Sato
Offline
Brighton, England

First of all, I'd like to apologise if this is in the wrong section. Please move it if so big_smile

Now, I'm wanting to go ahead with my first gameboy mod very soon. All I really want to do is a standard biversion mod to start with. However, I'm not sure which backlight to pick. I've looked at both kitsch's LED3, and nonfinite's Envy v4, and can't seem to find a huge difference between the two.

If it helps, I'm looking for a white backlight. I'm aware they aren't in stock on kitsch-bent right now, but I'm just wondering what the difference between the two lights is.

Has anyone who has used one or both of these please give their opinions too? It would be insanely helpful to me smile

Thanks in advance big_smile

Apeshit
Offline

The main difference is LED count and thickness.

By the way, we just restocked white backlights with a new model. wink

http://asmretro.com/density-backlight

jackary
Offline
Brisbane, Australia

V4 backlights KILL v3's. They look amazing! Id personally go for the EL dmg backlights that kitsch has in stock. A little more expensive but they look mint as.

jackary
Offline
Brisbane, Australia
Apeshit wrote:

The main difference is LED count and thickness.

By the way, we just restocked white backlights with a new model. wink

http://asmretro.com/density-backlight

And then there's ASM's which are nice as! (Cheap too!)

Sato
Offline
Brighton, England
Apeshit wrote:

The main difference is LED count and thickness.

By the way, we just restocked white backlights with a new model. wink

http://asmretro.com/density-backlight

Wow, they look great! Funnily enough, I discovered your site only a few hours ago, saw the previous model of backlight ad wondered when the new ones would be in stock. Convinient that it happens to be now tongue Edit: Wrong, that was the DMG button replacements. Still convenient though!

So, I'm assuming the more LEDs, the brighter it will be overall?

Also, does anyone who has used both kitchs, the v4 and/or ASMs say what their favourite was? It doesn't seem like it will make a huge difference which model or site I go for.

Thanks apeshit smile

Last edited by Sato (Jun 12, 2013 10:26 pm)

Sato
Offline
Brighton, England
jackary wrote:

V4 backlights KILL v3's. They look amazing! Id personally go for the EL dmg backlights that kitsch has in stock. A little more expensive but they look mint as.

I was going to ask, I've seen the EL lights, all I can tell is that they are white, but don't seem particularly special. What's different about them? It says its an electroluminescent light, but I'm to sure what that is.

Thanks for the tip btw tongue

jackary
Offline
Brisbane, Australia
Sato wrote:
jackary wrote:

V4 backlights KILL v3's. They look amazing! Id personally go for the EL dmg backlights that kitsch has in stock. A little more expensive but they look mint as.

I was going to ask, I've seen the EL lights, all I can tell is that they are white, but don't seem particularly special. What's different about them? It says its an electroluminescent light, but I'm to sure what that is.

Thanks for the tip btw tongue

EL backlights don't have specific spots where they're brighter (as opposed to the v3/v4 which have 3/4 LEDs at the bottom of the screen that illuminate the screen - they're not evenly lit). EL backlights are aesthetically 100% nicer (in my opinion) but they produce a high-pitched noise that annoys some.

basspuddle
Offline
washington
Sato wrote:

Also, does anyone who has used both kitchs, the v4 and/or ASMs say what their favourite was? It doesn't seem like it will make a huge difference which model or site I go for.

i've used the kitsch backlight as well as the asm v3 backlight, and i like the asm a little more. seeing as it has 4 *leds instead of the usual 3, it is both brighter and has more even light distribution.

Last edited by basspuddle (Jun 13, 2013 1:42 am)

Sato
Offline
Brighton, England
basspuddle wrote:
Sato wrote:

Also, does anyone who has used both kitchs, the v4 and/or ASMs say what their favourite was? It doesn't seem like it will make a huge difference which model or site I go for.

i've used the kitsch backlight as well as the asm v3 backlight, and i like the asm a little more. seeing as it has 4 *leds instead of the usual 3, it is both brighter and has more even light distribution.

Alright, thanks!

So it seems if I want a brighter screen (which I do), I should go with either the ASM, V4 or the EL? I'm leaning towards ASM's at the moment as it doesn't require me to solder on an extra resistor. I'd probably go for the EL (as it's white) if it didn't have the electronic whine I've heard about. I'm sensitive to noises like that tongue

Thanks for the advice everyone, it's been really helpful!

jackary
Offline
Brisbane, Australia
Sato wrote:

So it seems if I want a brighter screen (which I do), I should go with either the ASM, V4 or the EL? I'm leaning towards ASM's at the moment as it doesn't require me to solder on an extra resistor. I'd probably go for the EL (as it's white) if it didn't have the electronic whine I've heard about. I'm sensitive to noises like that tongue

Thanks for the advice everyone, it's been really helpful!

Any time man!
I'll have to get me one of ASM's backlights. I haven't tried them yet! I'm going to order an EL backlight from kitsch soon so i'll probably go out and get an ASM one aswell!

Sato
Offline
Brighton, England

I some other, unrelated questions that don't deserve a new thread.

1. How can I paint the DMG White without covering the text? I understand Thretris has a guide on this, but after a conversation I had with him on twitter, he said that it wasn't possible with white spray paint. Is there any other way?

2. is there any real difference between this inverter from nonfinite and this one from kitsch?

3. Is Nonfinite's soldering iron or their "essential modders kit" worth it, or would there be a better alternative for relatively cheap?

Thanks in advance for answers big_smile

kitsch
Offline
matt's mind

1) glad you reached out to him on this, he recently did a case for us which is just absolutely glowing pink, but the text shows through fine.  he said he was using something new, and with his past experience with xmetals i'd say he's got the bases covered on that.  if not, he's got friends who paint as a job, so can pull from those resources too.  good choice
2) i wrote my answer to this, but erased it, because justin can get to this.  since its his, i'll let him say the definitive things about this.

Sato
Offline
Brighton, England
kitsch wrote:

1) glad you reached out to him on this, he recently did a case for us which is just absolutely glowing pink, but the text shows through fine.  he said he was using something new, and with his past experience with xmetals i'd say he's got the bases covered on that.  if not, he's got friends who paint as a job, so can pull from those resources too.  good choice
2) i wrote my answer to this, but erased it, because justin can get to this.  since its his, i'll let him say the definitive things about this.

Thanks kitsch smile if thretris ever mentions what "new" paint he's using I'll be sure to take a look.

Apeshit
Offline

Go with Justin's kit at Kitsch's shop, or from his own shop. The other one is just an IC, not an actual kit. I'm personally weary of buying ICs from suppliers other than digikey or mouser. I tried some from eBay and they had major heat issues, and I won't be doing that again.

thursdaycustoms
Offline
Cleveland, OH

ASM said it best. The main difference is that in my kit the IC is safely mounted to a PCB so that you don't have to solder directly to the pins and risk over heating, breaking or bridging the pins. Also the Hex DMG kit specifically is very easy to install into a DMG because it mounts right to the back of the main PCB and then you only need two wires. The entire kit is hardly bigger than the HC04xx IC that other companies sell but so much easier to solder to due to full sized solder pads.

Sato
Offline
Brighton, England

Thanks guys big_smile

I spoke more with Thretris, he said he used a Krylon Fluorescent paint, but the White paint would still cover the text, as apparently only darker colours won't cover it.

He said I should maybe look for some text decals, does anyone know where these might be available?