Anyone else trying out the new Firefly units?

[Greg]

I've been kinda following this post. So I have one question. Are these worth purchasing? They look great but is it worth the headache people are having. What does everyone think. I was planning on getting these for next year.

[Paul Roberson]

Greg wrote:

I've been kinda following this post. So I have one question. Are these worth purchasing? They look great but is it worth the headache people are having. What does everyone think. I was planning on getting these for next year.

To their credit D-light has suspended sales of Firefly until they get the problem straightened out.

I would imaging that these will be good to go for next year. I have no intentions of stopping testing on these or emailing D-light until these things are right, or I have my money back. From the looks of things right now, when it is time to take down the lights I will move these to the back yard and keep running them and testing what I would hope to be new and improved strings. I will continue to post here until I can say they have been running right for X number days, weeks and in the rain, or I have my money back. I try and not think about the money I have spent on FF, and LEDs this year and their performance. It is infureating and I do not have enough medication to think about the wasted money up til this point.:X:X:X:X (going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected too.:X



So long story short. NO! I would not suggest buying these now even if they would sell them to you.

[Paul Roberson]

thebaronn wrote:

6 huh.......Hehe, I only bought 5!



This is so lame man.




Well, I actually only paid for 4 strings:P The other 2 failures came from the "improved" replacement strings.

[thebaronn]

Paul Roberson wrote:

thebaronn wrote:

6 huh.......Hehe, I only bought 5!



This is so lame man.




Well, I actually only paid for 4 strings:P The other 2 failures came from the "improved" replacement strings.

LOL!!

Here is a funny thought. So last year was the first year i used LEDs. I purchsed a lot from home depot (to which most people said, ugh....go with CDI) So this year, CDI......yeah that worked out. So Last November I wrapped my front tree with 700 Red, 700 Green, and 700 White Home depot LEDs(which they dont make this year....grrrr). I was going to take it down, but my wife said she wanted a Valentine's Display, (so i left them because I can just use the Red and the White) and then she wanted a St. Patricks day display (so I still left them up because I could use the Green and white). And then in April I got lazy and just left them (you couldnt see them anymore because now the tree was big and fluffy with leaves). And this year, 2100 home Depot M5s are all still working and not one of them is out after 13 months outside! Granted, it California and note the fridgid northeast, but hey.

[Paul Roberson]

That is funny.....especially considering all the "big box store led" bashers....LOL

I am having trouble getting some of my "speciality store" LED to stay lite for one night!!!

[Duke]

Paul Roberson wrote:

To their credit D-light has suspended sales of Firefly until they get the problem straightened out.

I would imaging that these will be good to go for next year. I have no intentions of stopping testing on these or emailing D-light until these things are right, or I have my money back. From the looks of things right now, when it is time to take down the lights I will move these to the back yard and keep running them and testing what I would hope to be new and improved strings. I will continue to post here until I can say they have been running right for X number days, weeks and in the rain, or I have my money back. I try and not think about the money I have spent on FF, and LEDs this year and their performance. It is infureating and I do not have enough medication to think about the wasted money up til this point.:X:X:X:X (going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected too.:X



So long story short. NO! I would not suggest buying these now even if they would sell them to you.

I second what Paul says.

Even more so when he says:

(going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected to.:X


I now have many matresses on the inside walls of my home.

If anyone is interested, I did manage to get video of my display with everything working even if it was just for one night.

Here's the link to YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=DukeMaster1956&view=playlists

Regarding the FireFlys, last nights show was flawless.
I now have spare strings that I was going to return for various reasons but after bringing them in for a few daysI tried them out again and 4 out of 6 work. Maybe they dried out? I have some extra PVC so maybe I'll wrap 'em and put 'em out back to see what happens.

[thebaronn]

Duke wrote:

Paul Roberson wrote:

To their credit D-light has suspended sales of Firefly until they get the problem straightened out.

I would imaging that these will be good to go for next year. I have no intentions of stopping testing on these or emailing D-light until these things are right, or I have my money back. From the looks of things right now, when it is time to take down the lights I will move these to the back yard and keep running them and testing what I would hope to be new and improved strings. I will continue to post here until I can say they have been running right for X number days, weeks and in the rain, or I have my money back. I try and not think about the money I have spent on FF, and LEDs this year and their performance. It is infureating and I do not have enough medication to think about the wasted money up til this point.:X:X:X:X (going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected too.:X



So long story short. NO! I would not suggest buying these now even if they would sell them to you.

