The Mikohn Mark2 Animation Logic Board

[brichter]

IGT's documentation is so vague...I wonder if the resistor should be 1/4 or 1/2 watt?

1/4 watt is overkill, that ground is carrying very little current.

[knagl]

Try opening hyperterminal if you use XP

That's a good idea, Foster.  You get the same prompt with a Supreme, too.  (Type ? at the "Command" prompt for a partial list of available commands.)

Mark- Here are the step-by-step directions for the HyperTerminal settings:
http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=146.msg996#msg996

[stayouttadabunker]

Thanks knagl!
I want to ask,
well anyone that's played with DOS really,
I wanted to view my directory while in DOS mode...
but when I type in DIR and press "enter" it shoots downwards
about 100 MPH to the bottom of the directory in dos.
I tried the pause and break key but it's like two handed motion
of instantly running through the list to the bottom.
How can I view the dos directory of my computer line by line
by using the up/down or page up/page down arrow?

[cadillacpro]

dir /w

will give you a wide multi column view

arrow,page up down don't work

Or type "help dir " at the commant prompt for more options

[stayouttadabunker]

Thanks cadillac! Have a good merry christmas!

[cadillacpro]

This thread soon to get bigger, my 13 display boards and Mark2 controller due Wednesday.  OH Boy.

You all have a Great Christmas!!!!

[brichter]

Thanks knagl!
I want to ask,
well anyone that's played with DOS really,
I wanted to view my directory while in DOS mode...
but when I type in DIR and press "enter" it shoots downwards
about 100 MPH to the bottom of the directory in dos.
I tried the pause and break key but it's like two handed motion
of instantly running through the list to the bottom.
How can I view the dos directory of my computer line by line
by using the up/down or page up/page down arrow?

As Caddy stated, no arrow keys to scroll in DOS (or any CLI that I'm aware of...).

dir /p gives the output one screen at a time, with a "Press any key to continue" prompt.

But, good luck finding the "any" key...

[cadillacpro]

and take your hand off the mouse....they were not invented yet

Or hit the scroll lock key, it's right next to the ANY key 

[StatFreak]

Thanks knagl!
I want to ask,
well anyone that's played with DOS really,
I wanted to view my directory while in DOS mode...
but when I type in DIR and press "enter" it shoots downwards
about 100 MPH to the bottom of the directory in dos.
I tried the pause and break key but it's like two handed motion
of instantly running through the list to the bottom.
How can I view the dos directory of my computer line by line
by using the up/down or page up/page down arrow?

As Caddy stated, no arrow keys to scroll in DOS (or any CLI that I'm aware of...).

dir /p gives the output one screen at a time, with a "Press any key to continue" prompt.

But, good luck finding the "any" key...

   use the /p switch. If you need an "any" key, I have a few lying around somewhere. They were yet another of those cool giveaways that I got from Comdex vendors. They are solid rubber with sticky glue on the bottom so that you can put your "any" key "any"where on the keyboard. 


You can also change the buffer size in your DOS window. Mine is set to store 6000 lines.

[stayouttadabunker]

You can also change the buffer size in your DOS window. Mine is set to store 6000 lines.

Actually, that I had tried before I read these solutions and
it was what I needed to view all the lines of stuff I have in my computer.

The scroll actually "scrolls" all the way back to the top...lol
yes...I can actually use my mouse for that...

[cadillacpro]

Hey It's Christmas Eve...Get off the computer and go hug you wife

Wish you all a great and happy holiday..Shit!   Merry Christmas !!!!! There I said it !!!!

That's the way it should be !!!!!! If you don't like it tough stuff !!

[jay]

Dir | more

Pronounced DIRectory Pipe More.

More will pause at the end or each page.

|More can be used with pretty much any command.

You can also do a DIR>X.TXT
The > sends the output to a file in thise case its called X.TXT
You can then edit X.TXT

[StatFreak]

Dir | more

Pronounced DIRectory Pipe More.

More will pause at the end or each page.

|More can be used with pretty much any command.

You can also do a DIR>X.TXT
The > sends the output to a file in thise case its called X.TXT
You can then edit X.TXT

  Good points Jay.  You can also use >> to append the output to an existing file without overwriting its contents.

DIR /p and DIR | MORE essentially yield the same result, but MORE is a separate program while /p is a command switch for the DIR command. However, as you say, | MORE can be used with other commands, such as TYPE. e.g., TYPE myfilename.ext | MORE

ADD:  You can also use the simplified command  MORE < myfilename.ext  to achieve the same result.
Another tip: When using the MORE command, pressing the spacebar scrolls one complete screen, but you can move down one line at a time by pressing the <ENTER> key instead.


Another fun trick to create a quick text or batch file is to use the command:  COPY CON myfilename.ext  <ENTER>
From that point on, everything that you type will be put to into the named file (it will overwrite the file if it already exists).
Press <ctrl>Z to finish writing the file and exit the COPY CON command.

[stayouttadabunker]

wow! Dir|more works great! Thanks guys!!!!
It's unreal how much files I have on my computer...mind boggling really.
I better back this stuff up to another drive somewhere....
Can I back up the XP OS as well with everything to another drive?
What's the best way to do this?....I never back-up anything...lol

[jay]

As a generalization I hate backup software.
It usually creates a proprietary format - under the guiese of compression and media spanning (ie writing to xx number of CDRs)

The situation is that your hard drive craps out and you can't retrive the file you need without first installaing an OS, then the backup software.
Lord help you if you can't find your backup software and now need to use an updated version that may or may not work with older software.

