Bias lighting for HDTV

[(((interference)))]

So I have a 46" Sony XBR4 LCD TV, I'm interested in getting some kind of bias lighting for it as I play a lot of games in the dark (and watch all movies in the dark as well).

I know Antec has a LED lighting strip for monitors:
http://store.antec.com/Product/soundscience/bias-lighting/0-761345-77020-0.aspx

But apparently the LEDs have a colour temperature of 5500 K not the 6500K which is the reference temp for film and other video content and which my set is calibrated to.

Does anyone know of a similar system that has the correct colour temperature?

 

[Davros]

do you believe this :

The color and brightness of the LEDs are carefully calibrated to achieve the optimal viewing experience and increase your monitor’s perceived contrast ratio

id be skeptical, but it is only $13

now if you really want lighting get a ambx setup (although not may games support it)
http://www.cyborggaming.com/prod/ambx.htm

 

[Pete]

Ars wrote an article (blurb, really) about this, but for computer monitors. You might find something useful in their comments, though. Maybe even consider a "daylight" CFL in a cheap lamp (dunno if a shade will affect color temp or just soften the light) behind the TV.

 

[(((interference)))]

Ars wrote an article (blurb, really) about this, but for computer monitors. You might find something useful in their comments, though. Maybe even consider a "daylight" CFL in a cheap lamp (dunno if a shade will affect color temp or just soften the light) behind the TV.

Funnily, I read that article on Ars and which is why I'm here:smile:

Pity the ambx thing only works for PCs.

Ideally i'd want something like the Antec strips but with correct colour temperature lighting.

 

[Pete]

Heh. I don't mean to drive you back there, just giving you further reading while backlighting B3Ders gather their thoughts.

Does the color of the bias lighting--or any room lighting, really--affect the picture, if the lighting is sufficiently dim relative to the screen? I mean, does it affect one's color or contrast perception? Or do you just like 6500K lights better?

 

[(((interference)))]

Yes, a lower colour temperature like the 5500k for the Antec lights will make the image look warmer and make my display shift further away from the 6500k reference.

 

[Davros]

6500k oh crap, i prefer 9300k

 

[homerdog]

So my buddy is getting the 64in Samsung PN-D8000 for Christmas. Yes he is loaded.

We watch Blu-rays on it mostly at night in a dark room, and I'm thinking with a setup that nice we might as well spring from some bias lighting. Anybody have some experience with this sort of thing? Despite all my experience with home theatre equipment, I am in the dark yes when it comes to bias lighting.
I could ask the guys at the local bestbuy about it, but I could also shoot myself in the dick if I wanted to experience that kind of pain and suffering.

Money is hardly an obstacle, but we don't want to go spending more than ~$100 if it isn't totally necessary.

Thanks.

 

[Grall]

I could ask the guys at the local bestbuy about it, but I could also shoot myself in the dick

Reading of the high regard you hold the staff at Best Buy makes me giggle.

I dunno science and stuff on this matter, but I hung two ordinary lamp holders (just a socket on an electrical cord, with a plastic loop to hook it up on something) behind my set of computer monitors. I screwed in a set of warm-white Osram low-wattage LED bulbs in the sockets, one at 1.6W and the other is 2W. Total cost was maybe $15 or so for the cords and the bulbs.

Not sure it really makes a difference, but I pretend it does. Both my monitors are quite bright and have black bezels, and there's a book shelf right above them creating shadows, so some ambient light may reduce eye strain. I dunno, maybe it works and maybe it's pointless. Hard to say.