LED Table Lighting--Good, Bad or Indifferent (1 Viewer)

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

I've always seen LED lights on poker tables as gimmicky. You don't see them on billiard tables or dart boards.

Having said that, has anyone done a light box underneath the felt? To get either a glow racetrack or betting line or betting area?

I don't think a white led light is gimmicky at all. All the other things it can do (flash, turn colors, fade) maybe but seeing your hole cards easier definitely doesnt suck. As @4SUMERZ said above the COD led is different than your standard rope led's & I would highly recommend them. Even @Goldfish's light that isn't there to help see your hole cards adds style & flare making the table next level...I approve!! Plus everytime I see pics of his table I think;

 

[Goldfish]

I don't think a white led light is gimmicky at all. All the other things it can do (flash, turn colors, fade) maybe but seeing your hole cards easier definitely doesnt suck. As @4SUMERZ said above the COD led is different than your standard rope led's & I would highly recommend them. Even @Goldfish's light that isn't there to help see your hole cards adds style & flare making the table next level...I approve!! Plus everytime I see pics of his table I think;

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Or……

 

[dpeks13]

I'm definitely going to add it to my table build this spring. I'm figuring everyone will love it. If not, I'll just leave it off. I'm still trying to work on a theme though, probably should get some stuff ironed out first.

 

[allforcharity]

I'm a design minimalist at heart. I'd rather spend money on a nice base or a nice topper rather than LEDs, cup holders, racetracks, shufflers, etc.

 

[DontKnowWhen]

Personally I think the rail lighting is a nice touch, but I will echo what others have said. For those with older eyes, it makes peeking at the cards much clearer regardless of the level of Room lighting. Particularly useful if there isn’t a “billiards” style light right over the table.

 

[JeepologyOffroad]

Prefer classy with no lights myself. That said I did lights on my newest table and my players really seem to love it

 

[doublebooyah85]

Well if you hoped to have an answer with this poll it’s tied lol

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

I'm still frustrated with the poll choices! The correct answer is YES on COD LED. Not "a must" but always good to have the option. Doesn't mean you have to use them does it?

 

[MrRossKeys]

Finally completed my table upgrade earlier this week. Got the new felt from @T_Chan, and paired an RGBIC LED strip with a diffuser channel so that the lights weren't harsh for players. Had to take apart more of the table than I realized in order to place the LED where the raise rail used to be... but it turned out fantastic!

Hosted on Wednesday and everyone loved it! I'll post higher quality pictures on my SUITS thread once I get my chips, but for now here are some photos I took after everyone left.

We used predominantly 2 settings: 1)solid white and 2)Tranquility, which was like a blue, dark blue, purple wavy pattern of moving lights. I will probably find 3-4 settings I like that are not too distracting or use the app to create my own lighting schemes.

I will always have LED lighting in every future poker table I build or purchase. Elevates the table aesthetic in my opinion when done correctly.

Note that the photos below have the light intensity turned down to 30%, and the pictures highlight the individual LED's more than what the eye can actually see.

 

[Al Azouri]

I wanted to get some feedback from those who have the LED lighting on your tables. I am considering getting a 2nd table and am on the fence about lighting (and don't even know if I can find a table with lighting w/ the configuration I want). Those who have the table lights, what are your thoughts on them? Sure, they look cool, but in actual play do they take away from the chip colors, make it difficult to read cards, become annoying, or are they the best thing since sliced bread and you cannot believe you ever played without them? What light color do you usually play with (white or other). Do you find yourself not using them in play even though you have them? Were they great at first but after the novelty wore off you find them to be meh? All comments and experience using them in play are welcome. Thanks.

As an aside, if I went with a lighted table, my ideal table would be a 60" round table w/ a raised rail and no racetrack at all with the cupholder either in the padded rail or flip out from underneath. I cannnot seem to find any tables in the market with that specific configuration. There are plenty with a racetrack but none that I have seen with lights/raised rail and an all felt playing surface all the way to the rail. I don't know if that is because it cannot be done with lighting in place, or whether no one else on earth wants this specific configuration except for me. If you have seen a table like this out in the wild, let me know.

Thanks.

Late to the thread but I can tell you that I’ve definitely missed them the one or two times they went out. You don’t need all the fancy colors. In fact some of the colors will make it harder to see the cards or identify the chip.

With the right color tone they definitely enhance your ability to see the cards.

It’s not an absolute must have but a very nice enhancement to a table.

 

[Big Jilm]

I believe in the minimal approach. It really is all about who you are spending your time with that matters. That said, I WOULD feel like a gangster with a lighted table.....

I have been waffling for years.

 

[KHarp1]

I believe in the minimal approach. It really is all about who you are spending your time with that matters. That said, I WOULD feel like a gangster with a lighted table.....

I have been waffling for years.

DO IT! Go full OG on them!

