Tron joystick on cabaret doesn't light up. How would you make it happen?

pookdolie

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Tron joystick on cabaret doesn't light up. How would you make it happen?

Maybe a blue / white LED on the inside somewhere, with a switch mounted thru the plastic handle? Could run off a battery. Should roughly match the brightness on the UR with the blacklight.

Anyone ever done this for their mini? If anyone feels like building me a self-lighting Tron joystick, let me know. :)
 
Maybe a blue / white LED on the inside somewhere, with a switch mounted thru the plastic handle? Could run off a battery. Should roughly match the brightness on the UR with the blacklight.

Anyone ever done this for their mini? If anyone feels like building me a self-lighting Tron joystick, let me know. :)


Try a blacklight led and a 330 Ohm resistor tied to your +5 Volt line.
That should work great.
 
Try a blacklight led and a 330 Ohm resistor tied to your +5 Volt line.
That should work great.

This sounds good.

Where would I run the wire? Outside the stick? Don't want it to get crimped...

If not, I could go the battery option, too...but how...
 
I also have a cabaret and was thinking about trying two small pieces of EL wire. LED's would probably light more evenly though.
 
I also have a cabaret and was thinking about trying two small pieces of EL wire. LED's would probably light more evenly though.

I'm thinking so, too. EL would look neat...but different.

I think I might have to get someone to fabricate this for me.
 
Not a dedicated cabaret, but I also felt the need to black light once I got this little guy...
dscf2404.jpg


I used the cold cathode tubes folks use to customize their PCs... there are more pictures here...
http://www.vidiotarcade.com/TronCabaret-Cathodes/

I also bought a reproduction handle and it glows WAY better than the existing handle... I just have to get the time to put it on. :)
 
Very cool!

How are you planning on lighting it?

The blacklight makes it glow very nicely. I didn't notice before now you were trying to light it from inside. I think I'd try the LEDs like you said... or maybe both LEDs inside and then a blacklight somewhere else.
 
I did it! Enjoy!
 

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I used UV LED lights commonly used for lighting computer casings, like glowing neon lights. I specifically used ones that were grouped together in a flexible silicone bar. This way I could flex the whole bar & not destroy the wiring.

As far as installing it into the joystick, that was a challenge. I had no idea if it was going to work. I had only heard of others saying that it would be cool if it could be done; so I took a gamble, bought a bunch of parts & tried. It's tight inside the joystick & even the LED's would only fit a certain way, so the stick dictates how much you can really put in. I was able to get in 3 bars of 6 LEDs each in to the stick. You biggest challenge will be pulling the wiring through the joystick metal shaft & spring protector under the joystick. It's super tight & I believe it will only take 22 gauge wire, I tried 18 gauge, but even that was too thick. You'll have to tie all the wires in the handle together before pulling through the shaft. Just no room in the shaft wire opening hole. & some parts of the stick are solid, like the metal shaft, so that part won't light.

Sorry I don't have picks of the install. I was just happy to "trial & error" it to work at all. It didn't take too long to get the whole thing finished & I am very pleased with the result. I only wish I could diffuse the lighting a bit more through out the stick.
 
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