Author Topic: Best LED buttons and LEDs (Read 6124 times)

thatitalian · « **on:** July 25, 2008, 01:31:53 pm »

I am looking to know what you think are the best buttons for lighting up!

Bear in mind that I am a complete newbie to led installations but I am always willing to learn!

Also would like to know what you think are the best LEDs to use (preferably for RED!)

Thanks

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #1 on:** July 25, 2008, 01:49:59 pm »

Here's my review of the Ultralux lighted pushbuttons:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=82468.0

I looked for a review of GroovyGameGear's buttons, but didn't spot one, so you can maybe check out their site.

http://www.groovygamegear.com

Franco B · « **Reply #2 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:34:31 pm »

For a start decide on what buttons you want to use and then decide how to light them. Function over form.

thatitalian · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:36:54 pm »

Quote from: Franco B on July 25, 2008, 04:34:31 pm

For a start decide on what buttons you want to use and then decide how to light them. Function over form.

I'm not sure what you mean?

Franco B · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:39:07 pm »

Don't choose some buttons because they will look prettier once lighted than another type. At the end of the day (I would imagine) you would like the buttons to perform the way you wanted to rather than how they looked.

thatitalian · « **Reply #5 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:42:39 pm »

Yeah exactly!

What would you suggest would give good performance but can be well lit?

I was thinking the Happ trans but not sure if they fit the criteria, from the looks of things they do.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:45:42 pm »

Have you read my review I mentioned?

thatitalian · « **Reply #7 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:49:08 pm »

Quote from: GinsuVictim on July 25, 2008, 04:45:42 pm

Have you read my review I mentioned?

Yep, from top to bottom. I like them but they haven't been in the market long enough for me to trust them yet. I could get them and then find out that I should have gone with something else, hence why I was trying to get some feedback on what is commonly used and liked.

Franco B · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:52:02 pm »

Quote from: thatitalian on July 25, 2008, 04:42:39 pm

I was thinking the Happ trans but not sure if they fit the criteria, from the looks of things they do.

It depends on your criteria

Personally I love the Happ buttons as that is what me and my friends who will be ~~slaughtered~~ playing on the cab with me are used too.

I love how they light with GGGs diffusers and they are really easy to install LEDs to too.

If you like I could light a 'Happ' clear button with a superbright red LED + a GGG diffuser to see what it looks like?

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #9 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:53:48 pm »

Quote from: thatitalian on July 25, 2008, 04:49:08 pm

Quote from: GinsuVictim on July 25, 2008, 04:45:42 pm
Have you read my review I mentioned?

Yep, from top to bottom. I like them but they haven't been in the market long enough for me to trust them yet. I could get them and then find out that I should have gone with something else, hence why I was trying to get some feedback on what is commonly used and liked.

Been out a year, and really, have you heard a bad word about Ultimarc products?
Here's the product announcement thread:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=68554.0

Kaytrim · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2008, 04:58:07 pm »

One other thing to keep in mind is what type of button you are used to when you played in the arcades. Did you play on the American machines or Japanese? If it was the American machines then get the Happ/IL translucent buttons. If you played on the Japanese Candy cabs then look for the Seimitsu translucent buttons.

Once you know the type of button you are using then you can figure out how to light them up.

TTFN

Kaytrim

thatitalian · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2008, 05:03:06 pm »

Quote from: Franco B on July 25, 2008, 04:52:02 pm

Quote from: thatitalian on July 25, 2008, 04:42:39 pm

I was thinking the Happ trans but not sure if they fit the criteria, from the looks of things they do.

It depends on your criteria

Personally I love the Happ buttons as that is what me and my friends who will be ~~slaughtered~~ playing on the cab with me are used too.

I love how they light with GGGs diffusers and they are really easy to install LEDs to too.

If you like I could light a 'Happ' clear button with a superbright red LED + a GGG diffuser to see what it looks like?

AWESOME! DO IT!

