Founder StamatisX Posted April 16, 2011 Founder Share Posted April 16, 2011 It wouldn't work cuz of the circuit board + command center doesn't have the alien head color as a configuration option.You could preconfigure the alienhead with a different color and then swap it since the command center all it does is to write to the firmware of the device but then you would be stuck with it...Another thought is that you could experiment with the XML file and change it manually.. (there is a chance they disabled the option from within GUI but not from the program itself) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 You could preconfigure the alienhead with a different color and then swap it since the command center all it does is to write to the firmware of the device but then you would be stuck with it...Another thought is that you could experiment with the XML file and change it manually.. (there is a chance they disabled the option from within GUI but not from the program itself)That would be very interesting and not hard to look into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingrinn Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 (edited) You could preconfigure the alienhead with a different color and then swap it since the command center all it does is to write to the firmware of the device but then you would be stuck with it...Another thought is that you could experiment with the XML file and change it manually.. (there is a chance they disabled the option from within GUI but not from the program itself)the reason for suggesting a film is that (unfortunately for good old fashioned led customization) lighting for the logo (alien head) comes from the wled itself... Edited April 17, 2011 by vikingrinn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder StamatisX Posted April 17, 2011 Founder Share Posted April 17, 2011 the reason for suggesting a film is that (unfortunately for good old fashioned led customization) lighting for the logo (alien head) comes from the wled itself...wait, you say that there are no separate white LEDs behind the alien head? It just uses the backlit of the screen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingrinn Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 (edited) wait, you say that there are no separate white LEDs behind the alien head? It just uses the backlit of the screen?the design is in keeping with the other newer models M11x R1/R2 (also forthcoming M11x R3, M14x R1, & M18x R1), it only uses the backlighting of the wled for illumination, hence only white for the lid logo (alien head)... Edited April 17, 2011 by vikingrinn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder StamatisX Posted April 17, 2011 Founder Share Posted April 17, 2011 LMAO, if that's not a ghetto mod, I don't know what it is... Ι guess the next step would be to replace the backlit keyboard with some fluorescent paint... (you will keep the lamp on top of it for a few min and then keys will glow in the dark...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder Brian Posted April 17, 2011 Founder Share Posted April 17, 2011 Haha the Clevo guys have started using fluorescent stickers on their keys. I read it in a thread on NBR and felt sorry for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iloveb00bs Posted April 17, 2011 Author Share Posted April 17, 2011 We should send them one of those glow in the dark alienware stickers to make them feel better.lolz 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder StamatisX Posted April 17, 2011 Founder Share Posted April 17, 2011 HAhahahahaha yeah, a glowing neon green alien head... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svl7 Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 the design is in keeping with the other newer models M11x R1/R2 (also forthcoming M11x R3, M14x R1, & M18x R1), it only uses the backlighting of the wled for illumination, hence only white for the lid logo (alien head)...Awww, didn't know this. Really a bad move from Dellienware, it probably saves them some bucks. If it was a LED a little mod with a solder iron and a single colored SMD LED should've been possible... but in this case the only option will probably the already mentioned foil mod, like for the Asus G73 series keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder StamatisX Posted April 17, 2011 Founder Share Posted April 17, 2011 That move reminds me of an airline (I think it was American Airlines) that removed an olive from their salad to save money... LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 This Alienhead seems to cost 1 more penny to produce we better remove it. Hey we sold a 1,000 units already and made $10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebarchuck Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 The mod to get the Alienware logo the same color as the Alienware name on below the screen should not be hard at all and I am sure it would require an RGB LED and three wires and that's it. It could be connected directly to the RGB LED Dell uses for the Alienware name below the screen and a thin wiring could be run into the Alien Head Logo.If I have time I will look into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Nice idea Joe let us know how that goes. What about a glow in the dark keyboard that can recharge the glow with it's own backlighting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichime Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 where did you buy/order those vinyls? I'm thinking of doing something similar to my M17x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iloveb00bs Posted April 19, 2011 Author Share Posted April 19, 2011 The vinyls were from my work but you can prolly get them at a local sign shop. I used a 3m control tact for the main wrap, the black was just a generic vinyl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichime Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Cool. Thanks for the info! Already started my own project on my R2 and I finished replacing the keys on the keyboard with the more stealthier ones from the Area-51 M17x (the original ones stand out too much while these keys go well with the black palmrest of the R2 as as well as the lighting being crisper too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder StamatisX Posted April 22, 2011 Founder Share Posted April 22, 2011 You know you have to submit photos after you are done right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Ichime, pics please even if the job is half done let's see how it looks. Awesome idea Ichime. So it's on of the first M17's keys onto the R2's keyboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iloveb00bs Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 yes please post some pics, sound like an awesome mod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichime Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Well this all started when my Enter key broke off. Luckily, I had a keyboard from an Area-51 M17x from a project I wanted to start about 2 years ago. However, the mounting of the Area 51 keyboard didn't fit in the R2 and it didn't have the built-in lighting. So, I simply plucked the enter key from the Area 51 keyboard and replaced it in my R2. I noticed that the new Enter key was significantly darker than the rest of the keys, but the tone in the key's inscription kinda matched the light tube on the touchpad when it's not lit up. So eventually, I started pulling off keys from my R2 on purpose and replaced them with the A-51 keys. The Esc and Alt key from the A-51 was damaged while I was doing this and couldn't mount on. So I ordered another A-51 keyboard to finish it up. Surprisingly, all the keys and inscriptions match up with the R2 keys with the exception of the F6, F7 and F8 keys. In the R2, F6 showed a picture of a TV screen, F7 read "GFX" (probably for gfx switching) and F8 didn't read anything. The A-51 set had the F6 key read "HDMI/LCD" (which is probably better than the R2's TV screen), F7 was blank (again, better since the R2 has no integrated graphics) and F8 is the eject button (Fn+F8 doesn't eject the CD in the R2). That being said, I don't have a before and after picture and the camera on my phone sucks but here are the pics. It doesn't look like anything is changed, but below is the difference in "whiteness" of the original R2 keyboard and the one from the first M17x (Area-51). I plucked out the Esc key, the minus key and the 5 and 8 key on the number pad from the R2 and placed them on top of another Area 51 M17x keyboard I bought and it's easy to see how much darker the Area 51 Keys are: I also noticed that the R2 keys are outlined with white, while the Area-51 keys aren't outlined at all; the inscriptions are see through rather than written over in white. Because of this, the Area 51 keys are a bit brighter than the R2 keys when lit up (which is shown below). IMO, the system looks better WITHOUT the lighting now with this transplant; more stealthier look in person. Next up is getting a powder-coated M17x lid and base painted and coated with a rubber finish. I don't know what color to use though :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder StamatisX Posted April 22, 2011 Founder Share Posted April 22, 2011 Interesting, better without the lighting? hmmmYeah the colors are pretty much subjective... tastes and opinions will vary here... when it comes to colors I am very weird... I would rather describe myself as very conservative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebarchuck Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 (edited) I believe I found the right RGB LED so I will try it out in the next few weeks.I ordered a 5050 RGB LED from superbrightled. I don't see why this would not work if plugged correctly. The only thing I am worried about is that the color would not be exactly the same but at least there would be color.I checked over the weekend and making the slim LED fit should be fine. Edited April 26, 2011 by Joebarchuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebarchuck Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 LED shipped today so I might be able to get this working by the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Looking forward to the results of your project Joe. So it's slim was it cheap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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