Re: Received Smart Strings poor quality

[tbone321]

TBONE321: What are you using to test your lights? Can us mere mortals use the same approach? I have the feeling that we will probably see a whole new rash of problems when we can light them up. Jim

I ordered a TH2010 series LED pixel remote controller from Ray.  I initially ordered it to play with the smart strings a little to see how they work without waiting for the smart string controller to ship and now it seems to have turned into a wise investment. 

[Pete]

Yes,

I  agree!  Worth every penny!!

Thanks for letting us know about it!   

[taybrynn]

Were on the bleeding edge with these products and its showing.    This is what I expected, but was hoping to be wrong. 

Hopefully most are better than what were seeing here.  Quality control in China just isn't there yet.

Mine seem ok, but I have only tested the non 1804 5050 rect. modules thus far ... and they are insanely bright (good).

[tconley]

i think i need to get a tester

[JimWright]

I ordered a tester last night so that I can find out what is going on.
Jim

[vairmoose]

Now I'm starting to get a bit nervous...    My order (lights plus the "tester") were just shipped but I won't be seeing them until May 8  (alternate delivery method chosen)..   

Hopefully all will be well.

Larry

[RJ]

spoke with ray and there was a issue at the factory on the last batch. He shipped some out to users before it was found. The factory is redoing the batch and ray says he will take care of the users that got them but you have to get with him instead of sitting around planning how to fix them get them replaced.

I say this for two reasons. One you paid for them to be correct. I have thosands of them and do not have them hanging out of the mold ect. You should also get them correct. And if you do not hold them accountable it limits the sting that will make sure future production is correct. As he said it is costing the factory money and time to remake them so they are very interested in making sure it does not happen again. When you accept the poor quality ones you limit the driving force for them to improve.

The first batch did not have this issue so that is why some are happy with them and the recent users are not.

RJ

[Trepidati0n]

RJ,

With enough people through the process flow this first time around, do you think you or one of your trusted members feel they could come up with a PDF which would better outline the ordering process, escrow, handling delays, and especially handling the reciving part?  I think some members here might be getting a bit nervous.  Having some sort of "how to" might make it work out a bit easier.  Probalby just as nerve racking as the first time some people here picked up a soldering iron compared now having to order directly from China.

[akonkman]

RJ,

Thanks for the motivating reasons to get these fixed.  I'll be sending a note to Ray now to make sure I get taken care of.  I'll keep everyone posted with what I find out.  It makes me feel a bit better to know that this was an "oops" rather than a "this is just how the nodes will be" sort of thing.

Andy

[tbone321]

I got my smart strings today.  The number of strings was correct and the node count seems to be pretty good.  A 50 node string looks like it is one node short but a 100 node string lookslike it is 1 or 2 over so at worst, I'm 1 node short.  I did count them while they were still bunched up so I could be a little off.  I didn't stretch out the strings yet to fully inspect the nodes but I can see that a few of them have the same defects listed by others.  I will stretch them out tomorrow to light them up and that's when I will really inspect the nodes to get a defect count and contact Ray to see what can be done about them.  I don't mind sending back the entire string(s) if that's what he wants but I'm not doing it at my expense.

[chrisatpsu]

I talked to Ray today, he offered to either refund me the cost of my 12 nodes, or to include 12 in a future order.

[taybrynn]

When you say "talked to Ray" ... are you saying you chatted on the website?

[chrisatpsu]

i used the trademanager application

[akonkman]

I just got done chatting with Ray through the "chat now" feature of aliexpress.  He will be shipping me 38 nodes along with 20 feet of the 3-wire cable.  He said that replacing the entire 4 strings would cost him too much, and asked that I understand his position.  Being the soft-hearted guy that I am    I went along with it.  I guess I'll just end up getting more splicing practice than I originally was intending to get.

He's also pushing out the timer about 10 days to allow time for the replacement nodes to arrive before I finally confirm the order and release payment to him.

All in all, I'm fine with the resolution.  I realize this is the price to pay when you are on the bleeding edge. 

[fjaust]

i don't know if the nodes are all that bleeding edge. they have been around in a standard DMX 4 wire configuration for quite a while now so i don't thinks it's a case of never having made them before. i think Ray just didn't expect the amount of orders he got hit with when RJ released the details and now he is struggling and rushing (= poor quality) to get the orders all filled in a reasonable amount of time.