Thread: Compact fluorescent backlight

Originally Posted by miztahsparklez

5000k is more of a bluish white isnt it?

According to a couple of sources I've seen (one here, and one elsewhere online) 5000-6000K was the color temperature to shoot for that provides the best color rendition. If anyone has any experience otherwise, please, let me know.

dude, sometimes it takes dissasembling of equiptment that cost big bucks, risking damaging, & sometimes it takes taking the plunge & ordering something that may or may not work.... getting something that won't work just cause it's cheap & returnable sounds like a big waste of time to me, but that's just my opinion

ccfl's are cheap & readily available..... sure it'll take a little more research & figuring out.... but in the end you'll be increasing your chances of sucess big time...

a good source is mouser... I put a link in the multiple ccfl thread...

hmm maybe it doesnt apply here. but i was under the impression that 5000 was a bluish white, 6000k was a deep blue/purplish white. and somewhere around 4000-4500k was like sunlight white. i suppose a bluish white is better than a yellowish white. but supposedly the light wavelengths in teh 4000k areas provide better usable light.

well, dont mind me, i was just taking my general understanding of lights and trying to apply them to here. but i could be totally off in the monitor world.

i actually prefer a really bright screen, and tend to use the higher color settings on my CRT if that compares to this better, to provide me with that really bright white.

the color temperature does vary from lcd to lcd, ideally youshould try to get hold of the data sheet of the lcd, but around average will be in the daylight range of 5k 5.5k.... some lcds use over 6k & some use 4.3... check for a data sheet...

Originally Posted by turbocad6

dude, sometimes it takes dissasembling of equiptment that cost big bucks, risking damaging, & sometimes it takes taking the plunge & ordering something that may or may not work.... getting something that won't work just cause it's cheap & returnable sounds like a big waste of time to me, but that's just my opinion

...and I understand your point of view after reading about your 12.1 screen upgrade and installation. Not all of us have the resources or time you seem to have (based on comments you made in your LCD upgrade thread) to "disassemble equipment that costs big bucks, risking damaging [it]" and so we need to try lower cost options first.

CCFLs may well prove to be a comparably priced, better solution, but for a total cash outlay of $12, I can evaluate a solution that also has the potential to work without waiting a week for parts to be shipped. For me, that's time and money well spent. If nothing else, I'll have a better idea of just how many CCFLs I'll need before ordering.

Thanks for the tip on the LCD data sheet...my screen is a Hitachi, so I'm sure I can find something.

Originally Posted by parksgm

CCFLs may well prove to be a comparably priced, better solution, but for a total cash outlay of $12, I can evaluate a solution that also has the potential to work without waiting a week for parts to be shipped.

Also consider that taking apart your LCD comes with some significant risks. Are you ready to risk your LCD for a $12 option that you have knowledgable people telling you isn't going to work out very well?

As far as multiple CCFLs and inverters. I have 12 CCFLs running off 6 inverters all piled together, and (at least looking at the bulbs without anything in front of them) there is no flicker that my eyes pickup. TC has me worried (and he is probably right) that I made a bad choice with my CCFLs though so i'm still dragging my *** about trashing my LCD...

-dave

Originally Posted by iamgnat

Also consider that taking apart your LCD comes with some significant risks.

Right, but that risk is the same no matter what option I try. Also, there is much more risk the first time the LCD comes apart, since that disassembly is usually trial and error. The next, and subsequent, disassemblies are much less risky (or they should be, anyway).

I am fortunate to have an LCD with VERY modular components...take a look at the pics below, and you'll see that there are three main circuit boards, each individually mounted to the back case with screws. The screen/backlight assembly snap into the front case, and that's it. From pics of other LCDs that I've seen online, this SP7 seems to be one of the easier to disassemble and reassemble.

Originally Posted by Fusion-One

It won't work. I was hyped over the idea, too. It gets too hot, and the lights start to turn yellow. The box becomes untouchable. Sorry, man.. but they produce too much heat to be practical.

The heat issue is common to most of these upgraded backlight solutions. If you look at people who have used the Luxeon LEDs, you'll find that they've all built massive heat sinks with forced air or water cooling to remove the excess heat from the enclosure. No reason that wouldn't work here as well.

Fusion-One, I gather from your comments that you didn't attempt to use any active cooling process with your LCD...is that correct?

In any case, the LCD is already apart, the CFLs are already installed, and I've got a test rig worked up...so we'll see!