Oak Micros

Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

© Copyright Oak Micros, 2019-2021. All Rights Reserved.

All trademarks and copyrights referred to are the property of their respective owners.

Disclaimer
All information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. The products described
in this document are NOT intended for use in applications such as implantation, life support, or other
hazardous uses where malfunction could result in death, bodily injury, or catastrophic property
damage. Nothing in this document shall operate as an express or implied license or indemnity under the
intellectual property rights of Oak Micros or third parties.
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS.
Oak Micros does not warrant merchantability for any purpose and shall not be liable for any direct,
indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages of any kind, however incurred,
through the use of our products.

Document History
Version 1.0 August 7, 2019 Initial version for 1906 series boards
Version 1.1 September 17, 2019 Updated section on plunger to make it clearer
Version 1.2 October 29, 2019 Updated with improved 1909 series boards
Version 1.3 March 20, 2020 Updated with improved 1912 series boards
Version 1.4 July 10, 2020 Improved and clarified some the descriptions
Version 1.5 August 28, 2020 Improved explanation for power requirements
Version 1.6 October 26, 2020 Updated section on TV remote control
Version 1.7 November 26, 2020 Updated with improved 2010 series boards
Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Fixed problem in TV remote control section

Acknowledgements
Mike J Roberts for the design and implementation of the open source Pinscape V2 hardware and
software.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 2 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

Contents
1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 4
2 Oak Micros Products ....................................................................................................................... 5
3 Getting started with the Pinscape AIO ............................................................................................ 6
4 Contents of Shipped Package .......................................................................................................... 8
5 Board connections............................................................................................................................ 9
5.1 Powering the Pinscape AIO .............................................................................................................. 11
5.2 Button Input connections .................................................................................................................. 15
5.3 Analog Plunger ................................................................................................................................... 16
5.4 Small/Opto LED outputs ................................................................................................................... 18
5.5 RGB LED Flasher Outputs ............................................................................................................... 19
5.6 Power outputs ..................................................................................................................................... 20
5.7 Timed power outputs ......................................................................................................................... 21
5.8 TV remote control .............................................................................................................................. 22
6 References and Support ................................................................................................................. 23

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 3 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

1 Introduction
This user guide describes the Pinscape V2 All-in-One (AIO) board created by Oak Micros, which is
based on the open source design from Mark J. Roberts (MJR).
The Pinscape AIO has the following features:
• Total of 128 pluggable screw connectors for power, inputs and outputs to circuit board
• power indicator LEDs
• 24 input buttons for everything from flipper buttons to a tilt bob
• Integrated plunger support and calibration
• Nudge support using an accelerometer
• TV and monitor remote control using IR or power on using a relay
• 16 current limited LED outputs for 5V LED lamps as used in lighted buttons such as “start” and
“launch ball”. One nice use is for RGB clear flipper and optionally magnasave buttons. This
makes a table even more realistic by showing the correctly colored buttons. The PWM feature
allows for a wide range of colors by altering the hue of the red, green, and blue LEDs.
• 16 power LED outputs (up to 1.5A) which can be used for up to 5 RGB LED flashers plus one
left over for strobe or other high power LED.
• 32 MOSFET power outputs for driving higher powered devices such as contractors, solenoids,
motors, and fans.
• 9 MOSFET power outputs with hardware-based timers for driving noise-maker solenoids such
as a knocker, chimes, or real pinball solenoids that may cause issues if driven continuously
(either deliberately or via a software failure).

The Pinscape AIO also addresses some of the shortcomings of the Pinscape V2 expansion boards by
providing:
• A single, integrated board with all the Pinscape V2 function
• Improved and more flexible connectors than crimping 0.1 headers
• A ready-built tested and supported product that eliminates the effort and headaches of DIY

Note that the Pinscape AIO does not support addressable RGB LED strips. The Oak Micros Pinball
Addressable LED (PAL) board, which uses the Teensy 3.2, provides support for up to 8 addressable
RGB LED strips.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 4 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

2 Oak Micros Products

Oak Micros started in 2005 producing microcontroller circuit boards for electronics enthusiasts.
The name comes from the subdivision where Oak Micros is based but it also refers to the robust
and strong nature of Oak Micros’ products. Oak Micros products are known for their “plug and
play” capability. Everything is provided so all you need to do is plug and wire it into your cabinet,
configure the software, and play pinball. All products are fully tested before shipping.

