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New Product: NovaGem Illuminated Pushbuttons. - GroovyGameGear
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RandyT:

--- Quote from: bfauska on February 18, 2007, 11:32:59 pm ---I don't like the idea of the un-lit buttons being white.  If the buttons were more like the tinted glass color used for some of the screen covers then it would look black when it was un-lit and it wouldn't effect the color that you put behind it when it was lit.

--- End quote ---

Just so people understand, I am talking about the EI buttons, not the NovaGems here.  I actually entertained this concept when working out the details of the EI buttons.  The problem is that I didn't think it would work the way I wanted it to, and the way it would partially work, would probably result in some unattractive buttons when they are unlit.

The material needs to diffuse, so the "screen cover" type material is non-starter.  What would need to be done, would be to create a shade of actual gray that would still be translucent enough to allow light to pass.  The big problem is that the less light it reflects (through the addition of black, which absorbs) the less light it will subsequently transmit.  The net result, I'm afraid, would be an unattractive middle-gray button that did little more than make it more difficult for the LED to illuminate it, especially in the presence of ambient room lighting.  If one had a very powerful RGB light source, it might be able to overpower the reduction caused by the darker material, but at the moment, these don't exist.  I'm always looking for ways to improve things, so if I see something that looks promising, I'll consider it.

BTW, most people who were initially concerned about the look of the white (pearlized) buttons usually end up having it grow on them once they are installed.  :)

RandyT
loadman:

--- Quote from: RandyT on February 18, 2007, 11:09:47 pm ---
--- Quote from: Kaytrim on February 18, 2007, 10:12:56 pm ---
--- Quote from: Kremmit on February 18, 2007, 09:37:35 pm ---If I wanted to run these without an LED-Wiz, what voltage would I need to feed 'em, and what's the approximate current draw?

--- End quote ---
I am going to guess that 5v will be the necessary voltage because they work with Randy's LED-Wiz boards.

--- End quote ---

That's correct.  The resistors were selected for 5v operation.  The current draw is 100ma, so don't try to use them with anything that is designed only to run a single LED.  If one wanted them only to be illuminated and not have dynamic control, they could be directly attached to the 5v line of the PC power supply.

On a related note, to be safe, I would recommend using a maximum of 4 per output of the LED-Wiz, if one wished to share outputs.  This probably won't be necessary for these, however, as they are monochromatic and need only 1 output per button.  This means that 32 of them could be driven from a single LED-Wiz.

RandyT

--- End quote ---

FYI  If you want to use these with MaLa Hardware / Iowarrior 40 there is no problem
RandyT:

--- Quote from: loadman on February 19, 2007, 04:01:58 pm ---FYI  If you want to use these with MaLa Hardware  / Iowarrior 40 there is no problem

--- End quote ---

Careful there.  You have to qualify that statement.  If you have a pre-assembled board or a board with all those resistors in place already, you will need to modify it before these will work.  The current draw will probably cause the existing resistors on the MaLa board to get very hot and possibly start smoldering.   :o

RandyT
loadman:

--- Quote from: RandyT on February 19, 2007, 05:31:08 pm ---
--- Quote from: loadman on February 19, 2007, 04:01:58 pm ---FYI  If you want to use these with MaLa Hardware  / Iowarrior 40 there is no problem

--- End quote ---

Careful there.  You have to qualify that statement.  If you have a pre-assembled board or a board with all those resistors in place already, you will need to modify it before these will work.  The current draw will probably cause the existing resistors on the MaLa board to get very hot and possibly start smoldering.   :o

RandyT

--- End quote ---

Indeed you are correct.   ;)

You need to have the apporiate resistor for the Leds you are using.
headkaze:
No offence loadman, but it's probably a bit disrespectful to make a post about another commercial product in Randy's thread.
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