LED Experiments: Making Holiday Lights Less Garish

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How could I forget about the hmm-hmm light experiments? And/or; holy hard drives it’s already Decemberween? My how the year has passed in a flash. Just like these lights! HA!
Yeah, so here’s the thing--I owed you this video. And honestly, the results were great! I have some more work to do (assuming no one listens to my plea toward the end) but now I know that what I want is at least vaguely possible.

Technology Connections 2 (my second channel where I upload weird stuff from time to time)

Oh--and a music credit! The closing music was
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Instrumental Jazz)" by E's Jammy Jams. You can get it for free--right now!--from the YouTube Audio Library. And here's a secret--my normal outtro song? It's from there, too. Just search "Floaters" and you'll find it. Don't tell anyone.

You can support this channel on Patreon! It has been amazing what Patreon has done for this channel, but also for me (your dorky host) personally. Through the support of people just like you, Technology Connections has become my job and I am so excited and thankful for it! If you’d like to join the fine folks in a pledge to help the channel grow, please check out my Patreon page. Thank you for your consideration!

And thank you to the following Patrons:

Don’t see your name? Don’t worry! To keep this little perk alive, the $5 patron shoutout is now on a rotating basis! If you’re not here, you should be here in one of the next two videos. If you’ve slipped through the cracks, don’t hesitate to send me a message via Patreon and I’ll fix it!

[johnemory]

The rotating holiday name joke was DEFINITELY worth it. Bravo, yet again.

[ricktib]

My wife, after showing her this video: "Finally, someone who understands me!!"

[explosionsindasky]

Finally, someone who shares my disdain for the excessive bright blue in LED lights!

[adamb]

Watching this with my wife while she yells at the tv: JUST USE GLASS PAINT!

I guess that's a thing.

[evil_me]

I have your answer!
Take nail polish clear top coat and tint it with the colour desired, i have done this for years with vehicle bulbs for custom looks

[mrcarrino]

I love LED technology but to be perfectly honest, I’ve had these very same concerns and no one, until now, address them properly. Wow! Thank you!!!

[abaile]

I still love this channel so much. Aside from the humour and how interesting the subjects are, I adore the format and presentation. Thank you for all the hard work you put into these.

[MattSeremet]

I work at an art supply store and get a lot of people wondering about better ways to thin acrylic. Indeed there is a product of just clear "acrylic medium." You can find it in various viscosities from a thick paste to thin ink. Any art supply store or major craft store should have a good selection.

[KevboKev]

THANK YOU!!!! Someone who understands my struggles every year! haha I REFUSE to put LEDs on my Christmas tree. I enjoy the warm glow that incandescent lights give off. I tried explaining to people that LEDs are unidirectional, unless they are diffused. That's why so many LEDs holiday lights, especially ones from years ago, look the way they do. I mean, you're looking at a yard, or even a Christmas tree with ALL THESE LEDs around, yet, it somehow still seems DARK. I hate it!

You have given me hope! I thank you.

[ybcmfdh]

You just reminded me that, as a kid, I used to color my bedside lightbulb (incandescent, it was the 80's) with sharpies to tone its output down and give it a more relaxing color. It worked great.

[TheAmbientWarrior]

I have the same exact opinions on the LED Christmas lights. The blue is just outshines the other colors a bit too much. The traditional color pallet shouldn't be hard for them to reproduce, and it'd probably sell well. Glad to know I'm not alone on this. And I'm really glad to see that you found such a simple solution. Thanks for the video!

[JohnWagnerVideos]

I'm glad to see you are still raving about the twinkling lights. Went out last night to Menards and picked up two boxes $4.99. Never would've considered buying them if wasn't for your video on them.

[MarcelMaynard]

I loved your original twinkling light video! I first saw it years ago and this one just added! I thought I was alone with the nostalgia with these lights. My father first bought them when I was 13 I believe. They fascinated me and I found them extremely aesthetic!!!

Now that I’m much older and in my own home I’m going to be experimenting this year with finding/recreating these lights. And of course helping my parents put up their old sets.

Your channel as a whole is very pleasant to watch. Thank you for your insights and well articulated opinions.

[SuperSmashDolls]

You can rotate the holiday names, because they use so little energy.

[EMS-mc]

i discovered this channel 2 nights ago and can't stop watching. this video in particular hits home because i have the same frustration with LED lights. I suppose each year I get a little more used to them, but i hope manufacturers will go back to the colors i grew up with. i like the idea of coloring warm white lights, but when you're talking about hundreds of lights.. it's a big job, especially if the color ends up needing to be refreshed every year.

[volvo]

Roommate -Look, I just bought a new set of LED string lights! (plugs in) RETINA SEARING BLUE TAKES OVER.

[j.donaldson]

Several months late on this one, but one thing I did when I decided to finally give in to LED in our tree (taking it from 200 watts to 40 watts) I strung an all red string through the entire tree in addition to the multi strings. This doesn't help to reduce the garishness of blue or green, but does bring the overall ambience of the tree more in line with traditional incandescent lights. I tried the sharpie test a few years ago and while I liked the result I just decided it wasn't worth doing it to 500 lights to satisfy my nostalgic desires. However, I would definitely buy the "white LED with colored plastic" set if anyone ever made them.

[wcvp]

A thin epoxy you can dip the lights in, with some dye in it, might be able to give the effect you want and hopefully last much longer than the sharpie.

Maybe you could even get some phosphorescent dyes that makes the lights look like they're on outside during the day without having to power them. Or glow in the dark. Or one that changes color with heat. Or cool swirly effects if you don't mix the dye in all the way. So many possibilities...

[horstboss]

Me too always wondered why companies don't go the old way, ie. warm (led) lights with coloured covers. Great to see I am not the only one with this strange idea. =) Thanks for this video.

[MrCharlz]

If the warm white LED strings have plastic covers you might try dyeing them with RIT fabric dye. It's a common technique for adding the smoked look to plastic visors, sunglasses, etc.