Guide - StepMania Lights Circuits [HD]

[OGMO11]

"these bulbs aren't hard to find with a quick google search, though."... now why did it take me literally all day long to find them... lol

[Mizore6]

Thanks for Answer me, you can give me you MSN, AIM or a e-mail, i need ask you some things. ^^

[XShi0X]

You can show me some photos of your diargam, and how you use all things in your project?, i want to do this but i can't understand how make some things =/

[XShi0X]

With this we can also get the cabinet lights?

[SomethingUnreal]

@XShi0X : They can be made in the same way, yes, but the program I made for controlling these lights is only meant to control arrow lights according to Left/Down/UpRight arrows on a simfile (automatically, or as you press them), plus a couple of other triggers. You could "StepMania 3.9 Plus" to control the cabinet lights, but it fails at controlling the arrow (pad) lights. That's a well-known annoying bug in StepMania 3.9 Plus rather than a hardware problem with the lights, BTW. =P

[JosephKorso]

Hey something. You are using NPN transistor for switching purpose... It means that I can use NPN ones, especially easier ones to the project, BC 548 for example, don't I?

About the project: just works fine with the SSC-32? For me is kinda hard to find that one here and using SM3.9+ for PIU directly for panel parallel lights won't work, cause the program itself don't recognize the parallel command.

Using the player am I able to, what, like, up to 20 lights [cabinet + pad] or it's impossible?

[SomethingUnreal]

@JosephKorso : As long as the BC 548 is capable of switching the power your lights use, and really is NPN, then it should be fine. I only used the SSC-32 when I didn't know how to use the parallel port (actually, I still use it when I need USB control, via a USB-serial adaptor). My program just supports the 8 data pins on the parallel port, for now, so 8 separately-controllable pins (2-9). For SM3.9+, you need parallel_lights_io.dll (search online) and "LightsDriver=Parallel" in StepMania.ini.

[JosephKorso]

@SomethingUnreal Yeah. Thanx for the reply.

I did what was necessary - as you showed in the guide - and the parallel_lights_io.dll, but the lights keep lighted and nothung happened.

Will try to you your program as a controller, if nothing improves, will need to find out where in my country can I find the SSC-32. By the way, how many indenpendt lights SSC-32 supports?

[SomethingUnreal]

@JosephKorso : I simply used the SSC-32 because I already had it - it's not suited to such a job. Its name stands for "Serial Servo Controller". The "32" indicates that it can control 32 servos. However, my program currently only supports 8 unique outputs (servo channels #0 to #7). This is because there used to be only 8 triggers (left/down/up/right x 2, for dance-double). Now, there are still only 10 triggers (the 2 new ones are "BEAT" and "STOP").

[JosephKorso]

@SomethingUnreal Yes, I've tested your awesome program. just now I understand that is made just for step lights, not cabinet lights itself. I wonder if I want just cabinet ones and if it's really necessary using parallel port for pad lights. I mean, can't you just use the circuit with the transistor directly with the button swtich, using 'ground common'?

[SomethingUnreal]

@JosephKorso : I'm glad you like it. =D

Yes, that would work, but StepMania is supposed to control the lights by itself (even if you don't step on the buttons). However, this doesn't actually work - one of the pad lights will never come on (some people say that this is to prevent cheating). For this reason, I used to just use my program with "Realtime Light Control" enabled, which basically did what you're describing, but in software (when you press the arrow keys), instead of in hardware.

[stuntmaster2006]

As i can confirm Robbi's howto here works perfectly. I'll also be doing a howto, but not on Light's. This a simple one to make your own dedicated menu buttons for SM so that you as the player can navigate the selection wheel and game using proper buttons as you do on the real DDR. Theres plenty of cheap USB controllers going for £5 and i'm sure with a bit of soldering you can junk the casing and wire your own cabinet switches. if the buttons have lamps.. you can use Robbi's circuit here on them.

[stuntmaster2006]

However, should you want to use Cold cathodes for the bass speakers and the player buttons, then simply make sure you have minimum 2000ma power supply (to play safe since the cathodes can be anything upto 5 watt). so a cathode is 416ma for 5 watts still safe for using with the 2n4400's. Computer ones drive off 12v, and are safe for flashing. Should you want to light up player buttons then you may need resistors and such to power a small number of clustered LED's for the buttons to illuminate.

