IMPORTANT:  If you have a Qanba Pearl with the stock plexi, which uses the NOIR button layout and would like to convert it to this kit, you will need to also pick up the bottom VEWLIX support panel to match this button layout

In 2022, we released the first true backlit control panel artwork in two designs.  The first was the popular Astro City control panel design and the officially EVO licensed EVO Vegas Lights EL Panel

This year, 2023, we have a Sakura themed EL Panel.  Like Vegas lights, each area that is not part of the black background will light up in two different modes, all on or dynamic mode, which will alternate

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. 

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

Thinner than a credit card

For those who are curious, the back lit artwork here is slightly thicker than paper, but thinner than a credit card.  Yes, it's that cool

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

Why haven't we seen more of this from other vendors?

There's a lot of factors that go into developing a product and actually producing it for the mass market.  Making a one-off today is simpler than it used to be, but offering a unique product to a larger market has it's challenges.   The simple answer to this is development costs and a minimum quantity required to bring the cost down.   A lot of time was invested in making this process more streamlined to offer this at a very reasonable price

EL Kit Desription and Contents

• Officially Licensed EVO Product
• Clear Plexi
• PCB Driver
• Cables
• 3-Way Switch (On/Off/Dynamic Modes)
  
• EL Film Artwork Panel 

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