I am now making smoke and clear faceplates for Mark I models with Mark II/Rio models soon to follow.

They are $20 US a piece plus $2 US postage to most places.

Anyone that interested email darkstorm@bellsouth.net with quantity, shipping address, color (smoke or clear) and whether you need Mark I or Mark II faceplate/lenses (remember Mark II/Rio lenses are still in design stage at the moment).

Payments will be accepted at Paypal.com using drkstorm@bellsouth.net or if you don't have Paypal include that in your email and we'll find a different method of payment.

I've included a picture of the smoke tinted one I made for my Mark I on a cnc router that I operate at work.

Steve

How do they hold up during normal operating conditions (direct sunlight, etc)? I know there was some controvery because the normal colored ones from empeg have been carefully picked to emphasize the brightness as much as possible, while the AR coating cuts down on glare from the sun.

I'd be interested in one, but only if the display didn't totally get washed out when the sun directly hit it.

(O|||||O)

You should find the result quite viewable under all but very bright sunlight (which will wash out any display technology, really).
The coloured panels cut a lot of intensity, and the AR coating is required to make the most of what you've got left.

I have a clear empeg panel, one of the very original test samples we had made during the development to check what the
thing would look like, and the display is very bright indeed with it on. In fact, in the dark, it lights the entire room up.

Patrick.

Opinions expressed in this email may contain up to 42% water by weight, and are mine. All mine.

Can you explain the "smoke" panels? Is it similar to the AR stuff that's on the colored plates available from Empeg? The picture isn't clear enough to be able to tell how much it diffuses the screen... The Empeg AR panels are still relatively crisp as far as the individual pixels go. If the smoke effect isn't too drastic, I think I'd love one of these for my MkII, because the VFD color is closer to my instrumentation than the blue or green plates.

-Tony
MkII #554

Greetings!

I don't suppose Rio / empeg would like to release these (clear / smoke / neutral) panels as an option... There appears to be a demand. I already ordered my set, but would still like an official empeg / Rio version with RF coating if it ever became available.

Paul G.
SN# 090000587 (40GB Green)

What-r-ya doin bud? Tryin to kill my business? :)

HAHAHAHA! Actually, I don't think it likely. I remember this discussion on the board a while back, and I do not think clear / smoke / neutral will ever come into being as a profitable faceplate alternative. Unless Rio decides to try and color match to US dash lighting...

Paul G.
SN# 090000587 (40GB Green)

When will the Mk. II ones be ready?

I am hoping by the end of next week I will be sending them out, but we'll see.

Steve

One thing that did occur to me: The original MK1 panels include an IR filter over the
IRDA and consumer IR sensors to prevent spurious signals interfering with
non-spurious ones. Under some circumstances, if this filter isn't present, the
remote control can become unreliable. It might be worth thinking about...

Patrick.


Opinions expressed in this email may contain up to 42% water by weight, and are mine. All mine.

I haven't run into any problems with this.

Boy, It almost seems like some of you are against the idea of a clear faceplate.

Steve

Huh? Against the idea? Chill out dude... I think we've just got legitimate questions for something that we could be paying 20 bones for. You've quite generously offered to make clear faceplates, and we've quite reasonably asked questions about the product. What's the problem?

Still didn't answer my question about the "smoke" panels. Is the smoke effect similar to the A/R faceplates?

-Tony
MkII #554

Don't get me wrong, I'm not being hostile. It just seems that some of the questions being asked are rather obvious. I am an individual that happens to use a CNC router during my daily job.
I'm not a company like SonicBlue/Empeg so I won't have access to AR coatings or filters for the IR led.

I haven't run in to any problems with the IR being affected. Nothing else triggers it and the remote still works fine.

The display is absolutely crystal clear and is pretty readable in most sunlight THOUGH very very bright & direct sunlight does wash it out but to quote what Patrick (pca) said earlier "You should find the result quite viewable under all but very bright sunlight (which will wash out any display technology, really)"

And as far as the price, $20 is not a hell of a lot of money which $15 of which is what I got my boss to let me use the machine and have the material a piece for plus $5 for my time for doing it. I don't think it's unreasonable.

Steve

I forgot to answer your question.
I'm not sure what you mean by is it similar to the AR coating.

They are clear (i.e. completely see-through) but tinted like sunglasses are.

Steve

Boy, It almost seems like some of you are against the idea of a clear faceplate.

I wasn't trying to be an ass or anything by asking about what the faceplates look like under sunlight... I drive a Jeep and when the top is off and the sun is directly on the unit, I just wanted to know if the screen is even readable at all.

I'm just a possible consumer asking questions about a product he might purchase. Sorry if you took it the wrong way.

(O|||||O)

They're nothing against you, I've just seen a couple of posts that seem (to me at least) that some are trying to talk others out of it and it rubs me the wrong way you know? I posted a picture which seems to be pretty clear to me, so let people make their own choices, after all it's not like I'm asking $150 for these things.

Anyway back to your question, under direct bright sunlight it does wash out but like 'pca' pointed out direct bright sunlight will wash out pretty much anything.

Let me know,
Steve

Greetings!

