# Output Port Tester

This window lets you test the physical output port wiring on your Pinscape unit.

The list shows each output port and its GPIO pin on the KL25Z, if applicable. For outputs assigned to external chips, such as TLC5940 or 74HC595 chips, the pin number of the output on the external chip is shown instead.

If you need a reminder of the location of the KL25Z pin for an output, move the mouse over the output entry in the list. This will highlight the pin on the KL25Z diagram. Alternatively, moving the mouse over a pin on the KL25Z diagram will show the pin name.

Ports can be either PWM-capable or Digital. PWM outputs can be set to a range of brightness/intensity levels, while Digital outputs can only be turned ON and OFF. The type of each port depends on the physical output hardware and your selections on the Settings page. All KL25Z GPIO pins can be used as Digital outputs, while only a subset of GPIO pins are PWM-capable, because the KL25Z hardware only provides the necessary internal wiring for PWM on certain pins. The Settings page lets you assign the mode (PWM or Digital) for each pin, and only lets you select PWM for pins that have the necessary internal wiring. TLC5940 ports are always PWM, and 74HC595 ports are always digital.

For PWM ports, the output list will show a "slider" control that lets you set a brightness level for the port, from 0 to 255. 0 is OFF and 255 is 100% brightness.

For Digital ports, the list shows simply an ON/OFF button. Click the button to toggle the output status.

## Night Mode

The Night Mode button lets you turn night mode on and off. This lets you test that the right outputs are marked as "noisy" in the port setup and that night mode disables them properly when engaged. When night mode is engaged, all ports marked "noisy" in the setup are disabled, so those physical outputs will stay off even if you turn them on or turn their brightness up in the list. Note that the software on/off and brightness settings for "noisy" ports aren't affected; the ports are simply cut off at the physical output pins. So you can still adjust the software on/off and brightness settings for noisy ports while night mode is engaged, and those settings will be applied to the physical ports as soon as you disengage night mode.

## Troubleshooting Visual Pinball, DOF, and other software

This tester can be helpful if you're having problems getting your output devices to work with your pinball player software.

The output tester communicates with the KL25Z directly via USB. It doesn't depend on any other shared software that you might need for other programs, such as DOF, LEDWIZ.DLL, etc. By bypasseing all of those other software layers, the tester lets you narrow down where a problem is coming from, which will let you focus your attention on the right area rather than shooting in the dark.

If the outputs work properly here, it confirms that your physical wiring is working properly, that the KL25Z is configured correctly, and that the KL25Z USB connection is working. That rules out problems with your Pinscape hardware setup, so any problems with other software must lie in the other software. If you're using Visual Pinball, the place to start looking is usually DOF (DirectOutput Framework): that has its own configuration that you have to set up to match your Pinscape port setup.

If the outputs aren't working in the output tester, there's probably something wrong with the physical wiring or with the Pinscape firmware configuration. The first step is to verify that the outputs are configured correctly in the Settings page: make sure that the physical wiring matches the pin assignments, and that there aren't any error or warning icons displayed next to pin assignments anywhere on the Settings page. The tool does lots of error checking to help ensure the setup is correct. It checks that you haven't assigned the same pin to multiple functions, and that each pin is capable of performing its assigned function. If everything looks right in the settings, the next place to look is the physical wiring. Start by verifying that the wiring is what you intended: that the right things are connected to the right pins, power supplies, etc. If everything matches your plans, a good next step is to get out a voltmeter and check continuity through each circuit, to make sure there aren't any loose wires, broken wires, or bad solder connections.