LED Lights behind TV for Ambiance?

Shicks18
Shicks18 Posts: 397
edited June 2011 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
I have seen someone here before post a picture of their setup, and they had some blue led lights for ambiance behind their TV.

I am wanting to do the same, but really don't know what exactly to search for, or a good website that sells what I am looking for. Can anyone help? I hope I did a decent job describing what I am trying to do.

Thanks for your help guys!
TV: LG 55LW5600
Pre: Marantz SR6001
Front Amp: Parasound HCA-1000A
Center Amp: Marantz MA500
Mains: Polk LSi9
Center: Polk LSiC
Sub: HSU VTF-3 MK-2
Games: Xbox360 and PS3
Post edited by Shicks18 on
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Comments

  • greg2350
    greg2350 Posts: 544
    edited July 2008
    My parents have a philips ambilight 50" plasma at first it was a cool effect but after awhile it just became a novelty.
    TV: Philips 42" LCD 1080p
    Front Speakers: Polk Audio RT800i
    Center Speaker: Polk Audio CS1
    Surround Speakers: Polk Audio R50's powered of Denon AVR
    Subwoofer: Polk Audio DSW pro500
    AVR: Denon 3801
    DVD Player: Denon DVM 745 upscale 1080p
    Sat: Directtv HD 10
    Front Speakers Amp: Rotel RB 890
    Center Speaker amp: Rotel 970 BX
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  • ShinAce
    ShinAce Posts: 1,194
    edited July 2008
    A white light on the wall can help with eye fatigue.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2008
    I have red LED's on the back of my TV since the wall behind it is also red. I tried other colors, but IMO red looked the best.

    I purchased mine from IKEA and paid a little too much IMO, but it does have the ability to change to 6 different colors.

    This website does appear to have a decent selection, but I have no experience with them. http://plasmaled.com/products.htm
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2008
    Here's a quick pic.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • SlowcarIX
    SlowcarIX Posts: 887
    edited July 2008
    home depot...flicker free tube

    DSC01385.jpg
    my 7.(1x4) HT setup
    TV - Mitsubishi WD-65734
    AVP / Amp - Onkyo PR-SC885P / D-Sonic 2500-7
    Front - Emerald Physics CS2
    Center - JTR Triple 12LF
    Surround L/R / Back - Polk RTi4 / Polk FXi A4
    Sub - 4 X Hsu ULS15 playing nearfield
    DVD / CDP - Sony PS3/40GB / Sony SCD-XA9000ES
    Belkin PURE AV PF60 / UPS
    Buttkicker

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60612
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  • Rivrrat
    Rivrrat Posts: 2,101
    edited July 2008
    We've thought about trying a rope light around the back of ours. A neighbor uses blue rope lights as part of his Christmas decorations, so I know you got them someplace,

    They can't be hard to find either, since he's not really ambitious with his decorating.
    My equipment sig felt inadequate and deleted itself.
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited July 2008
    I have a 47" Philips Ambilight and I love it. It projects light on the wall from behind the TV on each side and the color of the light changes and matches what is on the screen. At first I thought it was just a cool novelty, but now I don't like watching movies without it. It add a great effect to the movie and really surrounds you.

    philips-Ambilight_green.jpg

    PS. It does look just like this!
    Jake
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2008
    I'd recommend the Cinema Quest ideal Lume: http://www.cinemaquestinc.com/ideal_lumesb.htm

    Best $59 bucks you'll spend on your HDTV. Cuts way down on eye fatigue and makes colors more vivid.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • johnny42
    johnny42 Posts: 32
    edited July 2008
    Lamps Plus.com
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  • lucky777
    lucky777 Posts: 19
    edited July 2008
    Check ebay for moonlights, they are LEd strips sold for light effect in aquariums. Most are light weight and have really strong suction cups that stick to anything.
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  • zircon
    zircon Posts: 44
    edited July 2008
    moon light are what I use. Cheap and looks nice.
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  • zircon
    zircon Posts: 44
    edited July 2008
    O and forgot to mention, the color temp of the bulb will effect the perceived contrast ratio of the display. The best color is as close to white, or D6500K.
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited July 2008
    Why would you want a lighted background when your watching TV in the dark? I would focus more on the light than the tv.

    Some people paint their wall behind the tv a dark color because white can be very distracting
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2008
    Eye strain--especially with the high contrast ratio of newer TV's. My Ideal Lume is 6500 kelvin. Having a dim, white light cast behind the set prevents your pupils from opening/closing with dark scenes/light scenes. It also enhances the colors. It's known as "bias lighting" and works real well with computer monitors too.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • Shicks18
    Shicks18 Posts: 397
    edited July 2008
    Do yalls moonlights come with a power cord to plug into the wall?
    TV: LG 55LW5600
    Pre: Marantz SR6001
    Front Amp: Parasound HCA-1000A
    Center Amp: Marantz MA500
    Mains: Polk LSi9
    Center: Polk LSiC
    Sub: HSU VTF-3 MK-2
    Games: Xbox360 and PS3
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited July 2008
    Steve, how does that lume thing mount?
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2008
    You can wall mount it or mount it to the back of your HDTV. Mine is mounted on the back of the TV. It comes with adhesive velcro, but that won't hold (trust me). I bought some pull-tie tie-downs and mounted mine this way.

