Hey Dan
I don't know if the LCD will fit Tommy for one thing so you may have to go the LED route for that particular game.
Not exactly sure though.

Personally We like the LCD version whenever it is available. We have the LCD version in Tommy and really like it. The ability to change the style of the animations is a plus, which you can only do with the LCD version. Also with the LED style there are options other than color DMD. But I think the LCD advantage of color is really a nice option so I get color DMD wherever available as long as it's the LCD flavor.

I prefer LCD in hi-res. I have the LED on CV and it looks great but I do see bleeding. I don't think I would like LED on other games as much. I'd have to try it. So far, LCD is my pick if it fits.

Modified my Jurassic park there is a thread on Pinside to complete the task and was not difficult ! I went with an LED panel on tales from the crypt ... I prefer the LCD however no disappoints with either!
Just waiting for the colourization to be completed ! It will come one day !
Randy and the crew of ColorDmd are very helpful!
It

image (resized).jpeg

image (resized).jpeg

Wow, I'm shocked at all the slightly negative remarks towards the LED ColorDMD. I have 5 LCD ColorDMD's and really do like them ( especially the dots XL mode ). But when I was at expo last week and saw the LED version in Star Wars and Terminator 3 I was blown away with how vivid and bright it looked. I bought an LED version with the intention on putting it in my Ghostbusters but I think I might play musical ColorDMD and see which game it looks best in once they come out with all the support for all games. Bottom line I'm just saying I think the LED version is much better than people are making it seem. But than again that's just my opinion

LCD is great but the LED look is really brilliant. It feels more like a real DMD but in full color. I only have one in CV, as I had no choice with that one - but I really want to see how more games look with the LED. I only use Dots XL on LCD, so not having the smear options doesn't matter for me.

I haven't noticed anything like that on CV. There are some flaws in the colorizing rom where it's a few frames late with the color here and there but it seems like a programming issue and not a hardware problem.

I think the LED version is much better. This is coming from someone who uses the LCD model in regular dots mode, I don't care for the funny smoothing modes. I have yet to colorize a TSPP and NGG but it's going to be LED or nothing, so do hurry with the ROM updates. And hurry with JP, too!

LCD is much better because of Tile mode... which is not funny or smooth... it's square

On the LCD colordmd the different styles are really cool. and every game should be viewed in each style to see which one is best. We have over 35 of the colorDMDs at the Ann Arbor pinball museum, and there isn't one style we use over another. Each game is micro-managed to see which produces the best LCD style.

But to clarify, if the colorDMD LCD is available for a game, that's really the way we like to go. The LED DMDs (regardless of who makes them) we just personally don't like as much. But this may be a "vanilla versus chocolate" type argument. That is, there are fans of both LCD and LED, and neither is "right".

As far as installation of the LCD panel in dataeast games, yes it is a bit more involved. You have to grind the back top edge of where the DMD panel originally mounted to make the LCD panel fit. Also you have to open the back box in a specific order with the LCD panel installed. That is, remove backglass. Fold down DMD panel. Then open the insert light panel. The light panel goes behind the taller LCD panel and you can't open it (to get to the boards) without removing the DMD panel first. This isn't a big deal to me personally, but i could see how some people might complain about that.

Here is a pic of the Tommy with the colorDMD LCD installed.

tommy (resized).jpg

Bit of a troll post but I think some people are voting pro-lcd because that is what they have in their machines (all that was available till now). There's always a little hate whenever there is a new kid on the block! I must say that the LED looked absolutely stunning at EXPO.

Having seen the LED at Expo as well as having the LCD in my Roadshow, I would purchase another LCD as I think the LED are just too bright...

would you mind sharing the name of the alt. color company in Michigan?

I have the LED in my T3 and LCD in my MET Pro, the games are one game apart. After I play T3 I'll switch to MET and while MET has more detail the colors look washed out compared to T3, it doesn't bother me it's just the nature of the beast. I'd REALLY like to see Color DMD come out with an HD version, 4 times the res. for the LCD but don't think they can do that. They both have their good and not so good points. Just like everything in life there are trade offs. I have the LCD in my ST Pro and am waiting for the rom to be announced for it.

I currently have an LCD in Tron and my Dad's Spider-Man. It is a great upgrade, and however I Really like tiles on Tron, it is hard to see that the DMD is even on when standing away from the lineup.

I am fully interested in the LED version. The added brightness will help it keep up with the other DMDs in the lineup. Plus, Tron is already super bright, and I'm guessing the LED will better match what's going on in the game.

As soon as Tron support drops for the LED, I'll be dropping the cash to get it.

There are brightness and contrast controls on the LED ColorDMD, just as on the LCD ColorDMD.

I'm about to colorize my tspp and I have the same question as most above. I'm looking for the brightest color.
But I guess it's a moot point at the moment cause there aren't any stock atm. Any news on the restock?

LCD vs. LED is totally your preference, just like choosing LEDs for your machine.

I may have missed this, but are they compatible with SPIKE yet? I do not see it as a option when ordering, only see WPC/95 or SAM/Whitestar? I'd really like an LED one in my new GB coming soon. Thanks in advance.

