LED mod vs LED poker ii

[roaming pear]

I don't know how to mod it, but I would like to know the advantage of modding the poker 2 for leds over getting the leds already on the poker 2 when I buy it?
There were some features of the keyboard that can only be used on the LED version.  It was FN + something...
Will I get the same FN functions once I add my own leds to the keyboard...
I also saw someone who added 2 sets of LEDS to their keyboards and switched between the two...

[feizor]

AFAIK the FN functions are the same between LED and non LED (DIY) Poker 2s. It's pretty much just FN+V to turn on and off and FN+C and B for brightness.
I got the non LED poker 2 for the following reasons:

It comes with PBT keycaps; and
You can use your own LED color scheme instead of just blue or green.

But to do the LED 'mod' you need to have some basic soldering skills and a soldering kit.

The LED switching is done using dual color LEDs rather than 2 sets of LEDs, which are not compatible with the Poker.

[Ronnn]

I prefer led mod over the led poker. As far as I know, there is no function difference between the two. They are pretty the same except keycaps and leds. If you prefer pbt caps, you should definitely go with no led one. The pbt caps feel nice and adding leds is not hard. I had no soldering experience and it only took me like 2 hours.
Here is my poker 2.

[Razor Lotus]

Advantages of LED-mod, you get to choose colours which they've already had the calculations done for you for using that LED.

Like for example, you can't solder red LEDs cause they have a forward voltage of <3V and you need to find out how much resistance you need to add for them to work.

Until now I am still unsure of how much resistance to add and where to add the resistors too.

But that's if you want orange,red or yellow colours.

Advantages of Non-LED, you get nice thick PBT caps

[Yslen]

The difficulty of adding LEDs depends on your soldering ability and equipment, speaking as a soldering novice who added LEDs to a Poker II recently. It took me ages because all of the holes for the LEDs are already blocked with a tiny amount of solder, presumably due to the production line treating LED and non-LED boards in exactly the same way and adding solder there regardless. If the holes were empty it probably would have been a quick easy job, but as it was it took me over 6 hours start to finish. The PBT caps that come stock on the non-LED version are okay, but they're totally let down by the font and the crummy lasered legends, in my opinion.

[roaming pear]

I actually already have a non led poker 2.  I want to get another and was thinking of giving the original away.  So I already got the thick pbt and I ordered some blank pbt. 


So the only remaining issue is whether I want to have custom colors not available.


I still don't understand how some people were able to have two colors of led on their poker 2... maybe I was mistaken when I saw that though...

[Yslen]

I actually already have a non led poker 2.  I want to get another and was thinking of giving the original away.  So I already got the thick pbt and I ordered some blank pbt. 


So the only remaining issue is whether I want to have custom colors not available.


I still don't understand how some people were able to have two colors of led on their poker 2... maybe I was mistaken when I saw that though...

You sure you weren't thinking of this board?

[Razor Lotus]

The difficulty of adding LEDs depends on your soldering ability and equipment, speaking as a soldering novice who added LEDs to a Poker II recently. It took me ages because all of the holes for the LEDs are already blocked with a tiny amount of solder, presumably due to the production line treating LED and non-LED boards in exactly the same way and adding solder there regardless. If the holes were empty it probably would have been a quick easy job, but as it was it took me over 6 hours start to finish. The PBT caps that come stock on the non-LED version are okay, but they're totally let down by the font and the crummy lasered legends, in my opinion.

I think that's why you remove the solder there first with a solder sucker before adding the LEDs in?

[Xowie]

I prefer led mod over the led poker. As far as I know, there is no function difference between the two. They are pretty the same except keycaps and leds. If you prefer pbt caps, you should definitely go with no led one. The pbt caps feel nice and adding leds is not hard. I had no soldering experience and it only took me like 2 hours.
Here is my poker 2.
(Attachment Link)

That looks really nice, good work.

