DGT Centaur Invisible Rings

https://youtu.be/J8PqY6f12po

The problem with the DGT Centaur chess computer is that the illuminating LED circles that indicate the computers moved are also visible when not in use and spoil the whole appearance of the board. To eliminate this, just print a new overlay board from standard printing paper then cover with transparent self adhesive book cover film and the circles will disappears when unlit.

As I don't haven't a A2 printer, I have had to print four A4 sections of the board.

Stick them all together with transparent adhesive film on both sides.
You can now compare the new top board sitting on top of the original board.

Stick the new top board onto the original board using tiny pieces of double sided tape in each corner (smaller the better so as not to damage the original playing surface. Now you can see that the annoying unlit circles have disappeared.

Now check that that the LED circles are visible when you make a move which they are.

Nice fix! 👏👏

This is really interesting so could you or anyone please try the dark surface solution and post a photo as I don't want to undo my DIY top board.

Robotvinnik, very impressive work! My Centaur board doesn't seem to have the rings as visible as with yours. They are barely visible from above, and practically invisible when viewed from a player's angle. I will post a photo later when I have finished the game I'm in and can move the board upstairs and photograph it on a well-lit, dark dining table. The photo here is taken on a glass topped desk with a gray drawer and a gray concrete floor beneath.

Hi and many thanks for the reply. You certainly can't see the rings so maybe the you have the recent updated board version. The reason is because the theory of placing the board on a dark surface doesn't really hold up because there are quite a few photos on the internet where the Centaur is sitting on a dark surface and the rings are as prominent as mine as can be found here. https://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php?title=Datei:DGT_Centaur_6.jpg

You are probably right. They may have been improved recently.  I received my board just a few days ago. 

Here are the photos of my new Centaur on a dark brown table. 

Hi....yes it does look like you have the latest updated board. This is how the board should have looked like not like mine that is identical to the prototype version first shown at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2018. If you look at all the photos of the Centaur on Google images, they all show the ugly rings that spoil the appearance of this great chess computer. Thanks again for your photos and stay safe during these terrible times 👍

I will, and same to you, sir. 

What I find a bit strange is that DGT haven't bothered to update their website as they are still showing photos of their old board showing the rings. Maybe that is because they advised me that they still had some stock of the old board as well as the updated board. Anyway I managed to buy a second hand old type board for half the price of a new one.

Thanks Gordon

Didn’t even know this was a thing. Glad there’s an easy fix. Thanks.