FS interest check: Versus Billboard Commander Kits

[twistedsymphony]

As some of you know I've done a bunch of work to figure out the protocol for the Sega Versus Billboard system: VS Billboard Output from Sega ST-V/Model 2/Model 3/NAOMI

which has resulted in me developing a piece of hardware to allow custom control over the billboard which I called the Billboard Commander: Sega Versus Billboard Commander


For those unfamiliar the billboard commander runs on a Raspberry Pi, and connects to the billboard module in a Sega Versus City, New Versus City, or the optional billboard for Blast City and the Megalo 410 you can connect to it via wi-fi on a Smartphone or PC and issue commands as well as develop your own "attract mode" sequences (animations, text scrolls etc).


I still have more features I'd like to add but once I'm done I'm curious if anyone out there is interested in buying a kit, it would be a Pi with a pre-configured SD card and a harness to hook it up to your cabinet and maybe a small enclosure as well. This would allow anyone who owns a billboard equipped cabinet to simply plug it in then load up the interface on their cell to start using it.


No matter what all of the source info will be open sourced I'm just wondering if there is enough interest in a kit for me to put some together and offer them for sale.

 

[PascalP]

Very cool man, would buy if I would own one of the cabs it works with!

 

[brad808]

What type of price range are you expecting kits to come at?

 

[twistedsymphony]

A lot of it would depend on how cheaply I can get the Pi the SD cards and connectors. I'd like to shoot for <$60

 

[TexasGamersLounge]

I would be interested. Atleast need 3 or 4 of these kits for my versus cabs.

Thanks man
Imran

 

[twistedsymphony]

I would be interested. Atleast need 3 or 4 of these kits for my versus cabs.

I've got a bunch of projects I need to wrap up before I revisit this one, but I'll keep you posted when I do.

 

[rewrite]

Count me in.

 

[twistedsymphony]

Count me in.

Do you have a billboard setup?

 

[rewrite]

Count me in.

Do you have a billboard setup?

Not yet. The Megalo will be a thing here shortly I hope. And then I know a guy with the VS guts and marquee for a Megalo just sitting in a box... Hoping to snatch that up.

 

[Kabal2X]

Maybe it's an stupid question but... Would we need two of your kits, one for each "side" of a Versus City?

I would consider buying the SD and necessary harness. RPi is pretty easy to buy locally

 

[twistedsymphony]

you'd only need a single pi for both sides of a versus city.

 

[Legend]

I'm in for one try it out.

 

[pzlate]

If this ever gets worked on again I just got my two blasts setup with VS marquees, so I'd be in for a set

 

[twistedsymphony]

If this ever gets worked on again I just got my two blasts setup with VS marquees, so I'd be in for a set

It's unlikely I'll ever produce these. Raspberry Pi prices are through the roof due to the chip shortage and I've got no free time these days (even had to close up my 3D printing shop).

However the source code is on github and nothing stopping anyone from buying a pi, putting the code on it, and running it.

 

[mmmmaerk]

Sorry if this isn't the place to ask, but how would I connect the Pi to the billboard? Would I have to sacrifice my original Versus data input and solder wires from the Pi's GPIO connection?

 

[twistedsymphony]

Sorry if this isn't the place to ask, but how would I connect the Pi to the billboard? Would I have to sacrifice my original Versus data input and solder wires from the Pi's GPIO connection?

you don't have to solder anything, you would build a harness to connect the PI's GPIO pins to the Billboard input in your cab, the pin configuration is defined in the software.