GGG Electric ICE 2 colors?

[bullrees]

I bought the buttons and the RGB diodes expecting to use red for one player and blue or green for the other. I had looked at these illuminated buttons many times on the GGG site and thought there looked great. They always seemed to be sold out so when I caught them in stock I ordered 12 for a 6  button each, two player control panel. (Also had to talk up the wife about why I had to spend the ~80 bucks "right now !!!" because this is what I really wanted)

No matter what color combination I try the colors seem to be.... well like Easter egg color. Not so much electric but maybe more ice.  No matter what power source I use the red just looks pink.

I have tried the 5v and ground from a couple computer PSU's and even just a 9 volt battery (understandably not recommended) but red is still pink and blue is Easter egg blue.

Good news is after I HAD TO HAVE them....My wife didn't complain when I told her I didn't like them.

Am I doing something wrong or did I just not understand what the final color would be?

[DaveMMR]

What program are you using to light them?  Although I am using the original buttons, my reds do look fairly red (i.e. not pink). I used Arzoo's LEDBlinky program and it does have some utilities to set the intensity of Red, Green and Blue. Basically my Red is set to 255 R and 0 G and B.

[Mysterioii]

What program are you using to light them?  Although I am using the original buttons, my reds do look fairly red (i.e. not pink). I used Arzoo's LEDBlinky program and it does have some utilities to set the intensity of Red, Green and Blue. Basically my Red is set to 255 R and 0 G and B.

It sounds to me like he's not using any program to control them, but rather is hardwiring them to light a certain color?  If that's the case then they should be "full on" and as bright as they're gonna get.

I bought the buttons and the RGB diodes expecting to use red for one player and blue or green for the other.

So you ALWAYS want each of the buttons to always be a certain color?  If so, there's no need to get the RGB setups (assuming you can find an LED in the color you want).  Just get some red LEDs or blue or whatever.  I'm eventually rebuilding my control panel, and both player buttons will be blue LEDs in blue translucent buttons.  I got my own blue LEDs off of ebay and wired them up with current limiting resistors myself. 

[Corny]

I was just looking at RGB Pushbuttons and still having trouble figuring out what to get, how are these? One obvious problem is that they always seem to be sold out...

The only reviews I was able to see really were comparing pushbuttons from paradise with these and the long thread between the two owners sniping each other.  Those weren't RGB's though.

One of my primary concerns is the circle from the LED showing up at the top of the bottom and not diffusing out. 

While I am at it, joysticks and trackballs, the Jammaboards USB blue trackball for $60 is sold out and all thats left are the $80 ones.  I am going to replace the ball with a translucent one anyways so I want the cheapest one possible anyone know where that would be?  I want a ball top 8-way joystick but I have no idea what to get...


So many choices now a days... someone help...

[DaveMMR]

What program are you using to light them?  Although I am using the original buttons, my reds do look fairly red (i.e. not pink). I used Arzoo's LEDBlinky program and it does have some utilities to set the intensity of Red, Green and Blue. Basically my Red is set to 255 R and 0 G and B.

It sounds to me like he's not using any program to control them, but rather is hardwiring them to light a certain color?  If that's the case then they should be "full on" and as bright as they're gonna get.

I bought the buttons and the RGB diodes expecting to use red for one player and blue or green for the other.

So you ALWAYS want each of the buttons to always be a certain color?  If so, there's no need to get the RGB setups (assuming you can find an LED in the color you want).  Just get some red LEDs or blue or whatever.  I'm eventually rebuilding my control panel, and both player buttons will be blue LEDs in blue translucent buttons.  I got my own blue LEDs off of ebay and wired them up with current limiting resistors myself. 

Yes, now that I reread it, doesn't look like he mentioned he was using an LEDwiz or similar either. Me and my assumptions... 

Question: How does the LED look outside of the button?  Is it full-on bright or does it still look faded?

[mcseforsale]

Here's my put on it:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=119715.msg1269489#msg1269489

But in terms of what you're asking, the GGG EI2 buttons do diffuse the color a bit.  They are frost color and are meant to keep the LED from blowing out your eyes when you play them.  I don't have the LEDWiz yet either so I jumpered the like-leads together and power only blue right now. 

If you were to take the RGB-drive out and play with it, the LED is definately red.  In the button, with the frosted nylon, I can see how you'd think pink.

If I was going with only red, I'd buy the Chromalite or Spectralite.  Eventually, I will be getting the EI2 trackball and the LEDWiz so I went with the RGB drives.

YMMV.

AJ

[Corny]

Here's my put on it:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=119715.msg1269489#msg1269489

But in terms of what you're asking, the GGG EI2 buttons do diffuse the color a bit.  They are frost color and are meant to keep the LED from blowing out your eyes when you play them.  I don't have the LEDWiz yet either so I jumpered the like-leads together and power only blue right now. 

Thanks, looking at those pics though I can definately see the light spot from the LED in the center, which is what I was wanting to avoid.  Do all the LED buttons have that?

[Mysterioii]

If you really just want the player 1 buttons to always be red and player 2 to always be some other color, I'd suggest using something like these, with a single LED of the appropriate color and not an RGB drive...

http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/59-il-translucent-buttons

If you decide you don't want to keep the buttons and RGB drives you have, shoot me a PM and I might take them off you if you make me a deal...     Or maybe Randy would exchange them for something else.

[mcseforsale]

Yes...the EI2s have that white spot in the middle while the colors seem to fill in the corners or otherwise "tight" spots on the buttons.  Like a blue/colored halo around the buttons.  They also edge-light my plexi on the CP.