Anyone who has built their own Pinscape expansion boards can attest to the long time it takes to
both gather all the components and do the manual soldering. The Pinscape AIO is built using mass-
production techniques common to the electronics industry i.e. surface mount components with
automated component placement and soldering. This ensures a quality, consistent error-free board.
However, this is expensive for low volumes and the cost was reduced by combining the three
expansion boards (main, power, chime) into one.

Oak Micros started producing the Pinscape AIO in August 2019 to provide an alternative to
building your own Pinscape expansion boards. The Pinscape AIO provides the gold-standard
Pinscape solution for cab builders that does justice to the superb Pinscape software and is shipped
from stock within one business day.

Oak Micros now offers a full range of electronics products for your virtual pinball cabinet:

• Pinscape AIO board provides all of the Pinscape functionality one integrated board. It
includes nudge, plunger support, 24 buttons, and 73 outputs for different types of devices.

• Pinscape Lite board is the smaller sister to the AIO. It includes nudge, plunger support, 24
buttons, and 28 outputs for different types of devices.

• Plunger kit that provides an integrated Pinscape potentiometer plunger solution that
includes a mounting frame, screws, and a softer spring. All you need to add is a real Pinball
plunger.

• Fuse and resistor board that supports either 16 fuses or 15 resistors for RGB flashers and
1 fuse. Fuses are essential for motor and solenoid outputs to prevent reduce to the Pinscape
board, the device in the event of some failure such as short or motor stall.

• Rotary encoder board that provides 3 button inputs to the Pinscape board for left rotation,
right rotation, or button press. The most common usage is as a rotary volume control.

• Flipper/Magnasave RGB LED boards to provide colored buttons that match the original
cabinet. Clear 1 3/8” buttons are also available that can be used with mounted leaf switches.

• Pinball Addressable LEDs board (PAL) that provides integrated, tested Teensy-based
board for addressable LEDs.

For more information, see https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=43173.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 5 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

3 Getting started with the Pinscape AIO

Out of the box, the Pinscape AIO comes with the Pinscape software already installed on the KL25Z
and configured with a default configuration.
Here is an outline of some steps to get started with the Pinscape AIO:
1. Verify the contents of the package to ensure you have received
everything. Chapter 4 describes the contents.
2. Find a convenient place to install the Pinscape AIO in your cab using
the PCB standoffs. The mounting holes on the Pinscape AIO are at 6.5”
centers. Most people install the Pinscape controller in the front of the
cabinet near the majority of the inputs and outputs.
3. Download the Pinscape configurator tool
(mjrnet.org/pinscape/downloads/PinscapeConfigTool.zip) and unpack
the zip file into a suitable directory.
4. Plug in a USB cable from the PC to the Pinscape AIO using the USB port as shown in the
picture. The default 20" (50cm) USB cable that comes with the KL25Z may not be long
enough.
5. Execute the Pinscape config tool (“PinscapeConfigTool.exe”). The Pinscape V2 AIO comes
already configured with the correct board defaults which includes a total of 73 outputs. You
may only need to setup the plunger configuration and the TV remote control if needed. Other
options to configure may include night mode, buttons, and outputs for your cab. It is still
worthwhile going through each of the setup screens to familiarize yourself with what is
configured and what you may need to change. Below is the correct board configuration using
the Pinscape All-in-One with 0 MOSFET power boards and 0 chime boards as everything is
built-in.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 6 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

6. Wire up the Pinscape AIO board using the connector illustrations in chapter 5. You may want
to just start with the logic 5V power and input buttons before moving onto other types of
functionality such as TV control, plunger, and outputs. You can use the input tester in the
Pinscape config tool to verify things.
7. Install and configure the direct output framework (DOF) to manage your output “toys”. MJR’s
version of the software is recommended and can be found here: http://mjrnet.org/pinscape/dll-
updates.html).
8. Make sure you connect the two other power supply inputs (POWER 5V and POWER 12) which
are needed to ensure that all of the outputs function correctly. In addition, the grounds should be
commoned to ensure they work off the same voltage reference point.
9. Incrementally wire in other kinds of outputs. You can use the output tester in the Pinscape
config tool to verify that things work correctly.
10. Use the online DOF configurator and download the configuration file to your PC to test the
various outputs with a real table. Here is the correct DOF selection for the Pinscape AIO board:

