Translucent Button Question: Go with clear or colored?

[RetroACTIVE]

I'm debating adding illuminated buttons to my panel...

Wondering what general opinion is...

Should I go with all clear buttons and illuminate them with the appropriate colored led or get appropriate colored buttons w/colored led?

The major benefit of all clear buttons is the ability to change color at any time... but I was wondering if it the colored led w/clear button works well enough (in terms of brilliance)?

Any thoughts?

BTW: I know it is kind of a lame question but before I shell out 100 bucks or so for new buttons I was hoping to get some opinions.

[markrvp]

I don't have any clear buttons, so I can't comment on how they look.  I do have colored translucent buttons.  When you light the button with the same color LED, the color is very brilliant.

[RetroACTIVE]

I've been poking around and reading about Knievel's Neon Mame... I did find that he had tried the clear buttons and they were "washed out".  Thats what I'm afraid of... I really wanted to incorporate purple buttons but they (translucent) do not come in that color... So I'm not going to take the chance... I will buy mostly blue and green... a couple of clear to experiment with only.

[Tahnok]

I think it depends on whether or not you like the color of the LEDs. Find the LEDs you are going to use and check out their color for yourself.

Personally, I have clear buttons on my bartop and I think they look great. I think the clear buttons probably look better than the color ones when they are unlit (but I don't actually have color buttons).

[Grasshopper]

I think it probably depends upon whether you wish to change the button colours for different games/systems or not. If you do then you'd need to go with clear buttons and multiple LEDs per button.

If the button colours are going to be fixed then I'm guessing that choosing button colours to match the LED colours would look best. But I have no personal experience.

[markrvp]

Has anyone tried lighting blue buttons with red LEDs or red buttons with blue LEDs?  I know it was discussed to get purple that way, but I don't remember anyone actually doing it.

[MYX]

I think that there was an issue of light color wavelength cancelation. If you take near blue light and pass it through a red filter, not much will pass. You would need to push more light to get a desired effect. 

[RandyT]

I'm debating adding illuminated buttons to my panel...

Wondering what general opinion is...

Should I go with all clear buttons and illuminate them with the appropriate colored led or get appropriate colored buttons w/colored led?

The major benefit of all clear buttons is the ability to change color at any time... but I was wondering if it the colored led w/clear button works well enough (in terms of brilliance)?

Any thoughts?

BTW: I know it is kind of a lame question but before I shell out 100 bucks or so for new buttons I was hoping to get some opinions.

Anybody considering shelling out a bunch of money for "clear" buttons to change their colors with LEDs might want to wait a couple of weeks.....

RandyT

[MYX]

Uh ohhhh. Wandy has somthin up his sweeve. And Wizards have big sleeves.

[Kremmit]

Tease!

C'mon, Randy.. out with it.

[quarterback]

Dayummmm.... I'm hoping the seekrit is leafy....

[JustMichael]

RandyT, I hope this means you will be making some buttons out of the illuminated joystick knob material...   

[RetroACTIVE]

Anybody considering shelling out a bunch of money for "clear" buttons to change their colors with LEDs might want to wait a couple of weeks.....

RandyT

You see my plan was to get all buttons + leds... hard wire them to the power source... then at some time in the future.. get the LEDWIZ for pizazz...

So now I will wait and perhaps do the whole shebang all at once....

must.....exercise.....patience....