Quote from: GinsuVictim on July 25, 2008, 04:53:48 pm

Quote from: thatitalian on July 25, 2008, 04:49:08 pm
Quote from: GinsuVictim on July 25, 2008, 04:45:42 pm
Have you read my review I mentioned?

Yep, from top to bottom. I like them but they haven't been in the market long enough for me to trust them yet. I could get them and then find out that I should have gone with something else, hence why I was trying to get some feedback on what is commonly used and liked.

Been out a year, and really, have you heard a bad word about Ultimarc products?
Here's the product announcement thread:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=68554.0

I love Andy and Ultimarc! My original buttons are Ultimarc and are still going! I suppose I am sceptical of products I am not to familiar with (i.e. LEDS!

)

Quote from: Kaytrim on July 25, 2008, 04:58:07 pm

One other thing to keep in mind is what type of button you are used to when you played in the arcades. Did you play on the American machines or Japanese? If it was the American machines then get the Happ/IL translucent buttons. If you played on the Japanese Candy cabs then look for the Seimitsu translucent buttons.

Once you know the type of button you are using then you can figure out how to light them up.

TTFN
Kaytrim

Ummm ....... both possibly, in Europe anyway.

Franco B · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2008, 05:03:41 pm »

Quote from: Kaytrim on July 25, 2008, 04:58:07 pm

Once you know the type of button you are using then you can figure out how to light them up.

TTFN
Kaytrim

My point exactly

Quote from: Franco B on July 25, 2008, 04:34:31 pm

For a start decide on what buttons you want to use and then decide how to light them. Function over form.

DJ Infinity · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2008, 04:10:28 pm »

Once again I am putting in my 2 cents worth. I only have experience with Groovy Game Gear's Electric Ice Buttons with RGB modules. I found them really easy to install and work with. Even without a LED-Wiz board. I have them installed on all my cabs except one (I ran outta buttons).

thatitalian · « **Reply #14 on:** July 27, 2008, 05:21:56 am »

Cheers Infinity,

How do you find their response and the general feel of the buttons?

Also, how good is the brightness in a lit room?

Thanks.

csa3d · « **Reply #15 on:** July 27, 2008, 08:17:11 am »

I have the GGG E-Ice buttons with the MicroLeaf switches and RGB Leds. I find that at full brightness, they were distracting during gameplay, and currently keep them lit at around 25-30% brighness. Brightness won't be a concern. They look great lit, and are nice and white when off.

During installation of these buttons, I found that the Button Nuts didn't always seem to have a smooth fit, and I found myself feeling like I was going to strip a few. They are all on now, so maybe this was an "only me" thing. With the default cherry switches, they are very clicky, and have a hollow sort of bounce back feel. When placed next to a Happ button, the happ button screams quality with it's smooth push and gental contact while the GGG button feels clunky, light, and rough. At times, my GGG buttons actually got stuck at down position. Since removing the cherrys and replacing them with Micro Leafs, this problem has gone away. However, MicroLeafs in a Happ button are 50% more quiet then in a GGG button.

Doing it over, I might personally go with translucent Happs with diffusers and RGB lights to "roll my own". While the convienance factor of the GGG buttons are there, and will probably be OK for most, I find that the feel of these buttons bothers me during intense gameplay, and I often contemplating dumping more money into button replacement.

Give them a try is all I can say. A lot of people seem to like them.

-csa

thatitalian · « **Reply #16 on:** July 27, 2008, 11:11:32 am »

Thank you very much csa3d for the very informative response!!!

I think I might roll with the Happs as I really want some good quality feel buttons and go with the micro-leaf switches for them.

Therefore, what would be the best way to light these?

Franco B · « **Reply #17 on:** July 27, 2008, 12:35:38 pm »

Hey bud. Thats what I have ('Happ' translucent buttons with micro-leafs).

I would get some of [GGGs button diffusers] too. They really do help to light the buttons evenly.

Ass for regards to lighting them, if you just want them red you just want to buy some 'normal' 5mm red LEDs. GGG also carries [Single Red LEDs]. You may as well buy some of them if you are only using a few (<25), if you want to use more Ill find you some suitable ones on ebay next time you are on MSN.

