Help me light up my case!

arrond · 31 Oct 2006 at 23:03

Hi all,

I want to light up my lanboy. I could get a cold cathod or an LED Fan which could replace the current akasa exhaust fan or i could get both. Want do you think?

Thanks.

Arron.

squiffy · 31 Oct 2006 at 23:04

LED fan.
Cathodes are for kids.

arrond · 31 Oct 2006 at 23:12

Are the Akasa's any good?

P_A_N_I_C · 1 Nov 2006 at 01:33

thinking of lights myself, but the problem with led fans is that the light is on all the time? at least with a cathode u can turn it off.

33L · 1 Nov 2006 at 10:17

if you need to turn it off the yeah cathode!! or plum in one of these

Messiah Khan · 1 Nov 2006 at 10:28

1 litre of unleaded petrol and a match. That will light up the case in no time.

I'd vote for Cold Cathode though. If done well they can look very nice IMO.

ReeceKB · 1 Nov 2006 at 11:59

arrond said:
Are the Akasa's any good?

Yea i'v got an Akasa Amber 92mm fan and its great allthough it not LED.
But i do have an Akasa Blue cold cathode

broady212003 · 1 Nov 2006 at 13:00

messiah khan said:
1 litre of unleaded petrol and a match. That will light up the case in no time.

I'd vote for Cold Cathode though. If done well they can look very nice IMO.

Yep, the cold cathode's can look great if fitted well :eek:

Mark A · 1 Nov 2006 at 13:15

Ive got 2 X 6" cathodes and a blue led fan in mine and it looks great. My LED fan is a aerocool silver bladed 140mm fan with blue LEDs and lights up the case pretty well but not too much. The 2 6" cathodes help to illuminate areas that are too dark, i could do with 2 x 12" cathodes really. The sound activated feature also rocks lol.

I have a couple of photos of my eclipse with led fan and cathodes, should ii post them up?.

Captain Fizz · 1 Nov 2006 at 14:05

LED fans will light it up somewhat.
Cathodes will truly light it up.

Best advise for cathodes - Make it so you cannot see them from the window.
Nothing worse than a glaringly bright cathode right next to a window.

If the cathode cannot be seen, yet lights up the case fully = Best positioning.

arrond · 1 Nov 2006 at 14:13

Captain Fizz said:
LED fans will light it up somewhat.
Cathodes will truly light it up.

Best advise for cathodes - Make it so you cannot see them from the window.
Nothing worse than a glaringly bright cathode right next to a window.

If the cathode cannot be seen, yet lights up the case fully = Best positioning.

Wheres the best positions? Right beneath or a the top the window are the only places you could really hide them and then you will have to be looking at it side on at the correct angle. Or are there better places?

arrond · 1 Nov 2006 at 14:13

Mark A said:
Ive got 2 X 6" cathodes and a blue led fan in mine and it looks great. My LED fan is a aerocool silver bladed 140mm fan with blue LEDs and lights up the case pretty well but not too much. The 2 6" cathodes help to illuminate areas that are too dark, i could do with 2 x 12" cathodes really. The sound activated feature also rocks lol.

I have a couple of photos of my eclipse with led fan and cathodes, should ii post them up?.

Yes please. Tell us where you positioned the cathodes as well.

Cheers.

Mark A · 1 Nov 2006 at 14:28

This is with cathodes off and just a LED fan in there, not too light so i can get to sleep.

This is with cathodes turned on, there only 6" cathodes so its still not really bright. I also need to position on near the bottom as its quite dark there.

I positioned them one at the top near psu and one behind the hdd rack so it shines off the mobo tray. They look a lot better when hidden so that you see the light from them but not the cathode its self. Not a good idea to put them at sides of the window as it shows up every scratch and dust particle.

Captain Fizz · 1 Nov 2006 at 14:40

Mark A said:
They look a lot better when hidden so that you see the light from them but not the cathode its self. Not a good idea to put them at sides of the window as it shows up every scratch and dust particle.

Indeed - RIGHT beside a window and it shines along the window.

I found on the bottom of the case, fairly close in tot he window side lit up the bottom nicely whilst still being 'invisible' unless you were looking from the top down.

In my last case, I had them above my window in a groove which emitted light out in an arc of about 100 degrees. Didn't catch window surface but lit up insides nicely.

Usual positions are along the back of the PC (vertically) or above and below the window somewhere. (Horizontally)

Every case (and wiring) is different so for max positioning - 4 x 6" cathodes works well.
If plenty of space, 2 x 12" should be fine.

It's amazing where the 6" CC's will go though!

(In the back of ones monitor for example)

Mark A · 1 Nov 2006 at 14:44

Ye they're good for hiding, i was thinking of putting a couple behind my monitor when i get a tft, Phillips ambi light style

.

P_A_N_I_C · 1 Nov 2006 at 15:03

great pics MarkA!

arrond · 1 Nov 2006 at 16:19

Yeah nice pics, thanks for that. I think i will go for 4 x 6" cathodes as there not much room in my lanboy, i will probably pick up an Akasa LED fan as well.

Cheers guys.

ledbythereaper · 1 Nov 2006 at 16:59

I have 2x12" UV cathodes, one at the back of the case, window side positioned vertically and one on the other side at the front, might go back to having them top and bottom as that looked better.

ohara · 1 Nov 2006 at 17:13

i have 3 cathodes and a cathode fan grill to turn them on and off i modded the switches into the front

gr1mey · 1 Nov 2006 at 17:15

in my latest case [soon to be revealed] Ive used 4 x 4" cathodes, 2 Blue and 2 UV....easy to hide discreetly and they provide just a nice hint of light...

IMO Cathodes are the way to go, and LED fans are for the kiddies...grown ups use silent hard PU fans not them 'orrible acryllic monstrosities