Sorry, I can't take credit, even though I had the idea, somebody else brought it up first

Alex Lear

They're being driven from a PIC output pin (PIC16C54 I think). You need to be careful with current if you're adding lots of LEDs, or add a buffer.

No problem if you want to wire them to the PSU direct, but you'll loose the dimming ability.

Hugo

I'll buy!

Marius (Escort Cab + Mark II)

Very COOL I have the soldering skills & have worked with LEDs just need buttons made for me, count me in on interested in a button set if someone is doing it. I don't seem to mod things like I use to or I'd probably have already done this to mine.

#695 empeg-car Mk2/Green/Amber/Neon Red/Clear/Smoke-12Gig needs tuner,2.x, VR

"No buyers regret"

Okay - so it's been 3 weeks without any more messages on this thread. I was at a computer fair today and whilst watching someone mod a PS One I had an idea form in my 'ead. This is someone who is used to soldering chips onto a circuit board so surely a set of bulbs would be no probs. As mentioned by someone earlier, I'd be putting my beloved empeg in the hands of a man with a soldering iron, but it's a damn sight better than trying it myself. I don't know the specifics so if someone could give me the right info I could approach this person and see what they think.

How are other people's projects progressing?

One final thing, I take it the heat from the bulbs so close to the buttons doesn't have any adverse effects?

___________________________

Steve - 18GB Mk II Sssmokey

I think there's a key flaw in your logic. The people who've done backlit buttons seem to be themselves extremely proficient with soldering and electronics knowledge, and would be able to blame themselves if they goofed something up. Someone who can put in a Playstation mod chip is NOT necessarily qualified to solder LED's and resistors into the Empeg's circuitry to allow for backlit buttons. I've seen a PS mod performed, and I've also seen where the backlight LED's are to be connected on the Empeg, and there is DEFINITELY more involved in the Empeg modification than putting in a mod chip. If your PS modding buddy screws it up, you've got to send your Empeg across the pond, absorb shipping, etc.

If you ask me, the apparent coolness of backlit buttons is far outweighed by the possibility of fux0ring up a $1000-$2000 piece of electronic equipment.

But if it works, tell us all about how it went. :)

-Tony
MkII #554

And LEDs don't get hot. Appart from the fact that they also emit light they are nothing like bulbs.

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)

How are other people's projects progressing?

I'm waiting for someone to offer transparent molded buttons for sale. Those green ones looked great. Any word on when they'll be ready for public consumption?

One final thing, I take it the heat from the bulbs so close to the buttons doesn't have any adverse effects?

They are LEDs, not bulbs. LEDs don't emit heat.

Well, OK, I'm sure they do emit some heat, but it's such incredibly small amounts of heat that it doesn't matter in most applications.

___________
Tony Fabris

First off, to put the leds in you have to completely remove the display board, which entails removing the hard drive(s) , not hard but for someone who hasn't done or heard about it before they could f up the display board. Next you have to actually bend the display out of the way to get access to the pads for the surface mount resistor pack. Once you have obtained four T-1 leds of the desired color you have to determine the correct polarity for them by looking at the traces and assuming they are tied to +5v, or use a multimeter after you have run the correct program to turn them on. Once you have that you install the resistor pack, which I don't have the type offhand, for the current you want. Then if you want to add in an led or leds near the knob, you need to run wires over to it and attach the led however you feel. Now bend the display back and reassemble. And remember to plug the display board in correctly or you can blow a fuse, or compoenent, I don't remember offhand like others before empeg and co. told everyone about that.

I'm probably making it sound harder than it really is. But an empeg costs a little more than a PS1. And I know I wouldn't trust anyone but me or the manufacturer to do this type of work, but I do have more experience than the average person, and wouldn't trust a lot of people to do things I know how to do.

Brian

-See my empeg here-

I as well am waiting for a type of transparent/translucent buttons. Just so everyone knows, the reason I said the backlit buttons was a work in progress is this. Because I received one of the early MK2s I got a new facia and buttons. So I used the old buttons to drill the holes in, and kept the new ones for safe keeping. That way I can always revert back to normal. The drilled holes were only a quick hack to get some results.

Brian

-See my empeg here-

I made a few more sets. A nice blue set but I don't know if it matches the exact color of the blue screen because I have a green screen.

Overall, buttons aren't ready for distobution yet.

Does someone have exact digikey (or whatever) part numbes for the parts needed?


Alex Lear

You should put together a little kit! i'll be the first in line to order one =]


|| loren.cox ||

Not quite sure if this is what you mean or not.

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

Guess he meant the part numbers for the LEDs...
Personally I think it wouldn't hurt for future and current projects to mention for which model (MK1/MK2/MK2a) it applies, that stops the confusion.