[Freebird]

In short the PBT caps that come with the Poker II are much nicer than the ABS ones that come with the backlit version. If you are intending on getting different keycaps anyway then maybe just go with the one pre backlit for you. There is only two colours, I think blue and green. With the one without LED's you can obviously add your own.

I added my own today in fact, I am pretty chuffed

[roaming pear]

I actually already have a non led poker 2.  I want to get another and was thinking of giving the original away.  So I already got the thick pbt and I ordered some blank pbt. 


So the only remaining issue is whether I want to have custom colors not available.


I still don't understand how some people were able to have two colors of led on their poker 2... maybe I was mistaken when I saw that though...

You sure you weren't thinking of this board?

My bad.  You're right.  That is the one I was looking at...

[Oobly]

If you do go with the non-LED poker 2 and decide to add LED's yourself here's a little trick: Trim the new LED legs to the correct length first, then you don't have to remove the solder from the holes. Just melt it and push the LED through. Then melt all the joints again after all the LEDs are in the board to make sure there are no "dry" joints.

[Yslen]

If you do go with the non-LED poker 2 and decide to add LED's yourself here's a little trick: Trim the new LED legs to the correct length first, then you don't have to remove the solder from the holes. Just melt it and push the LED through. Then melt all the joints again after all the LEDs are in the board to make sure there are no "dry" joints.

Good tip, I wish I'd thought of that when I was doing mine!

[roaming pear]

Thank you for all the ideas and tips...


By the way, where would I buy the LEDS and how much should I be looking to spend on them? are there different prices?
Is there anyway to have dual LEDS on the Poker 2 similar to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExxvJ--ZuBE

[Yslen]

I actually already have a non led poker 2.  I want to get another and was thinking of giving the original away.  So I already got the thick pbt and I ordered some blank pbt. 


So the only remaining issue is whether I want to have custom colors not available.


I still don't understand how some people were able to have two colors of led on their poker 2... maybe I was mistaken when I saw that though...

You sure you weren't thinking of this board?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExxvJ--ZuBE

[Razor Lotus]

Thank you for all the ideas and tips...


By the way, where would I buy the LEDS and how much should I be looking to spend on them? are there different prices?
Is there anyway to have dual LEDS on the Poker 2 similar to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExxvJ--ZuBE

You can get them off ebay. No price guide, just whatever you feel like paying. They're generally quite cheap.

I'd recommend the 2x3x4mm rectangular ones

[Lain1911]

This

[Heliosphere]

I prefer led mod over the led poker. As far as I know, there is no function difference between the two. They are pretty the same except keycaps and leds. If you prefer pbt caps, you should definitely go with no led one. The pbt caps feel nice and adding leds is not hard. I had no soldering experience and it only took me like 2 hours.
Here is my poker 2.
(Attachment Link)

I like those LED colors, especially the teal. What LEDs did you use?

[pichu23]

I've actually used red LEDs for the poker 2. It's dimness isn't exactly that bad.

[Razor Lotus]

I've actually used red LEDs for the poker 2. It's dimness isn't exactly that bad.

Show Image

Nice

How long have you had them on for? Did you add any resistance? Do you still remember the specs of the LEDs you used?

What about the orange ones too?

[pichu23]

I've actually used red LEDs for the poker 2. It's dimness isn't exactly that bad.

Show Image

Nice

How long have you had them on for? Did you add any resistance? Do you still remember the specs of the LEDs you used?

What about the orange ones too?

I soldered it on since last August. Till today it's holding up fine. Um. I got the LEDs from taobao. It was really cheap. I didn't add any resistance. Just soldered them on. I'm assuming the specs are the usual voltage and stuff. The orange is actually like a really Amber~ish White kinda colour. I'm not too sure, sorry bout that :(

[Razor Lotus]

I've actually used red LEDs for the poker 2. It's dimness isn't exactly that bad.

Show Image

Nice

How long have you had them on for? Did you add any resistance? Do you still remember the specs of the LEDs you used?