The LED has a nice viewing angle and looks as sharp from the side as it does head on, whereas LCD gets duller as your viewing angle increases. Doesn't impact the player as much but when watching someone play the LED is nice. I never plan on using anything but dots so the LED is my preferred display but can see why others prefer the LCD as with all the customization.

I have seen the ColorDMD LCDs and they do some wonderful things with the animations on a pin, but to me the physical attributes of the LCD panel does not resemble a 25 year old pinball machine part. The ColorDMD LED looks like the old part with magical colors added.
If you are not concerned about adding 'new' technologies to an old pin, then that would be a big 'don't care'.

There are of course the other reasons I like ColorDMD LEDs that have been discussed like fit, brightness, and viewing angle that add into my LED bias.

I do fully support putting modern LCD panels in newly designed pins. JJP rocks!

Just my personal view, just talking up the ColorDMD LEDs to replace gas displays.

So this might be interesting maybe...

I too saw the LED at Pinball Expo and when available i plan to swap the two LCD colordmd's that i have in monster bash and star trek:TNG over to LED. I love the LCD in dots mode the other modes are not that great in my view so when i saw the LED with the dots it was a no brainier for me - it looks epic!!!

Also have to add that the colordmd customer service is fantastic and i had a great discussion with (randy?) on the stand. I'll also be putting in an LED one into my ghostbusters then living of bread and water for a few months )

Neil.

How do they compare as far as power consumption?

What is best for TSPP? Any in stock?

I would highly recommend LCD for TSPP, because it looks incredible, and the brightness can be maxed out in the menu settings, so brightness is not really an issue. Like Randy said, the smoothing modes are popular for cartoon-like animation.

LEDs are available now though titles won't be listed in the shop until firmware has been ported. LCDs should be back in stock within the next week or two.

Besides the fact that the LED displays have richer colors than the LCD, the graphics were designed for a DMD, and the LED displays have the exact same dot configuration. In most cases LED is the way to go, unless you prefer one of the special rendering modes.

Most DMDs have plexi installed in front, pretty easy to swap in another color to dim it a bit.

Buy a Pin2dmd LED and do the colorization yourself. Save a couple hundred.

You make it sound like colorization is something simple you do in just a few minutes. My time is worth money and there is NO WAY that I could colorize a game to the quality of one of the ColorDMD titles in less than 40 hours (and likely far more time). So, pay myself $5 an hour to save a couple of hundred or just buy one and enjoy my game the time I would have spent colorizing it? Pretty simple equation to me.

I totally agree as far as spending the time to color the images. Its just an option to consider. It's more for someone who likes to tinker. Eventually there will be many titles colored for Pin2dmd but right now there isn't.

My opinion about colorDMD is: buy the LCD. It's a little annoying because the size of the LCD doesn't fit nicely all the time, but the dot size options and high res options are really sweet.

Learn from my experience! Don't discount the commercial products.

...A note of warning: If you're considering coloring a game yourself as a way to save money over purchasing a ColorDMD version, think twice. It is seriously time consuming. I'm well over 100 man-hours into the colorization process and this does not count the hardware portion. ...

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/spider-man-ve-smve-smartdmd-colorization#post-3226641

When Walking Dead is available will it only be LED or will you be able to use the LCD's as well?
I'd like to get ahead of the game and have the display in my game when the ROM is available.

Games going forward are going to be available for both displays. Since TWD is a standard stern ''new" backbox either would work. *BUT* you should not buy a display based on future hoped for support. It may come, it may not. Buy a display for what it can do now.

^What he said.

Think I might go for LED on my Doctor Who so I can still use the doctors lamp board.

On the LCD yes as the top of screen blocks the door from opening ! It's a minor issue that you get used to!

Every head style is different, but in general the WMS and Stern heads are fine with the LCD screen. Gavin just put an LCD in his new GNR at expo and found a mounting position where it would clear the door just barely, but he had to reverse the channel at the bottom of the speaker panel so the taller part was in front -- not sure if it varies game to game for DE with wood speaker panels or not.

The smoothing modes look like garbage. You're all monsters with poor taste. It's dot art, keep it as dot art. Color looks fantastic, but those chunky looking smoothing modes or square dots are awful.

I would love if the LED display supported the same set of color ROMs that the LCD displays have. That would be fantastic.

It's in the works! According to the last email newsletter from ColorDMD, ROMS will hopefully be available by mid November. My Spiderman has a LED display installed just waiting for the code.

Spider-Man looks AMAZING with a ColorDMD. With LED, it should be pretty incredible.

The beauty of the current set of options from color Dmd is Just that: options.

Some people prefer one look, others a different one. But nobody in this scenario is a monster.

If you cannot find any other modes for any of the games you own other than just dots to be pleasing to your liking, you are either too old to learn to appreciate it or got your head in the dirt.

I mean, come on, look at the HiRes TSPP video that Razorbak86 linked to, how the hell can you not like that? It is like watching the Simpsons cartoon.