Led Strip lights advice

Roku2

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
17,491
Reaction score
3,543
Points
2,624
Age
50
Location
Miami, Fl, US
Having trouble being able to have all 4 side light up. I am using L connectors but as you can see I must be doing something wrong at the connection points and the right and top side strips are not lighting up.
Any advice?
20170207_120413.jpg
 
Yep, turn off the remaining two strips - any light with a front projector is a bad thing :)

Bias lighting is meant for smaller brighter direct view tv sets, not projectors:

Illuminating the Ideal Home Viewing Environment | ISF Forum

One Light Source = The Projector. The only light that should reach the screen is that from the projector. Ambient light sources should be absent. Room surfaces should be dark and absorptive or non-reflective. A flat-finish black ceiling is strongly recommended. Any extraneous light that hits the screen or is reflected back onto it will impair black levels, contrast and color fidelity, and these reflections are made worse by vivid, non-neutral colors in the room decor.
 
Yep, turn off the remaining two strips - any light with a front projector is a bad thing :)

Bias lighting is meant for smaller brighter direct view tv sets, not projectors:

Illuminating the Ideal Home Viewing Environment | ISF Forum

One Light Source = The Projector. The only light that should reach the screen is that from the projector. Ambient light sources should be absent. Room surfaces should be dark and absorptive or non-reflective. A flat-finish black ceiling is strongly recommended. Any extraneous light that hits the screen or is reflected back onto it will impair black levels, contrast and color fidelity, and these reflections are made worse by vivid, non-neutral colors in the room decor.
Well these are to be implemented during more casual viewing, not to improve picture or to assess picture quality.
 
Were they lighting up before or have you never managed to get them working?
 
Were they lighting up before or have you never managed to get them working?
Never managed to get them to work. Read all instructions. Watched a bunch of instructional videos on YouTube.
Once while trying to connect the strip lit up green while the rest of the main strip connected to the main adaptor was set to white. Then it stopped working.
 
I was going to say you might need to reverse the polarity of the strip on the L connector, but if it lit up green then it sounds like a loose connection. Have you checked the little metal pins in the L connector, or the contacts on the end of the strip?
 
I was going to say you might need to reverse the polarity of the strip on the L connector, but if it lit up green then it sounds like a loose connection. Have you checked the little metal pins in the L connector, or the contacts on the end of the strip?
Yes when I was moving the strip around light would go from green to off to white back to off. I made sure that the RGB connections all matched with the RGB connections in the L connectors and all clipped prolerly...very frustrating and just looking at half the screen lit up looks gorgeous for when we are watching sports or other tv programs. It's like being at a pub[emoji41]
 
I've just remembered that I had the "green" issue once. Turned out I hadn't pushed the strip far enough in to the connector, so not all of the contacts were making a sound connection. I was using the waterproof strips that are coated in silicone, so I just had to cut a little more silicone off so I could push the strip in further.

Another thing to check is that the transformer is powerful enough for the length of strip you have, although I'd expect a different issue if it was underpowered, like flickering or a pinky white glow on the last strip.
 
I've just remembered that I had the "green" issue once. Turned out I hadn't pushed the strip far enough in to the connector, so not all of the contacts were making a sound connection. I was using the waterproof strips that are coated in silicone, so I just had to cut a little more silicone off so I could push the strip in further.

Another thing to check is that the transformer is powerful enough for the length of strip you have, although I'd expect a different issue if it was underpowered, like flickering or a pinky white glow on the last strip.
Thanks for the advice. I thought maybe I got the wrong L connectors but they all look universal for RGB strips. I made sure + matched + on strips and connectors. Also not sure if strips must be slid into connectors with adhesive material still in or off
 
Sorry totally off topic which backlights did you get ?
I'm after some for my 50" set
Thanks
 
Thanks for the advice. I thought maybe I got the wrong L connectors but they all look universal for RGB strips. I made sure + matched + on strips and connectors. Also not sure if strips must be slid into connectors with adhesive material still in or off
There are two sizes that I know off - 5050 and 3528, also RGB or single colour.

Do you mean the adhesive sticky back, or the silicon covering the diodes on the front?

Have you tried swapping the strips and / or L connectors around, just to rule out faulty kit?
 
There are two sizes that I know off - 5050 and 3528, also RGB or single colour.

Do you mean the adhesive sticky back, or the silicon covering the diodes on the front?

Have you tried swapping the strips and / or L connectors around, just to rule out faulty kit?
Here are pics of front and back of LED strips and of L connectors and how I have strip sliding into connector
20170207_165700.jpg
20170207_165317.jpg
20170207_165327.jpg
20170207_165428.jpg
 
In the first picture, can you push the strip further in?
If I try to push them further in they fold (or bend) in my hands. I might have to try again. Do they seem to be to far out from the proper position?
 
I managed to insert strip up to here...is that where I went wrong earlier?
Before/After
c07cc03581cfac2cdb5d426444b41b33.jpg

e202ed16f18212f4006e567ca403decc.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20170207_165700.jpg
    20170207_165700.jpg
    51.3 KB · Views: 153
  • 20170207_183654.jpg
    20170207_183654.jpg
    27.4 KB · Views: 164
I'd say they needed to be further in than on the before photo. You can try lifting the silver contacts slightly by sliding a small flat bladed screwdriver under them. This should allow the strip to push straight in easily. Then just close the cover and it should push the contacts down on the strip and grip tight.
 
I'd say they needed to be further in than on the before photo. You can try lifting the silver contacts slightly by sliding a small flat bladed screwdriver under them. This should allow the strip to push straight in easily. Then just close the cover and it should push the contacts down on the strip and grip tight.
Now I have to take screen down again...hope this is the answer and THANK YOU mate!
Led strips get such a bad rap aming the purists but they have their place in a home theater room. Kids and family don't care much about picture fidelity and honestly I like them when watching sporting events, car shows, or documentaries
 
Now I have to take screen down again...hope this is the answer and THANK YOU mate!
Led strips get such a bad rap aming the purists but they have their place in a home theater room. Kids and family don't care much about picture fidelity and honestly I like them when watching sporting events, car shows, or documentaries
Hopefully that will sort it.

Yes I agree, the are a lot on this forum that ridicule the use of LED strips as BIAS lighting, but I wouldn't be without them. I have two Philips Ambilight TVs, and two Samsungs, and have added LED strips to both. However, I love the Ambilight on the Philips.

How can anybody say this isn't awesome!

20170108_210226.jpeg
 
Nothing wrong with bias lighting a tv because there can be a physiological benefit from it (I think that's why it was created IIRC), it's just far from ideal with a projector.
 
Are you supplying them enough power? is the plug your using outputting enough volts to power the strips......
 
I have the 21:9 Philips and find the ambilight off putting when watching movies.
 
I have the 21:9 Philips and find the ambilight off putting when watching movies.
That's a shame, I love it - even the wife does, and she doesn't share my lighting 'fetish'!

For me, it widens the viewing field, makes it more immersive in a way.

How's your 21:9 doing? Mines is getting on for just over 6 years now, so the tech is dated and the panel isn't in the same league as the Samsung KS7000 in the living room, but I hate the letter box effect on films so will be heartbroken when it dies. I wish somebody would start producing large screen 21:9 panels again.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom