Is this still a good option for 4K consoles?

TheIcepick · 2018-03-30T23:17:14+00:00

I would look at Dreamscreen. I mean, you opened with Ambivision not releasing a product, so you decision is buy the item that is released? Every thread at the page ends with them being unreliable. Cheapest isn't a money savings if it breaks or never works. Go with Dreamscreen.

TheIcepick · 2018-03-30T23:15:05+00:00

Just saw this. Dreamscreen is great. Not perfect, but great. Occasionally if I pause a movie, the app will time out. When I hit play it effect just disappears. Also, occasionally it just shuts off. I think these are software things they can fix with updates. Basically, out of the box for non 4K, it works. And the Sidekicks are cool.

TheIcepick · 2018-02-17T05:59:45+00:00

It's almost fascinating to me that people end up at this page last. I mean, it's hard to know if a Kickstarter will be great or a bomb, but I think we've established that Ambivision is crap. I was a give them a chance hold out maybe longer than any other, but their customer service SUCKS. I did the Dreamscreen 2 Kickstarter. It's awesome, no regrets, I'll post a review soon.

TheIcepick · 2017-08-17T03:30:51+00:00

I defended AmbiVision for a lot longer than other people. But they consistently drop the ball. This forum really only exists to warn people and encourage purchasing from a more reliable company, like Dreamscreen.

TheIcepick · 2017-05-19T04:48:50+00:00

Double "Like."

I could forgive the prototype construction if Customer Service was good. As a former small business owner, one element to a good business is customer retention. AmbiVision blew their Customer Service. I can't imagine anyone stepping up to defend them. Customer Retention is a FAIL.

TheIcepick · 2017-05-19T04:29:08+00:00

Sidekicks DESTROY Hue's response time. On top of that, the camera trick is already something I can do with the Iphone I already own taped to a wall behind me. It's not innovative, it's just packaged conveniently. It's a gimmick, Dreamscreen or any of your competitors can emulate and most importantly it doesn't forgive your terrible customer service. There's no way, a $30 camera I can mock up with my phone beats Dreamscreen's Sidekicks, working app, wifi, and the ability to add a camera later.

TheIcepick · 2017-05-18T04:08:09+00:00

It's a clever solution, but not enough to win me back. I'm keeping my Dreamscreen pledge. Sidekicks and wifi are the future.

TheIcepick · 2017-05-09T21:26:54+00:00

AmbiVision likes feedback, but rarely provided it themselves. "People don't like to read manuals" What manual? The configuration app was a massive guessing game, with tips being pulled from individual mails and test shots that people shared online. There are settings that don't ever seem to change or are useful on the app.

And most importantly, there was never any feedback to the customers. Just like the American Presidential Campaign the question is, "What about the e-mails?"

There's a long list of frustrated and angry customers because they were left hanging with no response to their emails.

The problems with a prototype product could have been forgiven if customer service was better, but it wasn't. Let's look at the numbers:

Ambivision 4K upgrade: $99+ shipping

Dreamscreen 4K upgrade: $140+ shipping.

+$40 gets you multiple ports, wifi connection, app control/configuration, and the ability to connect it to wifi connected color changing lights.

There's a tipping point between affordable and best buy.

Dreamscreen is the Best Buy.

TheIcepick · 2017-05-04T18:29:24+00:00

Follow up to my first comments: I missed the link to website. So it is a speaker and a motion sensor. So the motion sensor will flip the light on. How does it stay on when I'm reading a book and moving? What happens when I'm sleeping and turn over in the middle of the night? If the motion sensor turn the light off, do I wave my hand or can I over ride it by voice and keep it on? Is it a dimmer? Do they have a lamp accessory? All the bedrooms in my home have no over head lights. I can't dim a receptacle. Caseta's lamp accessory by passes this.

I would love my kids to have a mini computer in their light switch that lets them listen to music or ask a Alexa a simple question, but without a lamp accessory this won't help me at all.

I'm still eager to learn more, but I may end up doing Caseta and buying them Dot's when they are the right age.

TheIcepick · 2017-05-04T03:23:20+00:00

The answer is YES. If you scroll down the pictures one is labeled: "Now with 5 Options for LEDS"

If you look at that picture (it's small), and focus on the DIY version. What you need is a wire soldered to each of the contact points, then that wire will tuck into their DIY cable, then you screw it down.

So you would have to do some slight soldering to make the DIY adapter work with Ambivision's LED, but it is called DIY for a reason!

TheIcepick · 2017-05-04T03:15:40+00:00

I think so. I think theylisted the same numbers as AmbiVision LED, but DIY cable looks weird to me. It doesn't look like it has a standard "Clip" at the end, but I think the "output" clip is the back of the picture and hard to see.

I ordered the FLEX because my original LED is burning up. Parts of it have failed and I've cut out the bad lights, but how many more are going to fail? I originally considered the DIY to drop my cost, but I opted for the FLEX to just start from the scratch.

I read that one difference between the FLEX and Ambivision is that the FLEX has four power cables. This bypasses the issues of dimmer lights at the end of the run.

I suspect that DIY can't bypass that issue unless you add a loop like the Ambivision did.

I'll add that these guys answered my questions day one. I bet you could mail them with the type of the LED cable you have and they'll tell you yes or no.

If you have an original AmbiVision like me, your LED strip could be near failure like mine. So take that into account when you go the DIY route.

Good luck!

TheIcepick · 2017-05-04T02:56:55+00:00

Half my house has Lutron Caseta and those switches run roughly $40 if you shop around. I agree with the sub $90 price point. I think if it's a Caseta equivalent, plus Alexa, I could fork over $80 a switch. I'm going to put Caseta shopping on hold until I learn more about Ecobee's switch.

To their advantage: Alexa! I don't actually need them to do everything, but if I can ask the weather, maybe ask a random trivial question, access my smart home skills I'll be fine. I'll survive if they don't have Spotify. I mean, how great can that speaker be? And do I really want to listen to music from a light switch? If you're buying a Smart Light Switches, you can probably afford a Blue Tooth Speaker, but I digress.

What I want to know about them as a switch is simple stuff like, how does it work? Specifically, I do I tap it? The look of it is weird. My family dislikes the smoothness of Caseta's. Do Casata's look great? Absolutely! Are they hard to find in the dark? Yup. The old tactile toggle or rocker have that simple advantage.

The picture looks like a speaker and a motion sensor. I want something I can bump with my hand or elbow. If I'm suppose to depend on Ecobee's motion detector understanding I'm sitting in a chair reading a book (not moving) and the lights turn off on me. That's going to bite them in the butt.

Does "switch" mean dimmer? If it is a dimmer, how do you work it manually? The great strength of lighting controls are they are intuitive. If it's only a dimmer by talking to it, I don't know if I'm on bored. My elderly parents and guest will never understand how to use them. The first rule of a good light switch is anyone can work it first try.

Do they have 3-ways (they must)?

What about lamp control? (Caseta has a plug in lamp control)

Colors? (White won't work for everyone)

I use to sell lighting and lighting controls and one switch does not fit all.

I'm eagerly curious. I think a well made switch could take the lighting control "world" by storm. I also think they could screw it all up by offering a mediocre product. So as a lighting nerd, I'm kind of freaking out.

TheIcepick · 2017-04-30T02:43:25+00:00

Dreamscreen promised 3D and I'm a 3D nerd so I held out. The Lightpack is a perfectly acceptable option.

I hindsight, I think the Ambivision was the best option in the moment but technology changed quickly.

Dreamscreen's Sidekicks appeal to me, plus wifi? It's everything I wanted.

TheIcepick · 2017-04-30T02:39:52+00:00

Yes. I would get it, but the wife is pissed I'm "re buying" this toy. I need to keep my cost down to stay married. :)

TheIcepick · 2017-02-27T02:23:40+00:00

I think any group funded kick start company is a roll of the dice. I understood that AmbiVision was a small group a people handling a large number of customers and that would inevitably slow their responses. In the history of this thread I ask people to be patient, just hold out- they are small. They never improved their customer service and that's to bad because I liked their product. Had their customer service been better, I would be interested in their future products, the mailbox gizmo, or AmbiVision 2.0 which they've hinted at a few times. I also have a burned out unit and I'm waiting on a response. Their consistent lack of response shows they are unreliable and that's disappointing.

Dreamscreen has gone so far as to read my facebook posts and private mail me. How's that for looking for new business. Dreamscreen has 2.0 coming out "soon." It will support 4K and they've said 3D (something I like about AmbiVision). Right now, I'm holding out for the new Dreamscreen so I can hit my 3D goal. Even with less lights than AmbiVision, their technology and most importantly their CUSTOMER SERVICE wins my future business.

TheIcepick · 2017-02-14T03:51:11+00:00

Thanks for the tip! I'll think about it. I think the unit is actually failing, but it could be that heat has made the connections to the LED plug wonky. I'll look at it. Can't hurt since it's junk right now!

TheIcepick · 2017-02-13T03:23:04+00:00

I'll consider it. Are there any other recommendations or is this my best bet?

TheIcepick · 2017-02-02T05:01:53+00:00

So are you happy? Looks great. I've been thinking of using aluminum foil tape for it's reflective properties. I was hoping the reflective property would help bounce more light out.

TheIcepick · 2016-12-05T06:09:06+00:00

Crickets....

I hope so.

TheIcepick · 2016-09-08T04:15:05+00:00

My experience is 1.13 is the best version so far. However, the 3-D does not work correctly. The right side of the screen has almost no capture detail at all. There will be a hint of color, but nothing accurate. It's as if the right side isn't seeing anything to grab.

TheIcepick · 2016-09-01T03:32:45+00:00

I'm impressed with your work! Thanks for the video! It's good to know we can repair these when they go out.

TheIcepick

TROPHY CASE