All you need to do then is drill a 5mm hole in the bottom (well, 4.9mm is even better if you can for a nice push fit). If you want you can get your buttons sent to me when you order them and then I can drill them for you and then send them onto you. No charge, its just much easier for me to do it if you dont have access to a drill press. Either way, you want to be drilling a hole here:

Then you just need to solder a resistor to the cathode and then solder wires to both the anode and the other side of the resistor that you soldered to the cathode, a la:

If you really don't want to solder you could even use [GGGs RGB-Drive] (the pre wired version) but only use the red anode.

The you just need to power them. If you want them on all the time just wire them to the red 5v wire from your PSU (assuming you used the correct resistor for 5v) You could use [Kaytrims Button Flash] if you want them to flash once depressed or you could use [Ultimarcs Pac Drive] or [GGGs LED WIZ] if you want to be able to control the button lighting.

I was hoping to get those red LED lit pictures for you today but I have left my soldering iron at work. Ill grab it tomorrow and get some pics for you tomorrow afternoon if you can hang on till then.

DJ Infinity · « **Reply #18 on:** July 27, 2008, 01:17:10 pm »

I dunno

I don't find the lights distracting at all. As far as response and game play I don't see or feel any difference between those and the regular happs buttons I had/have. On the last cab I might (emphasis on the might) buy some from Ultimarc to test. There is something to be said about the nut on these buttons. Even tho the buttons look identical you canno use the nut from regular happs buttons. You have to use the one supplied. As long as you put it on straight you shouldn't have any problems.

Let me know what you finally go with

thatitalian · « **Reply #19 on:** July 27, 2008, 02:46:24 pm »

As always Franco, thanks for the help!!! Great clear instructions on that!

That would be really awesome if you could help. I am going to order them through DiveMaster so will get him to send it on. We can chat through MSN (or COD!!).

I will need diffusers and LED wiz so might get the red LEDs from GGG if they are bright enough to blind me

fjl · « **Reply #20 on:** July 27, 2008, 04:43:37 pm »

Quote from: GinsuVictim on July 25, 2008, 01:49:59 pm

Here's my review of the Ultralux lighted pushbuttons:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=82468.0

I got my Ultralux buttons with the chrome plating. Although no microswitches or the part that holds the LEDs. Which makes me wonder why Andy sent me the LEDs if I can't use them or even use the buttons since these buttons require some kind of mounting to hold the microswitches.

Regardless I've been doing some torture tests on them to see how the chrome paint holds up.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #21 on:** July 27, 2008, 04:55:31 pm »

LEDs, but no bayonets? Weird. I know he said he would send some buttons for you to beat the hell out of, so why he included LEDs is beyond me.

Have fun with your test, though. I didn't go to the extreme. I just tested them with a reasonable amount of abuse.

fjl · « **Reply #22 on:** July 27, 2008, 05:09:39 pm »

It be nice to try them as buttons as well so I could give feedback on how they feel compared to the regular buttons. But I guess I'll have to leave it to others to comment on that.

RandyT · « **Reply #23 on:** July 27, 2008, 09:17:06 pm »

If you want nice, bright, original arcade style concave pushbuttons in red, in a form that you won't need to mess around with, then the Red NovaGems will make you happy. These will give you a far deeper and more intense red illumination than using only one leg of an RGB drive with an EI button, and will be 5x brighter than a HAPP translucent with a ButtonBlaster (or any other standard "superbright") installed. And yes, the diffuser discs are recommended for buttons which you don't intend to use PGI's with.

As for the earlier mention of an EI button sticking down, the only thing I can imagine was the case here is that the RGB drive wasn't installed correctly. If it's at any sort of angle, then it's possible for the plunger arm to get caught on the RGB Drive PCB. Simply changing to a Micro-leaf switch wouldn't affect this, so I am at a loss as to how this might have fixed the problem.

