Two Heiland Splitgrade questions

I've just started using a version 2 Heiland automatic splitgrade system on my V35. The results have been great. Two questions:

1. Why in the world is the console light bright green (particularly given then they've taken the care to make the buttons red-illuminated)? On the current firmware there seems to be no way to dim or switch it off, and the screw on the left side simply controls the display contrast, not brightness. Do people just cover the screen?

2. I'm curious about starting color printing in the near future. Here, too, paper is expensive and extensive trial and error methods undesirable. Is there an equivalent to the practically foolproof Heiland in the world of color analysers?

Many thanks for your help and advice.

Al

ad 1. Dimming the light can be done as follows; press the most upper button and in the meantime turn left or right.
ad 2. No, in my opinion. The best solution were the Colorstar 3000 or higher models.

Thanks, Harry. Just to check (re. 1): you mean turning the potentiometer screw left or right while holding the button?

PS Unfortunately I cannot get the method above to work on my console.

Yes, that's the way it must be done as in the manual mentioned at page 13.
But my answer was based on using the Comfort Module, so I now know you have just the Heiland Controller.

Maybe the only way in that case is to lay some thick felt over the screen when the paper is exposed? Seems a pity in any case that the on/off toggle option was removed from the settings options, presumably in firmware version 2.8 or 3.0, coinciding with the introduction of v. 3 of the console (with red-light LCD). I hold out hope against hope that one can find a 'hack' to switch off the bright green LCD (a literally glaring oversight by Heiland) on my v.2 console.

For my very basic Philips timer which has dull-orange illuminated dials, taped to the timer body I have a piece of black card that I flip over the top of timer before I print long exposures or RA4. If the display has useful information on it (such as a countdown or something) then make a window in the piece of card and cover it with a dark-red gel, rubylith etc. It's a workaround rather than a solution of course, but it might help.

For RA4 printing you will obviously have no contrast variations to worry about and for helping with the colour balance problem, a means of properly drying tests together with a good consistent viewing-light to balance them does the job.

Thank you, both.

I have written to Heiland to ask if they know of any way to dim the display on my version of the split grade console.

Re. RA4, I will pick up a Lee Colourweb or some other viewing filters and start with that, plus Martin's advice.

Take contact with Jurgen Heiland and ask him if there is a solution to solve your problem.
In the past I had also a question about the functionality of the system and in a later update he solved this.
On the otherway I don't think that the lights will fog your papers. A simple test will give you the answer.

Thanks, I've just been in touch with him, and he agrees the light is unlikely to fog paper unless placed very close. He has also offered a modification of the LCD to a red version for a cost of 52 Euros plus shipping, which I have gladly accepted.

Glad to hear.