LCD Screen Backlight Kit

[ragge1]

have anybody seen this or maybe upgraded his/her radio , this would be nice on my DX7
http://www.aprohobbies.com/spektrum-...ght-p-146.html

[UPGl2AYDD]

This is becoming quickly very popular, a guide has been posted (can't recall if it was Dave or Tjomp - sorry lol).

I'd love too do it but at $65 seems pricey for what I assume is just the LED backlite assembly.

[chansen1953]

I bought some strip LEd's and started to do this mod to my DX7.. however, after getting it pulled apart all that way, and I illuminated the strips at the sides of the lcd, I found that they were not very effective in daytime, and decided against it.
just my 2 bobs worth !!

[Jonnyheli]

Wow, this is cool. If it was slightly less than $65 (Maybe $55) would pay for that knowing that no mods are necessary. Pretty cool, seeing as my biggest problem with my DX7 is that it doesn't have a backlite screen

Jonny

[Tomstoy2]

I find I have zero problems with ilumination as long as I shove the radio and head both up my ass.

[Jonnyheli]

Originally Posted by UPGl2AYDD

This is becoming quickly very popular, a guide has been posted (can't recall if it was Dave or Tjomp - sorry lol).

I'd love too do it but at $65 seems pricey for what I assume is just the LED backlite assembly.

Originally Posted by chansen1953

I bought some strip LEd's and started to do this mod to my DX7.. however, after getting it pulled apart all that way, and I illuminated the strips at the sides of the lcd, I found that they were not very effective in daytime, and decided against it.
just my 2 bobs worth !!

This isn't a drop in replacement LCD screen with a back light? For that price I expect the screen aswell!!

Jonny

[UPGl2AYDD]

Interesting strategy Tom, what else do you apply those tactics too? SNAP! lol


Jonny, I seen this "kit" sold many places all for the same price, a lot of times it's outline "does not include screen". So it's not a plug and play deal. More or less they just make the backlight assembly that you need to "mod" into the screen by removing some components of the original screen.

The fact they don't outline "what's included" doesn't hep matters much. You just guess and either get disappointed or satisfied by what comes - depends on your ambition and if you like or dislike modding.

[ragge1]

I might pimp my radio but not now , got to wait till I get back my DX8 , send it to HH for the AirWare Version 2.00 upgrade

[CyprusDave]

Here you go:
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=272606

A lot less than $65

[Jonnyheli]

Originally Posted by CyprusDave

Here you go:
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=272606

A lot less than $65

I'll be doing that mod one day.

Jonny

[sutty]

Not taking the mickey here, but when exactly is the back light of benefit? I can see my DX7 screen during the day, and I only fly in the daylight. I have flown at night, but I'm not gonna look down at my Tx while I'm flying. When I might need to tweak it on the ground, I will have my bench light, or be inside for that. Plus that is really rare. I usually have things how I want them before I go out.

If you do decide to do it Jonny, check out the insurance side of things first. Maybe BMFA won't cover you if you modify your own Tx? It is mentioned in the guide that Dave linked, so it might be an issue, and if it is, that is just too much of a risk.

Cheers

Sutty

[Jonnyheli]

Haven't thought about that Sut. I look after my stuff so it should never get damaged, however I can't say that about something dieing on the TX due to age or whatever...

There are good reasons to get a backlite screen. The main reason is to prevent sun glare for me. It can be very hard to see the screen when the sun is out. I remember on the old Gameboys, sometimes we had to go and find a shady area to sit so we could see what we were playing!

Also, it's the 21st century and they are still making screens with no back light?

Spektrum should offer a service where you send in your TX and they will do it for you for like £20. And all the TX's they make fro now on should have a back light.

Jonny

[Tomstoy2]

I like that idea, Jonny! I'm with you on that.
The least they can do is to offer a direct replacement backlit already. I know they don't make the screen, but they do spec it.

