mCubed's T-Balancer: Fan Controllers Go the Mod Way

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Let There Be Lights!

Besides fan control and temperature monitoring function, the T-Balancer hardware can also be used to control lighting elements. An additional software module transforms the device into the Lightblaster. Instead of fans, this allows lights, LEDs and cold cathode lamps to be connected. System fans with LEDs also leave a good impression if they are operated via the light control instead of the fan controller. The four channels can each be given an effect in the LightMagic software. Configuring effects is easy. Eight examples (templates) included provide plenty of ideas. We got excellent effects with 120mm LED fans. By reducing the relevant voltage, the LEDs' stroboscope effect makes the fan blades appear to go backward. But it's all an optical illusion.

The individual lighting effects can be saved as a scheme, meaning they can be quickly used on all channels. While you have to allow for a time delay when entering the effects manually, they remain active until the next change. The effects last used are automatically loaded when the program starts. A whole host of lighting products can be used. The only limitation is that they must run at 12 V. There are no limits to creativity and ingenuity with this baby. Everything that can be lit up can be controlled by the T-Balancer. However, its four lighting channels are quickly used up.

Controlling the four channels with LightMagic

A Video Says More Than A Thousand Words

To give you a better idea, we videoed several lighting effects and system fans and encoded the film with DivX 5.x. You'll need the latest codec from DivX.com to play them.

Lightshow Effects With 120mm System Fans

T-Bal-3FAN-1.avi
T-Bal-3FAN-2.avi
T-Bal-3FAN-3.avi
T-Bal-3FAN-4.avi

Flashing 80mm Fan