By: Philip Pulle

Philip Pulle — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 04:58:58 +0000

These integrated controllers are great, I used two similiar LM2576 (easy to use but pricy) in this piece here, I used one for red, and another for green/blue Vf for the LEDs:
http://www.rgbsunset.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=10&category_id=4
The LM2576 devices retail for around $AU14 here is OZ….thanks for demonstrating a cheaper…more useful chip, it’s not every day you need to put in a 15W LED supply!
For the picture frames, as a suggestion, why not use perspex or thick glass for the front panel and laser etch a design….then edge light underneath the frame. With white behind, a bold yellow or green would look great as a highlight.
I’ve done a number of frame lights with RGB cycling, great christmas presents (my family is sick of LED presents by now). One thing you may need to look at is diffusion of the light. I’ve used crushed glass, tracing paper and other methods. One thing to try that is cheap and remarkably nice looking is plain simple bubble wrap. Choose the smaller bubble bubble wrap fo best effect. If you want to get fancy, some BEF films or holographic films (as in the Bell Tree light above) are also good if you want an even glow…though often, particularly with RGB lighting, specular highlights from the bubble wrap or glass fragments can actually enhance the final work. A final suggestion is to use textured glass or plastic for the front panel. This usually has a clear side and the textured side. Put the textured side facing the LEDs, and the clear side on the outside. If you can diffuse or cover the clear side with diffuser, you get caustic shadows being projected……it looks very cool with dynamic lighting.
Phil

Comments on: TPS61040

By: Philip Pulle