepinball wrote:
> I am surprised that you had any success with polarizing film and
> translights.

The 3M Vikuiti film is not polarizing film, it is microlouver
technology. I've tried linear polarizing film (which does come in
sheets large enough to cover a translite or DMD) and it improves things
both on the DMD and translite, but it is not nearly as good as the 3M
stuff. The 3M film *totally* blocks light from reaching the playfield
glass, so there is absolutely zero glare obscuring the upper part of
the playfield. When looking at the playfield glass, it is as if there
was a black piece of cardboard in front of the translite or DMD, but
looking straight at the translite it looks normal.

I've called 3M and unfortunately they've shown no interest in producing
sheets large enough to cover a translite. Their existing product can
be used to completely eliminate playfield reflections from a DMD.

steve SDTM

 

[manic]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

"Kenbo" <Kenbo@NOqsolvJUNKMAIL.com> wrote in message
news:cehei1he3f0ui6v95rjqat339v221rhqim@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:42:41 GMT, "Manic"
> <manicmusicREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >I play in dim light and at least when new the bulb in
> >TSPP's backbox DOES really glare. Haven't gotten around to
> >trying to mute it.
>
> OK, call me dense. How does this glare affect the game? Does it
> reflect off the playfield glass or something? Or is it just an
> aesthetic preference that affects the appearance of the translite?

Yeah it makes it a little tougher to see the upper part of the PF...
I don't mind how it looks otherwise.
NGG can do that too - had *22* lights in it so I brought it down to
11 to match the other Wms titles and to reduce glare.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8f4tt/tomstwilightzonepinballmachineaccessories/id34.html

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

pinsane wrote:
> Sorry Kenbo, I wasn't very clear...
>
> > I never noticed a reflection problem on my TSPP. Are you guys playing
> > in bright daylight or something?
>
> The problem I was referring to isn't bright lights reflecting off of
> the translite glass, it's the brightly lit translight reflecting off of
> the playfield glass--thereby partially obscuring the top part of the
> playfield. This issue is more obvious when the translight is really
> bright, and you're trying to play in rooms with low ambient light.
>
> The 3M filter material will completely eliminate the reflection of the
> translite off of the playfield glass, while having no noticeable impact
> on brightness when you view the translight from a normal playing
> position. Unfortunately, you have to buy several pieces to cover an
> entire translite.
>
> Note: I don't know if this is the type of material Tom is proposing to
> use to control DMD reflections

Thinking out loud here...

Wouldn't it be easier / cheaper to simply apply the film to the glass
in the area that tends to get the glare? Or is there some side effect
I'm not thinking of?

I'm thinking that the actual typical glare AREA is pretty small when
compared to the size of the entire translite.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I agree with the idea of spot treatment on translights. During the
testing I did with the film I found that you would have to put the film
in front of the translight to make it work. Probably not the most
pleasing arrangement, but it could be done by cutting the film to fit
the shape of the graphic that is bright and then glueing it down or by
using the adhesive version of the film. The tinting would change the
way that area of the translight looked though.

-Tom


TheKorn@TheKorn.net wrote:
> pinsane wrote:
> > Sorry Kenbo, I wasn't very clear...
> >
> > > I never noticed a reflection problem on my TSPP. Are you guys playing
> > > in bright daylight or something?
> >
> > The problem I was referring to isn't bright lights reflecting off of
> > the translite glass, it's the brightly lit translight reflecting off of
> > the playfield glass--thereby partially obscuring the top part of the
> > playfield. This issue is more obvious when the translight is really
> > bright, and you're trying to play in rooms with low ambient light.
> >
> > The 3M filter material will completely eliminate the reflection of the
> > translite off of the playfield glass, while having no noticeable impact
> > on brightness when you view the translight from a normal playing
> > position. Unfortunately, you have to buy several pieces to cover an
> > entire translite.
> >
> > Note: I don't know if this is the type of material Tom is proposing to
> > use to control DMD reflections
>
> Thinking out loud here...
>
> Wouldn't it be easier / cheaper to simply apply the film to the glass
> in the area that tends to get the glare? Or is there some side effect
> I'm not thinking of?
>
> I'm thinking that the actual typical glare AREA is pretty small when
> compared to the size of the entire translite.