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#180891 - 08/11/2003 12:25 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Greetings!

Well, given the phone numbers being disconnected, I am assuming that he cancelled the ISP, or that it was cancelled for him. Given his medical status (the recent chlorine poisoning), I hope he is okay. We may never know, of course.

I have also not heard from Steve for almost two months now. I send him an email every few weeks, but I have heard nothing back.

Edit: By the way, has anyone ever heard from Brian at all? I know that he was getting too busy for the original button orders, but I have not seen him online for a very long time.


Edited by pgrzelak (08/11/2003 12:32)
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Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#180892 - 08/11/2003 15:12 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: pgrzelak]
BartDG
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/05/2001
Posts: 2616
Loc: Bruges, Belgium
Well, given the phone numbers being disconnected, I am assuming that he cancelled the ISP, or that it was cancelled for him. Given his medical status (the recent chlorine poisoning), I hope he is okay. We may never know, of course.

I hope he returned the player that you lend to him before he dissapeared. Anything else wouldn't be very nice.
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Riocar 80gig S/N : 010101580 red
Riocar 80gig (010102106) - backup

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#180893 - 10/11/2003 16:13 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: pgrzelak]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
I have three sets of buttons and knobs in front of me. One is in a flexible material that is in a sort of very dark blue. This material feels like hard plastic except with some give.

The second is an off white hard plastic.

The third is a translucent red very close to the red lens color.

Overall the quality of his work is superb. The only problem I see with these samples is that they are too close to the originals in that none of the cavities are filled. This keeps light from dispersing as much as in Brian's sets. I'll post pictures soon.

Stu
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If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#180894 - 10/11/2003 18:09 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Picture of red buttons and knobs from the top.

Stu





Attachments
187687-red1.jpg (223 downloads)

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#180895 - 10/11/2003 18:11 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Picture of red buttons and knobs from the bottom.

Stu



Attachments
187688-red2.jpg (235 downloads)

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#180896 - 10/11/2003 18:13 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Opaque buttons and knobs.

Stu



Attachments
187690-opaque.jpg (219 downloads)

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If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#180897 - 10/11/2003 18:20 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
oliver
addict

Registered: 02/04/2002
Posts: 691
Awesome! when can we order some?
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Oliver mk1 30gb: 129 | mk2a 30gb: 040104126

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#180898 - 10/11/2003 18:22 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: oliver]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Did the caster give any indication if there was a way to improve the diffusion of light through the button? Those red translucent look great, but I would think they would show up as one very bright dot!
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Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#180899 - 10/11/2003 18:26 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
ClemsonJeep
enthusiast

Registered: 09/11/1999
Posts: 398
Loc: Ashburn, VA
Sooo... where do we place the order? :-)
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#180900 - 10/11/2003 18:46 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Oh, those off-white knobs look awesome. What's it like when they're backlit?
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Tony Fabris

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#180901 - 10/11/2003 19:08 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: tfabris]
tanstaafl.
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5539
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
What's it like when they're backlit?

Ummm... probably as described next to the picture.

Main Entry: opaque
Pronunciation: O-'pAk
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin opacus
Date: 1641
1 : exhibiting opacity : blocking the passage of radiant energy and especially light



tanstaafl.
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#180902 - 10/11/2003 19:18 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: tfabris]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
In reply to:

Oh, those off-white knobs look awesome. What's it like when they're backlit?




There kinda dim, but then they weren't intended to pass I light. You be the judge. I'm sure just about any color could be done. The internal structure of the knob shows through a bit, but that is the case with all of the materials. Perhaps he could fix that on the mold.

I took this without any lens installed.

Stu



Attachments
187706-opaque2.jpg (216 downloads)

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#180903 - 10/11/2003 19:26 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: pgrzelak]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
In reply to:

Did the caster give any indication if there was a way to improve the diffusion of light through the button?




He said he could improve things, but didn't say how. He needs to at least fill in those cavities in the parts. Maybe the backsides could have some sort of diffusion partern applied to them, sort of like they use on car instrument panel overlays.

