Dimable, Colour Changable LEDs

[richjthorpe]

Hi all,

I've had an idea for my home cinema install and need help sourcing the materials. My idea includes the need for multicolour LED strips (Can be clusters but strips would be better) that change colour at the turn of a dial (Manual) so that a colour can be chosen and it stays like that. Also to have this set up dimable.

I found a web site to 'DIY it and make it youself' using capacitors, transistors and sticky back plastic but gone are the days of soldering and making PCBs. Is there a package out there that does this ?

Thanks all,

Richie.

[digisocialist]

B&Q sell colour changeable LED's but I seem to recall reading elswhere that these are not dimmable.

www.mrlighting.com do colour changing LED's also and can custom make one... I went to their offices in Leeds and found them to be quite helpful.

[Docta teef]

No they will not dim

[Rcww]

Try these

"The lights flow through the colours of the rainbow.Choose gradual colour changing for sophisticated mood lighting or fast colour changing for fun/party lighting effects. DISCO - Sound to light technology means that your controller can be set to change colour in time with music beats/clapping etc. ICE - Press the button and the LED's glow a constant ice white colour. PULSE - Colours flash automatically through a random colour selection. MANUAL - Want a specific, constant colour?. Simply use the coloured dials on the controller to mix the exact colour you want."

http://www.buy-electrical.co.uk/inde...arget=d18.html

Have fun

[jblandford]

These are the same ones as in B&Q.

These are NOT bright at all and IMHO not up to what you need as described.

J

[jonnyt]

i've seen these in action - and are very pleasing. however i'm away from the office for a few days and dont have any pricing details.

http://www.colorkinetics.com/

regards,
jt

[jonnyt]

oh ... specifically the iCove products ;o)

[jblandford]

Originally Posted by jonnyt

oh ... specifically the iCove products ;o)

Cant seem to find anywhere that retails this stuff....

[BeerDrinker]

.....and you would not want to re-mortgage your home to buy any either. I looked into these and they were about £170 + vat for a 12" strip - very nice though. The Westin Hotel Shanghai has 2 glass staircases illuminated in an ever changing array of colours - sets of 12 " strips behind each step.
I do have a single strip that I picked up from a trader at a radio rally (Can't remember his name though) for £10 - so search hard for surplus supplies - you never know your luck.

B

[RemotecUK]

You could have a look at this company ...

http://www.crescent.co.uk/frm_home.htm

... but as mentioned by BeerDrinker above these products are *very* expensive. I am looking into doing a similar thing but it looks like the cost will be prohibitive. I am now opting for a cheaper solution using DuraLite from TLC Direct...

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/DT611W.html

Note on Crescent lighting. I asked them to send me some pricing information and it never turned up.

[echo3]

try these,

http://www.godfreys-online.co.uk/mer...gory_Code=DALL

not ordered them yet, but seriously considering them for my living room.

[jblandford]

Originally Posted by echo3

try these,

http://www.godfreys-online.co.uk/mer...gory_Code=DALL

not ordered them yet, but seriously considering them for my living room.

Dont
These are the type mentioned in this thread - they are VERY DIM and not really a light - more a decoration - all IMHO, of cours

[echo3]

Ah yes, sorry - didn't realise you wanted them as primary light sources. I intend using them as accent lighting only.

[Alexg]

I went into my new local B&Q warehouse on Sat, mainly to get a belt sander but thought I would find those LED lights aswell and see what they were like as I was going to order some.
I found them on display and they did indeed seeme dim, really dim actually, they had them set on a very slow fade between colours, the store was very bright as there were loads of other lights on as it was the lighting section, so these may be a lot better in the dark, I might buy a box, try them, take a picture so you guys can see what they are like in the dark, and then if there no good I'll take them back, well hopefully I can take them back!

-Alex.

[vex]

LED's are difficult to dim because they are so effecient that even the smallest amount of current will make them come on.

I was at an install recently that had them on a standard dimmer for traditional bulb types and the current leakage on the dimmer was large enough to power the led even when the dimmer was set to off!