Could it be done. What u think ?

[Caveoftreasures]

Could it be done with a current Stern machine.

I had an idea of somehow hooking up a Stern Pinball (2012 and 2013 board sets) to my Home surround sound system.
I know it would have to be done via a optical cable that would go into the LG surround sound systems many inputs.

Imagine having in your gamesroom the pinball audio connecting to HD Audio surround system.

Does anyone who is familiar with electronics n the Stern current boards know if a board could be made or a add on to the Stern audio output to make it work.
It could be done with std red,yellow n red audio cables as well as most surround sound systems have inputs for optical cable or three way old school RCA cables.

Anyone ever looked at this or have a idea for a way to make it work. Could be a Homepin idea that might make decent coin cause I think a lot of pin heads would connect up their pins to surround sound if they could. The idea could be adapted to Sterns or any earlier DMD brands. Would you want your XYZ pinball machine or machines hooked up to surround sound ?

Any ideas or advice, comments please. 

[swinks]

must be fairly simple as they are hooking up large external speakers / subs and placing them under the pins for extra sound

[Replay]

A mate has extended the wires from cab speaker into an active subwoofer, not surround but PLENTY of bass

[Marty Machine]

I'm not sure just how "stereo" the new pins are with their music/speech/effects sounds, but at best case it's just 2 channel stereo.
Most earlier machines are simply "dual-mono" fed into 2 speakers on the headbox to look like it's stereo....marketing trick.

For full surround effect you'd need 4 (well, 5) individual audio channels within the pinny to bring them out externally.

While modern pins have multiple audio tracks within them, they're digitally mixed converted as a mono/stereo output to the speakers, so there's no real way to get to the individual soundtracks.


I made an addon mp3 FX board for a pinny long ago, and since then was asked to make it into a surround system which was easy to do as all the sounds/synthesis were increased by adding more chips for the extra channels.

MM

[millsy]

Off the subject a little bit - But wasn,t pinball 2000 stereo 

[Caveoftreasures]

I'm not sure just how "stereo" the new pins are with their music/speech/effects sounds, but at best case it's just 2 channel stereo.
Most earlier machines are simply "dual-mono" fed into 2 speakers on the headbox to look like it's stereo....marketing trick.

For full surround effect you'd need 4 (well, 5) individual audio channels within the pinny to bring them out externally.

While modern pins have multiple audio tracks within them, they're digitally mixed converted as a mono/stereo output to the speakers, so there's no real way to get to the individual soundtracks.


I made an addon mp3 FX board for a pinny long ago, and since then was asked to make it into a surround system which was easy to do as all the sounds/synthesis were increased by adding more chips for the extra channels.

MM

thankyou for the great response. I will do some further investigating and will write Stern technical a question for any hints on how to achive my desire if they have a quick way or some detailed how to do instructions.

Even if it wasn't full stereo, having it loud in a room coming out of 5 or 6 speakers n being "surrounded" by the pinball machines audio coming to your ears from all directions (espescially behind you would be very cool n would instantly tickle the happy ear sensors of the brain if u know what I mean).

Because we are so used to the noise coming at us from in front only, speakers behind turned up loud might be very cool to the ears.....thanks for your information.

[Marty Machine]

Adding small amplifier kits (from Jaycar or similar) would be no problem at all, offering a duplication of the existing speaker(s) to become 'rear' speakers in a pseudo-surround environment.

Although, the same effect can be achieved by turning the machine up LOUD to fill the room without any need for adding amplifiers.

MM

[Retropin]

Even if it wasn't full stereo, having it loud in a room coming out of 5 or 6 speakers n being "surrounded" by the pinball machines audio coming to your ears from all directions (espescially behind you would be very cool n would instantly tickle the happy ear sensors of the brain if u know what I mean).


Attach to FISHTALES and you have my worst nightmare

[Marty Machine]

Even if it wasn't full stereo, having it loud in a room coming out of 5 or 6 speakers n being "surrounded" by the pinball machines audio coming to your ears from all directions (espescially behind you would be very cool n would instantly tickle the happy ear sensors of the brain if u know what I mean).


Attach to FISHTALES and you have my worst nightmare

Yep, some machines sounds you just don't want to FILL the room :-)


Another issue to be addressed is when you have a large collection of machines, you'd need the multi-channel audio from each machine to either be connected to a switching box so you can assign a certain pin to the surround speakers, OR, feed all machines into a large external mixer (5 channels x 10 machines is a 50channel mixer, or multiple mixers.....messy).