excerpting original message - comments inline...
> -----Original Message-----
> From: J. Larry Hendry [mailto:jlarryh@...]
> Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2003 10:22 AM
> To: motm@yahoogroups.com; Roger Rossen
> Subject: Re: [motm] Lights,action, .....
>
>
> Since you are into visuals, here is something to think about.
> I want to creat a lighting system for use with my MOTM so
> that I have enough light to use the synth in an othewise
> completely dark environment. I am seriously considering
> custom made fixtures that attach to my cabinets with cold
> cathode tubes. I got a couple of them to play with. The
> blue ones are extremely cool. Anyone else mess with these
> much for lighting?
>
> Larry
>
Cold cathode tubes use an inverter to generate the voltages needed. I
would not want to have that sort of electrical noise near my system.
They do look way cool but noise is not a good trade-off... Same deal
with using a switching supply for power.
I use low voltage lighting. I started with the $30 bars you get from
Home Despot but these are junk - they overheat after a while and the
glue used to hold them together fails.
Someone turned me on to these lights:
http://www.pegasusassociates.com/UCXenonst.jspThese are used for kitchen under counter lighting and for display cases.
The lights are cheap enough and you can use your choice of wattage and
there is even a spot adapter available. The transformers and dimmers
are overly expensive (actually not when you consider all the ratings
they have to comply with) but an enterprising MOTM-er can come up with
some alternative source of 0-12 VDC - even stepped if they wanted to use
a center tapped transformer and a diode...
The cable with sockets every 3" is $7.10 per foot. The bulbs (10,000
hour rating) go from $2.80 to $5.95 each.
The Xenon filling gives a nice light - cooler than Incandescent but
warmer than Halogen - nice stuff...
Dave