Having already committed to two faceplates, I can honestly say that I don't think anyone is trying to talk you out of making them. Everyone just has questions about how they work, what they will look like, etc. My concern was for the RF coating - I bring my empeg into the office every day, and the last thing I need is to have the empeg cause interference with any equipment there.

My recommendation is that anyone purchasing a plate take a photo and give a description of what kind of experience they have had. If you (the potential purchaser) are "on the fence" about it, just wait to see what the photos / stories have to say. Steve - thanks for going through the trouble of making these! I really think I will get a better match.

This also means that, after having purchased two new faceplates, if empeg / Rio comes out with "official" coated displays that I would buy theirs as well. I want to collect the whole set!!!

Paul G.
SN# 090000587 (40GB Green)

Don't get me wrong I am not necessarily mad at anybody. It was just seeming like I went out of my way to set this up with my boss and possbily make a few dollars on the side and I start seeing a post here and there that look like they're saying it's probably not a good idea.
That's what it was looking like to me and when you view it that way I think it would get under anyone's skin.

I appreciate the orders I've gotten so far and would like to get more.

Back to you Paul, I don't know what equipment you have at work but so far I've not noticed any interference in the unit anywhere and the Empeg doesn't bother my computers or network at my shop (It's in the same room), my computer at home (It sits right in between the monitor and the tower) or any of the electronics in my car (of which there's a lot of. I drive a Lincoln Mark VII. It's loaded with electronics). I don't get interference in any of it.

I think the FCC requirements are a lot more restrictive than is necessary for the needs of the genereal public.

Steve

If you want a clear faceplate that's fine with us, although I personally don't like the look of them.

The issue Patrick raised is totally correct - without an IR filter it is rare that the remote control will operate reliably in sunlight. The filter material is a common optical product which passes only light of the appropriate wavelength. This only applies to Mk.1 players - we switched to a different IR receiver for the Mk.2 which has an integral filter.

Rob

Ok, so as far as the Mark I goes I can understand why he said that but like I said before mine operates without a hitch.

Most people are asking for the Mark II anyway.

Steve

Ok, so as far as the Mark I goes I can understand why he said that but like I said before mine operates without a hitch.

Keep your hair on! (something I'm having less and less luck with as the years
pass) I wasn't criticising, I was merely providing a bit of info I thought might be
useful. You may have problems with Mk1 units and filterless panels, but it's easy
enough to fix. Wander down to the nearest good camera shop and order a small
sheet of the appropriate IR-transparent filter material. It generally comes in 6 inch
square pieces. You just cut a bit about 1cm square, and stick it to the inside of the
panel over the IR reciever with superglue. Works a treat.

The stuff empeg used is made by Lee Camera Filters, and from the packet I have
here seems to be a type 87 filter. As I recall, it was about $20 for a sheet, but
you'd get dozens of suitable bits from it.

That said, you may find you don't need it. YMMV.

Patrick.



Opinions expressed in this email may contain up to 42% water by weight, and are mine. All mine.

That said, you may find you don't need it.



Henno
mk2 6 nr 6

$15 of which is what I got my boss to let me use the machine and have the material a piece for plus $5 for my time

Oh, you ruthless capitalist profiteer, you. Making vast sums of money off the backs of us poor working proletariat!

Why, if things go really well, you might make as much as $100 off this project -- almost as much as if you spent your time at McDonalds asking "Do you want fries with that?".

I assume you've already sent off for the Yachting catalogs...

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

Yatching?
No way.
Custom made personal jet from Leer.

Steve

Custom made personal jet from Leer.

That's Lear. I believe "Leer" makes shells for the backs of pickup trucks.

"...I'm in the hi-fi-delity first class traveling set, and I think I need a Lear jet..."

___________
Tony Fabris

That's Lear. I believe "Leer" makes shells for the backs of pickup trucks.


Well, Bombardier, actually, but Leer would be more within price range, judging by the panel price margin...

Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green

To get things in perspective; an empeg without an ITO coated/wire mesh (mk1) front panel fitted is more along the lines of a PC with the side of the case off in terms of emissions (actually, probably less).

We're not talking irradiating people or causing planes to crash here, just the usual electronic mush that you get out of almost everything nowadays.

Hugo

Damn, I was hoping I could take the front off of my Mk1, point it at the sky and bring down any airliner I liked !

__
Unit serial number 47 (was 330 in the queue)...

I wasn't going to comment but I will now because I have been laughing so hard for so long over this concern over RF leaking because a piece of thinly coated plastic is suddenly gone...c'mon people, we are in the same group of people that hold a radio transmitter to our heads for hours on end while we discuss whatever...isn't this concern a little over-reactionary????? again my opinion only

Technoweenie
12 GB Blue / Red MK2

HAHAHAHAHA! Valid point!!! I sit in a tiny cubicle surrounded by NT / 2000 / Solaris boxes, along with a running Luminglas and lava lamp, and I am worried about a little RF!!! The Luminglas is so bad, if I hold my mouse next to it, it crashes the driver under Win2K!

Paul G.
SN# 090000587 (40GB Green)