I second what Paul says.

Even more so when he says:

(going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected to.:X


I now have many matresses on the inside walls of my home.

If anyone is interested, I did manage to get video of my display with everything working even if it was just for one night.

Here's the link to YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=DukeMaster1956&view=playlists

Regarding the FireFlys, last nights show was flawless.
I now have spare strings that I was going to return for various reasons but after bringing them in for a few daysI tried them out again and 4 out of 6 work. Maybe they dried out? I have some extra PVC so maybe I'll wrap 'em and put 'em out back to see what happens.

That was a very nice show! Its nice to see how others interpreted firefly and decided how to use them.

Are we 100% sure that it is a water issue??? It rained like crazy last night and now all my strings are woking just fine......WTF??

[thebaronn]

thebaronn wrote:

Duke wrote:

Paul Roberson wrote:

To their credit D-light has suspended sales of Firefly until they get the problem straightened out.

I would imaging that these will be good to go for next year. I have no intentions of stopping testing on these or emailing D-light until these things are right, or I have my money back. From the looks of things right now, when it is time to take down the lights I will move these to the back yard and keep running them and testing what I would hope to be new and improved strings. I will continue to post here until I can say they have been running right for X number days, weeks and in the rain, or I have my money back. I try and not think about the money I have spent on FF, and LEDs this year and their performance. It is infureating and I do not have enough medication to think about the wasted money up til this point.:X:X:X:X (going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected too.:X



So long story short. NO! I would not suggest buying these now even if they would sell them to you.

I second what Paul says.

Even more so when he says:

(going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected to.:X


I now have many matresses on the inside walls of my home.

If anyone is interested, I did manage to get video of my display with everything working even if it was just for one night.

Here's the link to YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=DukeMaster1956&view=playlists

Regarding the FireFlys, last nights show was flawless.
I now have spare strings that I was going to return for various reasons but after bringing them in for a few daysI tried them out again and 4 out of 6 work. Maybe they dried out? I have some extra PVC so maybe I'll wrap 'em and put 'em out back to see what happens.

That was a very nice show! Its nice to see how others interpreted firefly and decided how to use them.

Are we 100% sure that it is a water issue??? It rained like crazy last night and now all my strings are woking just fine......WTF??

So I emailed this after I turned on Firefly and there were no pixels on! I checked back and they were still off, all is good right? Then I check my LOR and notice it is disabled. I enable it. I check again and I now have flickering pixels.......

Could this thing not like LOR as much as they said it would using "LEGACY MODE"

Or is it just a coincedence??

[Duke]

Me thinks it's the friggin rain.
It probably takes a day or so after a rain for the moisture to get under the silicone hence the illusion that they're OK when it's raining is my guess.
Mine have worked fine WHILE it's raining and then the next day all hell breaks loose.
I've started my show here after a major snow storm (not rain) and they're a jumpin' and a bumpin' like they should be. The snow hasn't melted and permeated into their little frozen circuits yet.

[thebaronn]

Duke wrote:

Paul Roberson wrote:

To their credit D-light has suspended sales of Firefly until they get the problem straightened out.

I would imaging that these will be good to go for next year. I have no intentions of stopping testing on these or emailing D-light until these things are right, or I have my money back. From the looks of things right now, when it is time to take down the lights I will move these to the back yard and keep running them and testing what I would hope to be new and improved strings. I will continue to post here until I can say they have been running right for X number days, weeks and in the rain, or I have my money back. I try and not think about the money I have spent on FF, and LEDs this year and their performance. It is infureating and I do not have enough medication to think about the wasted money up til this point.:X:X:X:X (going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected too.:X



So long story short. NO! I would not suggest buying these now even if they would sell them to you.

I second what Paul says.

Even more so when he says:

(going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected to.:X


I now have many matresses on the inside walls of my home.

If anyone is interested, I did manage to get video of my display with everything working even if it was just for one night.

