All were done utilizing beat/cut and using a variable resistor for the vus to tone down the brightness. 
A few done recently, Perdisco 8600, JVC 838, and an m70. The Perdisco looks a bit harsh on the tuner but is not the camera is accentuating .
- Thread starter stynger007
- Start date
- Status
BoomboxLover48
Boomus Fidelis
Its all nice but we have to come up with a diffuser for the LEDs not to focus and shine and make it look like Christmas lights inside.
This is why I never tried the LEDs inside in boomboxes. It loses the charm.
There is a way to scatter and diffuse light inside the plastic face cover on VUs and Dial screen.
This is why I never tried the LEDs inside in boomboxes. It loses the charm.
There is a way to scatter and diffuse light inside the plastic face cover on VUs and Dial screen.
True , but given the tight tolerances in some cases the led strip barely fits in letalone diffusing the light although that is definitely something to consider.. In some areas that would be good, in others it`s just not possible..the tolerances are zero..the leds under or above, even tried back to back between them ..the vus in the m70 are a very tight squeeze, and they are low profile ...in terms of mimicking an incandescent bulb, 2700k gives a vintage glow ..I did a 7978 acrylic window the best temp i found with a vintage glow similar to the hue of an edison bulb was a usb 5v strip for behind a tv, problem: 5v would mean a random exploration of a circuit board to find 5v , tap it and , no. To tone down say 3000k to match the lumens , i use a 10k ohm variable resistor that takes the dc voltage and reduces it. ..also have successfully used voltage regulators for errant cassette motors ..the JVC RC 838 is a proprietary motor that cannot be replaced with standard..that box had the best wow and flutter in the era (not mention the biphonic..many equated that to the early surround systems of the 70s if you have one, try settings on biphonic and walk around the room..that was the earliest and later was copied by many other manufacturers as what we know as "wide" (I`m old) ..much like some hi end Pioneer home cassette decks that motor, had electronics inside that reacted with the main board to control the wow and flutter... I did an 838 installed a voltage regulator to control the errant motor . Back to the the acrylic tuners in the m70 and 838 , and rc 550 , and a Promax J1 are perfect, they shine through instead of "on"..what my ppl like is the ability to place leds without ; and I am big on this, no external mods..the beat/cut handles the job perfectly..I will post up a few pics of the beat cut disable on the next thread reply..Thanks for your reply , food for thought.
AE_Stereo
Member (SA)
Good effort. But I feel, its too many LEDs for that small scale.
Let me take the freedom again to post a link to an old trial with LEDs by me some 10 years ago:
boomboxery.com
Just 2 LEDs are illuminating the dial, 1 for the VU and 2 LEDs for the cassette window.
Let me take the freedom again to post a link to an old trial with LEDs by me some 10 years ago:
National Panasonic RX-7000 - Cool White LED Illuminated
Here is my National RX-7000, illuminated with cool white LEDs on dial and cassette window. The light is like that of incandescent bulbs. The photos are a bit brighter than the real looks.
boomboxery.com
BoomboxLover48
Boomus Fidelis
Good effort. But I feel, its too many LEDs for that small scale.
Let me take the freedom again to post a link to an old trial with LEDs by me some 10 years ago:
Just 2 LEDs are illuminating the dial, 1 for the VU and 2 LEDs for the cassette window.National Panasonic RX-7000 - Cool White LED Illuminated
Here is my National RX-7000, illuminated with cool white LEDs on dial and cassette window. The light is like that of incandescent bulbs. The photos are a bit brighter than the real looks.
I was looking for this link! This is exactly what I like with the LED mod.
Some LED mod on boomboxes looks like a 90 year old man smiling with new dentures!
(just for a laugh)
Last edited:
floyd
Boomus Fidelis
H3NK3L
Member (SA)
Great job, now you ve gotten me thinking about bringing light to the tapedeck on my m70...
Non boombox related : usually doing things with what's at hand, with led strips to bring light and live to Xmas decorations I use double sided transparent tape on led strips to diffuse light less "spotted", with a strip of baking paper (either white or the brownish kind) to filter the light to keep the original color of the leds or give them an incandescent look)
How did you fit the led strip in there?
H3NK3L
Member (SA)
Not a very pro solution but in some led strips that can only by cut by 3, 5,... I just use self-adhesive aluminum to cover the ones I don't want all shiny, adds no thickness allows eventual heat dissipation and totally covers them (but again, not a very pro option), self-adhesive aluminum is great to diffuse light as well as it s highly reflective, allowing indirect lighting)
H3NK3L
Member (SA)
@stynger007, you gave me an idea! (and kept me busy for quite a few hours lol)
Already had put in @Superduper s led kit (V4)... But a hell of a lot time went into finding a place for 1 single Amber 3mm led (want to keep it as close to incandescent as possible) that is 1. Easy to undo 2. Has a reason for being there (illuniating the tape and especially the sticker on it), 3 didn't require making holes and 4. Didn't make a "spotlight" and 5. Was indépendant on the dial light (only lights up when necessary, meaning when there s a tape).
