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Case, Power Supply, Fan Reviews
  Product:     Speeze NeonBar II  
  Price:     $35 (CAN) / $23 (U.S)
  Supplied By:     Fanner/Speeze
  Author:     BigDaddy
  Date:     March 13th, 2003
  Rating:     star star star star star star star star star 

MODTHEBOX would like to thank Bas from Fanner for sending the Speeze NeonBar II for review.

Speeze

Introduction:

In the rapid evolution of the case modification community, users now have a veritable slew of options to make their computer case as unique as their imagination allows. While some parts can be acquired sight unseen with relative confidence, there are a few key items most users would prefer to see in action before committing to. Cold cathodes are possibly one of the most popular additions to a modified case, and yet are probably the most difficult to choose from. While statistics like life hours, power requirements and materials are easy to come by, you simply can’t measure the quality of a cathode unless you see one in action. Even online pictures fail to deliver a truly accurate representation, since even the most sincere photographer will have difficulty compensating for the increased exposure rate required to show a cathode at its best in low light conditions. As such, we in the MTB Labs have been very critical of the cold cathode products sent to us for review, since it is a highly competitive market and cathodes are easily the most common mid-priced product a user will purchase. Today in the MTB Labs, we will be looking at a new offering from the Fanner Group, with their foray into case lighting embodied in the NeonBar II.

Specifications:

Although the product is called the NeonBar II, the unit is a cold cathode florescent lamp. All the necessary components required for installation are included in this kit which can be upgraded to a dual lamp configuration and/or equipped to be sound-sensitive. The specifications are taken directly from the Speeze website, although provided documentation with the product has some conflicting information.

Speeze Neonbar II - Key Specifications:
Speeze NeonBar II: Manufactured by Speeze
Dimensions: 310mm x 15mm x 15mm (w × d × h)
Current: 350mA at 12VDC
Power: 4.3w
Housing: 100% acrylic shell
Life Hours: 65.000
Connector: Special coated 12V inverter for safety
Application: Case lighting
 
Speeze NeonBar II
Click image for larger view
Speeze NeonBar II
Click image for larger view
 

The unit ships in a standard corrugated cardboard box. A simple printed table identifies the amount of cathodes included as well as the colour. The cathode is well protected in bubble wrap, and is tightly packed with an inverter, a power cable with pre-wired rocker switch, some adhesive-backed Velcro strips, a rubber washer, a Spire keychain and the installation pamphlet.

Speeze NeonBar II
Click image for larger view
Speeze NeonBar II
NeonBar2 2-pin inverter cable
 
The unit measures in at a little over 12 inches, which is standard for the cathode market. It is encased in an acrylic shell that is pinstriped with blue accents to increase the hue of the cathodes colour. The attached power cable is a full ten inches long, allowing users a good measure of slack to route the wiring out of sight. The power connector on the product is identical to the connector on the original PCMods cathode and/or the Sunbeam unit. This is an added benefit, since users looking to supplement their existing lighting with an additional unit may not need to install a second inverter in order to power the units.
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