spanks_4
Active member
I like them in the inserts, but not for GI..
bulb to LED upgrade: WOAH.
- Thread starter vintagegamer
- Start date
Put me in the "hate with a passion, but will use in a hard to access popbumper, etc." category. 
timberterror
Well-known member
I was going to do full led while I have my RFM apart, but I think I'll wait for now. I may just end up doing the inserts and leaving the gi bulbs. - Barry
RareHero
Well-known member
I wouldn't do any LEDs in RFM. The game can detect burnt bulbs...and it can't detect LEDs at all, so you'll always have the "error" credit dot.
taylor34
New member
I'm the opposite, like for GI, not for inserts. Haven't tried the no flix or ghostbuster ones yet though. My main issue is the strobing and over brightness when actually trying to play...they look way better in the inserts, but I can't really play the game then.
timberterror
Well-known member
Good to know. I guess I'm sticking with bulbs. Thanks for saving me money - Barry
Here's some pictures of my High Speed pinball and I used Cointakers led's that I just purchased from Cax this last weekend, I think it looks great and brings an old pinball to life with the colors. I'm still playing with some of the led's placements as some area's are too much as you see with the green's but overall great investment!
I've seen them in a number of pins and it is a mixed bag. In general I'm not a fan of them in most cases. There are a few I've seen that looked good.
IF you're going to do it, spend some time experimenting to find what looks good. I would NEVER do a 100% LED pin as much of the time it ends up looking like ass...
IF you're going to do it, spend some time experimenting to find what looks good. I would NEVER do a 100% LED pin as much of the time it ends up looking like ass...
omegaman
Active member
Sometimes I like the look of the LED's SOmetimes not so much.
Either way, I will never put them in my games because they give me migraines
Chris
Funny you should say that, I get really really bad headaches after looking at bright LED's...sleep is the only way to get rid of it.
OP
OP
Well I already have migraine and sinus issues so I guess that pretty much wraps it up!
I changed the whirlpool lights in my WhiteWater to blue LED. I don't think I took pics but I recommend it. Before the change, you hardly noticed the lights under the whirlpool unless the room was dark.
LEDs work great to highlight a feature that you want to put more emphasis on.
LEDs work great to highlight a feature that you want to put more emphasis on.
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RareHero
Well-known member
Oh, yeah...that's one I did, too. Forgot about that...lol. Yeah, I'm not totally anti-LED. It's cool in spots like that.
Mikebetz42
Active member
The TOM and CV at CAX had LED's in them.... when the GI would flash off then on, was kinda blinding. Way too bright IMO....
I think a mix of LED and standard would be better...
Mike
I think a mix of LED and standard would be better...
Mike
WadeLanham
Well-known member
Put me in the "they are okay for some things" camp. It might look "cool" looking at a picture online if you like crazy rainbow colors... (???) but it really takes away from the play of a pin in my opinion. And the strobing effect is pretty bad, especially if your room is dark. Makes it very hard to see the ball. This isn't captured in a picture but a few games on a pin like this and you might be tired of LEDs for good.
I think they look good to brighten certain features, to make some inserts look better, etc.
Wade
I think they look good to brighten certain features, to make some inserts look better, etc.
Wade
RareHero
Well-known member
The color bathing actually makes games LESS bright...as any color adds a filter over the natural light source...and it monochromes everything.
I know this link won't be good forever, but it's good for right now... here's a shitty LED'd Sopranos for sale on CL
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tag/2492601569.html
This is normally a bright, well lit game....look at it now! GROSS> Why does Sopranos need to be red, blue, and green? Awful.
Here's another thing....people have been LED'ing games up and using it as an excuse to charge a shitload. BTW - I know this guy bought this Sopranos at the auction a few weeks ago for $2200 ...a few LEDs and a wipedown and now he wants $3500 ...bah!
OP
OP
roothorick
Active member
You can fix this by putting a capacitor across the LED legs -- this will make it fade in/out like an incandescent. Higher capacitance values make the fade in/out longer or shorter; experiment with different values to get the effect you want. (And if you're using electrolytics, get the polarity righ-BANG! nevermind...)
IMO, IF you get good LEDs, pick the right color temperatures for your whites to fit the game's theme (e.g. cool whites for sci-fi or horror, warm whites for sports/nature/etc), and take the time to tweak it (such as adding capacitors like above), LEDs will ALWAYS beat incandescents. That said, a lot of people just buy kits and slap them in, or just plain have terrible taste...
I'm a HUUUGE fan of LEDs. And not just for pins -- for everything. The LED really is the swiss army light -- with the right circuitry, an LED array can do literally anything.
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