Have you ever wondered why your eyes hurt after binge-watching a series in the dark? One of the reasons is that your TV or PC screen does not have bias lighting.
Bias lighting refers to the backlighting behind your digital screen to minimize eyestrain. Our eyes need a balance between dark and brightness. It is unhealthy for the eyes to look at a bright screen in a dark room without any bias lighting. So, you need to understand everything about bias lighting to save your eyes from ocular migraine, dryness, fatigue, and other complications.
I will discuss the basics and applications of bias lighting in this article for your better understanding. Now dive in without any further delay.
What Is LED Bias Lighting?
LED bias lighting means adding LED lights behind TV or computer monitors for backlighting. Its main purpose is to reduce the burden on your eyes.
In a dark room, your eyes are overworked as they constantly need to adjust to changing levels of brightness of the screen. The eye muscles also become exhausted in this way. As a result, eyestrain, itchiness, dryness, and headache can occur. That’s where the LED bias lighting comes into play to reduce the strain on your eyes in a dim environment.
In short, backlighting or bias lighting is the method of creating a baseline to save your eyes from adjusting dramatically.
Benefits of LED Bias Lighting
Reducing Eye Strain
Bias lighting offers a brighter field of view when it is added behind your screen. As a result, your eyes can be relieved from the struggle of finding the balance between light and dark. In addition, this type of lighting removes screen glare and reflections. In this way, LED bias lighting helps reduce eye strain.
Enhancing Contrast and Image Quality
Bias lighting improves the contrast of on-screen images by providing extra indirect light. This lighting makes the blacks of your monitor appear darker. So, the image quality of the screen becomes better.
Improving Viewing Experience
Without any backlighting, the colors of the screen seem less vivid and hazier. In the dark background, the on-screen dark colors seem faded. Adding bias lighting solves this issue. It will provide a better viewing experience against the well-lit background.
Preventing Vision-related Problems
Bias lighting ensures a proper balance between the screen brightness and the overall environment. So, your pupils do not have to dilate and contract strenuously. In other words, bias lighting prevents vision-related problems like eye strain, fatigue, irritation, blurred vision, etc.
Ensuring Energy Efficiency and Longevity of the Device
While watching TV or a computer in a dark room, people increase the brightness of the monitors. It increases the energy consumption rate and reduces the life span of the device. Bias lighting offers proper illumination in the background of your device. So, you do not have to increase screen brightness. Eventually, you get long-lasting devices with minimum energy consumption.
What Can I Use As A Bias Light?
- LED Strip Lights: LED strip lights are often used for the backlighting of monitors. It has peel-and-stick adhesive backings for hassle-free installation. Also, it can be cut into different lengths to fit all screen sizes. To install this light, you just need a power supply and a controller.
- LED Link Lights: These lights offer a diffused effect. You need to place the light on the back side of the monitor. Then light will spread out gently from the centre of the screen.
A Guide To Choosing the Right LED Bias Lighting
Color Temperature
Correlated color temperature (CCT) is used in bias lighting to set the hue and tone of the light. It is expressed in the Kelvin unit. Higher temperature means cooler light, and lower temperature means warmer light. For instance, a CCT value of 2000K-3500K is warm with a yellowish or orange appearance. In addition, a 5000K CCT value emits cooler light with a bluish appearance.
The CCT value depends on the Kelvin rating of the screen, but 6500K is the optimum value for bias lighting. However, check the Kelvin rating of your device’s screen before buying lights for backlighting. A mismatch in Kelvin rating can minimize the effect of bias lighting.
Color-rendering Index
The color-rendering index (CRI) means how accurately a light source reveals the true colors of objects. The CRI value 100 of a source shows colors of the objects like daylight or incandescent lights. So, make sure the CRI of your bias lighting is close to 100 and at least 90 to get the best result.
Brightness
For the appropriate brightness level, you need to buy a light that is at least 10% of the monitor’s peak. Then it will not create any glare on the screen. However, check the recommended lumens per foot instructions before buying the products.
