Overclocker Cafe - MadLights Case Lighting Review

MadLights Case Lighting

Manufacturer: MadLights
Supplier: MadLights
Price: $59

By Dean Barker (5/13/2003)

Introduction

If you thought case lighting products were getting a little on the drab side, think again. MadLights is here to add more spice to case mods than Julia Child on crack. Madlights takes case lighting in a whole new direction. Four banks of three LEDs each, capable of producing a multitude of colors by varying the intensity of the red, green and blue LED banks. Add in 16 different lighting settings and you have something truly unique. Kudos to MadLights for hooking us up with this very cool toy.

Let's take a look at what you get upon opening up the MadLights package. Included is the MadLights assembly, four plastic tie rings and four angled risers to help you direct your lighting. The 9 volt adapter is an optional item if you want to use the lighting in an application outside of a computer case.

Two small ribbon cables come off the main PCB card each measuring 18 inches. On each strand, are two banks of LEDs. The LEDs consist of a red, blue and green LED. As we mentioned earlier, depending on which lights are on, in what combination and at what intensity the color, the options you theoretically can display is almost limitless. From a practical standpoint, seven distinct colors are visible; a near white, green, red, blue, faint yellow, purple and aqua. Each of these four banks have hook and loop fasteners so you can secure the lights where ever you like to maximize the effects.

The main control card is on white PCB that measures roughly 100 x 40 mm. The reverse side of the PCB card (not shown) is yet another hook and loop fastener for mounting. Aside from the standard four-pin Molex connector you have two push button switches, one black and one red. One is for changing between the 16 different preprogrammed lighting programs and the other adjusts the speed the program runs at. Effectively, the "strobe." There are five speed settings that make for a total of 80 different lighting effect combinations.