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 7 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

4 Contents of Shipped Package

The following items are part of the shipped package:
• Pinscape V2 All-in-One board with unique serial number
• 16 pluggable screw sockets
• PCB standoffs with associated screws. Board mounting holes are on 6.5” centers.
• 2 TSAL6400 IR LEDs (see section 5.8)
• 1 TSOP38238 IR receiver (see section 5.8)
• Original KL25Z box (the box is sometimes not included to reduce weight for shipping)
• Short USB cable (original cable that comes with the KL25Z)

The picture below shows the additional items that are provided with the Pinscape AIO board. All of
these components are packaged inside the KL25Z box and shipped with the Pinscape AIO board.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 8 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5 Board connections
The picture below shows an overview of the connections into the Pinscape AIO board. The silkscreen
on the board itself also helps. The following sections show the details for each type of connection.

The two 10-pin expansion connectors follow the Pinscape V2 standard and can be used to add more
MOSFET power outputs (“Power” board) or timed power outputs (“Chime” board). Most people will
not need to do this as there is plenty of capacity on the Pinscape AIO.
The Pinscape All-in-One has integrated all of the functions of the three original Pinscape expansion
boards (main, power, and chime) into a single board. Here is a summary of the types of device outputs
and where best to connect them.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 9 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

Output Device Where to connect Section Fused

Beacon (rotating police light) Power output 5.6 No
Bell (one-shot type) Timed power output 5.7 Yes
Bell (reciprocating type) Power output 5.6 Yes
Bumper contactors/solenoids Power output 5.6 Yes
Button lamps (front panel) Small/Opto LED output or Power output 5.4 or 5.6 No
Chimes Timed power output 5.7 Yes
Fan (backbox topper) Power output 5.6 Yes
Flasher LEDs RGB LED Flasher output 5.5 No
Flipper button LEDs Small/Opto LED output 5.4 No
Flipper contactors/solenoids Power output 5.6 Yes
Gear motor Power output 5.6 Yes
Pinball bumper assemblies Timed power output 5.7 Yes
Pinball slingshot assemblies Timed power output 5.7 Yes
Replay knocker Timed power output (“Knocker”) 5.7 Yes
Shaker motor Power output 5.6 Yes
Slingshot contactors/solenoids Power output 5.6 Yes
Strobes RGB LED Flasher output 5.5 No
Undercab LED strips Power output 5.6 No
Addressable LED light strips Use Oak Micros PAL board N/A No
The last column in the table indicates if a fuse is recommended for a given type of output. The Oak
Micro fuse board with 16 fuse positions is recommended to provide an easy to use solution to hold
fuses and provide pluggable screw connections for wiring.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 10 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.1 Powering the Pinscape AIO

The Pinscape AIO needs up to four different power sources as summarized in the table below. These
separate power sources provide isolation between the sensitive control circuitry and the outputs for
devices.
Power Source Needed for Noisy/Quiet
USB Cable KL25Z including nudge, button inputs, and some plunger devices Quiet
5V Logic Logic circuitry, small/opto LED outputs, and some plunger Quiet
devices that require a 5V source of power
5V Power TV relay, IR LEDs, and RGB LED flasher outputs Noisy
12V Power Power outputs and timed power (chime) outputs Noisy
The first line in the table indicates that it is only necessary to connect the USB cable if all you need is
button inputs. This works if the common ground of the buttons is connected back into the Pinscape
AIO using the convenience common ground connection next to button 1 input (see section 5.2).
The last column in the table indicates whether this power source can be derived from the same power
supply used in the cabinet PC. Noisy indicates that these outputs may generate noise in the PC audio
output and a different power supply should be used. Quiet indicates that either the PC power supply or
a separate power supply can be used.

5.1.1 Powering devices

The voltage used to drive the various device outputs is not limited to the Pinscape AIO power sources
used to drive those outputs. It is important to understand that all device outputs are connected as “low-
side” drivers. This means that the Pinscape AIO output is connected to the negative (or low) side of the
device and the other “high” side of the device is connected to the appropriate voltage supply to drive
the device. Here is an example with a 24V contractor.

