Ok, I am looking at a few cheap cd/mp3 players to replace the cassette...but all of the cheap ones seem to have really bad colors behind the buttons and lighting up the display.

I am just curious how the lighting in these is generally done, and if it would be possible to change from a tacky teal to a more solid blue or red, maybe using 2 led's instead.

I haven't seen anything on this specifically yet...even though there is a bit on led's...they seem like a pretty cheap and effective option.

If this cant be done at all sorry for askin..but thought it was worth a shot..

 

=( im still curious about this.....no one has ever taken apart an old head unit..or just happens to know what makes them light?

 

the lighting in most steros today is a LED lighting, or EL lighting, the leds are usally a small chip type which is hard to swap, and costly for the blue and white colors, and bright versions as well

 

ah ok, good to know...if i come across a cheap broken head unit I'll have to get it just to take it apart..

 

It depends on the make/model of the HU. Most are using LED or EL, but there are still some that use small light bulbs, and of those some use 12V bulbs (Pioneer, Kenwood…) others use 6V bulbs (Sony, Aiwa,…). Now I should say that this is for the display back lighting, for the key most are using bicolor LED lighted switches, and on some models if you want the other it’s just a mater of moving some resistors around. But with most you’re stuck with what you got.