At Pro nightlite and earbud.

MrNovice

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There's been many that have figured out ways to light up their screen on the AT Pro, but I thought I would give it a shot also and see how this idea works...

Not to hijack IceScratcher's thread, but I did his baby bumper mod onto the ATP last week and it was outstanding. For those that haven't seen it...
https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=168564

It seems much more able to take a drop when the detector decides to fall sideways and hit the dirt with less fear of cracking or breaking now. Thank you again, Ice, awesome mod!

I also saw Tystick and Ice have nightlites for their Pros, kinda poxied onto the control box to light up the screen. Well, I thought about this and just exactly how much light might be needed to just get a glance but still be covert enough not to draw unwanted attention while night hunting...

And with the new baby bumper option, I think there is just enough room to snuggly slide and hold one of these on the right side of the control box under the bumper.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005G3WJR8/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8



3 for $5 so you can't really go wrong if they don't work and if they did, then $5 well spent and 2 backup units leftover. Not very good reviews for book night lights, but I saw them about a month before Christmas and asked my wife to get them for me as a "stocking stuffer" type gift. Well, they shortly were COMPLETELY freaking sold out everywhere, and I mean everywhere...couldn't order them and they are either sold out or got pulled off the shelves. I just happened upon 1 way overpriced unit that I found today and ordered just to test them out and see if it'll work.

If that fails, I have a backup plan too. Don't laugh, but this little blue guy was the next best thing I could find cheap. Plus he might just scare off the hooligans should they happen to approach in the wee hours of the night...



:laughing: Let's hope option 1 works, or blue man is coming with me!

I'll update this once they arrive and are tested out... fingers crossed!
 
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I tell you MrN, thats a pretty sweet little backlight there! I tried all sorts of backlight things when I was new to this Sport to light up a screen...then after a while, I discovered the quicker you just forget about looking at that screen the better!

This is an Audio based Sport, our ears are way more faster and much more accurate than our lying eyes...A guy can go out in the dark and hunt blind with no problem...sure its nice to have some sort of soft light to adjust settings if need be, but a cell phone works fine for that...

Hunting dark has some GREAT advantages!...Nobody can see you, and sneak up on ya, and you can see the silhouettes of anybody approaching...a guy hunts Heads up and just uses their ears to locate targets...All a guy needs eyes for is driving to a location...

That tiny AtPro screen is about worthless anyway, even in full daylight, and thats a good thing, it taught me to hunt by sound in a heads up fashion, day or night...My key ring has a bright LED beam that I can and will use to blind anybody on approach...
Mud
 

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I just use a headlamp. It's adjustable from really bright to a dimmer light to a red light. The light is where you look from the screen on your detector to the hole that you are digging.
 
I agree with you, Mud, it is audio based but I like to cheat a little since I'm still getting used to the At. I hope that baby light works somewhat and doesn't just create glare, then it will be useless. I've seen a mod where a guy broke into the control box and soldered a little led light under the screen but I'm not that brave yet still being within warranty. I also try to carry the least amount of tools necessary, so if this will stay afixed then it's a win.

I have another small hand light my wife bought me for Christmas...
http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-pd...cal-edition/?gclid=CN3E-Iisq9ECFda6wAodXSoMoQ

You want to talk about blinding? Try 1,000 lumens strobing right at you. Trust me, you can't see shyte! (except sunspots for about 45 min afterward...yeah, I had to try it out! :laughing:)

I also did the 1/2 inch pipe brackets fastened onto the speaker screws around the shaft under the control box mod as well. It is super sturdy and rock solid now. Much like you - my equipment is made for use and takes some abuse, and I need it to just work when I use it.

I just use a headlamp. It's adjustable from really bright to a dimmer light to a red light. The light is where you look from the screen on your detector to the hole that you are digging.

I'm trying to stay away from drawing attention to me. Headlamp or hatlight is a good choice, but too easy to see by others around when not trying to draw attention to yourself.

Also just got the At Pro headphone adapter to 1/4 plug, now trying to find a one piece earbud with volume control so I can hunt with one ear and still hear everything around me as well. Lots of research trying to make it my own.
 
