The RFM-LED Kit adds a set of animated LEDs to the miniature saucers on your Revenge from Mars
pinball machine. The RFM-LED board can independently control each of the eight LEDs on both saucers.
Animated GIF Samples
Sample pattern #1
Sample pattern #2
Sample pattern #3
Sample pattern #4
Sample pattern #5
Sample pattern #6
Sample pattern #7
Sample pattern #8
Sample pattern #9
There are actually a couple dozen more patterns included with the kit ... however,
most of these do not compress easily enough to make animated GIF samples. For
similar reasons, I decided to just do a close-up image of the one saucer. Although
it is not shown here ... to add some variety, some of the patterns run identically
on both saucers, others run mirrored patterns, and a few run independent patterns
on each saucer.
The RFM-LED Kit is very easy to install. The custom-made board is designed to fit in the spare PCI
slot in your game's CPU box. The board draws its power from a spare hard drive power plug, not off
the motherboard.
New RFM-LED Prototype Board (PCI)
(Click to enlarge)
The board also tracks the general playfield illumination, and turns off the saucers when the rest
of the playfield is dark. This means the saucers will be OFF during modes like the "Hypno Beam".
This was the most popular feature being asked for during the initial design.
In addition, the board tracks the center-ramp flasher, so the saucers will respond at the end of most
modes, just before you deliver the final shot (ie: "Finish him!!") The AFM board had a similar feature
when you made hits on the main saucer. The center ramp flasher is the only signal that behaves in a
reasonably consistent manner.
The saucers will plug into the outer side of the metal bracket, via two phone plugs. The cords leading
to the saucers feed through existing holes underneath the slingshots. Once fully installed, they are
virtually undetectable.
The rest of the signals will be transmitted via two molex-type plugs that go into the Power Driver Board,
located beneath the playfield (under the black plastic lid). Installation of the kit will require NO
SOLDERING. The specific plugs are J107 and J110 ... both should be currently unused on "Revenge from
Mars". I am told they are also unused on "Star Wars:Episode 1".
Revenge from Mars Power Driver Board
(Click to enlarge)
There are fewer saucers supported on this board, but there are now more expansion ports. Should someone
(not necessarily me) decide to create a backbox toy, then we will still have the option to piggy-back onto
the existing board circuitry. This board design can control up to 48 more individual LEDs.
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