Getting started on LEDs for cab... need help

[Jedi Master Matt]

Greetings all,

I'm just about finished with my cabinet.   I plan on posting all the details and pics in the Projects forum real soon.   It was about two years in planning, with most of it just sitting there waiting to be put together and then two weeks of hard work.

The last major construction phase is the set-up of LEDs for all my pushbuttons, trackball, and coindoors.

A rough estimate buts this at about 30ish LEDs that will need to be wired.

I've got an IPAC2 and OptiPac in my cab; but, I'm also open to wiring up a lighting rig separately if needed.

So here's the questions.

1) Where to get started?  I've read the stuff on Oscars and most of the stuff here; but, where should I really begin?

2) Most of the buttons will be blue LEDs.  Should I use the "superbright" versions for the Competition pushbuttons?

3) Where to buy the LEDs?   Radio Shack seems to be the most convienient, but places like GloWire seem to be cheapest.

4) Should I look into using Glowires light cannons?

5) Anyone using the alternating color version of the LEDs?

I'm sure I'm going to think of more questions, so I hope you don't mind if my list starts to grow.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

[Trimoor]

First of all, radio shack is crap.  Their LEDs are incredibly dim, and highly overpriced.  Avoid radio shaft at all costs.

Most blue LEDs are superbright, but what type of buttons are they?
If they are standard opaque, a normal LED might not shine through it.

I would begin by buying LEDs, then testing how they look with a battery (make sure you use a resistor, unless otherwise specified)

I think the light cannon should be used only to provide reflective illumination (like shining it on the CP from above), not for lighting buttons from within.

If you get a color changing LED, I highly reccomend one that slowly shifts through the colors.  Others flash rapidly and are very annoying (unless this is what you want?)

[Tahnok]

I just wired up some LEDs to my CP and found that standard LEDs are too dim to even light white buttons (they look cool in the dark, but in normal light they can not be seen). You really need to use the superbrights.