What about the orange ones too?

I soldered it on since last August. Till today it's holding up fine. Um. I got the LEDs from taobao. It was really cheap. I didn't add any resistance. Just soldered them on. I'm assuming the specs are the usual voltage and stuff. The orange is actually like a really Amber~ish White kinda colour. I'm not too sure, sorry bout that :(

hmm alright. I suppose I could give the red LEDs a try too.

Are you using the round ones or the rectangular ones??

Also, those reds are slightly lighter, almost pinkish right? Not the deep red ones that ducky has. The green is nice though, reminds me of those on the custom korean boards

[pichu23]

I've actually used red LEDs for the poker 2. It's dimness isn't exactly that bad.

Show Image

Nice

How long have you had them on for? Did you add any resistance? Do you still remember the specs of the LEDs you used?

What about the orange ones too?

I soldered it on since last August. Till today it's holding up fine. Um. I got the LEDs from taobao. It was really cheap. I didn't add any resistance. Just soldered them on. I'm assuming the specs are the usual voltage and stuff. The orange is actually like a really Amber~ish White kinda colour. I'm not too sure, sorry bout that :(

hmm alright. I suppose I could give the red LEDs a try too.

Are you using the round ones or the rectangular ones??

Also, those reds are slightly lighter, almost pinkish right? Not the deep red ones that ducky has. The green is nice though, reminds me of those on the custom korean boards

I used rounded ones. I actually have a ducky with red LEDs. Comparing to it the red on the ducky are much darker. Green looks pretty nice I'd say. I'm getting some turquoise ~ dark blue for my upcoming Pcb.  :D hope it turns out fine.

[Hyde]

Where do you guys get your turquoise/teal/aqua LED?  All the ones I find are super expensive or expensive shipping.

I live in Toronto, Canada btw.

[pichu23]

Where do you guys get your turquoise/teal/aqua LED?  All the ones I find are super expensive or expensive shipping.

I live in Toronto, Canada btw.

I got the previous batch from taobao. I've not ordered the turquoise ones yet though. I usually used a taobao agent. Not from this forum though.

[kohi]

hmm alright. I suppose I could give the red LEDs a try too.

Are you using the round ones or the rectangular ones??

Also, those reds are slightly lighter, almost pinkish right? Not the deep red ones that ducky has. The green is nice though, reminds me of those on the custom korean boards

for the round/rectangular LEDs, does it go through the switch housing or is there excess plastic at the base that prevents them from going all the way through?

[Razor Lotus]

hmm alright. I suppose I could give the red LEDs a try too.

Are you using the round ones or the rectangular ones??

Also, those reds are slightly lighter, almost pinkish right? Not the deep red ones that ducky has. The green is nice though, reminds me of those on the custom korean boards

for the round/rectangular LEDs, does it go through the switch housing or is there excess plastic at the base that prevents them from going all the way through?

this should help

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54702.0

[kohi]

this should help

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54702.0

yessss thank you!

[roaming pear]

So, the non LED board already has like 4 LEDs.. Teh caps lock, windows key, and 2 on the spacebar I beleive...
But when I use any function to turn on LEDs on the board, those few LEDs do not light up...
Does that mean, that on LED backlit boards, there are two LEDs on those keys?

[Oobly]

So, the non LED board already has like 4 LEDs.. Teh caps lock, windows key, and 2 on the spacebar I beleive...
But when I use any function to turn on LEDs on the board, those few LEDs do not light up...
Does that mean, that on LED backlit boards, there are two LEDs on those keys?

The Win keys have LED's already in place in the switches, but the spacebar and Caps Lock LED's are not mounted through the switches, but to the sides of them. So you can add LED's to the Caps Lock and spacebar switches which will go on along with the rest of the backlit LED's, but the Win keys can only have one LED each. You can replace it with the colour of your choice, but it will function as it did before adding the backlighting LED's.