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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: cjwalker on April 03, 2009, 03:12:28 pm

Title: Marquee Lighting
Post by: cjwalker on April 03, 2009, 03:12:28 pm

I'm looking for a backlight for the marquee on my Ultimate Arcade II setup from mameroom.

Does anyone know if the Happ Controls fixture (http://www.happcontrols.com/lighting/49100100.htm) comes ready to plug in to a standard power outlet?  The site says it's "pre-wired", but I'm not sure if that means I can just plug it in to the power strip in the cabinet.

Alternately, if anyone knows of a good, simple-to-install light fixture that I could get at Home Depot or something, I'm all ears.

Thanks!

CJW

Title: Re: Marquee Lighting
Post by: garnerb350 on April 03, 2009, 03:22:34 pm

I basiclly got a 12 inch floresent kit at lowes ( probley at HDepot also) less than 20 bucks... take the plug and run it down the back of your cab and plug into smartstrip...
Those fixtures also has it where you can tie in another light and run off the single power line....

I had an extra one and i tied it into the other one...fast and easy...

Title: Re: Marquee Lighting
Post by: javeryh on April 03, 2009, 03:28:23 pm

You could order the Novamatrix from GroovyGameGear - it plugs right into the computer's power supply and you won't have to really worry about the tube burning out (because there is no tube!).

Title: Re: Marquee Lighting
Post by: Ginsu Victim on April 03, 2009, 03:33:19 pm

I just use a walmart 18" under-cabinet florescent light. Most peole don't leave their mame cab on all the time, so the bulb burning out isn't a big issue. Plus, they're cheap to replace anyway.

Title: Re: Marquee Lighting
Post by: garnerb350 on April 03, 2009, 03:37:24 pm

As like Ginsu said...Thats the reason why I went with regular tube...

The strip from GGG... i saw that today....that would be nice if you wanted to try something different than the rest...

Lighting basiclly is decided on what is easier for you...

I can easily go to HDepot, Wally World , Lowes etc...and get a blub for cheap... Like Ginsu said earlier...I might cut mine on 2-4 times a day...

Title: Re: Marquee Lighting
Post by: paulscade on April 04, 2009, 09:27:43 am

I'm using the NovaMatrix.

Advantages:
- runs cool (LED's don't generate much heat at all... nothing detectable anyway... great for an enclosed space like the marquee)
- low power

Disadvantages:
- it's not super bright.  It's bright enough... but 2 of them might have been better for my 25 x 8 display (approx).

Neutral "advantage":
- runs on 12v
- needs to be mounted back from the marquee to avoid a hot spot (but so would any other lighting fixture)

Title: Re: Marquee Lighting
Post by: Kayden on April 04, 2009, 09:54:33 am

The nice thing about those small square LEDs is that you can change the color with a sharpe marker.   ;D

Every light in my pc was blue except for the ones on the motherboard, which were glaring bright white.  >=|

So I just colored the LED blue and my problems were solved.   :D

Granted, not everyone may want a colored light source, but sometimes you just need it to sleep at night.