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Written by Mikhail Ivanenkov
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Wednesday, 13 June 2007 |
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Page 2 of 2
Next up we have what A.C.Ryan calls Conductx. These are cable splitters available in 4-pin, 3-pin, and PCI Express varieties with up to 4 additional connectors. Color choices are UV green and UV blue. Similar to the Backy, the connectors, mesh, and heatshrink are all UV reactive. What's unique about these cables are the soldered UV LEDs near the tips. They're permanently attached to the positive and ground wires leads and encased in clear heatshrink.
Once plugged in, these LEDs have the effect shown above. They do a pretty good job of lighting up the connectors and the rest of the cable mesh. The good thing about using LEDs on the tips is that they'll reach places where your main UV cathodes may not be bright enough to have any effect. On the other hand, the construction isn't terribly great: if moved the wrong way ever so slightly, they cease to work. A squeeze here and a push there will turn the lights back on, but it does appear to be somewhat flimsy. The blue UV cable mesh is significantly dimmer than the green, so much so that the integrated LEDs have no effect on it. If placed directly next to a UV cathode bulb it will glow, though still not nearly as bright as the green.
Being a new company, A.C.Ryan has a lot going for them. Their line is expanding almost weekly, the materials are very high quality, and the products are generally innovative. However, as with any product there are improvements to be made. The blue UV cable mesh is barely reactive (especially when compared to the green). We'd also like to see more color choices, red in particular. Finally, the LEDs soldered to the wire leads on the Conductx connectors need to be handled with care - a more durable solution is preferable. As for pricing, the BlackFire4 fans will run you no more than $13 (depending on the size), the Backy can be had for $9, and the Conductx splitters range from $5-10 depending on the cable type and the amount of additional connectors. Not dirt cheap, but definitely acceptable for what you get.
Pros
- Innovative products
- Everything is UV reactive
- Backy is a great concept
- LEDs near Conductx connectors
- Good pricing
Cons
- Blue UV cable mesh not very reactive
- Conductx LEDs not too good at being handled
- More color choices needed (red maybe?)
So far we're happy with A.C.Ryan's product line. The construction isn't cheap (not to be confused with flimsy), the products are unique, and the price is right. The Backy is a great addition to any system and Conductx splitters are a fresh approach to supplemental case lighting. Even though the LED mounts on the latter aren't as durable as desired, they won't fall out or stop working altogether unless you abuse them. Check out A.C.Ryan's website for more products and head over to Performance-PCs if you plan on buying some.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 15 June 2007 )
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