SO - my recommendation to any Win-doze users are:
1. Create a directory called Data, and store any files you want to keep in this directory - do not use the default directories that the programs use as things do not always endup where you think they are. By being specific you have only 1 data tree to backup. You will be surprized at how little data you actually have. My largest storage is digital photos.

2. I like USB keys. You can get 32GB memory keys for under $30 now. Unlike CDRs and DVDs they don't get bad spots and are not light/heat sensitive the way disks are.
USB keys either work or they don't.  Copy all your files to the USB key and put a label on it with the date that you created it. Drop it into a safety deposit box, fireproof safe or desk drawer.
CDRs don't fit into a "small" safety deposit box very well. You end up having to buy the third largest size and for the $40/mth this costs. I can easily buy more keys and get the cheap box at 29/year.

Do this once a month. It may seem anal but I have a mark on my calendar and each month I backup the computer, test the smoke detectors. test the carbon monoxide detectors, and replace the furnace filter. By having a backup once a month I don't really worry if one of my keys goes dead.

3. For a OS backup - I image my machine. I use a program called acronis, Norton Ghost is another but it is finiky about hardware so assuming your PC got stolen, fried etc and you need a new computer Ghost may not bring back your OS. I am still somewhat jaded. Windows over time gets slower and slower. This is due to an ever growing registry, microsoft patches and the what not. One of the best ways to "renew" an old computer is to totally wipe it and lay down a fresh operating system. So it is best to get the machine exactly where you want it.Then image it. We do this at the office and then blast it on to any new box coming in the door. If we get a virus and it gets ugly. We do the same, wipe it and lay down our new image. It saves us so much time. I can do this in 45min vs letting a virus scanner run for an hour and a half.

4. I use a NAS drive. (Network Attached Storage). I have a family of 4 and about 9 computers of varying vintage along with other network attached devices like WII, PS3, printers etc. Something is going to fail some place. By having a Network attached storage (with my Data area) I am able to ensure all of my data is in one spot. This is a Mirrored drive. That way if one of my hard drive physically fails the other keeps everything intact.

[stayouttadabunker]

I have the Mark2 Animator Board up and running with a CON2i (eye)
via PSP V2.80 !!!!!!!

I gotta figure out how to take a little video with a slower shutter speed camera setting....

[cadillacpro]

Please share....PSP V2.80???? And what did you need the con2I for? progressive only? I have all this stuff on the way except the con2. Give me a head start

[stayouttadabunker]

The CON2i (eye) communicates from my computer
to the MK2 board then out to the displays via PSP V2.80...!
I couldn't not get my computer to "talk" to the MK2 -
just like a computer won't communicate to a CHAM without a CON1.
Not matter what I did with my serial cable configurations or
jumping wires or not - it would NOT talk to the MK2 - until today.

For some reason I decided to make a 6-pin harness from the J4 header to the Con21 (eye)
at the Super Controller's J5 6-pin header.
I plugged my straight (non-jumped) serial cable directly from
my computer's serial output to the Mikohn Super Controller's serial
interface on the back of the Super Controller.

The first thing I did was run the "display tests" and it worked!.
Then I programmed a couple of holiday messages into the Jackdo 1/2/3/and 4 files and
sent it to the Super Controller with the "F1" button!
I also programmed a "current jackpot" of $7,500.00 and THAT showed up also!

Now I gotta figure out a way to send machine outputs to the Super Controller via
a small solid state board-type relay...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ux5tjSaOUcs&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ux5tjSaOUcs&rel=0</a>

[cadillacpro]

Still looking in my stocking for some files.....Hint...Hint...

Glad you are making progress

[SAT (aka GANDHI)]

    Hilarious and true!!! 

"........... if you are reading this, it means things are going well in your life and you can somehow pay the internet cable bills !!!"

Excellent job there!!

Best regards

[idesign]

I also programmed a "current jackpot" of $7,500.00 and THAT showed up also!

Now I gotta figure out a way to send machine outputs to the Super Controller via
a small solid state board-type relay...

If you are using a CON2I why not just use the input connector provided?  The wiring for a harness to multiple machines in indicated in the manual.

[stayouttadabunker]

Thanks idesign,
I just haven't gotten into the manual yet...I hate manuals...LOL

[Ron (r273)]

Thanks idesign,
I just haven't gotten into the manual yet...I hate manuals...LOL

Yep that's what they say....everything else fails read the directions manual.

Ron (r273)

[jay]

Bunko - I believe you can use the Mikon Downloader program to put animation files onto your supreme directly from your computer.
In fact that I think is the only way to load the graphic files.

[stayouttadabunker]

Yes,
I agree with that...
However, prior to that step,
I have the option of drawing some up with the IBM Storyboard Plus program
which I acquired an ebay a couple of months ago.
It's a rather ancient program and
I think I'll have more fun with the "Illustrator" program instead.
 I may be able to change the display size fairly easily using the Supercontroller.
There's actually tons to learn before I do any Mikohn Downloads though.

It took quite some time to figure out that the MK2 doesn't respond
to serial connections much in the way other logic boards don't - such as the CHAMs...
you had mentioned one time that you didn't understand why
the serial ports were installed on these boards -
as we cannot "talk" to them without CON1's or CON2's hooked up in between.

It was extremely difficult to get this MK2 up and running without a CON2i(eye) and
without being in contact anyone else having any real knowledge of the MK2 Animation Board.
That's why I played so much with the serial cable configurations.
It's a good thing I had other logic boards to confirm my fears that
there was nothing wrong with my computer outputs via serial COM 1.