Backlight alternatives - Page 6

NzoMatrix · 11-12-2006, 06:21 PM

Here's another Ear Light Device and its only $5.95
http://www.houseofrave.com/led_ear_light.html
Did a review on my site for it. Appears to be similar to other ear lights mentions in the thread but with a cheaper price.

obelix · 11-15-2006, 02:46 PM

Reading at night is very important for me. With REB 1100 I had a great night reading, so I spent some time to find the best solution for my new Sony 500.

1. I started with $5 NextTech LED lamp (rechargable Ni-Cd, RadioShack). Light is good, but intensity changes fast with discharging; not very uniform illumination and image is too contrast.

2. Flexible LED (similar to recommended by Sony). $10 at Barnes and Nobles. 2x2032. Better than 1), but the same too contrast image and necessity to change the batteries.

Strange enough, but manufactures do not care about adjustment of light intensity. To me this is important because light should be adjusted to illumination conditions, besides spectrum gets more "warm" with lowing the intensity. So I desided improve the lamp. First, I installed charge-pump LED driver (FAN5607, Fairchild, ~1.5$ at DigiKey )which gives constant (and adjustable) intensity independent on battery voltage; second, I replaced 2032 batteries to rechargable Li-ion (from GameBoy console).

Inside the lamp cap there are 2 LED, 4 capacitors, 1 chip and potentiometer with the switch. The Li-ion battery is in the box at the bottom of the lamp.

Gets much better, the intensity can be changed for more convinient reading.

3) Next approach. I purchased LightWedge backlight ($25, Barnes and Nobles, http://www.lightwedge.com/prod_paperback.html). The light is more "scattered" and gives much more comfortable reading (though the illumination is not very uniform). The bad things are:
i) The wedge does not fit the reader size ii) it requires 4 AAA battaries (to heavy) 3) light is not stabilized and adjustable.
So I modified the LightWedge the following way:
1) Cut the wedge to fit the reader screen
2) Made a hole to get 2 LED according to new size
2) made the box with Li-ion rechargable battery with the FAN5607 chip, potentiometer and the switch.

Here are the images:

The illumination is not very uniform, but reading is much more comfortable than with any of other sources. Almost that comfortable as with REB 1100 (b/w LCD with back illumination)

May be my experience will be useful.

Mikhail

diabloNL · 11-15-2006, 03:02 PM

Look good Mikhail! Don't you have the pictures in high resolution that you can attach to your post so we can take a closer look?

NatCh · 11-15-2006, 03:17 PM

Nice.

What did you use to cut the plastic, obelix?

I've been thinking of building such a thing myself but I'm not sure what I like for the cutting.

yvanleterrible · 11-15-2006, 04:42 PM

A wood saw works pretty good with all plastics. Then you file very cleanly with the smoothest file you can find, clean everything well and then the most dangerous step. You heat up the edge with a blowtorch in a continuous movement, don't stop at the same spot. It's dangerous work, use adquate protection, mask and glasses and have a fire extinguisher next to you. Try it on a piece of plexy first, and then the offcut you took out.

NatCh · 11-15-2006, 04:56 PM

Okay, the blowtorch thing made me laugh (something I always appreciate).

I was trying to decide between a coping saw (even though they're a bit difficult to cut straight with), and just slowly cutting through it with an Xacto and a ruler. The file seems a logical step, and I was thinking of working with plexiglas or an acrylic picture frame as raw material in the first place.

Sadly, I haven't got a blowtorch, and don't really have a place to keep one at the present time, but some day ... (dreamy reflection) ... some day.

Do you think a heat gun would do the job? I have one of those already.

obelix · 11-15-2006, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Nice.

What did you use to cut the plastic, obelix?

I've been thinking of building such a thing myself but I'm not sure what I like for the cutting.

Just regular saw for metal, nothing special. But carefully, trying to keep the saw along the surface. No torch, no cracking...

One more thing. I was thinking before I could make similar device from parallel plastic (like CD cover, photo frame etc). This will not work! Light goes through such parallel surfaces without exiting out (the waveguide). You will see illuminated areas only at the LEDs and the edges. Something is needed to make the light go out of the waveguide. LightWedge technology uses wedge to break waveguide effect. may be something else can be also done (like some transparent irregularities on the surface).

