Question Offsetting / Overlaying LED / RGB lighting strips ?

[Anomaly_76]

I presume LED / RGB lighting belongs in the Cases forum as there is no specific section for it. If I've posted this in the wrong place, please feel free to move it.

I recently consolidated my 5900X / RTX3060ti into a salvaged Navepoint networking / server cabinet with some audio equipment to create an all-in-one personal recording studio. I wound up going deeper (and pricier) than planned, especially on my limited budget (fixed income). The general idea here was to try to consolidate as much as possible so that should my living arrangements change (and they're quite likely to), I won't have such a tough time moving things, as the cabinet is now on wheels.

All that said, here is the latest iteration. Note the lighting here seems brighter due to head-on camera angle - the DEMCI filters somewhat diffuse the light at any other angle.

Ultimately, I would like all the equipment (except the PC at the bottom) to be bathed in blue / cyan light, preferably with the LEDs hidden or as close to hidden as possible. However, I would also like to mimic an audio level monitor / peak meter along the sides of the front cabinet door. If it helps, I am using a Commander Core XT and Lighting Node Pro by Corsair, with 10 LEDs per 400mm strip. The Lighting Node Pro has two channels, one of which is currently running four strips for the effects pictured. To the best of my knowledge, this is the specific cabinet in question.

Trying to use one strip to do both with each side of the cabinet door lip is proving somewhat difficult, as the brightness required to light the front panels more or less overpowers the level monitor / peak meter, and the level monitor / peak meter (for lack of a better word) -- 'contaminates' the attempt at front panel lighting.

Hence, it would appear that essentially, to achieve the desired effects, I need two strips at different angles, with some sort of barrier separating their respective light output. A magnetic-mount V-shaped or Y-shaped rail to to aim them at 45-90 degrees to each other would be ideal, but unfortunately, there don't seem to be any diffuser channel setups or brackets made to do this.

At the moment, I'm considering mounting a second set of these 10-LED 400mm strips to partially overlap the existing strips in the door screen frame, which should get me in the ball park. I'm just not sure it will fully do what I'm hoping for, thus, I thought I'd ask if anyone here knew of a better way to accomplish this. If anyone has any ideas, your input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Aeacus]

Fancy meeting you here again.

If anyone has any ideas, your input would be greatly appreciated.

A magnetic-mount V-shaped or Y-shaped rail to to aim them at 45-90 degrees to each other would be ideal, but unfortunately, there don't seem to be any diffuser channel setups or brackets made to do this.

If there aren't any, make your own.

This is often the end result for one-off, custom needs. E.g just like your demciflex filters are.

There are plexiglass semi-transparent diffusers out there, that you can use to cover up the individual LED strip. This way, the light shown isn't that vibrant and it smooths the light out.

E.g this should work,
amazon: https://www.amazon.com/HAMRVL-Aluminum-Diffuser-Mounting-Accessories/dp/B08V4DW1S3

Then again, it is difficult to understand what you exactly are asking. But i think i got it right.

 

[Anomaly_76]

Fancy meeting you here again.

Yeah, really, we gotta stop meeting like this, people are gonna talk. LOL

E.g this should work,
amazon: https://www.amazon.com/HAMRVL-Aluminum-Diffuser-Mounting-Accessories/dp/B08V4DW1S3

Then again, it is difficult to understand what you exactly are asking.

But i think i got it right.

I actually looked at diffusers like these, but they would have to be back-to-back, which would be fine except for the inner door grille lip is only 0.5625 inch (14.2875 mm) , and each of these is 0.6299 inch (15.99946 mm), totaling 1.2598 inch (32 mm) for two back-to-back, which likely won't allow the door to close, if it indeed will even clear the equipment.

I've considered using only one with the audio level strip glued to the back of it facing outward, but at 0.6299 inch depth vs 0.5625 inch available, I'm not even sure one of these will allow the door to close properly.