I think that soon we will see something exactly like this, as more and more oled screens are comming out. Somebody, somewhere, will come up with a product to do exactly this.
Until then, I'm with Sutty. The benefit vs. risk it too great in my opinion. Maybe I'm ignorant, wouldn't be the first time or the last, but I won't mess around inside there more than necessary.
Personally, I like my dx7 just the way it is, can't find fault with it at all.
Been hearing unconfirmed rumors of Spectrum dropping the dx7 sometime. Don't know if that is true or not.

[sutty]

Jonny, not sure if you followed my point, maybe you did, but just to be clear, when I referred to insurance, I meant if you crash into someone, and seriously injure them, or god forbid, even kill them, and you owe a million pounds compensation to the family, and BMFA say, "Sorry bud, you're not covered. Self modified Tx not covered by the scheme." it would be kinda bad on both you and the family concerned.

In all honesty I couldn't care less if you broke your Tx and it wasn't covered, that's the way the cookie crumbles. That would be the risk you took from that point of view. Unless you confirm first that you would still be covered for third party, I just wouldn't go there, no matter how keen I might be on a back lit screen, and in this regard, whilst I'm not sure I agree, I do respect your opinion, and your wish to have one. To me it just seems like shiny bling, which I guess is okay too, lol. Of course, if as you suggested, it became an official mod offered by Spektrum, with components tested against RFI, and other such issues, etc, and guaranteed not to affect Tx performance, and carried out by a certified technician, then I would say fill your boots. The only problem I see with that is that it would probably cost an arm and a leg and not £20. When did anything new and shiny cost £20 in the heli world.

Tom, I heard that rumour too, about the DX7, but maybe it was from you, lol. Just kidding, I think I read it in the MB FBL forum, but I don't think it was definate. I think someone mentioned that it was to do with a split between JR and Spektrum.

Cheers

Sutty

[CyprusDave]

Sutty, you are completely correct to be concerned about the 3rd party insurance risks involved in modding the TX. The scenario you outlined is all too possible. Where I live there is no insurance available anyway, we are just a small group that mostly fly in an area where there isn't anyone for miles around But in the UK, USA, etc it's a really big concern. The safe way is to buy a DX8, which has a backlit screen.

In bright daylight, it's of no benefit whatsoever, the screen just looks stock. However, I find it very useful when flying indoors, where the lighting may not always be the best, OK for flying, but not super bright or directional to shine on the screen, especially near the walls outside of the actual flying area. Then the backlight is great, easy to see to change models, adjust settings, etc.

About the DX7, I hadn't heard that Spektrum were maybe going to drop it, but I wouldn't be surprised. The link between Spektrum and JR was apparently never a comfortable one, with both companies reluctant to talk about it. The DX7 is basically a JR 2720 radio fitted with Spektrum's DSM2 transmitter module fitted, and different badge. So it gave Spektrum a really quick entry into the market, and it gave JR quick access to 2.4GHz technology - a real "marriage of convenience". Now of course Spektrum have their own TXs, the DX6i and DX8, and I'm sure there will be more. JR has recently released a 7-channel TX, the XG7, also based on the old JR 2720, and this use's JR's own 2.4GHz technology called DMSS. So looks like they're definitely going their separate ways, and I wouldn't be surprised if the DX7 is the unfortunate victim in all this.

[Jonnyheli]

Originally Posted by sutty

Jonny, not sure if you followed my point, maybe you did, but just to be clear, when I referred to insurance, I meant if you crash into someone, and seriously injure them, or god forbid, even kill them, and you owe a million pounds compensation to the family, and BMFA say, "Sorry bud, you're not covered. Self modified Tx not covered by the scheme." it would be kinda bad on both you and the family concerned.

In all honesty I couldn't care less if you broke your Tx and it wasn't covered, that's the way the cookie crumbles. That would be the risk you took from that point of view. Unless you confirm first that you would still be covered for third party, I just wouldn't go there, no matter how keen I might be on a back lit screen, and in this regard, whilst I'm not sure I agree, I do respect your opinion, and your wish to have one. To me it just seems like shiny bling, which I guess is okay too, lol. Of course, if as you suggested, it became an official mod offered by Spektrum, with components tested against RFI, and other such issues, etc, and guaranteed not to affect Tx performance, and carried out by a certified technician, then I would say fill your boots. The only problem I see with that is that it would probably cost an arm and a leg and not £20. When did anything new and shiny cost £20 in the heli world.