Sounds like you want *RED*.  I'm not sure if you'll get that with the EI2.  But, if you're looking to get rid of some, LMK.  

AJ

Here's my put on it:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=119715.msg1269489#msg1269489

But in terms of what you're asking, the GGG EI2 buttons do diffuse the color a bit.  They are frost color and are meant to keep the LED from blowing out your eyes when you play them.  I don't have the LEDWiz yet either so I jumpered the like-leads together and power only blue right now. 

Thanks, looking at those pics though I can definately see the light spot from the LED in the center, which is what I was wanting to avoid.  Do all the LED buttons have that?

[Mysterioii]

Thanks, looking at those pics though I can definately see the light spot from the LED in the center, which is what I was wanting to avoid.  Do all the LED buttons have that?

It's going to be there to some extent, I mean you've basically got a concentrated light source under there so it's only gonna diffuse so much.  The Electric Ice buttons, being a frosted material all the way through, are pretty diffused.  I guess maybe improvements to the shape inside the button could help but I believe the plungers are molded the same as the IP/Happ buttons in general and haven't been optimized to diffuse better.  Randy used to sell diffuser discs that would help with the regular clear buttons but I don't think they'd help much with the electric ice buttons, and he doesn't sell them anymore anyway.  You could try to cram some diffusing material like cotton or tissue in the plungers but I don't know how well that would work and it may interfere with the springs.

A great deal of it comes down to the LEDs being used, too.  When you buy LEDs, one of the specifications is "viewing angle".  Here's a link to some LED's that specify a 25-30 degree viewing angle:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-pcs-5mm-White-LED-Lamp-Ultra-Bright-200-Free-Resist-/280873576428?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41655ea7ec#ht_2668wt_927

Here's a link to some with a 125 degree viewing angle:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50pcs-Wide-Angle-Green-Light-5mm-LEDs-Free-Resistors-3-12V-Hat-Shaped-LEDs-/280876576656?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41658c6f90#ht_3483wt_927

And here's a flat-top LED that specifies a 180 degree viewing angle:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-5mm-LED-Warm-White-FLAT-TOP-Wide-Angle-13000-mcd-/230326817455?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a08c52af#ht_1796wt_927

HUGE difference there.  LEDs can also have diffused lenses on them instead of "water clear" or colored:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100x-5mm-RGB-LED-Common-Anode-Diffused-Lens-Manual-Control-4-Pin-Tri-Color-USA-/160701722825?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256a91b0c9#ht_2397wt_927

I don't know what type of LEDs are being used on the GGG LED drives (or those of any other vendor really).  If you were to make your own, I think you'd probably get the best result with a wide angle, diffused lens.  

[Mysterioii]

But, if you're looking to get rid of some, LMK.  

Dibsies!   

[mcseforsale]

Here's a better shot:



I wear glasses and regularly play my cab in the dark and I don't have any issues with the light. 

AJ

[GregD]

That is cool how the plexi gets edge lit.

[mcseforsale]

Yeah, it was happenstance on two levels.  First, I mis-measured the t-molding slot by about 1/64 of an inch...maybe less, so just a touch pops out of the t-molding.

Second, I didn't read all the way through the plexi shaping/building threads and didn't realize that a lot of folks polish the edges.  I didn't.  In fact, I think I'm going to put a slight chamfer on the exposed edge with some 220 grit on a block...very carefully...to make the edge lighting a bit more defined.

I might make some clear dust washers, too, since the joy holes are 45 degree chamfers, too. 

AJ

That is cool how the plexi gets edge lit.

[bullrees]

Thanks for the info guys. I am not currently using a controller for the LED's and the LED is fully on and the correct color when it is outside of the button. I went with RGB because I had never had lighted buttons before and didn't exactly know what colors I would use. These seemed to give me alot of options and had the resistors  included.


I don't think the product is defective in any way, it just seems I don't care for the final color. It's not GGG's fault, just my personal preference. I have to say the LED holder setup is pretty slick and works well and the installation was easy.
In retrospect buying a single button setup as a sample may have been the best idea but with them frequently being sold out I jumped on the opportunity.

I'm going to buy several different color individual LED's and see if I can find the exact colors I like. Live and learn.

[mcseforsale]

Just for giggles, I took a pic in the light.  What you're seeing is the light being difused.  Mine will have a distinct blue in the center with white on the edges in the light (my camera-fu sucks, so it still looks light...but the color is BLUE).



At night, the color morphs and the edges become blue and the center is lighter:


Incidentally, I *did* put a small chamfer on the edges of the CP plexi with some 1500 grit and it brought out the edge-lighting more.  Pretty cool:



AJ

[arzoo]

I was just looking at RGB Pushbuttons and still having trouble figuring out what to get, how are these? One obvious problem is that they always seem to be sold out...

There are currently three vendors offering opaque style RGB buttons; GGG, Ultimarc, and ParadiseArcade. I would love to see a side-by-side comparison.

[bullrees]

AJ,

Thanks for the pics. I tried to take pictures of the "daylight look" but in the pictures the buttons came out looking great lol. What you posted is exactly what I was trying to show.

I may have expected too much from the buttons in bright light. I rarely play in dim lighting so that may be the problem also.

I tried to get some daylight pictures again, along with what I was expecting. I have to say that I still do not like the colors but I think it is my personal taste and what my expectations were before purchase and not really the fault of GGG.

Images
http://imgur.com/a/JhUCp