This means that the Pinscape AIO can support devices with a multitude of different voltage
requirements; you just need the appropriate power supply to connect to the high side of the device. The
diagram below shows the power connections for both a 24V contactor and a 50V knocker. A second
PC ATX power supply provides the 12V needed for the Pinscape AIO board.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 11 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

Some devices such as LEDs have defined low and high sides which in this case are termed the
“cathode” and the “anode”. The device must be connected the correct way around for it to work. Other
devices such as motors and solenoids do not have defined positive and negative connections. However
it is still important to know which way around to connect these devices as often you should place a
diode across the device to reduce voltage spikes. The diode should be placed so that the cathode is
connected to the high side and the anode is connected to the low side (same side as the Pinscape AIO
output). This is called “reverse-biasing” the diode. This diode should be placed as close as possible to
the device itself which is why reverse-biased diodes are not automatically built into the Pinscape AIO.
After determining the voltage sources needed for your devices, you also need to figure out the current
requirement. This is not always easy and the surge current for devices with coils such as solenoids,
motors, and contactors is often much greater than the steady-state condition. Some worse case
scenarios for example are that the startup current for an electric motor is often 5 times greater than its
operating current. It is best to have plenty of headroom in your power supplies.
Power supplies are often rated using their wattage output. The current is determined by dividing the
wattage by the supply voltage. For example a 300W 5V power supply can support up to 60 Amps of
current.
Here is an example tabulating the power requirements for a typical Pinball cabinet. Yours will probably
differ from this example.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 12 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

Device Voltage Operating current Maximum current

5 button lamps 5V 5x 20mA = 0.1A ~0.1A
4 Flipper LED boards 5V 4x 120mA = 0.5A ~0.5A
15 RGB flashers 5V 15 x 470mA = 7A ~10A
10 contactors 24V 10 x 350mA = 3.5A ~7A
2 beacons 12V 2 x 1A = 2A ~2A
2 flashers 12V 1A ~1A
Knocker 24V 8A ~8A
Shaker motor 12V 4A ~10A (non-continuous)
Fan motor 12V 3A ~12A (non-continuous)
Gear motor 12V 2A ~4A (non-continuous)
Undercab RGB LEDs 12V 60mA x 240 = 14.4A ~15A

5.1.2 Common ground

The ground (0V) for all DC power supplies should be commoned together to ensure that all the
voltages are derived from the same referenced base value of 0V.
As a direct result of using low-side drivers, the common ground is carrying current from all of the
powered devices, even if they are connected to different power supplies. In particular these grounds are
connected through the Pinscape AIO. There are two ground connections for the 12V power to the
Pinscape AIO so that the current can flow through two wires instead of one. The current flows from the
power supply through the devices, into the Pinscape AIO, and out of the ground connection back to the
power supply or common ground.

5.1.3 Requirements for powering Pinscape AIO

The table below shows the three power connections to the Pinscape AIO that need their own power
supplies. The minimum current is that needed by just the Pinscape AIO. The rating for a power supply
should also include the current needed for the output devices connected to that same voltage.
Power Source Needed for Noisy/Quiet Min Current
5V Logic Logic circuitry, small/opto LED outputs, and some Quiet 1A
plunger devices that require a 5V source of power
5V Power TV relay, IR LEDs, and RGB LED flasher outputs Noisy 0.5A
12V Power Power outputs and timed power (chime) outputs Noisy 1A
Using the previous example, all the devices connected to 12V could use up to 40A. This is a worse-
case instantaneous current requirement. The extra 1A needed by the Pinscape AIO itself hardly has any
impact on the choice of power supply. The flashers and RGB LEDs connected to the 5V power need
approximately 10A and a small 50W power supply is sufficient. This same power supply could also be
used for the 5V logic input rather than connecting to the PC PSU.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 13 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.1.4 Board power connections

The board connections for power are shown below.

Starting at the 6 o’clock position and working around clockwise, the power connections are as follows:
• Logic 5V and ground which is typically derived from the cabinet PC PSU. A separate power
supply can also be used.
• Power 5V and ground which is used for the RGB LED flashers. This supply could be a second
PC PSU or a separate 5V power supply.
• 12V and ground which is used for the MOSFET outputs. This supply could be a second PC
PSU or a separate 12V power supply. Note that two connectors are provided for this voltage
because one 18 AWG wire may not be thick enough to carry all of the simultaneous current
needed for the common ground.

