|
Statistics
Visitors: 925378
Advertisement
Notebook Computers
For the best deals on laptop computers visit www.Geeks.com.
|
|
Antec iLuminate Light Kit |
|
|
|
|
Written by Mikhail Ivanenkov
|
|
Sunday, 01 July 2007 |
|
Page 2 of 2
At first I was a bit intimidated by the amount of wires included in the kit, but after all is said and don't it's really no more than a standard CCFL kit. All the connectors are centralized to the PCI slot which helps with cable organization. I'm not sure if I agree with the use of double sided adhesive for the light strip (velcro is a lot more modular), but other than that I have no complaints. iLuminate is plug and play; after all the connections are made flip the switch and you're in business.
And what pleasing business it is. The LEDs on the strip are incredibly bright individually (as you can see in the second photo), though overall it's not enough to light up a case by itself. I would still suggest a pair of cathodes as the main light source and a product such as this for flare. Nevertheless, it still provides a good deal of light and is very noticeable when flashing (since people perceive motion above all else). The puck also glows thanks to a couple LEDs placed below the cap, though very dim in comparison to the tube. Still, it's quiet visible by itself. This is obviously very helpful at night when you need to quickly locate and adjust the sensitivity. It's also nice that the puck allows you to control everything so you never have to reach for your case.
Possibly the best feature of Antec's iLuminate light strip is the sound synchronization and for this I shot a quick 320x240 AVI clip (about 56 seconds/11mb) with accompanying audio to show the kit in action. Click the image above to download it. As expected, I found the most accurate reproduction to occur with the sensitivity at the highest setting and the puck placed directly in front of a speaker. Finally, the price is about where I would expect it: at roughly $20 it's not the cheapest light source (one could purchase 4 cathodes for the same price), but it is a lot more entertaining and worth the dough.
Pros
- Very high quality design
- Incredibly accurate reproduction
- Very bright LEDs
- Illuminated and very useful "puck" controller
- Designed to be used externally as well
- Inexpensive (~$20)
Cons
- Needs some sort of external mounting option
- Longer tube would be nice
Antec's iLuminate is a near perfect creation. LEDs are, in my opinion, the best candidates for synchronized flashing effects and the lighted external controller is not only cool looking on its own but is as functional as can be hoped for. My only desire is to be able to choose from a longer tube and have some sort of external mounting system (this kit is too nice to be stuffed inside a case). Not a lot of places sell these so if you can't find a vendor, you can get one directly from Antec. If you're going light crazy, pick up a couple cathodes and one of these and you'll be set.
<< Start < Prev 1 2 Next > End >>
|
|
Last Updated ( Friday, 20 July 2007 )
|
|
|
|
|