Okay, my backup idea arrived and works but is slightly goofy looking (don't laugh :laughing:). Actually, it doesn't just work...it works GREAT, but is brighter, probably will attract more attention than the 1st option of the 1 led light (hasn't arrived to be tested out yet) because it is so bright...





^ here he is strapped under IceScratcher's baby bumper mod, and he ain't going nowhere. The mod keeps him tucked on tight! His body is bendable and posable but his head isn't which isn't a big deal because it would just block part of the screen anyways. Easy on/off switch on the back of his head and I imagine the batteries included are the cheapest possible but they still work great (just expecting better brand batteries are probably more reliable, but the included ones have been good so far).

Out to the field we go (front yard because it's freaking FREEZING outside! :laughing:)....



Slowly rotating angle from showing in front of light to behind light to show glare effects on screen...





As you can see, not much glare whatsoever. The black matte finish under the screen seems to absorb the light instead of reflecting it which is good. I'm actually very surprised this works as well as it does, it was just a cheap fail safe idea to try out, but relieved to know at least the backup option is a valid one for lighting up the AT Pro screen at night easily. Now I wonder if I can just paint this rediculous blue man black to match everything else... :laughing:
 
I use a headlamp on night hunts.

It's about seeing the ground in front of you and doing the correct overlap in the swing.

As mentioned, it's all about the audio.
 
Might want to put on small strip of black electrical tape over one light,
( or his eye )
Then you'll have a Pirate hunting partner !:pirate2: :lol::lol:
 
I got something similar to this. It clips on my rod and I can aim it at the screen or the ground as needed. Works pretty well. As a bonus I can use it as a light for my fly tying station.

BCD

stella-reading-light-by-irina-kozlovskaya1.jpg
 
Alrighty-ho...got the original "bookclip" idea leds in today, was a bit disappointed. I thought the little led was adjustable up and down (to see further down the page of a book) like on a swivel, but it turns out they are not adjustable...they are fixed, meaning the little led light just stays in the same place. That was a bummer. Even worse, they each have a blinder around the led so it shines in just one set spot. See if you can get an idea from these pics...





For this to even get close to the idea I had for them, since the led doesn't swivel up and down...I had to dremmel the little blinder off from around the led. I love dremmels, nothing something rotating at 10,000 rpm can't fix! Anyways, so I grinded the blinder off so the led could give off a wider area of light and mounted it on the AT Pro, under the baby bumper we go!





Looks decent, much more than the blue man, gives off just enough light to see the screen but compact and close enough to the control box so it would be hard for anyone else to notice the light from a far (remember, not trying to draw unwanted attention while night hunting).



There is glare from this light if you get way under the control box and view from certain angles, but 90% of the angles have no glare. Realistically, we only use about 5% angle give or take anyways, so it's not relevant except to just show you if looking from odd angles there is some glare...



All in all, I really think I prefer the blue man vs the bookclip light. No problems at all with the blue man right out of the package vs having to mod the blinder on the bookclip led and it not being as bright, but for now...I have to say blue man wins. That may change once I get out and hunt a few times on moonless nights.

As for review-wise, the blue man is definitely a good choice for anyone but I'm still on the fence about the bookclip led. I can definitely see it suiting my specific wants better as far as being less noticable and just bright enough to make out what's on the screen when needed, without being too bright and attracting attention.

Also, if you don't dig headphones or just want a 1 piece earbud with volume control, this is a must buy!



This earbuds volume gets freaking LOUD! Unfortunately the only 3.5mm to 1/4 inch adapter I had is for some good studio headphones and it threads onto the tip and this earbuds 3.5mm doesn't have threads, so they only partially engaged and were very loose. I had to order a direct plug without threads that will keep them seated fully ($2, fleabay) that should be in by Saturday. But I can tell you even though I was only partially able to get this earbud to work, it will totally do the job of hunting with just one ear to keep the other open to the surrounding noises. Wanted one with a scroll volume control built in, and this one is a winner!
 
