Lite-Brite Classic 206 PC Light Art Set

Like a lot of shoppers, I had a Lite Brite as a kid and was nostalgic. I bought it on a whim and didn't look at the reviews. PROS * It's thinner than the original and small enough that you can hold it in your hand. * (Subjective) The power switch toggles between on/flash1/flash2/flash3/off. Mine worked with no issues. If you like the flashy lights, you might like this feature * You don't need templates or black construction paper. They designed it with pieces of black plastic that fold back into place when you remove the peg. I imagine that if I leave the same design for months, the design might fail and remain open to the light. In that case it would be a con. CONS * Zero instructions for use. You have to just figure it out. * The light will not stay on. It turns itself off after about 3 minutes. * The lights aren't evenly distributed. They're noticeably brighter in the middle. (I did not take a picture of that.) * It's quite a bit smaller than the one I had when I was a kid. * It works on batteries and doesn't have the option to plug it in and let the light remain on. * When you take it apart, you can see the cheap construction, the circuit board, and the lines to the single LED lights. * After I fixed it, I'm happy with it. I wanted to use an outlet and not batteries. I wanted the light to stay on when I turned it on. I had a Philips Hue Lightstrip sitting around that I wasn't using. I placed it in my Lite Brite and it now comes on during my programmed work hours, providing me with some fun decor while I work from home. MY FIX: I ran a strip of LED lights into the back of the box and distributed them around the plastic parts. This provides more and better light distribution. It also allows me to plug in the light to turn it on and unplug it to turn it off. 1. Remove the back panel - I took out the batteries and unscrewed all of the screws on the back panel (8). I removed the front panel and the piece of paper that covered the lights. 2. Remove the screws from the circuit board and pull the circuit board gently off the power button. 3. Pop the power button out of place. 4. Run the light strip through the power hole and place the lights evenly throughout the box. 5. Place the front cover back on and flip it over to return the 8 screws to the cover. I hope this helps others.