Concept2 Forum

Backlighting on the PM (to enhance/enable readability when using in a dimly lit setting) please.

Like when the power goes out, but you still need to row.

Hear Hear!

Last February we had an ice storm in Cincinnati and were without power for many hours, right as I was about to row. I erged by candlelight! It was the least romantic candlelight I've ever had, but it worked.

Backlighting would be SWEET (I could also darken the room just for mood, to make the TV look better, etc.)

I like the backlight idea since I don't have my rower setup with very good lighting so it can be hard to read the screen at times. But I think the backlight should only be powered by the rower, not the batteries since I'm guessing it would be a big srain on the batteries

I think this would be a really good idea too.

Ditto. I have got the C3 for 2 days now and the only thing bothering me is the lack of backlight on the PM4.
A good external light accessory could solve it.
There might be something like this already available.

A backlight would certainly reduce battery life on standard D cells, though it might be worth sacrifice. Certainly a button activated light which displayed for only a few seconds per press would be valuable.

Where I could see practical and marketing value for C2 would be with the self-recharging model of the PM4. A backlight feature there could really upsell the difference from PM3 and make the upgrade worthwhile.

Thinking out loud here...

Is it possible to draw power from the USB device port? If one got creative with adapters would a something lsuch as a laptop USB keyboard LED light up?

bluefiddle21 wrote:Thinking out loud here...

Is it possible to draw power from the USB device port? If one got creative with adapters would a something lsuch as a laptop USB keyboard LED light up?

No. It's a USB-B device connector on the PM3/PM4. USB spec says that it's the other end that provides the power. If the USB isn't connected there's no power on that socket.

You'd need to run a second 5m USB cable from the PC/Laptop/Mac/USB hub to run a USB light.

Figured the power flow was the wrong way.

So, if I kludge together all the right adapters and plug in the light, will the room get darker?

I see the PM4 backlight request is coming up for seven years!

This is the one complaint I have with C2 ergs - they don't work in dim light conditions. I like to row in the evening on top of my apartment block, but I can't see my PM4. I have the iPhone/Ergdata adapter but it is a pain to use, and my mini-iPad doesn't fit nicely into the holder. Ergdata also doesn't show projected time, which I find an essential item during rowing.

Concept2, please, please, please add a backlit screen to the PM4. Perhaps you could also consider making a retrofit kit available for $100 or so for existing PM4 users. I actually took my PM4 apart, to see if I could add a backlight myself, but I don't think this is practical for me to do.

Could someone from C2 please look into this request. It's been seven years, but I live in hope.

Heartily agree!

Bob S.

As a short term solution, how about either duct-taping a small book reading lamp somewhere on / near the monitor, or wearing a Petzl headlamp? Neither are as good as the backlit solution, but might help while you wait!

Cheers
Dave

Slothful1 wrote:As a short term solution, how about either duct-taping a small book reading lamp somewhere on / near the monitor, or wearing a Petzl headlamp? Neither are as good as the backlit solution, but might help while you wait!

Cheers
Dave

I tried rigging a reading lamp, but it didn't work well. Now I use a goose neck floor lamp which is about the right height, but it is not really a very solution. It is hard to get it at the correct angle, the lighting from the side is uneven, the lamp has to bee quite close to the monitor. It is not exactly in the way, but I feel crowded with it there.

Bob S.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've also tried a number of solutions ... putting a floodlight behind the erg, which gave me a tremendous headache and made rowing fairly unpleasant, and e-reader lights, which sort of work, but basically don't, as they fail to really light up the screen very evenly, and are prone to falling off the performance monitor.

I've heard a few people attach miner's lamps to their heads, but I don't think this would really put me in the best frame of mind for a good row.

I've also heard that the Gameboy front lit screen accessory may work, so I'm going to try that next.

I did speak to Will at Concept 2 today who said that they'd produced some monitor prototypes with backlights, but there is no indication that they will actually be available for sale as production items. But the more of us that hassle the good people in Vermont directly, via the tech support at rowing@concept2.com, the more likely I think it is that they will actually produce a backlit monitor.

I actually disassembled my PM4 to see if I could backlight it myself, but there isn't a lot of room between the LCD and the circuit board, so the backlight really needs to be incorporated into the LCD panel substrate. If C2 went ahead with such an enhancement, however, they could also sell us retrofit kits, which would be cool. If you are careful, dismantling a performance monitor is relatively straightforward, providing one is careful with the ribbon cables.

I think we need to convince C2 that there is actually demand for a backlit monitor - if there is demand, I think they would accelerate this concept into production.

I also spoke to Scott at C2 today, who says he will try to get the projected time field added into the next release of Ergdata. I've found that my mini-iPad, connected using the C2 iPhone cable, works quite well, but I miss having the projected time field, which I find helpful for pacing. It's still not an ideal solution, however - I find the my iPhone screen is a bit too small to use, and my iPad has to be lodged into the holder using thick card.

As I say, I think the more of us that push for a backlit monitor via rowing@concept2.com, the more likely those of us who like to row under the moon are to one day to see light shining out from out performance monitors.

I see that 3,600 people have viewed this thread since Storm Petrel's original posting. It seems that those of us who want a lit performance monitor are legion.

Come on Concept2. Be generous, add a backlight and cater to the insomniacs, werewolves and vampires among your clientele.