"Backlighting" for home theater and PC?

[Capitalizt]

I'm typing on a jumbo 32 inch monitor, and even with the brightness down, it still causes eye strain in a dark room. I've read that putting a small ambient light behind a monitor or television does wonders for this sort of thing, and makes the picture look better all around. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find anything good under $50.00

Is there a cheap backlighting solution available? I love those new "Ambilight" TV's from Phillips...with the ambient neon strips built into the TV. Hoping to find something similar, or a cheap alternative. I've read that 6500K is the proper light for this sort of thing so that would be preferable.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Journer]

i'm interested as well

 

[Maxspeed996]

One trick I found that honestly sound cheesy , but totally kicks ass. I took a section of white rope light , and fastened it UNDER the entire outer edge of my desk , it's about 3 inches back from the front edge so you can't see it ,right on the edge in the back, and at night I flip the light switch that controls the outlet right behind the corner of my desk , and it lights things up really well , and since my keyboard tray pulls out from under the desk the ambient light helps to see the keyboard too. But the back side right on the edge shines light up the wall behind my monitors and it really helps with eye strain.
People that have seen it really think it is a good idea. I really like it as well.

 

[zephyrprime]

Can't you just put a regular lamp behind it? I don't get why this problem is so difficult to solve.

 

[Maxspeed996]

I have a lamp as well as the rope light under the desk ...at night I like to kill the lamp because it's like it add to the immersive nature of some games. It just adds to the ambiance if you will.
The lamp turned on just doesn't do it for me.

 

[mrzed]

Do a search on AVS forum flat panel section for "bias lighting" and you will find plenty of DIY advice.

 

[quikah]

I bought some under cabinet flourescent light from Home Depot for about $15 for my Home Theater. It is basically a rectangular box with a flourescent tube in it. Works out pretty well. The 6500K tube is hard to find, I just bought a natural light tube from Home Depot, seems to work ok, not exact though.

Something like this (no idea about this model, just best example I could find) :

http://www.simkar.com/undercab-mini.htm

 

[EvanAdams]

I'm a big believer in the ambilight theories.

Here is a light strip option: http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/07/diy_screen_glow.html

Here is a DIY ambilight: http://hackedgadgets.com/2006/07/12/movie-mood-light/

I wish I had the expertiese to do that DIY and then sell em on ebay. They'd sell.