Has anyone used flat-topped leds for their mb6582. I haven’t yet fitted mine with leds and I was considering ordering some flat-topped ones. Any opinions on how that would look and feel?
Damn… There goes my “unique” MB-6582 ;D
Flat top LEDs look very nice. They fit flush witht the case and just look like coloured dots till you power them on. They seem to “contain” the light to the hole as well. I got some red ones for all my indicators and orange ones for my matrix, unfortunately they all look red (should have checked this out before I soldered them :-[ ) so I’, swapping the ones in the mod matrix to yellow.
Rapid electronics supply these (Go to the 3mm LED section and then select the Knightbright cylindrical link and they are listed there), I’m half thinking about organising a big order for some as I don’t think they are available at all electronics suppliers in all countries.
G
i’ve a list of bookmarks for site that sell flat top leds, some are very cool. i will attach as i recover from my suck XP computer :).
i want to buy some for my x0xs and 6582 too, so bulk is welcome.
G.
Yes, I ordered some red 5mm ones for my x0x 
Will look at prices on rapid next week and see if it’s worth doing an order, although I don’t think it’d save much as LEDS are nice and cheap anyway!
Of course you could just take a fine file and flatten the regular cheap LEDs. Polish them up with steel wool or leave them ‘matt’ for a diffused effect. You have at least 4mm depth before you hit anything important inside.
bassman
LOL… I’ve been filing some LEDS for my underlighting… Time consuming!
They don’t cost that much… I wouldn’t really want to filed 100 odd LEDS down.
http://www.ledtuning.nl/catalog/index.php?cPath=87&osCsid=5ec89e9c2287e11c0330ae7aa5e2a237
maybe a bit expensive but they ship cheap to europe
Simone
I burn down lots of stuff on handheld belt sanders. Hold the sander upside-down or sideways and bring the victim in slowly with the other hand (and watch your fingers :o).
Not sure if it would work on LEDs, but it does PCB stock and stuff (which ruins the hell out of the belt BTW).
George
<edit> forgot:
You have at least 4mm depth before you hit anything important inside.
… so I guess you can go all the way down to that YinYang element and they still function and look OK??
I know it daft really, filing down 100 LEDs! ;D
But, like I said, there’s about 4mm before you get near anything important, more than enough to make them flat, that only needs about 1mm.
Actually, the filed end will be matt, so it does look different, like a diffuser. Try one and see.
This is the home of crazy ideas, isn’t it?
bassman
Great idea! I love that kind of LED and would participate in a group-buy.
http://www.ledtuning.nl/catalog/index.php?cPath=87&osCsid=5ec89e9c2287e11c0330ae7aa5e2a237
maybe a bit expensive but they ship cheap to europe
Simone
sorry those one are 5mm !
Simone
I know it daft really, filing down 100 LEDs! ;D
But, like I said, there’s about 4mm before you get near anything important, more than enough to make them flat, that only needs about 1mm.
Actually, the filed end will be matt, so it does look different, like a diffuser. Try one and see.
This is the home of crazy ideas, isn’t it?
bassman
I think you d have to be ver crazy to sit there and file 100 LEDS flat by hand when it’s not much (/any???) cheaper than just buying them. I did 6 the other day with sandpaper (the only thing I had to hand) and they’re toucher than you’d think, although its not out of the question.
g
Yeh, buy them. If you must DIY, hold a dremel in a vice and push the led onto it. Works a good’un.
Count me in for 2,000 in ultrapink!
hello
i bought here in Paris at selectronic…more then 120 blue flat leds…1,45 euros each in 3mm :-\
the ones from ledtunning at 5mm …
i’d like to find 3mm…cheaper!!!
I can get hold of Red, High Red, Green, Yellow and Amber (looks very red) 3mm diffused cylindrical LEDS very easily which can be got in any quantity. Prices vary quite a bit depending on quanitity.
I have found a place in China that offers 3mm cylindrical waterclear blue LEDs aswell and their website mentions they will deal to individuals so this is a possibility. I shall make enquiries about prices and minimum order quantities/price brakes. This will take a bit more effort but i’m interested in getting some blue ones for myself as the only illuminated fan I could get is blue. 
I’ll set up a wiki page when i get a response to my email and see if there is enough interest… There won’t be a minimum order for the red/green/yellow/amber diffused ones, but I suspect there may be on the blue ones.
G
Here’s a link to a YouTube video of a x0xb0x with flat LEDs:
Not quite the same, but it should give you a very general idea of what an MB6582 would look like with flat LEDs. Keep in mind these are 5mm LEDs on the x0x, so the 3mms won’t be quite as “obviously flat.”
3mm ones looke very flat.
When you get them in the panel they just look like coloured dots on the surface.
I’ve got a reply back and there is a minimum order quanitity of 1000 of any colour from the place in China. I think it’s worth getting an order of blue ones together as these don’t seem to be available at many places. These are clear LEDS; the coloured ones look better when mounted so it’s probably worth getting them from rapid (who don’t do blue) and there will be no minimum order quantity.
I’ve not got much free time at the moment as i’m going away to a festival tomorrow, I’ll get a wiki page up soon.
G
Blue LEDs are bad. Seriously. I regret the blue LEDs now on my MB-6582. One or two blue LED indicators on your notebook or monitor are fine, a whole panel lit up like a Christmas tree in blue LEDs is way too much for your eyes to handle, and a black panel makes it even worse. They may look good in photos, but it’s not until you’re looking at it in real life that you discover how bad blue light is, even at relatively low brightness levels. (My second MB-6582 uses red LEDs and it’s a lot easier to look at! Green would be similarly cool).
People should also avoid white LEDs, as they are essentially a blue and yellow LED put in one package, tricking the eye into thinking it’s white because it’s stimulating the red, green and blue sensors of the retina. Avoid anything with UV as well! Those purple ones are just as bad as blue.
FYI: http://texyt.com/bright+blue+leds+annoyance+health+risks
Hmnn. didn’t know that about the blue LEDS. The cylindrical ones do look good a low light levels as they can just look like coloured dots that appear when lit. I’ll still see of there’s interest in a bulk order and put a link to your post. It may be useful getting them in for other things.
G