Here's what the red looks like lit up.

Stu



Attachments
187709-empeg.jpg (225 downloads)

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#180904 - 10/11/2003 19:30 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
loren
carpal tunnel

Registered: 23/08/2000
Posts: 3826
Loc: SLC, UT, USA
sweeeet. So with a little photoshop color adjustment....



Attachments
187710-blue_buttons.jpg (243 downloads)

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|| loren ||

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#180905 - 10/11/2003 19:47 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
ricin
veteran

Registered: 19/06/2000
Posts: 1495
Loc: US: CA
Sweet. I'll definitely be ordering some sooner or later.
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MkII/080000565
MkIIa/010101253
ricin.us

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#180906 - 10/11/2003 19:58 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
SE_Sport_Driver
carpal tunnel

Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
Cool! The Opaque looks the best because you don't actually see the LED.
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Brad B.

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#180907 - 10/11/2003 20:17 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: oliver]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
You can't order yet and I don't know when exactly you will be able to. First I'd like to get the diffusion improved on the translucent ones as I'm sure some people are going to prefer that effect to the opaque variety. I'd also like to make sure he's got a good match with all the basic colors. Red seems good, but blue was way too dark, so we'll have to fix that first.

Stu
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If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#180908 - 11/11/2003 12:48 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
lopan
old hand

Registered: 28/01/2002
Posts: 970
Loc: Manassas VA
This might be a silly request, but could you post a picture of your molds? I'm still trying to figure out where I went wrong....
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Brett 60Gb MK2a with Led's

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#180909 - 11/11/2003 15:52 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
srhodes
enthusiast

Registered: 30/01/2000
Posts: 262
Loc: Derbyshire, UK
Okay, so the recent purchase of a new car (2 yr old Alfa Romeo Spider) plus the release of Alfa3 at virtually the same time (must be an omen) has renewed my interest in adding backlit buttons to my empeg. I would definitely be interested in a set of opaque buttons as well as a red set. Looks a good job there maczrool.

Question though, if I order a lighting kit from Eutronix is there anybody currently in the UK offering a fitting service?
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Steve

2x80GB Mk II with Illuminated buttons

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#180910 - 11/11/2003 17:07 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: lopan]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
In reply to:

could you post a picture of your molds?



I'll have to ask the caster about that. I have no idea what they look like.

Stu
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#180911 - 12/11/2003 12:03 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
Narkotic
member

Registered: 20/02/2002
Posts: 158
woohoo! progress! thanks stu

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#180912 - 12/11/2003 12:56 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: srhodes]
srhodes
enthusiast

Registered: 30/01/2000
Posts: 262
Loc: Derbyshire, UK
Oops. When I said opaque I really mean't milky gray ones. Obviously, they're all opaque otherwise there'd be no point
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Steve

2x80GB Mk II with Illuminated buttons

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#180913 - 12/11/2003 13:58 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: srhodes]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
I just talked over some more possibilities with the caster. He thinks that he can get buttons with transparent graphics molded into opaque parts using a stereo lithography process involving lasers (as discussed in this thread). If this is something you want it would help tremendously if you would decide on a design for the buttons and knobs, as we're only drawing up one set of files. Another possibility is to have a somewhat rubbery feeling material in the opaque areas surrounding the clear areas.

Also, does anyone know if there are CAD files for the knobs and buttons floating around? It would help a great deal when generating graphics of the appropriate size and shape.

Stu
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If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#180914 - 15/11/2003 17:42 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
Gazz
journeyman

Registered: 09/03/2001
Posts: 71
Loc: Alice Springs - Australia
Gidday you dewds,
OMG, would that push the price way up, make it all too hard, delay things, put it in the too hard basket, I wonder if it may be better to make it simple, as we have been keen on this for a long long time, you know, Simply a choice of the 3 original colors, would the majority be happy with that? I would be delighted with that.

