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New Product: Lightmite LB leaf button lighting module **Now Available**
Toonces:
Hey, I wonder if a couple of these might work to light up a Robotron button?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7597729704
:)
Toonces
whammoed:
I have seen leds like that before. They generally have a *very* wide viewing angle. I don't know if that would be bad or good for the Robotron situation. Do you think you will give them a go? I am hoping there is a viable option for lighting those Robotron buttons without any modifications to the panel though. Maybe 20,000 mcd leds are the answer?
--- Quote from: Toonces on March 14, 2006, 06:15:35 pm ---Hey, I wonder if a couple of these might work to light up a Robotron button?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7597729704
:)
Toonces
--- End quote ---
Toonces:
--- Quote from: whammoed on March 14, 2006, 06:44:13 pm ---I have seen leds like that before. They generally have a *very* wide viewing angle. I don't know if that would be bad or good for the Robotron situation. Do you think you will give them a go? I am hoping there is a viable option for lighting those Robotron buttons without any modifications to the panel though. Maybe 20,000 mcd leds are the answer?
--- Quote from: Toonces on March 14, 2006, 06:15:35 pm ---Hey, I wonder if a couple of these might work to light up a Robotron button?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7597729704
:)
Toonces
--- End quote ---
--- End quote ---
He's semi local and for $1.95 I'll give it a shot. a 1W LED should be enough to light up more than just a button too. Waaaay overkill but who knows.
Toonces:
ok, I got around to doing some testing today. The boards did install ok, they're certainly thin enough. I had a little trouble with the PAL nuts but that could just be me. I installed them "upside down" to allow for the most room at the bottom of the button. I then set about doing various testing and took some pictures to show the results. The pictures are ~1MB each so be warned! Overall I would say these definately worked but with the dark blue buttons, things came out so-so. I am pretty sure with the right LED and some moving around you could get better results.
On to the show!
http://www.gameadvance.com/robotron/DSCF0114.JPG - This one shows player 1 with 2 6,000mcd blue 5mm LEDs installed. Player 2 which is below it is using the stock incandescent bulb.
http://www.gameadvance.com/robotron/DSCF0120.JPG - This one shows the difference between using the board (player 1) vs. the "Light Pipe" method (player 2). All LEDs are identical 6,000mcd 5mm blue.
http://www.gameadvance.com/robotron/DSCF0121.jpg - a top view of the above comparison.
http://www.gameadvance.com/robotron/DSCF0122.JPG - and from a short distance away.
http://www.gameadvance.com/robotron/DSCF0141.JPG - this last one shows a top view with 2 boards installed. Player 1 are the same 6,000mcd blue LEDs used in the other pictures. Player 2 is lit using 15,000mcd white LEDs (it's all I had that was brighter than 6,000mcd). It's definately not twice as bright but it is a little brighter. most noticably in the center of the button where the light circle is a little larger.
these pictures were taken in a moderately lit room with no flash. standing back from the bottom lit buttons, you can't really tell they're lit. One interesting thing though is that you can tell they are blue. prior to that the buttons always appeared black from a distance. When you get up to the machine you see they are lit and the light is not distracting at all.
With the light pipe method you know the buttons are lit. No doubt about it. They look good too. The downside is that it could be distracting to some. you might find your eyes drawn to the pretty blue light..... Also, the light pipe method leaves a distinct line across the button like it's lit by a stripe of light. I suppose this could be dealt with by installing a couple more LEDs opposite the original 2. This is something I may try as neither method has given me the effect I want yet. Another option may be to try smaller 3mm LEDs and pushing them up the pipe until they hit the base of the button.
What I really want to acheive is somewhere in between. I really like the soft, even light of the bottom lighting method but as seen in the last comparison picture, even using LEDs more than twice the brightness rating produced little difference in how well the button was lit.
For now, I'm leaving the LiteMites installed in Robotron and getting another set. Sorry Q*Bert, you're going to have to wait! :)
Erik
whammoed:
Erik,
Thanks for the test on those dark blue buttons. They are a challenge. I would like to see you try it out with 20,000 mcd blue LEDs. I have tried white LEDs on buttons as well, and they actually looked dimmer with a higher mcd white led. The good news is that they actually fit on the robotron panel which I know was a concern for you. Could you snap a pic of them mounted from below?
Also, does the stock incandescent bulb light the button at all? Doesn't look like it in the pic. Seems like anything would do a better job than that. :-\
Currently I have 10,000 mcd leds shipping for the green buttons which are also quite dark. I haven't heard back from anyone on them yet but I'm afraid I may have to go for brighter ones in the future. The only problem is you start seeing a price increase when finding LEDs over 10k mcd.
Qbert won't have to wait too long, I have an extra set of lightmites in the mail for you as thanks for your help on that problem I had. ;)