Review on 🌈 20ft Dream Color LED Strip Lights with Music Sync - Miheal, Remote Controlled Color Changing Lights for Home, Kitchen, Bed, Bar, and Home Decoration by Dean Ledet

ContentsMy order of Miheal 20ft Dream Color Strip LED Strips with Music Sync arrived quickly and in great condition. Lamps and accessories for them were packed in bubble wrap. The packaging is shown in the attached photo marked "Packaging". The second photo labeled "Contents" shows all the items in the package. These include: 1. Light controller. The controller is the brain of the system. The light strips (item 5) and the power supply (item 2) are connected to this. It's worth noting that unlike most LED strips, which simply have a force-fit connector between themselves and the controller, Miheal uses automotive-style connectors, which have a positive connection and cannot accidentally come loose. Also, because this controller has a radio frequency (RF) remote control instead of an infrared (IR) remote control, the IR sensor cable does not protrude from the controller.2. energy source. It plugs into the outlet and the other end into the light controller. The cable has an on/off switch. You can also turn the strip on and off with the remote control, so I'm not sure why you need the switch, but it's there when you need it.3. Remote control. As mentioned, this is an RF remote, which I find much more desirable than an IR remote. When using RF, there is no need to point the remote at the controller. You also don't need line of sight between the remote and the controller, and in my experience, RF remotes are more stable than IR remotes. I think this is a nice finishing touch for an LED strip in this price range. With the remote control you can activate some Dream Color.4 chase effects and sequences. warranty card. This is as close as possible to the instructions. There was absolutely nothing in my package. The card indicates that you can send questions to m13265564084_1@163.com. Please note that 163.com is a kind of Chinese language website. It doesn't appear to be owned or affiliated with Miheal, so I'm not sure why an email address on this site could have anything to do with Miheal. I honestly didn't need any instructions on installing the headlights. However, there may be features in the remote that I haven't been able to find through experimentation.5. LED strip. These are two ten foot strips, each wound on its own spool, reminiscent of the spools used to store open reel audio cassettes in the '60s and '70s. The strips are shipped attached to the controller, but can be easily detached from the controller for easier installation. Ribbons inevitably contain LEDs with individual addressing (Dream Color). All kinds of running light and movement effects can be realized, which is not possible with RGB strips, where all LEDs behave like one LED. Waterproof? Please note that this LED strip is NOT sold as waterproof. This LED strip, like most, has exposed LEDs and other components so you can touch them. There is no clear plastic coating on the components which means the tape is NOT moisture resistant. I would NOT install this strip in a location where it might be exposed to water or where moisture might condense on it. Installation Before installing the strip I would recommend connecting it to the controller, plugging the controller into a power source and plugging in the power supply. into a wall socket. After removing the clear plastic insulating strip from the remote control, test the strip while it is still on the spool to ensure all functions are working properly. Do not leave the tape powered on for more than a few minutes while it is wound on the spool as it will get hot and could damage the tape. Installing the LED strip was pretty easy and went exactly as you would expect. Remove some protective tape from one end, secure that end, and then proceed by removing about a foot of tape and taping the strip in place. Repeat this process until the entire strip (or any number) is attached. You can trim off the excess at the end, but only at the intersections. The separation points are marked with three copper ovals and the letters "12V", "Dout", "GND". Cut through the center of the ovals. Remember that intersections appear approximately every 4 inches, so plan your installation accordingly. The removed portion of the strip cannot be used unless you purchase additional components. This strip has no side "steps" so make sure you plan your installation path well. When going around corners, I let the strip stick out about a half inch or so to avoid sharp creases. The back looks like such a crease could break the chain or even the back itself. Also, when you press the backing against the surface you want to stick it to, you can't just run your finger over the strip and press it against the surface. Keep in mind that LEDs and other electronic components are exposed on the strip, so I figured it's best to just apply pressure between the components. While this makes the process a bit tedious, it's not difficult or time-consuming. The glue works quite well and the strip seems very secure. Due to the metallic nature of the backing of the strip I would not advise removing or moving it once it is stuck. They are individually addressable, which means each LED can be a different color than the LED next to it. You cannot program the LEDs yourself, but a large number of sophisticated light programs are available to you with a remote control. Remote Control As I mentioned earlier, the remote control is limited in what it can do, although it's pretty good for accessing most functions that you might need. . There are 44 keys in total. 16 fixed colors, 8 scenes, three rainbow patterns and customizable modes are available. Warranty The Miheal LED Light Kit comes with a one year warranty. Apparently, if you need warranty service, you need to use the 163.com email address to contact the manufacturer and await a reply. I find the lack of direct telephone support to be a disadvantage. I had no way of getting warranty service. Application control This LED chain cannot be controlled by software. The only control option is the remote control. Conclusion The product is easy to set up and works well. It's great for accent lighting, but isn't bright enough to replace a table lamp or ceiling light for serious room lighting. In my opinion, several characteristics of the product indicate a tendency to save. These include: 1. Lack of packaging. Items are simply dropped into a mailer bag with no packaging, packaging or other attempts at protection.2. Totally missing instructions. Absolutely nothing.3. No dedicated Miheal website for product support.4. No direct phone number for warranty or technical support.5. Some LED kits come with an alcohol wipe to clean the surface where the tape is to be applied. This one doesn't.6. Many LED kits include clips that allow the LED strip to be attached in places where glue won't work. Not this one. Given these points, plus the lack of software control, I believe you're getting the best value at this price point. I would not buy a second set of these lamps.