PC Engine Duo R/G Bi Color LED

[atman]

Thougt I would mod my PC Engine Duo with a Bi-color LED.

Since the current LED only lights up when "busy" reading CD.

Thought I mod it with a 3-pinned bi-color LED. Green when it's powered on and yellow when its busy.
Thought I just add 5V with a 300ohm resistor to green anode. And when busy reading it getting voltage from both and gives yellow light.

Would be an easy mod if catode was ground. But it isn't

Any Idea how I should do?

[wilykat]

http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=19491.msg416458#msg416458

And yes I deadbugged LED on top of a transistor and resistor to keep the finished mod tiny and neat.  Not everyone can do deadbug technique so get a small perf board if you prefer.  SMD transistor can work but it will be hard as someone discovered, the tiny pins broke off easily.  Use regular through hole TO-92 style, those are the most common design. Do check the pinout!

[atman]

Thanks for the input.
Will try it out.

May go with the "easy" way just putting another diode always on. Dont bother me much.

[wilykat]

You do know there are common anode 3 pin LEDs?  If you wanted one (green) to be always on when the system is on, just wire it with cathode end from green through resistor to common ground.

Or just leave the original red LED in and mount a green LED next to it.

[Vimtoman]

Just use a dual led with four legs in one package.
Lens focused on the the one item.
Two separate anodes and cathodes.
Two separate circuits.

That's the easiest way.

[atman]

Just use a dual led with four legs in one package.
Lens focused on the the one item.
Two separate anodes and cathodes.
Two separate circuits.

That's the easiest way.

This solution seems the best, that is what I need. "separate" circuits in the same LED. Think I'll source some of those LEDS.
The light will be, green=always on, and when busy it gets yellow. (mixing green and red)

Tried to find any with 4 legs, with separate internals but I cant find any. Do they exist?

[Vimtoman]

Get a SMD one.
There are plenty in that format.

http://uk.farnell.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?catalogId=15001&langId=44&storeId=10151&categoryId=700000006113&st=led&pageSize=25&showResults=true&pf=111609502

[atman]

Thanks, found a bunch.
This will make it work without any additional circuits, not counting resistors.