Tom, I heard that rumour too, about the DX7, but maybe it was from you, lol. Just kidding, I think I read it in the MB FBL forum, but I don't think it was definate. I think someone mentioned that it was to do with a split between JR and Spektrum.

Cheers

Sutty

Sorry Sut, I misunderstood what you were saying, and I understand now. And I must say, I agree with you, there's just to many risks involved, which I didn't even think about earlier.

I could have as much knowledge as Raf does about electrics and do a better job than if it was done in a factory, but like you say, all they know is that this guy was flying a dangerous model with a TX that some guy has pulled apart to put some bling on it, doesn't sound good. Which is why I'll wait to see if Spektrum brings out a service similar to the one I described earlier.

Originally Posted by CyprusDave

In bright daylight, it's of no benefit whatsoever, the screen just looks stock.

That's a shame, that's the main reason why I wanted a back light, nothing to do with bling at all. I suppose it would still be worth a £20 upgrade (that's if you could get it that cheap) if Spektrum offered such a service.

You don't realise how hard you have to look at the screen, untill you get a back light. I remember with the black and white Ipod classic, turn backlight off and it was horrible, yes you could still see the text, but putting the backlight on made it so much easier to see.

Jonny

[redbird300]

Same camera, same camera settings, same TX, same conditions, same angle, pics where taken one right after the other, no flash, etc.... Only difference is backlight on or off. This was taken indoors, and should not be used as a reference for outdoors use. But some do fly indoors, and during some winterdays light conditions are not perfect either. Or the summer sun shining in your screen could also reduce visibility of the screen. Anyway, for me the backllight helps a lot, I started to miss it badly on my DX7 since I got used to the 8.

[Jonnyheli]

Thanks for posting that Raf. You can see the difference. Although picture #1 is easy to see, there is just no comparison when the backlight is on.

You don't realise how hard the standard screen is to see, untill you see the benefits of the backlight (baseing this on my ipod and gameboy experience etc). As you said earlier Raf you miss the backlight when using your DX7 because you have had the luxuries of a back light from the DX8.

But like Sutty said, there's no point risking it. Yes a backlight is nice to have, but it's not that much of a problem to be worth the risks involved.

I like Dave's advice. If you want a backlight, get a DX8. Damn it Dave, now I want a DX8

Jonny

[Tomstoy2]

I expect to see changes at Spectrum now that JR is gone.

Spectrum started out offering alternatives to the entry-level maket way back when. It's now time to grow up. The dx8 is a prime example.

How do you go about offering a product that entices the crowd to its camp? Well, more channels and such are obvious, but going forward, they have to offer a better product, not just cheaper. Again the dx8 is an example.
Backlighting the screen is nice, but as pointed out, not the answer. What is needed is a screen that is compatable with real world conditions we encounter.
Hopefully, soon, we will see major changes in that area, as this is one area that all tx's suffer.
Want to control the market? There you go. Offer a radio that you have no problem seeing the screen in any condition and people will beat a path to your door.

[CyprusDave]

Originally Posted by Jonnyheli

I like Dave's advice. If you want a backlight, get a DX8. Damn it Dave, now I want a DX8

Jonny

You and me both

+1 Tom, I'm sure we'll see many changes now that Spektrum are free to follow their own path. One thing I seem to remember hearing was that part of the agreement between JR and Spektrum was that Spektrum was not allowed to make high-end TXs, as that would compete directly with JR.

And I agree as well that backlighting is not the answer. Nice that the DX8 has it, but from a factory point of view it's probably less than $5 to add this, so really should be expected. How about something designed to be used in all conditions, including bright sunlight, like the screen of an e-book reader? A colour screen might look pretty, but I don't think it's of any practical benefit to us, and many (most?) colour screens are still pretty hard to read in bright sunlight.