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XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 8:59 am
by Elroy Jetson
I'm about to do a custom paintjob on an XTS5000 case, and also change the color of the knob backlight LEDs to blue.

Having taken apart the housing and with all the guts laid out before me, I observe that the LEDs used to backlight the
controls are a red/green combo type.

I'm not aware of any options or features in an XTS5000 that allow you to pick the backlight color, and if signalling options
allow it, I'm not aware of that, either.

These LEDs already in place will allow the backlights to be red, green, or yellow.

Is there some hidden color selection or some signalling option that changes the working color on the knob backlighting?


Elroy

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:48 pm
by wavetar
Me thinks it's in the firmware...only light the red for TX, green for self test, yellow for backlight, etc. Nothing in the codeplug that I'm aware of.

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:59 pm
by Elroy Jetson
The TX light itself can be red or green in operation, but I've never yet seen the channel backlights be anything but green, though the LEDs used
are dual independent red/greens in one package. Motorola must have designed the backlights to be able to change color if there was a need for it.

I guess that need hasn't yet arisen.

I'll swap them out for blues. It'll be fun.



Elroy

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:54 pm
by spectragod
While blue would look cool, I think that the red backlighting would be great. Save your nightvision and be different at one time.

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:58 pm
by Batwings21
spectragod wrote:While blue would look cool, I think that the red backlighting would be great. Save your nightvision and be different at one time.
True, but all the hip modders are using blue these days. I think blue would be sweet. Post some pics when you get it done!

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 5:56 pm
by spectragod
Batwings21 wrote:
spectragod wrote:While blue would look cool, I think that the red backlighting would be great. Save your nightvision and be different at one time.
True, but all the hip modders are using blue these days. I think blue would be sweet. Post some pics when you get it done!
It's hip to be square???

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 10:11 pm
by tvsjr
spectragod wrote:While blue would look cool, I think that the red backlighting would be great. Save your nightvision and be different at one time.
Some people want to be practical... while some people want to be wackers.

Red backlighting (or switchable red/green) would be pimpin.

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:22 am
by W8RW
the nice thing about red is that all you have to do is rotate the LEDs...nothing to buy

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 6:41 am
by Elroy Jetson
Incorrect. You've apparently never seen the LEDs that are used here.

They're a siamese twin LED. Four terminations, two per LED. It's the same as two SMT LEDs side by side, but in a single package.

Turn around one of these LEDs and it won't work, it'll be hooked up backwards.

I'll simply install pairs of individual LEDs in the correct size to fit in place of the existing ones. Although single ones
should probably be sufficient as I know of no way to make the radio actually use the red circuit.

Elroy

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:41 am
by W8RW
Elroy Jetson wrote:Incorrect. You've apparently never seen the LEDs that are used here.

They're a siamese twin LED. Four terminations, two per LED. It's the same as two SMT LEDs side by side, but in a single package.

Turn around one of these LEDs and it won't work, it'll be hooked up backwards.

I'll simply install pairs of individual LEDs in the correct size to fit in place of the existing ones. Although single ones
should probably be sufficient as I know of no way to make the radio actually use the red circuit.

Elroy
gotcha...I assumed they were the bidirectional types

I guess you could always flip them over to reverse the colors...oh wait...

Re: XTS5000 multicolored knob backlights?

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:05 am
by dave.au
I had a radio once that was r/s. When you turned it on the channel led's lit up red and sometimes flashed. I took a video of it ill see if i can find it.

This was a stock no mod radio that went into water.