Bias lighting/back lighting on the cheap

[timmay8612]

My new Samsung plasma is particularly sensitive to glare issues. So much so that I began researching back lighting the display and eliminating lamps in the room for evening viewing, which is pretty much the only time I watch it anyway. Of course after I started researching, I saw that the ideal bias lighting requires 6500k colored bulbs which involves florescent bulbs and very white colored light output.

Typically, florescent lights give me headaches and bother my eyes, so I'm critical of the wisdom of installing such a light behind my screen.

I'm wondering if I'll see any benefit from bias lighting my screen with LED lights in the 2500-3000k range since thats all I can seem to find in my local stores (ikea, menards, etc.).

Having said that, why are people using green, red, or blue, if 6500k white is the "correct" method?

 

[JMJVK]

I use IKEA white 4 track LED light kits called "Dioder" and affixed them to my shelves, and have one suspended lamp to one side about 16" in front of the home theater gear, to allow a more workable lighting solution for when I need it.

The LEDs cause no glare issues, and let me see my popcorn tub. I cant quite get why people use back lighting. I find it distracting and odd. But IKEA does have kits of "color variable 4 LED sticks" with a rotary color changing control. They should enable you to do it and have a choice of colors to boot.

Amazon.com : IKEA - DIODER 4-piece Light Strip Set, Multicolor : String Lights : Home Improvement

 

[j_garcia]

When you say "backlighting" I presume you are talking about ambient around the room as well as behind the display? We have this thread:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/pros-joes-systems-gallery/80382-light-em-up-your-background-theater-thread.html

For me, I change it based on what I am watching, but I usually go with a blue, blue-green or purple-magenta range light as they are the least distracting. If a film has a lot of earth tones though, the blues don't work as well so I'll switch to soft orange to orange-red.

 

[3db]

Here's what I use...

 

[timmay8612]

Done a bit more research and I'm beginning to think it may not matter if I use 6500 white lights since my display is mounted on a wood back panel the same dark color as the rest of my cabinet rather than directly on a light colored wall. Thoughts?

 

[Gov]

Here you go a fantastic product that it cheap and does the job well Amazon.com: Antec Bias Lighting for HDTV with 51.1-Inch Cable (HDTV BIAS LIGHTING): Computers & Accessories

 

[j_garcia]

Here you go a fantastic product that it cheap and does the job well Amazon.com: Antec Bias Lighting for HDTV with 51.1-Inch Cable (HDTV BIAS LIGHTING): Computers & Accessories

Look in the thread I linked; the one I got from Frys is adjustable, multicolor, remote controlled and just $15 more. Parts Express sells them in many configurations as well.