The normal HAPP buttons are nylon, while the EI buttons are a much harder, more durable material that is better in many ways. It is far more scratch resistant than the softer nylon buttons, but the material is also not as "dead" when it comes to the vibration of the spring. If a quieter, stiffer button is your thing, adding a 1/4" to the length of the spring with a little stretch will tighten them right up and eliminate the spring vibration.

And yes, some of the EI nuts are a little tight, but you need not fear stripping anything. Just tighten them down as hard as you need to. They won't budge afterwards. And as was mentioned, don't mix up the nuts intended for the EI buttons with those used for the normal buttons. They aren't the same.

RandyT

csa3d · « **Reply #24 on:** July 27, 2008, 11:09:32 pm »

Randy's products are top notch, and he gives great customer support. My opinions are simply my own, and you may find your mileage will vary.

DJ Infinity · « **Reply #25 on:** July 28, 2008, 12:43:58 am »

Hmm I completly forgot about the NovaGem buttons.

Maybe I'll roll with those on the last panel

Franco B · « **Reply #26 on:** July 28, 2008, 05:30:11 pm »

Ok buddy, as promised. Sorry it took so long but I had to wait for it to get fully dark to complete the photos.

The pics are of a 8000MCD RGB LED (with just the red anode powered) in a 'Happ' clear translucent pushbutton witha GGG diffuser.

I tried to take photos at three angles as the light changes as you move from directly overhead to closer to the level of the CP.

Set 1 - 3.00PM bright sunlight (I dont need to tell you how bright Stephen, you know how hot it is!) directly next to a window:

Set 2 - 3.00PM bright sunlight with a thin curtain closed:

Set 3 - 10.00PM pitch black

The light look quites orange but it is really red, the camera just doesn't catch it right.

thatitalian · « **Reply #27 on:** July 29, 2008, 04:44:30 am »

NICE!

Cheers for that Franco, you have just made my mind up!

Yeah, it is crazy hot, hence why I am starting my cab next week!

BTW, check your PM.

THANKS AGAIN!

thatitalian · « **Reply #28 on:** July 29, 2008, 05:47:56 am »

What do you guys think about these?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/100X-UltraBright-RED-LED-5mm-18000-mcd-DIY-Free-R_W0QQitemZ230269901042QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item230269901042&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

18000 mcd!! That is pretty bright!

Cakemeister · « **Reply #29 on:** July 29, 2008, 09:51:51 am »

Hello,

Even if you get your own buttons and LEDs you should get the RGB Drive boards from Randy. They should work with any common anode RGB LED and should also work with any monochrome LED.

Soldering wires to the legs of the LEDs is tricky and prone to errors and the connection is delicate. Adding a resistor to each LED only complicates the mess.

The boards cost almost nothing compared to the hassle you'll have wiring up your LEDs without them.

Just my $.02.

CM

thatitalian · « **Reply #30 on:** July 30, 2008, 07:45:06 am »

More and more I am reading about the Ultralux and more and more I want to get them!

I know Happ are good contenders but the Ultralux look very nice, especially the flat surface. I know the swana micro switches are a pain but I plan on using micro-leafs anyway!

If I got the clear ultralux and put the red leds in there would they be as bright or as nice looking???

Are they a close match to the feel of the Happs?

Andy if you read this would you send me 1 clear chrome button as a sample???

Decisions decisions!

EDIT: Felt the Ultralux and although they feel nice and are easy to set up I went with the Happs. Why? Well because they are Happ, and I know they will be good!

The Ultralux are nice if you want a flat button that is illuminated and easy to set up, but for that real arcade experience I like the Happ!

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #31 on:** July 30, 2008, 08:35:51 am »

You might want to email Andy at Ultimarc and see if he could discount your order in any way by leaving out the Sanwas.

I tried the reds and blues in the clear and can definitely recommend matching the color to the LED. I also tried the blue in the red, red in the blue, etc and it just doesn't work well. Matching colors gives the best result.

They feel nothing like Happs. They do feel good, but the standard concave Happ feels better.


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