 

[merkong]

Continuous LED with diffuser. Don’t forget the 10 USB ports. You’re welcome and excuse the mess.

 

[Tonysquander]

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Continuous LED with diffuser. Don’t forget the 10 USB ports. You’re welcome and excuse the mess.

You provide the cords too? That is pretty nice if you do.

 

[hex]

The guys I play with love them, always ask for them to be turned on.

 

[mburnznj]

How do you define elegant?

View attachment 1082602

That is one sexy table.

 

[ectocooler]

I’ve been having home games off and on for years. Ever since I’ve built this table last year, I’ve have people calling me asking me if we’re playing. It was never ever like that before. They love it. Not all colors work in game tho. Red is my favorite but it’s not usable. These 3 colors are the only ones we use and they look amazing and don’t change the colors of the cards and chips much. Ice blue, white and light blue/green. Leds can look super trash if done wrong, hot spots are a huge no. It done correctly they are outstanding

 

[chippitydoodah]

The novelty wears off

 

[KHarp1]

The novelty wears off

Proper lighting and card visibility never wears off. Colored lighting is a novelty, and, most certainly wear off.

 

[Semper247]

I just tossed a string of rope lights underneath my rail years ago. It eventually had dead spots so I removed it. My players complained. So I replaced it with a new rope light string. They prefer the lights. Even if they aren't fancy.

I think table lights are the kind of thing where you don't know you want them until you have them and then don't have them.

Like a lightstrip behind your tv. I have the hue gradient light. If it is off....it doesn't look good anymore. I am used to it now.
But i was also thinking about the light in the rail. Does it make that much of a difference?

 

[Himewad]

Like a lightstrip behind your tv. I have the hue gradient light. If it is off....it doesn't look good anymore. I am used to it now.
But i was also thinking about the light in the rail. Does it make that much of a difference?

Aesthetically, yes.

 

[Semper247]

Aesthetically, yes.

So it does not make you see your holecards better? Just for "show"?

 

[Himewad]

So it does not make you see your holecards better? Just for "show"?

I suppose if your poker room is dark, then it would help. My room is well-lit, however. So the lights are mostly for show.

 

[JayRocker420]

This was my DIY job.
Programmable LED and translucent water line.
The table is quite big so it runs 2 lights halfway along each side (there's room too add 2 more sets too).

 

[4SUMERZ]

This was my DIY job.
Programmable LED and translucent water line.
The table is quite big so it runs 2 lights halfway along each side (there's room too add 2 more sets too).

I used the same pex piping, split in the middle and placed my LED FCOB lights behind the pex, then behind the surround diffuser with card suit.
The reason I went with FCOB LED'S is that they are a solid strand, not lights separated. It makes for a real nice transition of lighting. I had regular LEDS, but it did not light up the card suit difuser smoothly.

 

[Tonysquander]

I used the same pex piping, split in the middle and placed my LED FCOB lights behind the pex, then behind the surround diffuser with card suit.
The reason I went with FCOB LED'S is that they are a solid strand, not lights separated. It makes for a real nice transition of lighting. I had regular LEDS, but it did not light up the card suit difuser smoothly.
View attachment 1168400View attachment 1168404

What is the raised rail height on your table? 3/4”?

 

[4SUMERZ]

What is the raised rail height on your table? 3/4”?

Yes, it is 3/4", but I'm working on a new rail with built in cup holders for this table, and I will likely go 1" raised rail this time. Just a bit more space for any diffuser decals. I have the materials, but I will wait to redo it when golf season starts, as we don't play poker during the summer due to golf, travel, family vacations etc.

 

[BlackOakRGC]

IMO
I was always in the camp of thinking they were a gimmick, and once you get over the wow factor their isn't much use for them.
But since I have had a table with lights I will probably always have one. I don't use all the 1000 different fancy themes and colors you can make them do. For me it is just the straight white light that is easy to get used to.
I have good lighting in my poker room but if we sit down to this table and the lights are off it is definitely darker and nicer to have them on.

View attachment 1082602

Can you share any details on how you managed to get the custom graphics on the led diffuser?

 

[narv]

I’ve been having home games off and on for years. Ever since I’ve built this table last year, I’ve have people calling me asking me if we’re playing. It was never ever like that before. They love it. Not all colors work in game tho. Red is my favorite but it’s not usable. These 3 colors are the only ones we use and they look amazing and don’t change the colors of the cards and chips much. Ice blue, white and light blue/green. Leds can look super trash if done wrong, hot spots are a huge no. It done correctly they are outstanding

Beautiful table @ectocooler! Building my table now and curious what you used for a diffuser? Also what height inside is that- looks great.

 

[BlackOakRGC]

Beautiful table @ectocooler! Building my table now and curious what you used for a diffuser? Also what height inside is that- looks great.

Not sure what @ectoused for that diffuser but I found this worked best for me. (See last pic)