Color Options
Consider the color bias lighting because it will set a specific mood. For example, red or yellow backlighting is perfect for intense gaming sessions. After that, choose purple to give off a sophisticated glow from your setup. Blue light can set a soothing mood for enjoying relaxing shows. Also, you can select green backlighting for RPG games.
Length and Placement
Measure the back of your screen. Then buy LED strips that fit the size. Also, the placement of strips varies depending on your choice. Decide on how many edges of the monitor you want to cover and then buy the strips accordingly.
Control of the Lights
Before buying lights for bias lighting, choose the controlling system. For example, there are remote controller systems, mobile applications, etc.
How To Use an LED Strip For Bias Lighting?
- Cut the strips properly: First, cut the LED strip according to the length of the back of your monitor. If you want a diffused effect, cut a single strip. In addition, you can place the strips on four edges of the monitor for an intense effect. As a matter of fact, attaching the strips to four edges is appropriate for wall-mounted monitors. Otherwise, adding lights to three sides is enough.
- Peel and attach: Now peel off the protective paper from the strip. Then adhere it to the back of the screen. The other end of the strip will be attached to a connector. Then it will be connected to a power supply. Choose the power supply that matches the voltage of your strips.
- Manage the corners: While moving across the corners of the monitor, use L-shaped LED strip connectors or bend the strip gently at a 90-degree angle. Make sure that the wiring inside the strip does not break in this process.
- Attach a controller: If you want to add a controller for dimming, you will have to connect the strip to the controller. Then connect the controller with the power supply.
Maintenance Tips For Bias Lighting
- Proper cleaning: Regularly clean the dirt from the back of the monitor and the exposed surface of the light strips.
- Stable connection: Check if any wire or cable is loose or disconnected. Also, make sure the power source is stable.
Troubleshooting Of Bias Lighting
Problem: Lights Are Not Turning On
Solution: First, see if the USB port is working or not. Then make sure the LED strip is functional. Lastly, turn off the power-saving feature of the USB port.
Problem: Lights Are Flickering
Solution: Look for any loose connections and secure them properly. If the lights still flicker, the LED bulbs are probably almost burned out. Buy new strips to solve this problem.
Problem: The Lights Are Not Turning Off With The Television
Solution: Go through the settings of your device to see whether it keeps USB ports powered after the device is turned off. Alternatively, connect a smart plug to control the power supplied to the LED strip. Also, you can use a different USB port for your device. If the adhesive of the LED strip comes loose, attach it again with a double-sided tape.
Problem: Poor Color Of The Light
Solution: Check if the color temperature of the bias lighting matches the white point of the display. Also, set the color temperature to 6500K. This issue can also arise from the misplacement of the lights. Place the lights properly. If the problem still continues, look for any damage to the strips around the corners.
FAQs
Yes, bias lighting reduces eye strain by lighting up the dark background of a monitor. It creates a softer background with indirect illumination for the eyes.
Bias lighting should be placed behind the display of the TV or computer. Then it will prevent glare and reflection through a diffused illumination.
At your home, set the brightness level of bias lighting within 10% of the brightest spot of your display. Also, keeping the color rendering index minimum 90 is recommended.
The color temperature for Bias lighting varies depending on the screen type. However, a color temperature of 6,500 K is suggested for most monitors’ white color.
No, turning on a lamp instead of bias lighting does not fully serve your purpose of relieving your eyes from strain. Bias lighting reduces screen glare by illuminating the wall behind the screen. On the contrary, a lamp in the room lights up the entire section that can create screen glare. That is why lamps are not a proper substitute for bias lighting.
Yes, light from a window behind your monitor is most likely to cause eye strain. If your seat faces the sun, light will reflect on the screen. It will then create glare and lead to a headache.
The Bottom Line
Bias lighting relieves your eyes from strain and further complications. As a cautious person, work on your PC for a long time without compromising your vision through bias lighting.
Switch to modern LED lights to save your money and energy. LED strips can be your go-to choice for bias lighting needs. Also, it can be designed to give both professional and homely looks. So, choose the top-quality LED strips from LEDYi and take your bias lighting to the next level. Besides, we offer 3 to 5 years of warranty on our fixtures. So, contact us ASAP to place your order!