NatCh · 11-15-2006, 05:09 PM

Hmm. I could hit it with some #0000 steel wool or 200 grit sandpaper, I suppose, that'd also effectively give it a non-glare effect, and make dealing with (inevitable) scratches easy (just hit it again).

I also was thinking to arrange it so that it lies entirely in contact with the display, which may make a difference, though I don't know how much.

yvanleterrible · 11-16-2006, 07:01 AM

I'm serious about the methods I described. That's the way we made acrylic and plexyglass displays for stores. It is the way its done when you don't have the fancy heaters.
Take a piece of plastic and make an edge rough with a file. But a naked flame to it and you'll see it melt and become completely transparent.

NatCh · 11-16-2006, 11:27 AM

Oh, I know you're serious, yvanleterrible, and I'm not doubting that it works just fine, but that doesn't mean it's not funny. There's something inherently funny about blowtorches, especially when they come up unexpectedly.

yvanleterrible · 11-16-2006, 11:56 AM

I admit a blowtorch in a reader blog is...surprising!...kind of!

Considering the bunch of clowns we are it becomes mandatory

Bob Russell · 12-23-2006, 08:01 AM

Here's another set of book lights. Don't know if they were mentioned before...
http://www.mightybright.com/Book_Lig...oductList.aspx

The clip, though, looks like it might be too thick to use with a Reader cover. Can't really tell.

Bob Russell · 12-23-2006, 08:06 AM

And another collection of book lights that may or may not have been mentioned...
http://www.biggerandbrighter.com/

This site includes the 3-led Z-light that Alex and I have been using, and which you can buy at Borders.

ehubbard · 07-24-2007, 06:20 PM

Mikhail -- What would you charge to make me a light like your lightwedge for my own Sony eReader?

I started to make my own -- using a dremel tool.. but I cut a bit deep and it no longer works..

krumbs · 08-03-2007, 02:58 PM

have been following this thread with much interest. have gone through four clip-on lights and two LED-type 'table lamps' for my Sony Reader. none worked fine.
my current solution looks dorky and you might rotfl, but hey, it work wonderfully well.
it is a 19-LED headlamp, and if you angle it slightly off-center, it lights up the screen beautifully and there is no glare. It works on 3 AAAs. I am using rechargeables, and they seem to last for days of moderate reading. Will do a more precise measurement later. Will also post some pictures if you want.

I bought them off ebay, but you can google for more links http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=19+led+headlamp

image here:

11-15-2006, 02:46 PM	#77
obelix Connoisseur Posts: 65 Karma: 1695 Join Date: Oct 2006	My backlights Reading at night is very important for me. With REB 1100 I had a great night reading, so I spent some time to find the best solution for my new Sony 500. 1. I started with $5 NextTech LED lamp (rechargable Ni-Cd, RadioShack). Light is good, but intensity changes fast with discharging; not very uniform illumination and image is too contrast. 2. Flexible LED (similar to recommended by Sony). $10 at Barnes and Nobles. 2x2032. Better than 1), but the same too contrast image and necessity to change the batteries. Strange enough, but manufactures do not care about adjustment of light intensity. To me this is important because light should be adjusted to illumination conditions, besides spectrum gets more "warm" with lowing the intensity. So I desided improve the lamp. First, I installed charge-pump LED driver (FAN5607, Fairchild, ~1.5$ at DigiKey )which gives constant (and adjustable) intensity independent on battery voltage; second, I replaced 2032 batteries to rechargable Li-ion (from GameBoy console). Inside the lamp cap there are 2 LED, 4 capacitors, 1 chip and potentiometer with the switch. The Li-ion battery is in the box at the bottom of the lamp. Gets much better, the intensity can be changed for more convinient reading. 3) Next approach. I purchased LightWedge backlight ($25, Barnes and Nobles, http://www.lightwedge.com/prod_paperback.html). The light is more "scattered" and gives much more comfortable reading (though the illumination is not very uniform). The bad things are: i) The wedge does not fit the reader size ii) it requires 4 AAA battaries (to heavy) 3) light is not stabilized and adjustable. So I modified the LightWedge the following way: 1) Cut the wedge to fit the reader screen 2) Made a hole to get 2 LED according to new size 2) made the box with Li-ion rechargable battery with the FAN5607 chip, potentiometer and the switch. Here are the images: The illumination is not very uniform, but reading is much more comfortable than with any of other sources. Almost that comfortable as with REB 1100 (b/w LCD with back illumination) May be my experience will be useful. Mikhail Last edited by obelix; 01-16-2007 at 11:10 AM.

