I have not seen such a thing!
I was thinking of the panels used to back-light LCD displays.
http://za.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=2678740
and the power inverter:
http://za.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=2678857
They are much cheaper now than when I looked a few months ago, but the pair is still going to be nearly R500 (=$65).
In principle, the inverter - if it runs from AC mains - can/will be almost identical to the circuitry used in Compact Fluorescent Lamp bulbs now everywhere. Those a cheap enough. Possibly if its just a nightlight, the quality, uniformity etc, are not carefully controlled and they CAN be made really cheap. They will still be electrically noisy though - as all CFL lamps are!
For the most beautiful green of any indicator, you cannot beat a new 6E5 magic eye!
Last edited:
The thing with blue is you have to carefully balance having it bright enough to be visible while keeping it dim enough so as not to be harsh. I use blue, but for every piece I build I spend a fair bit of time adjusting the LED current with the wife giving feedback on getting the appropriate brightness.
I agree with Wavebourn in that a Lexan light panel works well to make the blue more pleasant.
I agree with Wavebourn in that a Lexan light panel works well to make the blue more pleasant.
Out of the choices available, I like blue for normal operation.
However, my desktop PC actually has a "rainbow" LED. It changes color by itself, smoothly fading through red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet, and white in a pseudo-random pattern. At $4 per LED, it is a small price to pay for a little bling, but it would be unlikely to catch on with mass produced electronics. And the only place I know of to buy one is from a surplus electronics supply store in my area.
I'm sure it is possible to duplicate this with a RGB LED and a PIC, but it is not exactly an easy beginner level project nor does it fit exactly where a regular LED goes.
However, my desktop PC actually has a "rainbow" LED. It changes color by itself, smoothly fading through red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet, and white in a pseudo-random pattern. At $4 per LED, it is a small price to pay for a little bling, but it would be unlikely to catch on with mass produced electronics. And the only place I know of to buy one is from a surplus electronics supply store in my area.
I'm sure it is possible to duplicate this with a RGB LED and a PIC, but it is not exactly an easy beginner level project nor does it fit exactly where a regular LED goes.
My choice of LED depends on the overall color scheme. Blue is overrated, but I have used it. My "Shrine" Amp (black crackle case, yellow plate leads) uses a nice medium-yellow HP LED, as does my "Mighty Mite" SE spud amp (red/black case). The 7591A P-P amp I have in the works (cast-iron gray sides and transformers, light gray top deck) will use an aqua (blue-green) LED. I have another amp in process that will have a black/white color scheme (black crackle case, white plate caps, plate leads, white LED pilot light). I'm building a preamp on an standard-issue black Hammond chassis. This will have matte finish aluminum knobs, matte finish aluminum shields on the input tubes, and most likely a first generation deep red GaAsP LED pilot light (very discreet, no worries about too much brightnness, either).
Last edited:
I like red because
1) It was the original, so will always look classic and never faddish. (I think of digital watches, calculators, and Threshold, Mark-Levinson, Krell, and SAE gear...)
2) Looks good with black, gray, and unfinished metal
3) Common, so a variety of physical shapes can be found in surplus shops
I accept that for ultimate ergonomic purposes, red indicates a warning or fault condition. But in my system I am converging on red nevertheless. I also feel my eye is less sensitive to minor color variations among red LEDs, so 'out-of-spec' red LEDs still look OK.
I used to like blue when it was fresh, but now it's SO overdone, it makes even nice stuff look like it came from W-M or worse. (Sorry, Pass Labs).
1) It was the original, so will always look classic and never faddish. (I think of digital watches, calculators, and Threshold, Mark-Levinson, Krell, and SAE gear...)
2) Looks good with black, gray, and unfinished metal
3) Common, so a variety of physical shapes can be found in surplus shops
I accept that for ultimate ergonomic purposes, red indicates a warning or fault condition. But in my system I am converging on red nevertheless. I also feel my eye is less sensitive to minor color variations among red LEDs, so 'out-of-spec' red LEDs still look OK.
I used to like blue when it was fresh, but now it's SO overdone, it makes even nice stuff look like it came from W-M or worse. (Sorry, Pass Labs).
Last edited:
http://www.besthongkong.com/product_info.php?cPath=75_8&products_id=97
Here they have those flashing RGB LED'd.
A nice place to shop LED's in general.
They also offer "warm white" and other specialties.
Magura
http://www.besthongkong.com/product_info.php?cPath=75_8&products_id=97
Here they have those flashing RGB LED'd.
A nice place to shop LED's in general.
They also offer "warm white" and other specialties.
Magura
Maybe a point of interest for those considering......
While I personally have no experience with them, many associates have and had no trouble with them. If things did go awry, they bent over backwards to fix it.
Cheers!
That's also my experience.
I've dealt with this company, since 2002 or so.
Back then, they didn't even have a web-shop
Magura
Typically the blue LED's are very bright and get uncomfortable as it get darker in the room. However if it has an opaque plastic to " look " through , then it would not be so 'bright' . That should make it look acceptable and unobstrusive ? Same actually goes for green and red who are available in diffused casing. Diffused white is a better option I think.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.