[stuntmaster2006]

This is an excellent how to, I'll expand on it for those who might want more. Pins 2-5 are really the 4 main upper cabinet lights as found on the real Konami DDR machines. Stepmania sends it data OUT to Pins 2-9. I belive Pins 6-7 are for the player menu button lamps, and pins 8-9 are the two Bass cathode lamps as found on the lower part of a DDR cabinet. this circuit is great if you want the super flashing bulbs to use with Robbi's SMPlayer App.

[masterpj55]

^^ i promised to make a tribute for doing al this for us ^^

well it's on it's way ^^

=3 i promised on abunai XD

[cat5]

I'm lost and sad.

[fujitsulifebooke342]

where can i get 2N4400 transistors?

[SomethingUnreal]

I got mine from eBay - just give it a search for "2n4400". You can sometimes find people who are selling a lot in one go for a very reasonable price (I got 50 for about 6 GBP, including the shipping from America).

[magikdevilchild]

Now, the question is, how would I go about making some for a laptop instead of a desktop computer?

[SomethingUnreal]

I suppose you'd need to find a USB to LPT convertor. I'm not sure that any (made commercially) exist which will work with them, but I know schematics exist for them. It's funny that you mention this - I am going to a friend's soon (who's great with electronics and soldering) , and while I'm there, we were going to make one (he already has the schematic). When I get back, I could send you the schematic, if that would help.

[magikdevilchild]

You're awesome. That'd be brilliant! Thanks so much!

[fanupdate]

i wish there was a dmx version of this...

[machinaegunz]

it{s nice, but i want to know how to do it for open itg alpha 7, this ´s like stepmania 3.95

[SomethingUnreal]

I'm not sure how ITG controls lights (I didn't even know it did), but, since it appears to be based on StepMania, isn't it likely to be at least similar?

The lights are intended to be used with my StepMania Player program (in vid description). StepMania flashes all lights at once for any arrow (or, on LPT address 0278 or 03BC, I can't remember which, only 3 of the 4 lights separately). My program does all 4 (up to 8) individually, with options for pulse length, fading during holds and more.

[dnstje]

very nice guide xD, Although i know it already but it was still nice to follow it ^^.

[4evermore44]

You nerd! YOUR AWSOME!

[SimonXR]

lol, i'll build one of those! If i have stepmania =P

good tutorial though =D

[pn0yb0iProductions]

Cool! So if this is built, all we need to do is simply use your program and the whole thinng should work like a charm correct?

[SomethingUnreal]

@pn0yb0iProductions: That's correct, as long as your computer has a parallel port.

[NTG56]

Awesome tutorial.

Couple questions:

I don't have any of those type of bulbs, but I do have a bunch of regular LEDs; should I wire them in series and put a resistor on it, or should I put them in parallel and replace the 12 volt supply with 3 volt?

Also, how can I tell how many amps/volts a random transistor I take off a board can support?

[SomethingUnreal]

@NTG56: Either way should work. However, you should still use a resistor (100 ohms is enough) even if connecting the LEDs in series. If connecting the LEDs in parallel, you may find that you need a resistor for each LED or some LEDs will be dimmer or not light at all (much more likely if the LEDs are of different types).

Unless the transistor has a code printed on it which you can look up, I don't know to tell how much it can handle without trying (and potentially breaking) one first.

[X41N3]

i have to admit this tutorial is really nice dude

i do not have the passion to actually try this out atm, but i'm sure a lot of other ppl will.

5/5 ;)

[eldrid311]

nice.... ive been waiting for these too! and i got the tools needed but here in philippines, those bulbs that i cant find DX

[masterpj55]

thx :D

i was really waiting for this

[dvknight]

I got a problem, in Chile (South America) i cant get those LED lights.

The one i can get are 18 led

12v and only 1 Watt, do they still work?

[SomethingUnreal]

Yes, they'll work - they just won't be quite as bright as the 21-LED bulbs. ;)

[Tsodmi]

Great, How to make video, i should really try this to do with your guide.

Thanks for this .D