Changing the LEDs in the remote display

[rdalcanto]

I can't remember where I saw it, but someone had changed two of the LEDs in the remote display to different colors so he could tell what band was going off at night. Anyone know what green and yellow LEDs to buy? 5mm Radio Shack ones o.k.?

Thanks,
Rick

[laserblaster]

you could use a blue led for say ka band and a green for k band and leave red for x band!

i'm not sure what size to use i would take it aprt and see what size they are!

[BiGeAsYgUy]

Go here:

http://bmwe34m5.com/faqs/?theme=1&level=4&question_id_select=325&chapitre_id_select=37&document_id_select=3

[thestaton]

wow Brilliant! someone who is good with this sort of thing should do this mod!!! I'd actually use my remote display if someone would do this and I'd pay um pretty well to do it.

--staton

[compu44]

wow Brilliant! someone who is good with this sort of thing should do this mod!!! I'd actually use my remote display if someone would do this and I'd pay um pretty well to do it.

--staton

Some guy was actually selling pre-moded ones on ebay for a while.

[Hessen]

This is a service Valentine Research should provide..... :?

[icantdrive55]

This is one thing I have to agree regarding the lights. They should be different colors. Not only in the remote display...but also in the main unit.

MV, lets do it!

[justinehuang]

But doing this will like V1 become a neon lamp/ a neon light/ a neon or the neon sign/ a neonlight advertisement.
:!:
:idea:

[rdalcanto]

I DID IT!!! :shock: :D
I replaced three of the four LEDs with the ones listed on the link provided by BiGeAsYgUy. Ordered them from neward.com as directed by the link. First of all, let me say, "THEY ARE SMALL!!!!!!!" After seeing them, I almost chickened out, since I have minimal soldering skills. However, I followed the instructions - Two soldering irons with my wife pushing the old LED to pop it off as soon as the solder let go, and then replacing with the new ones. The new ones that are recommended on that website are smaller than the originals, but seem to be about as bright. The back of each LED has a green line with a little green "-" on one side. I got it wrong the first time. The "-" should be on the side the mute button is on.
I left Laser with the RED. I put Amber on KA. If I see either of those, I'm testing the ABS brakes. If I get Blue =K, slow down in due time. If I get Green =X, I'll think about slowing down.


"Now I can tell what you are, even in the dark, B%TCH!!

:twisted:
Rick

[BiGeAsYgUy]

Post pictures of it in the dark. :)

[rdalcanto]

Post pictures of it in the dark. :)

I'm assuming you mean when I first turn the unit on...?
I will take a photo of that and of the inside.

Rick
P.S. - the LEDs are sold.

[kpatz]

I'm assuming you mean when I first turn the unit on...?
I will take a photo of that and of the inside.If you go into the programming mode on the V1, and scroll through all the options, you'll come to a point where all the LEDs are lit, and stay lit. This will make it easier to take your pic. There is also a LED test mode that lights each LED individually in sequence. Handy for making sure you didn't short something out when soldering. Both these modes are after you get past all the programming options (press the button repeatedly until you get to them)

[rdalcanto]

Here are the pics. The dark one is blurry because of the long shutter time, but you get the idea. The three replaced LEDs are easy to pic out on the inside pic because they are different from all the others. Finally, as you can see on the display shot, I drilled out the red disks so the lights are brighter and not changed by the red plastic.

http://www.dalcantohobby.com/dark.jpg

http://www.dalcantohobby.com/LED.jpg

http://www.dalcantohobby.com/display.jpg

Rick

[rdalcanto]

Took it for a test run. Went by a mall, got the false, looked down and saw green. Hit Mute. Got additional bogeys as I went along. Couldn't tell bands apart from the audio since it was muted, but only had Green (QUICK glance), so I knew I was good. AWESOME! Highly recommended mod!

Rick

[Seven]

Nice Job!

Looks very good.

[CactusMan]

I had thought once too that having different LED lights would make it easier to identify radar bands at night. After having mine for awhile. I found out that it was just as easy to look at the position of the red LED. It is simple to see if the light is high or low so band idenfitication is no problem whatsoever even at night. Drive safely and happy motoring.

[Arvetus]

I just use my ears...

Besides, any alert is a potential threat. You hear a blurp, and it's not in your usual falsing area...you slow down. Who cares what band it is? Are you really going to look to evaluate what band it is before you take any action? Even if you do, it's so much easier to just know what sound each band makes.

Just my $0.02... 8)

[rdalcanto]

It takes a little while to learn what the audio is for each band. Also, if you hit the mute button and get another alert, the only way to know is by looking at the lights. So, are different colored lights necessary? No, but I LIKE EM!!!

Rick

[kpatz]

As long as you hit Mute only once, the bogey-lock tone is not muted, and you can determine the band based on that, even when the regular alerts are muted. For example, dee-deet brap-brap means Ka.

If you hit the button a 2nd time, the bogey lock is also muted. I do this when I'm in parking lots with lots of door openers.

I thought of swapping my LEDs out, but once I read that they're surface mount... well I think I can live with the red. :)

[wt808]

A while ago, I suggested to Valentine Research that they change the faceplate label so that the band identifiers are backlit by the corresponding LED.

How about creating a transparent vinyl sticker with color overlays for each band LED? Would using blue and yellow over the red LED yield purple and orange? Then you can simply remove the sticker if you ever need to send the unit back for repair work.

[kpatz]

Filters won't work on the red LEDs. To get purple you have to add blue light. To get yellow, add green light. Putting non-red color filters over the red LEDs will result in a much darker display, and little to no color change.

Now if the LEDs were white, you could go to town with filters. Of course, that means replacing the LEDs in which case you might as well put in LEDs of the desired colors.

[nomotickets]

You're concealed display looks great!