There are green indicator LEDs for each power source to indicate when power has been applied.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 14 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.2 Button Input connections

Input connections are used for pushbuttons such as “Start Game”, “Launch Ball”, and of course
flippers. Each button is mapped to a keyboard keystroke by Pinscape. Note all buttons have a wire
connected to the corresponding input connection and the other wire is connected to ground. A common
ground connection is provided as a convenience feature. See below for the connection assignments.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 15 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.3 Analog Plunger

Pinscape supports several different sensors for determining the position of an analog plunger; the
simplest of which is a potentiometer. The connections for the analog plunger position are shown on the
right hand side of the picture below. Only a subset of these connections are needed depending on the
sensor you are using in your cab.

The table below indicates which of the seven connections to use for each type of plunger sensor:

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 16 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

Connection Potentiometer AEDR-8300 Encoder VL6180X Distance Sensor

5V N/A 5V on sensor board N/A

SDA N/A N/A SDA on sensor board
SCL N/A CH A on sensor board SCL on sensor board
CHA
CHB N/A CH B on sensor board N/A
WIPER Wiper of pot N/A Depends on sensor board:
INT • GPIO0/CE (Pololu)
• SHDN (Adafruit)
• IO0 (Sparkfun)

3.3V One end of pot 3.3V on sensor board Depends on sensor board:
• VIN (Pololu)
• VIN (Adafruit)
• VCC (Sparkfun)

GND Other end of pot GND on sensor board GND on sensor board
For more information on support for Pinscape plungers, see MJR’s Pinscape v2 build guide sections 91
to 93 - http://www.mjrnet.org/pinscape/BuildGuideV2/BuildGuide.php?sid=toc
Pinscape also supports a pushbutton and LED that can be used to calibrate the analog sensor. Connect
the button to the A and B connections and the LED to the + (anode) and - (cathode) connections as
shown on the previous picture. Note for board serial numbers up to 1912-123, the silkscreen on the
board is shown reversed for the LED anode and cathode.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 17 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.4 Small/Opto LED outputs

There are 16 small LED outputs each of which are current limited to 20mA. These outputs have PWM
capability and can be used to control LED brightness. Each output is connected to the cathode of the
LED. You can connect any small current LED to these outputs including the Oak Micros RGB flipper
boards. Although the ports are labelled 1R, 1G, 1B etc, the LEDs do not have to be RGB and can be
single LEDs. Connecting buttons with traditional 6.3V bulbs will not work.
The anode of the LED is typically connected to the appropriate positive voltage such as 5V, 12V, or up
to a maximum of 18V. The common anode connection is for convenience and provides the same 5V as
the “Logic” 5V power supply. Don’t use the common anode if your LEDs are not using 5V.
The connections for the small LEDs outputs are shown below where each screw terminal has a name
and a number corresponding to the default Pinscape output number used by the DOF framework.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 18 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.5 RGB LED Flasher Outputs

There are 16 flasher RGB LED flasher outputs. These outputs have PWM capability and can be used to
control LED brightness. Each output is connected to the cathode of the LED and can support up to
1.5A. These outputs can be used with other LEDs such as the Oak Micros RGB flipper boards. These
boards have builtin current limiting resistors but other kinds of LEDs may not.
The anode of the LED is connected to the appropriate positive voltage such as 5V, 12V, 24V, or up to a
maximum of 50V. The common anode connection is for convenience and provides the same 5V as the
“Power” 5V power supply. Don’t use the common anode if your devices are not using 5V.
All the LEDs should have a current limiting resistor (usually rated at several Watts). The connections
for the flasher RGB LEDs outputs are shown below where each screw terminal has a name and a
number corresponding to the default Pinscape output number used by the DOF framework.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 19 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.6 Power outputs

