Tape
this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2025
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Asklemmy
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The problem with that is the LED also functions as the power button.
Press on the tape?
The problem is it's a weird recessed button.
Loose piece of tape .... then press on the weird recessed piece of tape
Tape a dry bean into the recess.
This is a hilarious solution
LMAO, maybe next time
Nail polish might work.
Mask off the dock one spray of spray paint in just the LED resses
I would find this very annoying.
i had a monitor like that once. big bright af blue power light baked into the power button, bottom center of the bezel. blue led was the 'new' thing back then. the barton-era matching pc (which i didn't have) had a larger matching button on its front. if you know your '00s pavilions, you know the ones.
it was horrible. that monitor lived its entire life with a black piece of paper taped over the whole switch and light. i was not saddened when it finally gave up and failed to turn on. i was more annoyed that it took 15 years for it to fail.
Carefully trimmed sticker?
EDIT: Ah, I see you've handled it. Carry on, then.
I've use a black sharpie to "tint" LEDs before. Your mileage may vary though, depending on the kind and shape of LED.
I am also a hater of unnecessarily bright lights. In your shoes, presuming I'm happy with the product otherwise, I would paint over it with a bit of nail polish.
You can get polish in any color you want these days, and it's very cheap. It dries fast and it comes with a very small brush. You can apply one coat, see if the led still shines through too much, apply another coat 15mins later once the first layer is dry. Repeat.
Edit: seeing the photo I realize the shape it has. Be careful with the polish if you use it, one coat or two probably will be okay on the inner surface but don't add more or the button may get stuck. Also wait extra before even daring to test button functionality, you don't want the button scraping off semi dry polish.
I might just open the thing and paint over the actual LED.
That's a good idea if it's an option
I opened it up and coated it with a sharpie. It's good enough.
I've had good success with small pieces of electrical tape cut so that a very small part of the LED is still exposed.
Returning it seems extreme to me... But I'm happy modding things like that.
Stick a piece of paper or card over the button/LED such that you can still depress it... Iterate/repeat until you're satisfied.
I have never heard anyone claim returning something is "extreme" before. It's so mild it should be one of the first options you consider, especially when you ordered online and didn't get the chance to see the item before purchase. You shouldn't get saddled with shit just because there's some "feature" you hate which you weren't aware of when you bought it. For that reason where I am you'd have a legal right to return almost any order within 14 days of receipt no questions asked, or longer if there's a defect.
I meant extreme for this very specific case. If every other features of the product is satisfactory for OP then dumping the whole product is extreme.
No product is perfect in every way for every customer. Modifying a product that you've already bought is an entirely reasonable thing to do.
You are under no obligation to keep a product you don't like for any reason, companies aren't entitled to your money by default. You might have had a point if we were talking about some super rare item only one or two companies manufacture but this is about a HDD dock, you'll probably find 5 different models with identical functionality just by checking your local electronics store.
Tell me you are not in New Zealand, without telling me you are not in New Zealand.
Translucent cellotape over the led? Or small translucent plastic piece taped over it?
Not sure if it would affect air circulation tho
Yes but also I've just put electrical tape over many an item.
The RGB craze is the worst.
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Yeah it sucks that I sleep in the same room as my computer. It's damn near impossible to find a case without RGB.
Should be possible to just not plug them in.
But I have no idea why they are there in the first place.
Last pc i built i had 1 hard request, "I don't want a damn xmas tree in my pc." girl laughed and the only light is from the heat sync :(
some good ideas here already. i just wanted to suggest that if ur going to open it, the option of adding a small resistor in series is also there. thatll lower the current going thru the LED and make it darker.
When I opened it there was room for the LED and not much else. It was soldered directly to the board. I did consider it until I saw inside.
Nope, i sleep with a 1000 watt equivalent led bulb on all the time.
Getting flashbanged (minus the bang, usually but not always) by my electronics is helping me build up an immunity to riot control devices. Combine it with my cooking and it's good training for pepper spray, tear gas and vomiting agents as well.
Do you have noctophobia?
If you have all the lights on, that one little light won't bother you as much because your pupils aren't dilated.
I've not returned an item over it, but I've often wondered if there was a market for a company which de-LEDs items.
Yes. Return rate influences future product design.
No, one of my mesh WiFi routers is in my room and too bright at night, I just put tape on it. Problem solved.
Every modern router that I've worked with has an option to turn the lights off at night. Does the control panel of your router have that too?
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I have marker pens and led dims so...no
lol, I know this pain. about 20 yrs ago i bought a shiny new pc case and expected the red leds, it had 2 super bright blue leds that were either solid on(power) or flashing(drive activity), this pc was next to my bed pointing across my bed. the entire room was lit by these and hard blue circles were projected on the wall. ended up taping a cardboard strip over them.
Blue LEDs are the worst offenders. No need to return it as long as you keep a bit of black tape ready. If you still need it as an indicator, you can use layers of yellowish tape. The one used while painting your walls works great. Masking tape it's called in English.
Depends on the product and how inexpensive it is but generally avoid touch devices or anything with led or lights on them that are not needed because I don't need a fucking touch display for something a button can do.
I bought a air fryer a week ago and couldn't find one that had simple dials and buttons. It's fucking disgusting and it's so bright too. But hey, I can use it as a night light when I'm getting water I guess
I either tape the things with Isolation in dark to see nothing or the Painters-Tape which is yellow and partly lets light through.
But colored isolation band lets the light through a bit too.
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