(oh and while at it I gave the counter a window lol)
Already had put in @Superduper s led kit (V4)... But a hell of a lot time went into finding a place for 1 single Amber 3mm led (want to keep it as close to incandescent as possible) that is 1. Easy to undo 2. Has a reason for being there (illuniating the tape and especially the sticker on it), 3 didn't require making holes and 4. Didn't make a "spotlight" and 5. Was indépendant on the dial light (only lights up when necessary, meaning when there s a tape).
(oh and while at it I gave the counter a window lol)
Attachments
Excellent pointers, fantastic job I will definitely utilize the baking paper, delete the 3 snip LEDs to only one shining using adhesive foil, I have tape here that is adhesive aluminum ..it looks fantastic thanks again!
Are your lites enabled /disabled by beat/cut? On the tuner window, I used a strip of 3 shining through,looks like you did as well? Anyways, here's a pic from an hour ago..twins lol ..I will probably rework them tho
Attachments
On the main board, where the dc power enters . One feed from LEDs to ground, the other from the LEDs to the disabled beat cut switch, then from the beat cut to power . You can also utilize the main power switch.
H3NK3L
Member (SA)
Hello,
I used a single 3mm Amber led (same color as the led kit), sandpapered it (takes away the spotlight effect), and put it under the door (front side, there s room in there). It faces the metal strip on the bottom, and I used the way too large hole for that metals rip.
I put self-adhesive aluminum on the bottom and on the 2 parts of the door (inside, underside so the led is "surrounded" on 3 sides by it) ), it's all invisible, even when the door is open but it makes for a lightbox kindof effect) .
The only lightsrips I had were warm white (much too white to my taste and incoherent with the led kit previously installed)
(photos taken while trying it out, in its final position, just stuck with tape - the one with the lighting that seems more white is just taken from a short video, for some. Reason videos on my phone have different light /shutter / filter setting than photos - the two leda are the same but one is sanded the other is clear)
I dont like making making modification a that can not easely be undone, therefore I didn't touch any buttons. I took the power (12v) from the motor supply, not the most elegant solution I admit), tape light therefore only is on when a tape is used. Took a little detour with the wiring so I can access it by only removing the back of. The m70.
Endresult is :
Dial lights button lights the dial and vu meters
Tape light turns on when tape is in use
Attachments
Great job , the beat/ cut mod is easily undone as traces are neatly cut and can be reattached if wanted. This photo shows the traces cut on the Perdisco. Wire in as a switch for power making sure no continuity between points.
Attachments
H3NK3L
Member (SA)
Thanks for the info!
Prefer not cutting into the tracks though, bridging them afterwards is (for my competences) always a bit risky on old pcbs. Not a bad idea though the beat cut switch, 3 options on a thing hardly anyone uses.
H3NK3L
Member (SA)
Current project.... Using the acrylic needle on a Crown csc 950 (L) to light it. Silly, pretty useless, and just adding more red to a box that's already red red red and red led-ed, but since it's nearly impossible to light up the tuner dial... (grabbing power from the power to the tuner so it only lights up when in tuner-mode). Looks way darker red in reality (as the vu meters and tuning/stereo leds).
This one has no beat cut, only a local/dx switch..., the front is just sitting there unattached - hence the gap between it and the top panel.
This one has no beat cut, only a local/dx switch..., the front is just sitting there unattached - hence the gap between it and the top panel.
Attachments
Last edited:
H3NK3L
Member (SA)
This boy was in such a state I didn't mind using the beat cut (thanks again for the idea!) to lighten the tuner dial
Sharp gf 7500H, basically had no more speakers (literally eaten away by the fauna and flora that had a long lasting vacation in it), no more wire on the tuner, scratched worn bezels, stains alover, but : antenna and in perfect condition and after a thorough clean of its insides, rebelling, resoldering,... And giving it some (cheap) speakers and a few paint jobs...
Sharp gf 7500H, basically had no more speakers (literally eaten away by the fauna and flora that had a long lasting vacation in it), no more wire on the tuner, scratched worn bezels, stains alover, but : antenna and in perfect condition and after a thorough clean of its insides, rebelling, resoldering,... And giving it some (cheap) speakers and a few paint jobs...
Attachments
- Status