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11-12-2006, 06:21 PM	#76
NzoMatrix Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2006	Here's another Ear Light Device and its only $5.95 http://www.houseofrave.com/led_ear_light.html Did a review on my site for it. Appears to be similar to other ear lights mentions in the thread but with a cheaper price.

11-15-2006, 03:02 PM	#78
diabloNL Gadget Force® Posts: 705 Karma: 2733 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The Netherlands Device: Sony PRS-300 + Cybook with funny screen :P	Look good Mikhail! Don't you have the pictures in high resolution that you can attach to your post so we can take a closer look?

11-15-2006, 03:17 PM	#79
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Nice. What did you use to cut the plastic, obelix? I've been thinking of building such a thing myself but I'm not sure what I like for the cutting.

11-15-2006, 04:42 PM	#80
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	A wood saw works pretty good with all plastics. Then you file very cleanly with the smoothest file you can find, clean everything well and then the most dangerous step. You heat up the edge with a blowtorch in a continuous movement, don't stop at the same spot. It's dangerous work, use adquate protection, mask and glasses and have a fire extinguisher next to you. Try it on a piece of plexy first, and then the offcut you took out.

11-15-2006, 04:56 PM	#81
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Okay, the blowtorch thing made me laugh (something I always appreciate). I was trying to decide between a coping saw (even though they're a bit difficult to cut straight with), and just slowly cutting through it with an Xacto and a ruler. The file seems a logical step, and I was thinking of working with plexiglas or an acrylic picture frame as raw material in the first place. Sadly, I haven't got a blowtorch, and don't really have a place to keep one at the present time, but some day ... (dreamy reflection) ... some day. Do you think a heat gun would do the job? I have one of those already.

11-15-2006, 05:09 PM	#83
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Hmm. I could hit it with some #0000 steel wool or 200 grit sandpaper, I suppose, that'd also effectively give it a non-glare effect, and make dealing with (inevitable) scratches easy (just hit it again). I also was thinking to arrange it so that it lies entirely in contact with the display, which may make a difference, though I don't know how much.

11-16-2006, 07:01 AM	#84
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	I'm serious about the methods I described. That's the way we made acrylic and plexyglass displays for stores. It is the way its done when you don't have the fancy heaters. Take a piece of plastic and make an edge rough with a file. But a naked flame to it and you'll see it melt and become completely transparent.

11-16-2006, 11:27 AM	#85
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Oh, I know you're serious, yvanleterrible, and I'm not doubting that it works just fine, but that doesn't mean it's not funny. There's something inherently funny about blowtorches, especially when they come up unexpectedly.

11-16-2006, 11:56 AM	#86
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	I admit a blowtorch in a reader blog is...surprising!...kind of! Considering the bunch of clowns we are it becomes mandatory

12-23-2006, 08:01 AM	#87
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Here's another set of book lights. Don't know if they were mentioned before... http://www.mightybright.com/Book_Lig...oductList.aspx The clip, though, looks like it might be too thick to use with a Reader cover. Can't really tell.

12-23-2006, 08:06 AM	#88
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	And another collection of book lights that may or may not have been mentioned... http://www.biggerandbrighter.com/ This site includes the 3-led Z-light that Alex and I have been using, and which you can buy at Borders.

07-24-2007, 06:20 PM	#89
ehubbard Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Sony eReader	Mikhail -- What would you charge to make me a light like your lightwedge for my own Sony eReader? I started to make my own -- using a dremel tool.. but I cut a bit deep and it no longer works..

08-03-2007, 02:58 PM	#90
krumbs Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500, PSP (Bookr), iPhone (Stanza), Archos 704 (PDF)	have been following this thread with much interest. have gone through four clip-on lights and two LED-type 'table lamps' for my Sony Reader. none worked fine. my current solution looks dorky and you might rotfl, but hey, it work wonderfully well. it is a 19-LED headlamp, and if you angle it slightly off-center, it lights up the screen beautifully and there is no glare. It works on 3 AAAs. I am using rechargeables, and they seem to last for days of moderate reading. Will do a more precise measurement later. Will also post some pictures if you want. I bought them off ebay, but you can google for more links http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=19+led+headlamp image here: