tonyski Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Happy New Year All.I know that this has probably been discussed here before, but I'd like to get some fresh input.I'm getting ready to make a big light string purchase to expand my display for 2012.I'm trying to compare the lights from CDI, HLE and Neo Neon. The Neo Neon lights are substantially less expensive, but price isn't the only consideration.http://www.holiday-light-express.com/M6_mini_LED_Christmas_Lights-70.phphttp://www.creativedisplays.com/Homehttp://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/StoreFront (search for M5 LED)I'd love to hear from those of you that have used lights from these 3 sources or any others that I should consider. I'm interested in quality, longevity, whether or not they are dimmable.Thanks as always,Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 your link for Neo Neon is not working.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 well..I assumed it was for Neo Neonyourhttp://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/StoreFront is not working... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imawlkr2 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I have 70ct Green C6 strands from CDI on my megatree. Very good quality, bright, and very good customer service. I had no issues with them this year (my first). Only downside is you have to buy in qty of 12 (a case). HLE has individual strands as well as by the case (24 strands for them). I will buy from CDI again in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Don Gillespie Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I have used CDI and this year I am trying HLE I haven't heard of the other vendor you talk about, CDI has excellent service and I have loved dealing with Paul, this year I am trying HLE to compare apples to apples that way I can have an opinion on both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyski Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Sorry, I just copied and pasted.Tryhttp://www.idealtruevalue.comand search for "M5 led" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amcdonald307 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Don't know how clear the picture will make it, but...The red and blue are HLE, the green is NeoNeon (TruValu).The Neo's are not(?) one piece construction, the lens cap has been glued on. Out of the 2,240 green bulbs I have put out over the past 3 years, I would say I lose about 5 or so lenses a year.The HLE are a solid construction (lens molded to base), and have not had the problem.The Neo's are about a foot longer than the HLE. Color and dimming wise hard for me to distinguish. All things being equal, the HLE appear better quality. For the price I am happy with the Neo (supported local store, got them on sale about $6 a string, no freight). Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I've used both HLE & CDI and they are great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Don Gillespie Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 wbottomley wrote: I've used both HLE & CDI and they are great!William love your signature what about that one kid that was crying though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Don Gillespie wrote:wbottomley wrote: I've used both HLE & CDI and they are great!William love your signature what about that one kid that was crying though He was disappointed because those cheap LED's quit working. I told that kid to watch the part of the show that had HLE & CDI LED's. Then he smiled. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 tonyski wrote: Sorry, I just copied and pasted.Tryhttp://www.idealtruevalue.comand search for "M5 led"For what it is worth, I use 21 sets of white 50ct lights that are Neo Neon lights that Ace Hardware sold under the "Celebrations" name for arches the past 2 years (bought them new from somebody on PC, not in the store). They look identical to what truevalue is offering above. Mine are listed as "Warm White" but they are definitely more of "True white" (not cool white though, but very white). They don't match all my other Warm White LEDs (walmart brand) or white incandescents. This is ok, since they are for my arches, so they do make them pop out at you a tad more. The faceted M5 cap is "interesting". It doesn't go into the green base of the light, but rather is glued onto the outside of the green base (and glued kinda sloppily). I have had several caps fall off, but they would be an easy fix. I don't know if this is good or bad. The base of the light appears to be shrink/heat wrapped with a green coating--doesn't appear to serve any purpose other than to color the tube of the base of the light that would otherwise be clear plastic. My guess it is to make it still look like a traditional mini christmas light set, since if it didn't it probably wouldn't sell. The green coating doesn't really extend down onto the wires so it doesn't help make that end water-tight--inf fact it is just as open where the wires enter in as a cheap set of incandescents. I haven't had any failures in the 2 years of use. They have worked for my needs . I am kinda indifferent as to their quality overall though. Probably lean away from them mostly since they aren't really warm white. Just FYI.This is the exact manufacturer number on my boxes:http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001ECV87MManufacturer number: LEDM5504SWN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeiilll Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I have Neo-Neon 60 count C5 style strings on my mega tree. I am using 96 strings of them that I purchased from a fellow over on the PC forum who gave me a great deal on them.So far they have lasted 3 years with only 2 LEDs going bad in that time.The only big "fault" with them was that the lens caps were very poorly glued onto the leds. Some were inserted correctly but a great deal were either just barely into the lens or crocked off to one side. They also did have a tendency to come off very easily and were not glued on with very much glue at all. Their construction was not the best for sure but it is passable for our use.I spent a month after the first year using a heat gun to pull the badly crooked lens and the ones that were only on a little bit off and then reglued all 5760 lens caps onto the leds! That was a lot of work but they have lasted well so far and are nice and bright and dim and fade just fine.My primary leds are Holiday Creations brand that are what CDI sells now. They have been the best overall of any leds that I have tried as far as consistent quality, longevity, dimming, and fading qualities.I did purchase some strings from HLE but had some problems with them.I would say that overall I would tend to recommend CDI above the others out of these 3.The company is outstanding to work with and stands behind everything they sell as well as they are carrying the best (in my opinion) brand of LEDs that are on the market today.You won't go wrong in dealing with them whereas I can't say that about the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeiilll Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 My appologies on my last post.I meant to say that I have NOT purchased any lights from HLE so I can't comment on them.I thought that I had but it was from another company that I had gotten some lights that were less than quality.I don't want to give anyone the wrong impression of Brian and HLE since I have not had any dealings with them - Yet!I guess I will have to buy some lights from them so that I will know how their product stands up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I thought HLE and CDI lights were the same "brand". Is this correct? Or am I confusing this with something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddH Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Surfing4Dough wrote: I thought HLE and CDI lights were the same "brand". Is this correct? Or am I confusing this with something else?I also heard the same thing, and I believe I was told that Paul confirmed that after some debate, that in fact the same manufacture that they use is what HLE uses I do not recall the thread it was on or whom told me that but I am almost certin that is the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Surfing4Dough wrote:I thought HLE and CDI lights were the same "brand". Is this correct? Or am I confusing this with something else?Surf... you are correct. Holiday Creations, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddH Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 ToddH wrote: Surfing4Dough wrote: I thought HLE and CDI lights were the same "brand". Is this correct? Or am I confusing this with something else?I also heard the same thing, and I believe I was told that Paul confirmed that after some debate, that in fact the same manufacture that they use is what HLE uses I do not recall the thread it was on or whom told me that but I am almost certin that is the case.Think i might be wrong here, after thinking about it it might have been MITS that uses the same manufacture as CDI...can someone confirm or deny this for us please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyski Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Thanks All. I love the fact that there is never a lack of opinions here!!!!!I also posted this question at Planet Christmas and another vendor came up:http://www.magicinthesky.com/lighting/index.htmprices seem very competitive and construction seem the same as CDI and HLE.Several members there sing their praises.I guess I'll put a pencil to paper and go with the best prices.This has been very useful to me. I hope it has helped others as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyski Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 OH, I guess MITS mentioned above is Magic in the Sky...Oops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryMartin Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I'm using about 140 strings of CDI and in my third year with some, second year with the rest. No failures and they still all look as bright as the day I got them.Note: I didn't buy any the year CDI had supplier issues. Lucked out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now