I recently received the 3M version of this from Massdrop, and after a few days I can say the SingHong kits are pretty decent. I'm a little annoyed by the app, but overall this has added some solid lighting to my computer desk. I used the kit to mount lights under a shelf above my desk, as well as some on the back of my monitor. Here's the specifics:
PRO:
+ The lights are pretty bright. I was worried they'd end up being more of a cosmetic and I'd need a desk lamp to compliment them, but they provide practical lighting on their own.
+ If you're handy and get the right components, these strips can be cut at regular intervals and spliced together into a customized arrangement. Be careful though, this requires a bit of research and a delicate touch, and obviously you can't uncut the strip.
+ The bluetooth receiver has reasonably good range. My phone detects it from anywhere in the computer room, and even from a room away.
+ For basic purposes, the SHLighting app works well. A gradient color wheel allows a wide array of colors to be selected, and up to four colors can be saved as favorites. The timer and schedule features work as expected.
CON:
- The special features in the SHLighting app are just not good. The music visualizer, from what I can tell, uses the phone's microphone, and is so sensitive to sound that the lights just spaz out to any and all noises, no matter how slight. It's too soon to say, but I can't imagine this is very battery efficient either.
- Likewise, the "scenes" are disappointing. These include flash (the lights flash on and off), slow flash, breathing (in which the lights brighten and fade), slow breathing, rainbow (like breathing, but it changes color), and chameleon (color changing with consistent brightness). These all operate way faster than expected, even the slow versions. It's not very pleasant at all, and despite app store screenshots suggesting otherwise, there's no option to add scenes or customize the existing ones (aside from color selection for the first four).
- While the color wheel affords a wide array of color selections, it's very imprecise. I'd like to see a way to set numeric red, green, and blue values in the app, but I get the impression I shouldn't hold my breath for any additional features.
Finally, a point that doesn't really fall in either category: there's a "White" button next to the color wheel allowing you to select pure white without horsing around with the color wheel. This white has a sort of slightly blueish tint to it, sort of like I'd expect from LEDs. If this is a turn off, there's a way around this: use the color wheel to select a very, very light reddish-yellow gives a good, warm white light. I've found this comfortable on the eyes, to the point I'd call it a solution rather than a compromise.
So yeah, in short this is a pretty solid kit if your needs are simple. If you're looking for robust, programmable features in the app, this is not the kit for you. It's easier to order the kit here than to deal with all the stumbling around and guesswork that comes with going on Amazon to get a roll of LEDs, a controller, and all the components. I hope this information is helpful!
PRO: + The lights are pretty bright. I was worried they'd end up being more of a cosmetic and I'd need a desk lamp to compliment them, but they provide practical lighting on their own. + If you're handy and get the right components, these strips can be cut at regular intervals and spliced together into a customized arrangement. Be careful though, this requires a bit of research and a delicate touch, and obviously you can't uncut the strip. + The bluetooth receiver has reasonably good range. My phone detects it from anywhere in the computer room, and even from a room away. + For basic purposes, the SHLighting app works well. A gradient color wheel allows a wide array of colors to be selected, and up to four colors can be saved as favorites. The timer and schedule features work as expected.
CON: - The special features in the SHLighting app are just not good. The music visualizer, from what I can tell, uses the phone's microphone, and is so sensitive to sound that the lights just spaz out to any and all noises, no matter how slight. It's too soon to say, but I can't imagine this is very battery efficient either. - Likewise, the "scenes" are disappointing. These include flash (the lights flash on and off), slow flash, breathing (in which the lights brighten and fade), slow breathing, rainbow (like breathing, but it changes color), and chameleon (color changing with consistent brightness). These all operate way faster than expected, even the slow versions. It's not very pleasant at all, and despite app store screenshots suggesting otherwise, there's no option to add scenes or customize the existing ones (aside from color selection for the first four). - While the color wheel affords a wide array of color selections, it's very imprecise. I'd like to see a way to set numeric red, green, and blue values in the app, but I get the impression I shouldn't hold my breath for any additional features.
Finally, a point that doesn't really fall in either category: there's a "White" button next to the color wheel allowing you to select pure white without horsing around with the color wheel. This white has a sort of slightly blueish tint to it, sort of like I'd expect from LEDs. If this is a turn off, there's a way around this: use the color wheel to select a very, very light reddish-yellow gives a good, warm white light. I've found this comfortable on the eyes, to the point I'd call it a solution rather than a compromise.
So yeah, in short this is a pretty solid kit if your needs are simple. If you're looking for robust, programmable features in the app, this is not the kit for you. It's easier to order the kit here than to deal with all the stumbling around and guesswork that comes with going on Amazon to get a roll of LEDs, a controller, and all the components. I hope this information is helpful!