ASTRO CITY LIGHT UP PANEL KIT VERSION 2 for Qanba Pearl (or Obsidian – see details)

NEW VERSION 2 – THREE WAY MODE – ON / OFF / DYNAMIC (Alternating Backlit Artwork)

Installation Video:  EL PANEL INSTALLATION VIDEO (SEE DETAILS BELOW before watching video)

Note the video is the instructional for the EVO EL panel kit, however, the steps are pretty much the same, except for the size of the hole required to install the switch.  The switch on the Astro City panel is smaller.  To drill the hole for the switch, our modder recommends using a Step Bit to achieve the correct hole size to install the switch.  Again, the switch for the Astro City is smaller, so do not drill to the spec shown in the EVO panel video, otherwise the hole will be too large. 

IMPORTANT:  If you have an Obsidian, you will need the NOIR bottom support panel that houses the joystick mounting plate and matches the button layout.  The Obsidian has a Vewlix layout, while the Astro City EL Panel has a NOIR layout

Installation:  We will have an instructional video uploaded shortly after EVO 2022

Control panel artwork customization for the past 15 years have come a long way.  Many vendors prior to us have paved the way with their own techniques to create custom artwork for arcade controllers.   The most common method is to print artwork and place it under a clear plexi, which is still done today.  The print quality of the material used though has improved drastically over the years

Introducing Layers

In 2017, we collaborated with our partner, to do something new and different as we felt the artwork under plexi wasn’t ideal for all types of applications on controllers.  Simply, a plexi should not be applied to a controller that didn’t have one in the first place as it has warping issues and screws that can get in the way of your palm while playing.  At SCR 2017, we applied the artwork onto the panel itself, the same method that is used to wrap Itasha’s on cars.  What this provided was a smooth, fingerprint free and non-reflective print.   This method also allowed other vinyl wraps such as faux carbon fiber, metallic brushed silver or even faux wood looking controllers

LED Backlighting is old news

Time to light it up with cutting edge technology.  LED backlighting is simply old tech and to be used, it requires a custom casing to make it work properly.  That is, it cannot be retrofitted into an existing case because the LEDs used are too big and would cause “blooming” around the part of the artwork that we would want to light up.  The effect is a generalized area that will illuminate and those parts will look blurry

In Development since 2020

Enter in EL (Electro Luminescence) technology.  EL technology has been around longer than LED, however, the manufacturing process and applications were not practical until the past few years.  What this technology allows is direct backlighting to a film that is as thin as a sheet of paper which is the perfect application for artwork under clear plexi

EL Kit Contents

• Clear Plexi
• PCB Driver
• Cables
• 2-Way Switch (Turn On/Off)
• EL Film Artwork Panel 

 Quick Link:  https://tinyurl.com/ASTROCELKIT