LED Accents behind TV?

staknhalo

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#21

Post by staknhalo » Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:46 pm

Yeah, it's more immersive (the dynamic lighting) - though I always wondered if it would suck with letterbox content - I'm too lazy to look on youtube if anyone has posted a video of that. Still, it's a special occasion thing - could you imagine how annoying it would be when trying to just watch the news or something. 95% of the time you just want white/6500k back-lighting.

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#22

Post by makryger » Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:52 pm

staknhalo wrote: could you imagine how annoying it would be when trying to just watch the news or something.
I've always wanted to get a more immersive experience of the Syrian civil war!
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#23

Post by makryger » Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:58 pm

Anyways, I think the most straightforward way of accomplishing this is to get a smart surge protector. I really only need the one plug that depends on the TV status... Ideally, the rest would be "always on".. anyone know if anything like that?

Or the other option is to plug in my current surge protector into the always on port to get the multiple always on ports... is it still a bad thing to plug in one power strip into another?
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#24

Post by barnabas1969 » Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:00 pm

richard1980 wrote:No, it's 10% of the brightest white. I can't find a free copy of the SMPTE recommendation or I'd post the link. However, you can Google "SMPTE bias light" and get the info from 3rd parties. Or you can just look at some bias lighting calibration patterns...you'll see that the patterns certainly aren't at the 90% level.

Besides, have you ever tried to use the 90% level? That would be torture on your eyes.

I was basing what I wrote on this (http://www.cinemaquestinc.com/blb.htm):
5. The brightness of the reflected illumination should be 10% or less of the brightest white the monitor is adjusted to (calibrated for a dark environment).
EDIT: Now I see where I misunderstood.

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#25

Post by staknhalo » Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:18 pm

makryger wrote:Anyways, I think the most straightforward way of accomplishing this is to get a smart surge protector. I really only need the one plug that depends on the TV status... Ideally, the rest would be "always on".. anyone know if anything like that?

Or the other option is to plug in my current surge protector into the always on port to get the multiple always on ports... is it still a bad thing to plug in one power strip into another?
It might just be better to just turn it on when you need if you can think of a 'non-pain-in-the-ass' way of doing that - not simply whenever the tv is on. Are you really gonna want the backlighting on during the morning or the middle of the day? Unless your crib is drenched in perpetual darkness :P

I wouldn't daisy chain power strips simply because I don't wanna give myself the option of plugging in more things than I should.

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#26

Post by barnabas1969 » Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:26 pm

staknhalo wrote:
makryger wrote:Anyways, I think the most straightforward way of accomplishing this is to get a smart surge protector. I really only need the one plug that depends on the TV status... Ideally, the rest would be "always on".. anyone know if anything like that?

Or the other option is to plug in my current surge protector into the always on port to get the multiple always on ports... is it still a bad thing to plug in one power strip into another?
It might just be better to just turn it on when you need if you can think of a 'non-pain-in-the-ass' way of doing that - not simply whenever the tv is on. Are you really gonna want the backlighting on during the morning or the middle of the day? Unless your crib is drenched in perpetual darkness :P

I wouldn't daisy chain power strips simply because I don't wanna give myself the option of plugging in more things than I should.
I don't know of any that only have one controlled outlet. As staknhalo mentions above, you could probably also find a way to control it via IR.

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makryger

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#27

Post by makryger » Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:28 pm

That's fair... the easiest thing would obviously be too just but one of the kits that already comes with a manual on/off switch... but it's nice to have the automatic options if needed.

I've also seen some with IR control that may work nicely with a harmony remote. Maybe set up the accent lighting to be activated with a movie task.
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#28

Post by staknhalo » Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:28 pm

Or if you have 2 outlets close enough to each other - and one is controlled by a light switch in the room or something - plug the lighting into that outlet and use the switch to control on/off. Or hire an electrician and spend way more money than you intended to :D

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#29

Post by barnabas1969 » Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:46 pm

To be honest, I've been thinking of putting LED's behind my TV for a while too... ever since I discovered those LED light strips that have a self-adhesive backing. However, I did not know that there was a "recommended" color temperature. I suppose it makes sense. Maybe I'll look around for options.

My plan was to tie it into my Insteon network somehow.

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#30

Post by staknhalo » Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:53 pm

barnabas1969 wrote:My plan was to tie it into my Insteon network somehow.
Yeah - this made me think of another type of control option. Get a Belkin WeMo outlet or the like and control on/off from your smart phone or device over WiFi. Or, you even could set it up to control the actual color of the lighting from said device like you can with the Phillips Hue series lighting devices if you work that into your setup somehow.

I've thought about it - but "meh" is the decision I came to.

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#31

Post by makryger » Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:43 pm

I do like the concept of Wi-Fi controlled everything... but it's so darn expensive! The uncertain solution is not much better. Every light switch costs you an arm and a leg.
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#32

Post by staknhalo » Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:49 pm

We should just rename this thread to "How would you spend makryger's money?"

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#33

Post by STC » Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:39 pm

You really need it to be dimmable too and the right wavelength if you want to balance a well calibrated TV.

Preferable viewing brightness +/- 38 Foot-Lamberts ;)
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#34

Post by barnabas1969 » Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:47 pm

There are several LED light strip dimmers available. Some just have a simple knob to control the brightness. This could then be connected to some kind of remote-controlled switch.

Insteon and the other remote-controlled lighting solutions are fairly expensive, but you don't have to do it all at once.

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#35

Post by makryger » Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:53 pm

I think I may just keep it simple for now, and forget making it automatic. Cool white led strip, an in-line manual dimmer/on-off switch, connected to a power adapter. Should cost about $20 from Amazon. I'll turn it on when I am hosting guests or watching movies. In the future, maybe I'll get an IR Kit and sync it with a harmony remote.
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#36

Post by staknhalo » Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:54 pm

Simple 2 step solution.

Step 1 - buy this: http://i.imgur.com/xACNyhf.jpg

Step 2 - use previous object on this item, placed behind your TV: http://i.imgur.com/wHFfa9k.jpg

Never have to leave your couch to turn it on or off 8-)

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#37

Post by barnabas1969 » Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:56 pm

Just to make sure you understand... a dimmer for incandescent lights won't work for LED's. You need a dimmer that is designed for LED's (puts out a pulse-width-modulated signal). Also, make sure whatever dimmer you choose retains the last brightness setting when power is lost, because whatever you choose to turn it on/off with (IR controller, whatever) will remove power from the dimmer.

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#38

Post by makryger » Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:16 pm

Thanks... it's definitely built for these led strips. They don't specify if they retain settings.
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#39

Post by barnabas1969 » Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:22 pm

If it's one of the dimmers that has a knob (like a volume control knob), it will retain the settings after a power failure. If it's one of the fancier ones, with an IR remote control, it probably won't retain the settings. However, the ones with IR controls don't need to be switched off by some other control switch... you can turn them off/on with the IR remote control.

I have two of the RGB setups (with an IR remote control). One is mounted under my kitchen cabinets, and the other is under my daughter's bed. The last color/brightness definitely gets lost when the power cord is unplugged from the wall.

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#40

Post by STC » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:04 pm

barnabas1969 wrote:You need a dimmer that is designed for LED's
You also need LEDs that are designed to dim. That's why the dimmable ones usually come with the dimming electronics ready to go.
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