If there's a version that is only 0.28125 inch (7.14375 mm) wide, I could probably work with that. But I don't think they make them that narrow.

Then again, it is difficult to understand what you exactly are asking.

But i think i got it right.

You're right, without an illustration, it is difficult for others to understand what I'm asking. Ideally, I would like something more like this... But I don't think anything like that exists, especially in that size. The gray area at the top would ideally serve as a barrier to prevent the lighting from bleeding into each other where the barriers join.

If there aren't any, make your own.

I may just have to cobble something together for this, but with the fine motor skills inherent to autism, I don't have the steady hand necessary for fabrication that will achieve the desired results. I did run across a thread that said to basically gut these for the diffuser tubing, but I don't think I'll be able to fit two of these strips back-to-back inside them.

 

[Ralston18]

@Anomaly_76

What you want to see (AKA requirements) is purely subjective.

I would not expect that there is some specific, technical, quantifiable configuration that matches what you want to see.

All the more so with respect to 4 or 5 decimal places. Although that may be (no criticism intended) important to you it is not practical within the RGB environment/colors overall.

And I would not put anything intended for automobile signals into a computer.

The power requirements may prove fatal to your computer.

Just tinker with what you can until you like the results or can at least accept what is within the trade-offs you are willing to make or are willing to accept.

If not possible then that is beyond my purview.

= = = =

That said:

Very much in agreement with @Aeacus - "make your own"

P.S. Do not glue anything - use double sided tape instead - especially if experimenting and testing.

 

[Anomaly_76]

@Anomaly_76

What you want to see (AKA requirements) is purely subjective.

I would not expect that there is some specific, technical, quantifiable configuration that matches what you want to see.

All the more so with respect to 4 or 5 decimal places. Although that may be (no criticism intended) important to you it is not practical within the RGB environment/colors overall.

While I understand there may not be anything ready-made that will be perfect, there doesn't seem to be anything that's even close. I can't be the only one that has ever wanted to aim two different strips in different directions in a tight space.

@Anomaly_76

And I would not put anything intended for automobile signals into a computer.

The power requirements may prove fatal to your computer.

You may have missed the part where I mentioned gutting them for the the diffuser tubing, as that was the intent. But yes, I get what you're saying there.

Just tinker with what you can until you like the results or can at least accept what is within the trade-offs you are willing to make or are willing to accept.

If not possible then that is beyond my purview.

That said:

Very much in agreement with @Aeacus - "make your own"

P.S. Do not glue anything - use double sided tape instead - especially if experimenting and testing.

And that is why I may just try to mount one upon the other, slightly offset to the side, to see if that helps.

All that said, I get why you caution not to glue anything until the final product.

 

[Anomaly_76]

E.g this should work,
amazon: https://www.amazon.com/HAMRVL-Aluminum-Diffuser-Mounting-Accessories/dp/B08V4DW1S3

Then again, it is difficult to understand what you exactly are asking. But i think i got it right.

Now that I think about it more, these might actually work, mounted with one rail facing forward, with one strip mounted along that front-facing rail, and the other sitting at an angle behind it facing inward. Maybe that is what you were thinking?

I am, however, nervous about putting an LED strip that close to my expensive DEMCIfilters, as I don't want to burn a hole in them. There would be a minor clearance issue on the backside, but with only one, it may not even be a problem if I can trim it. A little black spray paint and I might not even know it's there.

It's too bad there seems to be nothing more specific to this use case though. I can't be the only one who's needed to do something like this.

I do think I might try another idea I had in mounting the ambient lighting strips in the main cabinet framing. Just not sure that will put the light where I want it.

 

[Ralston18]

Instead of black spray paint use a bit of electrical tape if possible.

Again nothing permanent....

= = = =

And, are the dust filters inside or outside of the case?

Reference:

https://www.demcifilter.com/Dust

From the link:

" the easiest way of doing this is by fitting DEMCiflex Computer Dust Filters to the outside of your computer case. "

As I understand your plan the LED's will be inside - correct?

