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Offline C5Allroad

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Keyboard LEDs
« on: Wed, 02 October 2013, 17:24:13 »
Do keyboard Leds burn out if left on full brightness?
How long should they last?
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Offline Photoelectric

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 02 October 2013, 17:35:35 »
They are rated for thousands upon thousands of hours of operation, so not until they are defective or something goes wrong (like a current spike).
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Offline dorkvader

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 02 October 2013, 17:35:52 »
Quote from: HUNTERANGEL121 on Wed, 02 October 2013, 17:24:13
Do keyboard Leds burn out if left on full brightness?
How long should they last?

The LED's are being driven at a fraction of their rated current and should last a few hundred thousand hours.
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Offline PointyFox

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 02 October 2013, 17:37:31 »
Even if they do manage to go out, they are fairly simple to replace.  ~$10 in tools if you don't already have them.
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Offline C5Allroad

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 02 October 2013, 17:41:11 »
Thanks guys! I have used my K90 and never thought about it. But now with my shine 3 I was wondering because of the lighting modes, how long will they last. Well I guess it's no need to worry lol.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:38:06 »
I suspect the caps lock LED in my first Ducky Shine has died :(
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

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Offline Photoelectric

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:39:07 »
It may be the connection (solder joints).  LEDs generally don't burn out--they fade in brightness over time.  It's accelerated by heat and humidity.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 05:22:46 »
Thanks - I might have to open it when have a look when I get a chance.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

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Offline C5Allroad

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 05:49:05 »
Quote from: Photoelectric on Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:39:07
It may be the connection (solder joints).  LEDs generally don't burn out--they fade in brightness over time.  It's accelerated by heat and humidity.
How long does if usually take for them to start fading?
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Offline mapple

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 06:46:02 »
Quote from: rowdy on Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:38:06
I suspect the caps lock LED in my first Ducky Shine has died :(

so why u scream so much?:P
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Offline Photoelectric

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #10 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 11:39:47 »
Quote from: HUNTERANGEL121 on Thu, 03 October 2013, 05:49:05
Quote from: Photoelectric on Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:39:07
It may be the connection (solder joints).  LEDs generally don't burn out--they fade in brightness over time.  It's accelerated by heat and humidity.
How long does if usually take for them to start fading?

They fade all the time--gradually.  Since they are first turned on.  The rate of brightness decay depends on many factors.  With monitor backlight, you may notice a significant decrease after about 10k hour of operation, for example (there are ~9 thousand hours in a year).  3mm LEDs with better cooling conditions--probably longer.  Have a look here:
http://www.theledlight.com/LED101.html

This all depends on initial quality and running conditions, with some LEDs dimming to half of their initial flux output in dramatically shorter times. 
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Offline C5Allroad

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #11 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 16:52:33 »
Interesting. So I see why some people don't really like backlit boards... There are 104 more things that can break. I might just a buy a filco or maybe not since I usually use a board for a year and end buying another.
« Last Edit: Thu, 03 October 2013, 19:18:00 by HUNTERANGEL121 »
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Offline Photoelectric

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #12 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 17:02:03 »
I don't know what you mean by "you guys" :)  Some of us really like backlit keyboards!  ;D
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 17:06:14 »
Quote from: mapple on Thu, 03 October 2013, 06:46:02
Quote from: rowdy on Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:38:06
I suspect the caps lock LED in my first Ducky Shine has died :(

so why u scream so much?:P

I no scream!

Quote from: HUNTERANGEL121 on Thu, 03 October 2013, 16:52:33
Interesting. So I see why you guys don't really like backlit boards... There are 104 more things that can break. I might just a buy a filco or maybe not since I usually use a board for a year and end buying another.

Over a period of years, during which the keyboard might get swapped out and thus prolong the life of the LEDs even longer.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline acer589

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 18:03:46 »
Yeah, it seems like something you don't really need to be worried about.
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Offline C5Allroad

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 19:17:38 »
Quote from: Photoelectric on Thu, 03 October 2013, 17:02:03
I don't know what you mean by "you guys" :)  Some of us really like backlit keyboards!  ;D
Lol I fixed that now. I wasn't really thinking.

Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 03 October 2013, 17:06:14
Quote from: mapple on Thu, 03 October 2013, 06:46:02
Quote from: rowdy on Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:38:06
I suspect the caps lock LED in my first Ducky Shine has died :(

so why u scream so much?:P

I no scream!

Quote from: HUNTERANGEL121 on Thu, 03 October 2013, 16:52:33
Interesting. So I see why you guys don't really like backlit boards... There are 104 more things that can break. I might just a buy a filco or maybe not since I usually use a board for a year and end buying another.

Over a period of years, during which the keyboard might get swapped out and thus prolong the life of the LEDs even longer.
Lol that's a bit obvious don't you think? When I put my ducky on max brightness is that the max the led is designed to be ran at, or is it the maximum a manufacture is allowing the user to have it go up to?
« Last Edit: Thu, 03 October 2013, 19:20:16 by HUNTERANGEL121 »
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Offline PointyFox

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 21:27:27 »
Quote from: HUNTERANGEL121 on Thu, 03 October 2013, 19:17:38
Quote from: Photoelectric on Thu, 03 October 2013, 17:02:03
I don't know what you mean by "you guys" :)  Some of us really like backlit keyboards!  ;D
Lol I fixed that now. I wasn't really thinking.

Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 03 October 2013, 17:06:14
Quote from: mapple on Thu, 03 October 2013, 06:46:02
Quote from: rowdy on Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:38:06
I suspect the caps lock LED in my first Ducky Shine has died :(

so why u scream so much?:P

I no scream!

Quote from: HUNTERANGEL121 on Thu, 03 October 2013, 16:52:33
Interesting. So I see why you guys don't really like backlit boards... There are 104 more things that can break. I might just a buy a filco or maybe not since I usually use a board for a year and end buying another.

Over a period of years, during which the keyboard might get swapped out and thus prolong the life of the LEDs even longer.
Lol that's a bit obvious don't you think? When I put my ducky on max brightness is that the max the led is designed to be ran at, or is it the maximum a manufacture is allowing the user to have it go up to?

Maybe, and yes.
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Offline C5Allroad

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 03 October 2013, 21:41:47 »
Ah ok thanks.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Keyboard LEDs
« Reply #18 on: Sat, 12 October 2013, 20:09:35 »
Quote from: Photoelectric on Wed, 02 October 2013, 22:39:07
It may be the connection (solder joints).  LEDs generally don't burn out--they fade in brightness over time.  It's accelerated by heat and humidity.

I swapped keyboards around again, and now that the Ducky is on my Mac the Caps Lock light is working again!

The KeyCool which was on the Mac with the Caps Lock light working is now connected to my server (Ubuntu in text mode) and Caps Lock on that does not work.

So I suspect it is just something Linux is doing, or not doing, that is preventing the LED from lighting.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ
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