Here's the link to YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=DukeMaster1956&view=playlists

Regarding the FireFlys, last nights show was flawless.
I now have spare strings that I was going to return for various reasons but after bringing them in for a few daysI tried them out again and 4 out of 6 work. Maybe they dried out? I have some extra PVC so maybe I'll wrap 'em and put 'em out back to see what happens.

What kind of camera did you use to film your display? And what time of day did you film it?

Thank you

Eric

[Duke]

thebaronn wrote:

What kind of camera did you use to film your display? And what time of day did you film it?

Thank you

Eric

I used a Sony HDR-HC1 HD camera and it was shot well into darkness.
Sorry for the shakiness at times and YouTube don't do it justice due to the compression which changes the colors and makes it look fuzzy.

[thebaronn]

Duke wrote:

thebaronn wrote:

What kind of camera did you use to film your display? And what time of day did you film it?

Thank you

Eric

I used a Sony HDR-HC1 HD camera and it was shot well into darkness.
Sorry for the shakiness at times and YouTube don't do it justice due to the compression which changes the colors and makes it look fuzzy.

Let me know when you put it on vimeo!!! Im still looking for a camera..............

[Paul Roberson]

I am really starting to look at FF like I looked at my AL equipment last year:shock::shock::shock:

Sealed up some more pixle stings today. Before the show started my #2 (0D0E0F) had red pixle one stuck on. My #1 (0A0B0C) did only what it wanted too and only in red. My #4 (1D1E1F) would do nothing at all except the pixle flash when it was powered up.

I unplugged all the FF and unhooked all the FF controllers.

The (0A0B0C) had decided it wanted to be (0F,10,11)

The 0D0E0F still had the correct ID

The 1A1B1C still had the correct ID

The 1D1E1F its ID was no where to be found.

While I had each one hooked to the computer I reflashed the firmware and reset them back to the ID that I wanted them set too.

Everything is back up and running "for now". Even the stuck red #1 pixle is working right now.

[thebaronn]

thebaronn wrote:

thebaronn wrote:

Duke wrote:

Paul Roberson wrote:

To their credit D-light has suspended sales of Firefly until they get the problem straightened out.

I would imaging that these will be good to go for next year. I have no intentions of stopping testing on these or emailing D-light until these things are right, or I have my money back. From the looks of things right now, when it is time to take down the lights I will move these to the back yard and keep running them and testing what I would hope to be new and improved strings. I will continue to post here until I can say they have been running right for X number days, weeks and in the rain, or I have my money back. I try and not think about the money I have spent on FF, and LEDs this year and their performance. It is infureating and I do not have enough medication to think about the wasted money up til this point.:X:X:X:X (going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected too.:X



So long story short. NO! I would not suggest buying these now even if they would sell them to you.

I second what Paul says.

Even more so when he says:

(going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected to.:X


I now have many matresses on the inside walls of my home.

If anyone is interested, I did manage to get video of my display with everything working even if it was just for one night.

Here's the link to YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=DukeMaster1956&view=playlists

Regarding the FireFlys, last nights show was flawless.
I now have spare strings that I was going to return for various reasons but after bringing them in for a few daysI tried them out again and 4 out of 6 work. Maybe they dried out? I have some extra PVC so maybe I'll wrap 'em and put 'em out back to see what happens.

That was a very nice show! Its nice to see how others interpreted firefly and decided how to use them.

Are we 100% sure that it is a water issue??? It rained like crazy last night and now all my strings are woking just fine......WTF??

So I emailed this after I turned on Firefly and there were no pixels on! I checked back and they were still off, all is good right? Then I check my LOR and notice it is disabled. I enable it. I check again and I now have flickering pixels.......

Could this thing not like LOR as much as they said it would using "LEGACY MODE"

Or is it just a coincedence??

So I woke up to people honking their horn outside my house. I went to the computer and I had left the show disabled. I enabled it. Then I walked outside and went to the power strip for the firefly. I turned it on and everything was fine......45 minutes later everything is still fine.......

Ok so I know this is just a coincidence, but I feel that If It is significant and I dont say something than this whole process is for naught.

[thebaronn]

Hey Duke! (or anyone else who wants a go)

I noticed that you have 4 fireflys in front just like me. Could I email you a sequence and the music and could you try it out and tell me if i has a glitch at the end?

