OT Keyboard LEDs

[Rene Lamontagne]

Not sure where to ask so I will try here, Maybe Paul or someone else
may know the answer.
I have just purchased a new Steelseries Apex gaming keyboard and it
has 16.8 million colors for the led back-light system in 5 zones, and
Yes it does work as advertised.
Now, How can they have infinitely variable colors from LED's ?
By the way I am thrilled with this keyboard, it has all the features I
wanted, 8 brightness levels, all the colors you can want, 5 color zones
in 4 profiles, 22 macro keys for 88 macros and best of all it feels good
and has BIG key characters which I can see without squinting through my
bifocals.

Regards, Rene

 

[Paul]

Not sure where to ask so I will try here, Maybe Paul or someone else
may know the answer.
I have just purchased a new Steelseries Apex gaming keyboard and it has
16.8 million colors for the led back-light system in 5 zones, and Yes it
does work as advertised.
Now, How can they have infinitely variable colors from LED's ?
By the way I am thrilled with this keyboard, it has all the features I
wanted, 8 brightness levels, all the colors you can want, 5 color zones
in 4 profiles, 22 macro keys for 88 macros and best of all it feels good
and has BIG key characters which I can see without squinting through my
bifocals.

Regards, Rene

It could be using color mixing. If you have a red LED, a green LED,
a blue LED, you can power each of them with a digital to analog
converter. 16.8 million colors, is three 8 bit DACs connected
to the three different LED colors. 2**24 = 16777216.

You can get some pretty powerful LEDs now. The only
limitations are thermal. You need a way to cool off
powerful LEDs. It's one of the reasons LED lightbulbs
at the store, recommend they not be placed in sealed
globes. Something that does not bother incandescent
bulbs made of glass, ceramic, and metal.

I understand Silicon Carbide based LEDS, have pushed
the allowed temperature up. So there have been some
improvements on the temperature front. Just not enough
to seal them up and boil them alive

Paul

 

[Rene Lamontagne]

It could be using color mixing. If you have a red LED, a green LED,
a blue LED, you can power each of them with a digital to analog
converter. 16.8 million colors, is three 8 bit DACs connected
to the three different LED colors. 2**24 = 16777216.

You can get some pretty powerful LEDs now. The only
limitations are thermal. You need a way to cool off
powerful LEDs. It's one of the reasons LED lightbulbs
at the store, recommend they not be placed in sealed
globes. Something that does not bother incandescent
bulbs made of glass, ceramic, and metal.

I understand Silicon Carbide based LEDS, have pushed
the allowed temperature up. So there have been some
improvements on the temperature front. Just not enough
to seal them up and boil them alive

Paul

Thanks Paul, Yes that makes sense it just didn't occur to me as the
lighting was so even, They must use numerous led's and a good diffusion
system.
BTW I should have included a link to it

http://shop.steelseries.com/us/keyboards/steelseries-apex-gaming-keyboard.html

Regards, Rene



Regards, Rene

 

[RayLopez99]

On 11/20/2013 12:11 PM, Paul wrote:

As a programmer I'm always looking for a good keyboard that has good tactile feel. I'm typing this on a robust Compaq kb but the keys are getting heavy, maybe from years of dust, though I do blow out the dust. If this gamingkb has good feel it might be worth a look, even with the annoying lights, which don't (?) really have a functional utility.

RL

 

[Rene Lamontagne]

As a programmer I'm always looking for a good keyboard that has good tactile feel. I'm typing this on a robust Compaq kb but the keys are getting heavy, maybe from years of dust, though I do blow out the dust. If this gaming kb has good feel it might be worth a look, even with the annoying lights, which don't (?) really have a functional utility.

RL

The backlights are quite functional if your room lights are off, Ever
try typing in the dark? Also you can turn them down or off!


Regards, Rene

 

[hp]

Thanks Paul, Yes that makes sense it just didn't occur to me as the
lighting was so even, They must use numerous led's and a good diffusion
system.
BTW I should have included a link to it

http://shop.steelseries.com/us/keyboards/steelseries-apex-gaming-keyboard.html

Regards, Rene

For those interested, just saw that BestBuy in USA has these for $60
with free shipping, Good $$
Spent about that for my Aienware tactx keyboard