Antec Soundscience Halo 6 LED Bias Lighting Kit Review

[Rob Williams]

Every so often, we're sent a product that on the surface looks to be one of the most simple we've ever seen, but in practice turns out to be quite useful. Antec's Bias Lighting Kit is one such product. It emits a white glow on a wall behind your monitor, making staring at the screen just a little bit easier. Sounds strange, but it works.

Read through Ryan's look at Antec's Bias Lighting Kit and then discuss it here!

 

[marfig]

What confuses me is how they planned for people who want to turn the lights off during the day, or simply because they want to illuminate the room instead? Removing the USB cable from the back of the computer case?

 

[Rob Williams]

What confuses me is how they planned for people who want to turn the lights off during the day, or simply because they want to illuminate the room instead? Removing the USB cable from the back of the computer case?

There's no good reason for it as far as I am concerned. There might be times when the room light is on and there's just no need for the Bias. There should be an inline switch, no excuses. Perhaps on the next version we'll see that.

 

[Optix]

Yep.

What's bugging me the most is that each night I got to the computer the strip is coming off at the end where the USB cable connects. It really should be moved to the center to even out the weight.

That's my biggest gripe at the moment.

 

[GTVic]

I don't think either of those complaints are valid.

Adding a switch to the USB cable would likely be a violation of the USB cable standard, plus most people would plug the cable into their monitor's USB port making it very easy to remove.

As far as the weight of the cable, I would probably loop the cable over my monitor center mount for strain relief or use a piece of tape or zip tie. Shouldn't fault the manufacturer for a poor installation.

 

[marfig]

Adding a switch to the USB cable would likely be a violation of the USB cable standard,

You make a good point there. We can go and investigate the publicly available USB 2.0 standard.

But, in any case the current implementation of this Halo 6 led device already places itself squarely as a USB Decoration device and the claim for USB standards adherence loses value as a result. Meaning, I don't expect usb decoration devices to follow strict usb guidelines, except for their power demands.

plus most people would plug the cable into their monitor's USB port making it very easy to remove.

Which USB port? "Most people" don't have a rear USB port on their monitor (or monitors on my case).

As far as the weight of the cable, I would probably loop the cable over my monitor center mount for strain relief or use a piece of tape or zip tie. Shouldn't fault the manufacturer for a poor installation.

I'm sorry, but what? I shouldn't fault the manufacturer because I can patch my way around their weak product design and implementation? That, I'm sorry, can't be. It's not because I can make my toaster work by holding it on its side, that the manufacturer is suddenly exempt of having made a weak short-lived product.

The led is actually very interesting. I think everyone agreed on that. But its flaws are not only evident. They are self-evident. It requires they put a bit more hours into its concept and design.

 

[Optix]

I don't think either of those complaints are valid.

Adding a switch to the USB cable would likely be a violation of the USB cable standard, plus most people would plug the cable into their monitor's USB port making it very easy to remove.

As far as the weight of the cable, I would probably loop the cable over my monitor center mount for strain relief or use a piece of tape or zip tie. Shouldn't fault the manufacturer for a poor installation.

I'm all for admitting when I'm wrong but I can't help but counter rudeness with rudeness, which is what I take away from your post, GTVic.

First, an in-line power switch would "likely" violate the cable standard? So you don't know for certain then. A quick romp through the white pages for the USB 2.0 standard does not indicate any issues with adding an inline on/off switch. All they state is that devices need to draw a certain amount of power and react a certain way when powered on or off. Not that they must be powered on or off in a certain way. An inline switch slapped onto the +5v or return wouldn't change anything about how the device operates within the USB specifications.

Feel free to read through the white papers to see if there's something that I missed.

http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/

Second, of all the monitors that I have owned, none have had USB ports on them and I'm sure that many others are in the same boat. Just because this would work in your setup does not mean it would for all users.

Finally, how can you call my installation of the kit improper? Perhaps you skipped over the instructions on the back of the package...

...and also my installation.

That hardly looks improper to me. Following the exact instructions resulted in what I found. It doesn't say that I need to support the weight of the cable or jump through other various hoops in order to keep the LED strip stuck to the back of my monitor.

The next time you want to make a point, do so in a less condescending way. People may just be more receptive to it.

I will however commend you on the fact that you have given potential solutions to the issues that I found and that's something that I will try my best to remember to do in future reviews.