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Product:
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MADLights Digital Lighting System |
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Price:
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$80 (CAN) / $59.95 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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MADLights
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Author:
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Shennon
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Date:
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May 21st, 2003
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Rating:
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MODTHEBOX would like to thank Jeremy from MADLights
for sending the MADLights Digital Lighting System for review.
Introduction:
There have been many lighting techniques for cases over the years, from cold cathode to automotive neon to high intensity LEDs,
and while the mainstream has stayed with the cold cathodes, there have been a few impressive alternative LED based solutions.
The people behind MADLights, based in Thiensville, Wisconsin, have recently released a brand new solution to interior lighting,
and have approached it from a different direction. The new MADLights product utilizes animated effects via four sets of
ultra-bright red, green and blue LED clusters on the end of 18 inch leads. The leads are attached to a state of the art animation
controller board. Today in the MTB Labs, we will be evaluating the new MADLights Digital Light System, a brand new unique
lighting solution
Specifications:
Rick Pinter, President of Midwest Controls and Robert Chich, President of QuestPoint, Inc, are the creators behind the new
MADLights, a unique lighting solution based on the tried and true LEDs. Both have 20 years experience with providing solutions
for various industrial controls and robotic controls for manufacturing processes as well as cutting edge electronic solutions
for numerous award winning Point-of-Purchase programs. For the past two years they have been engineering an animated lighting
controlled solutions for interior case lighting using 16 programmed events with red, blue and green LEDs to produce millions
of colour combinations. Here are some specifications taken directly from the manufacturer’s website:
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MADLights Digital Lighting System - Key Specifications:
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| MADLights Digital Lighting System: Manufactured by MADLights Inc |
| 16 different lighting programs |
| 5 different speed settings |
| Can achieve millions of colours |
| All inclusive kit when powered from a power supply |
| Can run 12V DC regulated power supply in the computer or to a separate 9V DC unregulated, wall mount power adapter |
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The MADLights Digital Lighting System Kit arrived in a standard cardboard UPS mailer to protect it during the shipping process. In
the cardboard box with the MADLights Kit was a demonstration CD outlining the various functions of the kit as well as limited
30-day warranty information, installation instructions, and a personalized press release kit. The entire kit itself was placed in
a zip lock bag and bubble-wrapped. I noted that since this is a new item, the retail packaging would more than likely improve as time
goes on and this product is widely distributed.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The MADLights Digital Lighting System is programmed for 16 different lighting effects at five speeds. This is accomplished by using
a PIC16F628 8-bit CMOS FLASH based microcontroller. This particular microcontroller has the ability to store up to 16 pre-programmed
lighting effect sequences. Consumers have the option of selecting their default setting and when the MADLights are turned off, the
last effect used on the system will resume when powered back on. There are two pods of LEDs that extend from the circuit board
using two five wire ribbon cables measuring 47cm each. From there, extending another 47cm are two more sets of LED pods, meaning
that the pods can reach most places in a standard or full tower cases to achieve the best possible lighting effect.
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