There are 32 power outputs that use MOSFETS. These outputs have PWM capability and can be used
to control motor speed or LED brightness.
Each output is connected to the “low-side” of the device and can support more than 8A continuously
(4A for 1906 series boards). The “high-side” of the device is connected to the appropriate positive
voltage such as 12V, 24V, or up to a maximum of 50V. The high-side can be daisy-chained back to the
power-supply. It is not recommended to use 12V from the cabinet PC as noise can be generated which
causes interference with audio.
Devices that have coils (solenoids, contractors, motors etc.) must have a reverse bias (aka flyback)
diode across the connections. Slow-blow fuses are also recommended.
The connections for the power outputs are shown below where each screw terminal has a name and a
number corresponding to the default Pinscape output number used by the DOF framework.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 20 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.7 Timed power outputs

There are 9 timed power outputs that use MOSFETS. These outputs can only be on or off. A hardware
timer is used to ensure that the output only on for 2 seconds. Turning off the output resets the timer.
Each output is connected to the “low-side” of the device and can support 8A continuously (4A for 1906
series boards). The “high-side” of the device is connected to the appropriate positive voltage such as
12V, 24V, or up to a maximum of 50V. The high-side can be daisy-chained back to the power-supply.
It is not recommended to use 12V from the cabinet PC as noise can be generated which causes
interference with audio.
Devices that have coils (solenoids, contractors, motors etc) must have a reverse bias (aka flyback)
diode across the connections. Slow-blow fuses are also recommended.
The connections for the timed power outputs are shown below where each screw terminal has a name
and a number corresponding to the default Pinscape output number used by the DOF framework.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 21 of 23

Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

5.8 TV remote control

The TV ON feature works by having the Pinscape software send a "Power On" command to the TV a
short time after the computer turns on. To physically send the command to the TV, there are two
possibilities:
• By wires soldered to the switch terminals of the ON button on the TV itself. These wires are
connected to a relay controlled by the Pinscape AIO. The Pinscape software pulses the relay
shortly after the computer turns on. The TV registers this as an ON button press.
• By IR remote control using IR LEDs connected to the Pinscape AIO, and positioning the LEDs
so that it points at the TV's remote control sensor. The Pinscape software can be programmed to
transmit the TV's remote control ON code at the proper time. A IR receiver that comes with the
Pinscape AIO can be used to receive and store the appropriate codes from a remote control.

The Pinscape software sends the ON command a few seconds after the computer starts up. The delay is
necessary because most TVs ignore commands for a few seconds after being plugged in. The exact
amount of time needed varies by TV, so the delay can be can be adjusted in the Pinscape software
configuration.
The connections for TV remote control are shown in the picture.
For direct connection to the switch terminals of the ON button, use
the relay connections labelled A and B for up to two TVs (called
TV #1 and TV #2).
For the IR approach you need to connect both the IR receiver and
the IR LEDs (transmitter).
The IR receiver (typically a TSOP38238 38 MHz receiver) must be
connected as shown. The IR output on the receiver is the leftmost
“leg” when looking at the “eye” of the receiver. The middle leg is
ground and the rightmost leg is connected to 3.3V.
Connect the two IR transmitter LEDs in series using the +ve
(anode) and -ve (cathode) connections on the Pinscape AIO board
to control up to two TVs by positioning each LED as close as
possible to the IR receiver on each TV. Connect two LEDs in series
as follows:
• Connect the +ve on the AIO board to the long leg on the
first LED using a wire
• Connect the short leg on the first IR LED to the long leg on
the second LED using a wire
• Connect the short leg on the second IR LED back to the –ve
connection on the AIO board using a wire
The wires can be soldered, crimped or connected via a connection
block to the IR LEDs. Note that the silkscreen on the board has the
IR LED connections for +ve (anode) and –ve (cathode) swapped.
For more details, see section 113. TV ON Switch in the MJR build
guide.
Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 22 of 23
Oak Micros Pinscape V2 All-in-One User Guide

6 References and Support

Support for the Pinscape AIO is provided by emailing oakmicros at austin dot rr dot com or by
appending to vpforums.org.
MJR as the originator of the Pinscape design and also answers all kinds of Pinscape questions on the
same forum.
The Pinscape V2 design is discussed in MJR’s Pinscape build guide v.2 which can be found here:
http://mjrnet.org/pinscape/BuildGuideV2/BuildGuide.php. Part 5 discusses using Pinscape at length
although the sections about getting electronic parts and building your own boards can of course be
skipped.

Version 1.8 January 18, 2021 Page 23 of 23