All in all, I really think I prefer the blue man vs the bookclip light. No problems at all with the blue man right out of the package vs having to mod the blinder on the bookclip led and it not being as bright, but for now...I have to say blue man wins.

I kinda liked your "blue man" too ! How about if you chop him off at the waist, then tuck him under your "rubber baby buggy bumper", on top of the AT Pro. Let him look down onto the top center of the screen, rather than from one side. Just a thought......?

BTW, where did you find "blue man" ?
 
I kinda liked your "blue man" too ! How about if you chop him off at the waist, then tuck him under your "rubber baby buggy bumper", on top of the AT Pro. Let him look down onto the top center of the screen, rather than from one side. Just a thought......?

BTW, where did you find "blue man" ?

That might work. He doesn't bend from the neck up, just the shoulders down. I think the way your describing, his head might block the screen. I have him on the right side of the control box, but I imagine the left side would be even better considering all that really needs to be seen is the VDI and depth. The right side has the depth, but the left side is pretty empty so even if his big head blocks that part of the screen...there's not much info on that side anyways once you have your mode set so the left side might be even better, he'll just be on the inside of your swing.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/PLASTIC-Benda...3A8e7407fc1590a60624ffc787ffc55cab%7Ciid%3A11

There's a few different colors, they're all pretty bright neon though. :roll: This model is cheaper and has a switch, some other expensice ones you have to push on the head which I'd prefer the switch personally. Thanks!
 
That might work. He doesn't bend from the neck up, just the shoulders down. I think the way your describing, his head might block the screen. I have him on the right side of the control box, but I imagine the left side would be even better considering all that really needs to be seen is the VDI and depth. The right side has the depth, but the left side is pretty empty so even if his big head blocks that part of the screen...there's not much info on that side anyways once you have your mode set so the left side might be even better, he'll just be on the inside of your swing.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/PLASTIC-Benda...3A8e7407fc1590a60624ffc787ffc55cab%7Ciid%3A11

There's a few different colors, they're all pretty bright neon though. :roll: This model is cheaper and has a switch, some other expensice ones you have to push on the head which I'd prefer the switch personally. Thanks!

Couldn't you pull him down to just below his eyes, so he is barely peeping over the top edge (eyes & forehead only) ?
 
Couldn't you pull him down to just below his eyes, so he is barely peeping over the top edge (eyes & forehead only) ?

You could, but I think that might cause too much glare across the screen instead of actually lighting down into it, if that makes sense? You'll need the light a little angled into the screen because the actual digital readout is offset down into the control box like 1/4 inch. If the eyes were were barely peeking over the control box lip, it might not be able to reach down over it to light up the display screen under the protective cover.

Imagine shining a flashlight horizontal parallel with a piece of glass. It'll be hard for the light to absorb and go in through the glass, rather than just refract off the surface...hence causing the glare.

I'll try it out and post a pic for you tonight to see what it looks like. It might work better. Might be better to do like you originally suggested and try to bend the body to shed the light in-toward the screen.

The little bookclip light above worked good last night, more glare than the way I had the blue man positioned above, but enough light to see what the screen was saying without being too bright.
 
I just added a tiny something, you're the complete bad @ss that thought up the baby bumper mod. I love it! The AT just likes to fall over and your mod protects it perfectly! Thank you, sir!

Haha, glad you like it, really does make a difference for land hunting..

Good luck in this new year!!

<°)))>{
 
I just made my "rubber baby buggy bumper" today. Had a little problem getting it to go up under the control box, flush with the screen, but with the help of a razor-blade knife, and a little ingenuity, all is now "perfect".

Now, on to the "blue man", or whatever ?

Hey guys, great ideas and great mods.......:yes:
 
I just made my "rubber baby buggy bumper" today. Had a little problem getting it to go up under the control box, flush with the screen, but with the help of a razor-blade knife, and a little ingenuity, all is now "perfect".

Now, on to the "blue man", or whatever ?

Hey guys, great ideas and great mods.......:yes:

You'll like the baby bumper mod, it works gooooooood! I'm waiting till it gets dark to experiment more and post pics of the blue man for you.
 
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