Finish and ENJOY!

Step 4: Finish and ENJOY!

That should do it! You are all finished! Plug the USB cord into a USB socket and see the LED's light up in all their beauty!

I hope you had fun building this project! I have attached a handful of pictures of the TV backlight in action. If you want to see anymore picture, let me know! Also, I am open to any questions or suggestions that you have.

Thank you and enjoy what you have created!

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rhobere says: Feb 3, 2012. 11:31 AM

I've been planning to a do a project similar to this for a while and I have one piece of advice that could improve the appearance. If you use a pair of wire cutters, you can actually cut the dome of the LED's off. Since this is the part of the "bulb" that focuses the light, removing it will allow a much more even splay of light. It would look a little more "washed" with color rather than just having spotlights coming out of the back.

seligtobiason (author) in reply to rhobereFeb 6, 2012. 9:28 AM

Thank you for your advice, but for this project I actually wanted the star-burst look. If you take a look at my other instructables I have a couple other ways to disperse the light too.

Moofish says: Nov 21, 2011. 10:09 PM

I think this a very cool project to undertake. Great idea and it's very simple to do. Well done seligtobiason!

jibbyjammin says: Oct 17, 2011. 5:08 PM

THANK YOU, WORKED GREAT AND LOOKS EVEN BETTER.

Jeremyherr says: Aug 24, 2011. 2:14 PM

I love your instructable and I was wanting to remake the same thing. The only problem that I am having is all the LED's I buy are not even close to how bright your LED's are. Every where I go it says use LED's with the color of your choice but no specifications on how bright cause the standard ones I buy don't even light up my wall... Could you please help?

seligtobiason (author) in reply to JeremyherrSep 1, 2011. 10:37 AM

Thank you! And I am sorry that you are having some issues finding some bright LED's, I buy mine from ebay mostly. I believe these LED's are 12,000mcd, I hope that helps!

ShawnM says: Aug 27, 2011. 6:51 PM

Hey I want to do this but my tv doesnt have a USB port can you use another type of cable for this?

soundgod06 says: Aug 4, 2011. 10:52 PM

It would probably be a good idea to tie a simple overhand knot in the USB cable inside the container in addition to the hot glue. That way it can't lose it's bond and pull out if, for example, it gets to hot and softens the glue.

seligtobiason (author) in reply to soundgod06Aug 18, 2011. 2:36 PM

That is not a bad idea, but one of the great things about LED's is that they draw such little electricity that they don't heat up! So I am not really worried about the container heating up to melt the glue.

But if you use this somewhere where the cable can be pulled it would be useful to add that knot as a precaution.

soundgod06 in reply to seligtobiasonAug 18, 2011. 9:13 PM

While the LEDs might not produce heat, the TV you place it behind very well could. Actually just about everything in an entertainment center spits out heat, and the space behind the TV can act like a chimney. Put a thermometer back there some time, you might be surprised.

hreddy says: Aug 17, 2011. 1:20 AM

nice project

RedLeg99 says: Aug 4, 2011. 12:58 PM

This is SUPERB!!!!!! All of you with the other ideas---Post some pics of the additions so we can see how cool this instructable gets. & do any of you TM or Copyright your stuff???? LegalZoom does some kewl things and you can make some cash off of these if you wanted.

RedLeg

cap.hospodarom says: Aug 4, 2011. 10:30 AM

Two little improvements

1 - coat inside of tin using any nonconductive material. Can use paint, paper, whatever.

2 - insert fuse in front of led light circuit to prevent USB port burning if short circuit by accident. one never knows. Just calculate proper value - easy.