At the very end of the sequence I do some long fades and twoards the tail end of all the fade RED turns on, for all of them. So it starts the fade, fade, looking good, a little lower, BAM full on red, turns off when the fade ends...

LAME!!!

Thank you

Eric

[Duke]

I PM'd ya.

Check your sequence as well.
Look real close at the timings of your red channels and make sure they all end at the same time as your green and blue as well.

If they're even .01 longer than anything else it will cause the red POP your seeing.

[Paul Roberson]

Duke wrote:

Paul Roberson wrote:

To their credit D-light has suspended sales of Firefly until they get the problem straightened out.

I would imaging that these will be good to go for next year. I have no intentions of stopping testing on these or emailing D-light until these things are right, or I have my money back. From the looks of things right now, when it is time to take down the lights I will move these to the back yard and keep running them and testing what I would hope to be new and improved strings. I will continue to post here until I can say they have been running right for X number days, weeks and in the rain, or I have my money back. I try and not think about the money I have spent on FF, and LEDs this year and their performance. It is infureating and I do not have enough medication to think about the wasted money up til this point.:X:X:X:X (going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected too.:X



So long story short. NO! I would not suggest buying these now even if they would sell them to you.

I second what Paul says.

Even more so when he says:

(going to my happy place):shock:

For me the new lighting purchases (all of them) for this year have been disastrous as far as things working like they are expected to.:X


I now have many matresses on the inside walls of my home.

If anyone is interested, I did manage to get video of my display with everything working even if it was just for one night.

Here's the link to YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=DukeMaster1956&view=playlists

Regarding the FireFlys, last nights show was flawless.
I now have spare strings that I was going to return for various reasons but after bringing them in for a few daysI tried them out again and 4 out of 6 work. Maybe they dried out? I have some extra PVC so maybe I'll wrap 'em and put 'em out back to see what happens.

Sweet video I like it. These things are cool when they work right.

Nice display btw.

[Duke]

Paul Roberson wrote:

Sweet video I like it. These things are cool when they work right.

Nice display btw.

Thanks!

Yes they are cool. That's why I'm not giving up on them.

I hope D-Light isn't either.

[Paul Roberson]

thebaronn wrote:

thebaronn wrote:

thebaronn wrote:

Duke wrote:

That was a very nice show! Its nice to see how others interpreted firefly and decided how to use them.

Are we 100% sure that it is a water issue??? It rained like crazy last night and now all my strings are woking just fine......WTF??

So I emailed this after I turned on Firefly and there were no pixels on! I checked back and they were still off, all is good right? Then I check my LOR and notice it is disabled. I enable it. I check again and I now have flickering pixels.......

Could this thing not like LOR as much as they said it would using "LEGACY MODE"

Or is it just a coincedence??

So I woke up to people honking their horn outside my house. I went to the computer and I had left the show disabled. I enabled it. Then I walked outside and went to the power strip for the firefly. I turned it on and everything was fine......45 minutes later everything is still fine.......

Ok so I know this is just a coincidence, but I feel that If It is significant and I dont say something than this whole process is for naught.

I am convinced that there is a water issue. However I am absolutely convinced this is probably not our only issue.


Have no idea what caused my controllers to re ID themselves? I doubt that was caused by water.

My FF have been flickering before and I unhooked everything from the LOR network at the computer. They did not go off. I also could not make them turn off or stop flickering by turning them on then off thru the LOR utility. The only why they would stop flickering was to unplug them. What does this mean? I don't know!!

I would suggest if you think it may be a LOR network problem. Leave FF powered up all the time, but unhooked from the LOR network when the show is not running. Do this until they start acting up again or they don't act up and you are convinced it has something to do with LOR network.

I know all this unhooking, unplugging, off the network, on the network is a PITA!!!!

[Paul Roberson]

Duke wrote:

Paul Roberson wrote:

Sweet video I like it. These things are cool when they work right.

Nice display btw.

Thanks!

Yes they are cool. That's why I'm not giving up on them.

I hope D-Light isn't either.

I agree.

I am pretty sure D-light is not giving up on them. Surly they have a good investment in these and in my opinion would be a BIG mistake to give up this early. I would imagine they are trying to fix this asap, although I don't actually see any evedence of the asap.:shock:

These things are too cool and if they don't figure it out someone will and they will miss the boat.