 

[Anomaly_76]

Instead of black spray paint use a bit of electrical tape if possible.

Again nothing permanent....

= = = =

And, are the dust filters inside or outside of the case?

Reference:

https://www.demcifilter.com/Dust

From the link:

" the easiest way of doing this is by fitting DEMCiflex Computer Dust Filters to the outside of your computer case. "

As I understand your plan the LED's will be inside - correct?

The front filter is external due to fitment issues. The side panels attach from the inside, all three magnetic.

And yes, the plan is for the LEDs to be inside. I'd like most of them to be hidden, but the peak meter obviously will have to be visible.

 

[Aeacus]

I'd like most of them to be hidden, but the peak meter obviously will have to be visible.

Rather than using LED rail/tray with diffuser cover, since you'll run out of space; how about mounting the LED strip directly to the PC case and the use diffuser film to cover them and gaining the smooth effect?

E.g this diffuser film,
amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Barydat-Diffusion-Lighting-Diffuser-Photography/dp/B0CHYM14ZH/

This way, you don't have to worry about LED rail/tray and running out of space due to it.

 

[Anomaly_76]

Rather than using LED rail/tray with diffuser cover, since you'll run out of space; how about mounting the LED strip directly to the PC case and the use diffuser film to cover them and gaining the smooth effect?

E.g this diffuser film,
amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Barydat-Diffusion-Lighting-Diffuser-Photography/dp/B0CHYM14ZH/

This way, you don't have to worry about LED rail/tray and running out of space due to it.

That's doable, I guess, but as I am using Corsair strips with iCUE control, I would have to cut / alter the door screen mesh or the cabinet to run the wires, as the connectors are too large to fish through any existing openings. Also would prefer a cleaner look -- I kind of wish the cabinet panels did not have lock cylinders, but I guess you can't have everything. Especially for the price.

The mixer DOES have a built-in peak meter, but under certain conditions, it is being bypassed and won't always register.

I ordered a second set of strips and extension cables last night, so I guess I can play with it a bit this weekend and see what can be done without extra hardware before I start ordering anything else. Will update with photos. It's likely I'll have to compromise in the end, but I'm not giving up without a fight.

 

[Anomaly_76]

@Aeacus @Ralston18 So the night before my extra strips arrived, I noticed a strange smell and couldn't tell exactly what it was or where it was coming from. Didn't exactly smell like something was burning, just a weird smell.

The next day, when I tore down the rack to open up the Core P3 so I could run another cable for the Lighting Node Pro's 2nd channel... I was greeted with THIS... How does this even happen on an output that's not even in use?

At this point, I didn't trust it, so I removed it completely, using my Commander Core XT's single channel. Limits me to six strips, which sucks, but it got me back up and running within the day. I do have to say, though, these Corsair strips are nothing short of frustrating to get up and running (and keep them running). They seem to be riddled with bad connections where the plugs meet. Even with everything tie-wrapped in place, I have to be very careful opening and closing the cabinet door.

And with six strips and three extension cables, good luck figuring out what's interrupting the connection, because sometimes a strip will retain its last command, making it look like the problem is elsewhere. Combining that and the controller channel that wasn't even being used burning up, I'd say it's not likely I'll be buying Corsair in the future. There has to be better and more reliable out there.

After some trial and error though, I accidentally discovered a combination of lighting features and specific colors that actually makes this thing look like it's underwater, even getting the fans in sync with the effect. I wound up compromising the peak meter idea by moving a strip to the face of my mixer. Having one slot left, I used another below it to serve as temperature gauges for the GPU (L) and CPU (R) when above 50-55 degrees, and everything seems to work quite well. That said...

Here is a video of the latest look while playing audio. I rather like it. Doesn't seem quite as bright as it was, but I think I can live with it. Looks a lot better, I think, and I didn't even have to buy or make diffusers.