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    Customize the m17 keyboard lighting?

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by Clauss, May 1, 2009.

  1. Clauss

    Clauss Notebook Unboxer

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    Hey i was wondering if it was possible to customize the lighting on the m17 beyond red/blue/green? for example any colors shown on the m15x or m17. obviously it has the ability to show different colors. Can you program it, or get a app, or program that will change to color to whatever you desire?
    Thanks and sorry if this has been asked
     
    Clauss, May 1, 2009
    #1
  2. Rob41

    Rob41 Team Pirate Control

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    It may be possible at some point but I haven't seen anything yet. findvikas has made some small programs that assist with this but for the 17x and 15x.

    I believe he's suggested that it could work with the M17 but I didn't get it to work and haven't heard of anyone else who has.

    Seems like it should be possible though. Get a BSOD and you'll see white lights.

    For me, I just want to solder in a brighter red led, maybe red laser light. Might put one in the alien head as well.
     
    Rob41, May 1, 2009
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  3. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    findvikas stuff does not work and you can only use the colors it comes with ...
     
    The_Moo™, May 1, 2009
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  4. Rob41

    Rob41 Team Pirate Control

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    Yeah,

    I saw some posts where they were having trouble getting it to work even in the m15x and m17x.
     
    Rob41, May 1, 2009
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  5. WaR

    WaR Notebook Virtuoso

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    Well, if you have a Linux distro and you boot from it you can see some nice bright blue/green lights at boot and at shutdown for a few seconds before they change to the regular lights.
     
    WaR, May 1, 2009
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  6. K-TRON

    K-TRON Hi, I'm Jimmy Diesel ^_^

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    I have taken apart one of these keyboards. They use a ribbon of tri-color LED's
    All three strips combined pull in at 247mah at 5V

    It is not possible to get other colors unless different LED strips are integrated. Those who say otherwise are lying. I have picture proof

    K-TRON
     
    K-TRON, May 1, 2009
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  7. Rob41

    Rob41 Team Pirate Control

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    Thanks for the info K-TRON.

    Nice to have some specs before I jump in.
     
    Rob41, May 1, 2009
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  8. Clauss

    Clauss Notebook Unboxer

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    ty for info..and damn!..wtb pretty colors
     
    Clauss, May 2, 2009
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  9. K-TRON

    K-TRON Hi, I'm Jimmy Diesel ^_^

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    check out the images I took here:

    Its more than difficult to remove the LED's because they are permanently mounted in the interfacing board for the keys

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=372628

    It may be very possible to take an ordinary non-backlit keyboard and mount a 5V SMD Led strip and have it powered by the USB hub inside the laptop

    K-TRON
     
    K-TRON, May 2, 2009
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  10. WaR

    WaR Notebook Virtuoso

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    Sorry, I'm not following here. What does "unless different LED strips are integrated" mean? The color I talk about seems to be a consequence of the blue and green turning on at the same time for some reason at boot. Is that what it means?
     
    WaR, May 2, 2009
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  11. K-TRON

    K-TRON Hi, I'm Jimmy Diesel ^_^

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    What I meant is that you can physically use the same strips on the keyboard, and remove the surface mount LED's and replace them with colors you like.

    You can get the three main colors, and mixed colors.
    The one thing I noticed is that the color is not very bright at all.
    I am going to come up with some LED's and make my own backlight. Hopefully this summer.

    K-TRON
     
    K-TRON, May 2, 2009
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  12. WaR

    WaR Notebook Virtuoso

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    Thanks for clearing that up. Perhaps someone should try to manipulate it in a way that all mixed colors are also available to pick from. That would give us 3 normal colors + 3 (blue-red, blue-green, red-green) types of mixes. I think 6 colors would be enough for anyone. Unless that is not very safe for the LEDs themselves.
     
    WaR, May 2, 2009
    #12