Philips NightGuide color zones (pics)

[97tbird]

So I put those on today without cleaning the lamps (I REALLY need to do that).

One thing I noticed, the different "color zones" are oppositely arranged from what Philips website states:
(and no, the bulbs are not specified "left" and "right" - i checked, and I installed them correctly - this is a 9007):

Here are the pics (sorry no pics of beams on the wall, etc) - although the lens in dirty, I think one can see that the "LEFT" side of the light is YELLOW and RIGHT/middle is WHITE/BLUE. (when FACING the car/light) - the Pic is of the PASSENGER side lamp. (Other side looks the same - yellowish on LEFT side when facing it):

The pic is dim on purpose, as I reduced the exposure to avoid the white area overlapping the yellow area completely - the light is a lot brighter than on the pic.

and this is what Philips says:

In the center zone, a brilliant white beam, up to 50 feet longer than standard halogens, improves drivers’ vision and reaction time. In the right zone, blue light enhances readability of road signs and markers. In the left zone, yellow light reduces glare for oncoming cars and improves drivers’ concentration on the center zone.

I think when I drive the car, facing the road, the RIGHT side of the road will be yellow and not the LEFT!

The same "directional" issue is discussed here, too:
http://www.b15sentra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=140404

Can't say anything about how good these are yet, as I haven't cleaned the lamps and haven't driven at night yet. (will do soon)

 

[Scienceman]

Sounds very cool!

 

[97tbird]

we'll see - I am leaning towards it's just a gimmick, and with my very poor headlight design on the Tbird, I won't see any improvement at all, BUT I just like to play with different types of bulbs every time I need to change them - and I got these from a member here for a low price - why not experiment a bit ?

 

[DreamerGT]

I have been looking to buy these lights for my vic. Keep us posted Im very interested.

 

[Hokiefyd]

97tbird, that was my experience with them as well. I thought it was because my headlamps used faceted lens covers that probably did odd things with the light. The Nightguides are available in many popular "European" sizes...I wonder if cars that use the HB5 bulbs in Europe have the bulbs clocked 180 degrees different. In other words, it appears that the bulbs are "upside down" in our American applications. Maybe it's a subtle difference in the SAE vs. ECE lighting codes.

Another thought: get them up against a wall. It could be that with your lamp housing design, the light gets projected opposite of what you see up close. In other words, light on the right side of the housing (which is yellow), could get projected down the left side of the road. And the white light on the left side of the housing might get projected down the right side of the road. It may not come "straight" out of the housing. If that made any sense.

 

[kr_bitog]

Sometimes the housing cause the bulb to be installed upside down that may mess up with the zone or just the bulb is the RHD version. The bulb is good in rains, but in dry the newer Xtreme Power is brighter

 

[97tbird]

After a bit of night-time driving, I must say I like those bulbs quite ok - They illuminate the road very decently, but nothing earth shattering.

I think completely cleaning the lenses would improve things later on.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Another thought: get them up against a wall. It could be that with your lamp housing design, the light gets projected opposite of what you see up close. In other words, light on the right side of the housing (which is yellow), could get projected down the left side of the road. And the white light on the left side of the housing might get projected down the right side of the road. It may not come "straight" out of the housing. If that made any sense.


It makes perfect sense because the headlamp lens is a parabola. Hence the image is flipped 180 degrees. Look at your reflection in a spoon and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: G-MAN
It makes perfect sense because the headlamp lens is a parabola. Hence the image is flipped 180 degrees. Look at your reflection in a spoon and you'll see what I'm talking about.


Exactly.

 

[ludey]

I have these in my high beams (9005). They were advertising that it cause less reflective glare or white washout for the driver not, oncoming drivers.

I have the same result with yellow on the edges and blue towards the center. It does cause less glare with reflective freeway signs. I am keeping them for now.

There is not that many upgrades in high beam headlights except, even higher wattage bulbs or supplemental lights like pencil beam, driving lights, etc.

 

[Summerwind]

I just recently put these in my '88 Cutlass Supreme in the low beam slots 9006 and have been very happy with them. My housings are polished and clean, and I often "forget" to turn on my high beams even when I am able to do so, and have never had any on-comming drivers flash me. Visibility in all weather conditions I would rate as "above very good"

 

[Ken2]

Interesting what Phillips is doing with color.

Their MotoVision motorcycle headlight bulbs put an orange color on the bottom of the reflector hoping for better conspicuity to drivers.

 

[alfonso2501]

I've had these bulbs in my car for about 3 months now. They're OK, nothing to write home about. The color zones are just too small to be of any use & I feel they're just more gimmicky then functional.