    I'll snap a pic tonight...
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • TRINADS
    TRINADS Posts: 27
    edited July 2008
    I own a 50" Philips Ambilight plasma, I really, really enjoy the ambilight, it really does change the viewing experience, and it's just that, ambient lighting, the affects are not overpowering and doesn't draw attention outside of the t.v. screen, When you're watching a movie or t.v. at night, w/ lights off, it really looks amazing. I fully support the L.E.D. lighting behind the t.v., I think it would look pretty nice, I want to eventually upgrade to a 1080p 60" plasma, and am looking at Pioneer, I am really really bummed that I won't have the ambilight feature anymore. I'm surprised that other manufacturers didn't offer this feature.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2008
    ...and of course the camera battery is dead...stay tuned.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2008
    My 50" DLP is calibrated with DVE. Without my Ideal Lume, dark night viewing can be a little over-whelming with high contrast scenes. The bias lighting really helps.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited July 2008
    Ghetto ambilight:
    Buy a cheap LCD 5-7" panel off ebay and feed it the same signal as the TV is getting. Put some kind of diffuser over it, so you don't get distracting motion going on (ie wax paper, smoked glass, etc). Prop it behind the TV facing the wall. Changes color in sync w/ the TV. Did this at my old place w/ a 50" LCD projection & it worked pretty well.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • djlogix
    djlogix Posts: 115
    edited August 2008
    http://www.cinemaquestinc.com/ideal_lumesb.htm#Standard

    Best place.
    I should've listened way back in 2008, they told me I'd go broke... they were right
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited August 2008
    I second the rope lighting option. It is cheap, easily found, and produces a light that wouldn't be overwhelming behind a TV. One of my friends had some behind his TV, and for easy operation, he hook them up to "The Clapper"...
    Jake
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  • seantyrer
    seantyrer Posts: 1
    edited September 2009
    Hi - I am new to this forum but I can confirm that a range of LED Mood Liights can be bought from one of the sites that I help maintain if this is of help? They are sound reactive as well so many people put them behind speakers systems for effect.

    http://energysmart.co.uk

    Best regards

    Sean
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited September 2009
    unc2701 wrote: »
    Ghetto ambilight:
    Buy a cheap LCD 5-7" panel off ebay and feed it the same signal as the TV is getting. Put some kind of diffuser over it, so you don't get distracting motion going on (ie wax paper, smoked glass, etc). Prop it behind the TV facing the wall. Changes color in sync w/ the TV. Did this at my old place w/ a 50" LCD projection & it worked pretty well.

    That may just be an awesome idea!
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • TouchOfEvil
    TouchOfEvil Posts: 967
    edited September 2009
    i may need to get some lights.
    Living Room Rig:D
    Rotel RSP-1069/Rotel RMB-1095/Rotel-1072/Polk lsI15's W/modded xoverW/DBsubs/Polk LsiC/lsI7's/Klipsch sub-12"the weak link"/DLP Mitsubishi 65"
    Xbox360/PS3/WII
    M.Br. setup:)
    Emotiva MMC-1/Rotel RMB-1075/Polk BlackStone TL350's/Velodyne SPL1000/Samsung 51" Plasma
    Computer Rig:
    Rotel RB1050/Tannoy DC4's/Klipsch RW-10d/ImodIpod/HK AVR230 for now....
    Headphones-Ultrasone-HFI780's w/LittleDot MK Vamp Portables Panasonic HJE-900's
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited September 2009
    The main problem with the ghetto-ambi was that it transitioned as fast as the signal transitioned, so a sudden change to a dark screen and it'd be gone. Ambilight is more averaged and smoothly transitions from one scene to the next.

    I'm sure that one could find a video processor for cheap that'd give you the same end result (only has to be NTSC and doesn't matter if it totally fuzzes up the signal), but I never got around to sorting that out.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • fred655
    fred655 Posts: 3
    edited June 2011
    I have some cool LED lights that are fully controllable via remote. They don't try and change in tune with the picture rather you have full control. You can set them to a specific color or have them rotate/fade between colors. Supposedly you can have them change color in tune with the music but I haven't tried to do that. I got them here:

    http://www.diamondcase.com/Knowledge/Knowledge_HTML/LED_Lights_For_HDTV.HTML

    I think they are cool, maybe it will help someone.
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  • scottyboy76
    scottyboy76 Posts: 2,905
    edited June 2011
    This is the coolest 50-60 dollar improvement to your ht experience you will ever spend, eye strain was the reason we tried to do, first home depot rope lights, gro light fixtures because of the kelvin rating, and then the sticks such as the ones listed on other responses here for around the same price we paid.

    Not only do they help with eye strain, they really do pop the colors of our 50 panny plasma.

    good luck, and do not bother with the provided stick on mounting pads.
    humpty dumpty was pushed
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited June 2011
    fred655 wrote: »
    I have some cool LED lights that are fully controllable via remote. They don't try and change in tune with the picture rather you have full control. You can set them to a specific color or have them rotate/fade between colors. Supposedly you can have them change color in tune with the music but I haven't tried to do that. I got them here:

    http://www.diamondcase.com/Knowledge/Knowledge_HTML/LED_Lights_For_HDTV.HTML

    I think they are cool, maybe it will help someone.

    Those lights are very cool fred but the $500 price tags going to be a problem for most people who spend $1000 - 1500 on a tv
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