How about this idea, I was thinking, is it easier just to make 1 type of buttons, like a Cloudy Clear, you know, Neutral color, make a lot of them, make it cheaper, then you can change the color of the LED's to whatever you like, with the LED or if you can't get a happy color LED, put in a white LED and a little baby color filter of lens like material. which we could just make ourselves with some scissors, or something, or make the buttons that take gells, and if you want a pattern, tattoo the prick on there, I don't need a pattern, I know what the buttons do.

I want da buttons, But The dollars man, the Santa is coming.

Gazz.
Outback Central Australia.

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#180915 - 16/11/2003 11:17 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: Gazz]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
He's making clear for us for sure. Just as an option we could offer the fancier, more expensive variety with the graphics. We are just waiting for him to send us samples of some fo the other basic colors so that we can okay them and then we will put them up for sale on the site.

Stu
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#180916 - 17/11/2003 16:47 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
Diznario
enthusiast

Registered: 17/10/2001
Posts: 265
Loc: Portland OR
There seems to be some confusion here between Opaque, Transparent, and Translucent...

"Opaque" means that no light goes through it. Like a brick wall for example.

"Transparent" means that the light goes through it, and it doesn't diffuse the image. Like a window. It can however, allow for a color shift, or a decrease in brightness, so tinted glass is still considered transparent.

"Translucent" means that the light goes through it, but that the image is diffused. Like a shower door, or frosted glass for example.


So there ya go. Hope that clears things up a little bit. I don't blame anyone for not understanding the difference, simply because these are some of the most commonly misused words in existence. I just have an art background so I pay attention to this stuff. =P

As a side note, back when I used to work in the sign industry, we almost always used something we called "Milk Plex" as a substrate for backlit signage. Basically, it's acrylic sheet (Plexiglass, Acrylite, etc.) that looks kinda like milk. It's translucent, with very high diffusion, and very low opacity. It's perfect for almost all backlit applications, because you get a nice bright image, and the brightness is very consistent across the entire image. (Note also that the term "Milk Plex" is probably specific to the sign industry)

So, buttons with the properties of milk plex would be cool, but the downside would be that they would look white, even when not lit up.

What I think would probably work better, would be smoke or color tinted translucent buttons. Again, what we're looking for is high diffusion, and low opacity.

OK, enough rambling!

Those buttons look awesome! I want a set!
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Dario
MK2 in an Impreza 2.5RS

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#180917 - 17/11/2003 21:49 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
elvis
enthusiast

Registered: 18/01/2002
Posts: 270
Loc: Arizona USA
PLEASE the color of the original empeg face plate. I'd love 2 or 3 sets...

Thanks,

Donovan
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Elvis

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#180918 - 18/11/2003 12:18 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: Diznario]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
So, buttons with the properties of milk plex would be cool, but the downside would be that they would look white, even when not lit up.
This is exactly what I'm talking about: Very high diffusion, low opacity.

I think it would be coolest to have milkplex-like buttons, but have the milky color be gray like the original buttons. Then you would get the same thing: high diffusion, low opacity, but have the color of the glow be a dimmer shade of gray instead of white. Heck, that's what you'd want anyway, having the buttons glow only dimly instead of brightly.
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Tony Fabris

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#180919 - 18/11/2003 12:37 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: tfabris]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Heck, that's what you'd want anyway, having the buttons glow only dimly instead of brightly.

Actually, I disagree with this. I would rather have the buttons as bright as possible, and use the hijack button illumination settings to dim it down as needed. This way, you might be able to add more effects (metalized, colors, etc.) without losing too much illumination.
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Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#180920 - 19/11/2003 15:20 Re: Casting of Buttons, Redux [Re: maczrool]
tracerbullet
addict

Registered: 08/01/2002
Posts: 419
Loc: Minnesota
Opaque shiny black, translucent blood red, and translucent "matches-the-smoke-faceplate" are my top 3. I'll send the money ahead of time!

LOL, "if you build it, they will come".

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