Edwin de Vaan
mk2 rev.7 # 080000263 (queue 1232) 6+20Gb blue/red

Sorry about that, yes I meant part numbers for the LED's and the resistor pack.

Alex Lear

In reply to:

---

Someone who can put in a Playstation mod chip is NOT necessarily qualified to solder LED's and resistors into the Empeg's circuitry to allow for backlit buttons

---

I was not belittling the soldering on an empeg by saying that someone who can solder chips to a games console would have the ability to work on an empeg. If I have offended then I apologise. Based on the responses to my post, it looks like I won't be getting my empeg upgraded unless someone like Brian is going to be offering it as a service. But, I wish Good Luck to those who will try.

___________________________

Steve - 18GB Mk II Sssmokey

Can we order these buttons yet?

Proud Owner of MK2 080000558 - 18gb Blue

I really haven't put too much time into them but I have been slowly improving on them. At this point I will make a few sets for those people who have made the LED modification. With their feedback and pictures I can improve on the design and get a few more sets for everybody.

If you have already made this modification, email me.

Alex Lear

Alex, those green buttons are awesome! I have a green screen, and those would be perfect...

So, how is the Backlit Hack effort going these days? Has anyone put together a "Package Deal"? IE, a set of translucent buttons, the correct leds, instructions, etc.

I would definitely purchase a set like this if somebody made it!

Hi, I stopped mucking around with my empeg when I found out the product was not being produced anymore. The button modification is easy and the player was actually designed for it. I stopped right before I ran a prototype of a printed circuit board ring with surface mount LED's for the knob illumination. This is not as easy of a hack because you can't run it off the same power as the other LED's, so you have to look else where in the player for power. I'll let you know if I make any more button and/or finish the LED ring.

If you don't end up doing any more work on it... I'm sure we'd all really appreciate any info or pictures of the work you've done thus far. =]

Anything we could do to talk you into working on the buttons some more? Quite a few of us are ready to order!

thanks.

I'll let you know if I make any more button and/or finish the LED ring.

Sounds cool! I'll try to keep my ears open.

I think you got the knob backlight figured out pretty cool. That sounds like that would work just fine. If you ever make any of those, I would definitely be interested. Right now, I'm thinking about adding the leds myself, but it really depends on whether or not I can get some buttons that will work cool, and your home made ones look like they would work perfectly.

I stopped mucking around with my empeg when I found out the product was not being produced anymore.

Yeah, that does suck that they aren't going to make the units anymore. It's kinda depressing, but at the same time, it makes having one that much more cool. The empeg might have a sort of cult following, but I think the empeg community is getting stronger, and the fact that they aren't going to make any more units doesn't seem to be slowing it down at all. Heck, just look at this board. Take Mark Lord for example, just came out of nowhere, and stirred the hell out the empeg world. You gotta love it.

I guess my point is, don't stop mucking around with it, just because they won't make anymore!

Don't loose faith, man!

Long live the empeg!

We will pay extra!!!

I'll see what I can do guys.

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but if one were to fabricate a ring-type PCB for the rotary button using surface mount LED's, there shouldn't be a power problem so long as you wire the LED's in series. If I'm not mistaken, the current through the network would be based on the series resistor, not the LEDs; the LED's would only account for .7V drops across each of them. With a typical LED, Vt is around 2.?V, so that would limit you to 2 or 3 LED's per output pin from the PIC. Now, since the PIC typically can only source ~25 mA, so, set it up with 3 LED's and a 116 (or more) ohm resistor, and you should be good to go (provided those particular LED's will have a pin on the PIC all to themselves.) If you can find LED's with a transition voltage lower than say 2.9V, you might be able to add more LED's... but be sure to change the resistor value to prevent too much current from the PIC!

And while we're bringing up this backlit buttons thread, I would like to repeat an idea I saw in another thread:

One of the feelings I got was that casting the back bits (the parts that fit onto the buttons and knob shaft) is the hard part.

You could cast just the front faces of the buttons and knob in a translucent material. The back portions could be cut-off bits of the generic farnell button caps and an extra standard knob, glued to the translucent cast pieces.

I'm itching for backlit buttons.

That is a good idea, I want some backlit buttons as well.

I'm itching for backlit buttons.

Oh man ... count me in.

I'd be surprised if there was a high percentage of empeg owners out there that wern't "Itching for backlit buttons".

After all, it is the Holy Grail of empeg hacks.

I'd get some as long as they fit the same, and I can keep my original ones intact if anything goes wrong.

Mind you, you do get used to finding the buttons in the dark.