If you open the back panel you can easily find the box that powers the LEDs. Switch it off. This is the only way to preserve the lifespan of the panel in lieu of aftermarket support. It kind of defeats the purpose of having them.
When I saw Herbie Hancock perform in Mississippi, there was a voyager on stage and it sat unattended with the panel lights on (looked like a fire model) and I wanted to quickly hop up there and dim the panel for this very reason.
The guy (not Herbie) barely used the Voyager at all.
For the original (2002 - 2005) Voyager, a new digital board would be required, as the space for the backlight power supply needs somewhere to land. Replacement panels are not available so your ask for new ones would require ( as you suggested) an outside manufacturer. I wonder if there would be a 3rd party company that would show interest in taking this on with a possible better life span and a smaller , more efficient, power supply. thanks for taking on this much needed refit. -hjp
You’re right - for the original 2002–2005 Voyager, this probably isn’t as simple as swapping in a new panel. The backlight supply has to be accommodated somewhere, so it likely needs a more integrated solution.