Will the Cololight Hexagons Revive Your Living Space?

The selection of app-controlled LEDs that you may mount round your own home is appreciable. You’ll be able to barely purchase a TV in particular person or on-line with out programmable LEDs showing as an additional choice.

Nevertheless, LED strips don’t go well with everybody, which is why Cololight has issued a collection of formed merchandise. The Cololight Hexagons specifically supply varied attention-grabbing ornamental choices that transcend atmospheric mild strips, as a substitute permitting your LEDs to be personalized and even change into speaking factors in your house.

Are these configurable LEDs with good assistant integration and customizable show patterns the atmospheric illuminated decoration you’re on the lookout for? Let’s discover out.

A Field of Bee-Lights

We reviewed the Cololight Hexagon Professional Participant Package, which options 9 hexagons, a Professional controller unit with a surprisingly brief one-meter cable, a heavy mounting base, 9 energy connectors, and small plastic fixings (for stability). It additionally features a wall mounting equipment, which incorporates 4mm screws and matching anchors. Different kits can be found, together with particular person hexagons to increase the probabilities.

The controller unit is a multi-function energy cable and connector energy, designed to transmit energy and sign knowledge via any linked hexagon LEDs. It options Wi-Fi, a touch-button controller, and a locking nut to make sure stability and a dependable connection. With out this, there is no such thing as a mild and the LEDs can’t be programmed.

Hexagons, In every single place

Winner of the 2019 CES Innovation Awards, Cololight has been producing customizable LEDs for a number of years now. The hexagons are simply a part of a group that features strips and triangles.

There’s, nonetheless, one thing significantly putting concerning the hexagon form that lends itself to customizable LEDs. This isn’t merely a case of connecting the LEDs and deciding on a shade. Fairly, these LEDs could be linked in any configuration you possibly can conceive.

Every LED options seven ports on the rear, for energy, knowledge, and steady connectivity. Whereas the 9 hexagons may appear sufficient, you’ll most likely want for some extra, ultimately. As such, Cololight affords varied further kits and extension packs.

Cololight Hexagon Options

Cololight Hexagons boast 16 million colours with three choice modes. These are managed through the app or good assistant integration (see beneath).

Every hexagon is 86 x 74.5 x 30.5mm and weighs simply 1.9oz (53g). LEDs and circuitry are housed in an ivory ABS case, with ABS+PC masking the LEDs, which helps to cover the person beads. Every module incorporates 19 LEDs with particular person shade management, greater than many related competitor merchandise. Direct management of LEDs could be loved through the cellular app.

With 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi enabled (5GHz shouldn’t be supported), and operating from a 5V DC connection, maximal (peak) energy consumption is 5W.

Cololight Hexagons could be managed utilizing both the contact button on the again, sound, or the Cololight app for Android and iPhone. There’s additionally apparently help for the Steam Deck handheld gaming PC in some kind, though we won’t confirm that.

Whereas good residence integration help for Alexa and Google Assistant is promised on the packaging, there appears to be some difficulty with this (extra on that later).

Stand, or Wall Mounted

Because of the flexibleness of the hexagons, you possibly can organize this equipment roughly as you need. Given the colours on supply and the versatile configurations, it ought to go well with any inside.

To reinforce the probabilities, the Cololight Hexagons ship with two mounting choices, a stand or mounting base, and mounting brackets.

The stand is simple sufficient. You merely thread the USB cable via the outlet, verify the controller is mounted securely within the slot, then join a hexagon. From this level, you possibly can then join different hexagons to create the association that fits. The stand is good and heavy, suited to the 9 hexes we got, however vulnerable to toppling if the load of the hexagons is not evenly distributed.

Issues are just a little extra sophisticated with the mounting brackets. Earlier than continuing to connect the Cololights Hexagons to a wall, it’s a good suggestion to take a couple of minutes to attach them collectively.

Fixing the Cololight Hexagons Collectively

These plastic hexagons could be hooked collectively utilizing connectors. Primarily bridges that ship the facility and knowledge sign to the subsequent Cololight Hexagon within the chain, they’re accompanied by fixators. These are barely smaller, supposed for making a Cololight form sturdier.

Sadly, the connectors and fixators are just a little unwieldy for a fat-fingered klutz like me. I discovered myself spending far more time than I felt was affordable making an attempt to assemble the hexagons in an association I discovered pleasing.

Whereas the 9 Cololight Hexagons restrict you to a handful of easy designs, further Cololights permit for extra elaborate creations. Consequently, the fixators are as vital because the connectors for something however the easiest development.

Notice that whilst you shouldn’t want fixators when utilizing the mounting plates, there may be sufficient house to make use of them if required.

With the hexagons linked, you should use the button on the controller to cycle via the essential options—on, off, and audio-reactive.

Mounting the Cololight Hexagons

Fairly than use the included stand, you can even mount the hexagons. A linkable assortment of mounts are included, one-per-hex, which every function a small clasp that grabs any hexagon that’s pushed onto it.

Whereas an acceptable answer for mounting the Cololight Hexagons on a wall, these plastic plates will not be with out their issues.

Firstly, they’re a bit flimsy. The clasps appear to interrupt simply—our equipment misplaced two—which suggests they’re basically unusable. Secondly, you possibly can’t mount the hexagon that’s connected to the controller. There merely isn’t house for the clasp or the encircling ring; taking the clasp off as soon as the plates had been mounted didn’t work. As an alternative, the one answer was to really take away the plate (securely linked to the others) after mounting, to supply house for the controller-connected hexagon.

All in all, not an amazing expertise. Notice additionally that with the wall-mounted choice, the Cololight Hexagons can’t be operated by hand as you possibly can entry the button. As such, the cellular app must be configured and linked over Wi-Fi to the Cololight units earlier than mounting.

Utilizing the Cololight Cell App

A key ingredient of the Cololight Hexagon expertise is the cellular app. That is used to attach the controller to your Wi-Fi community, though that is solely suitable with 2.4GHz wi-fi networks.

Syncing the app to the Cololight Hexagons is pleasingly easy, and the feature-packed app—for Android and iPhone—presents all of the choices you can have to take advantage of out of the equipment.

You’ve bought an on/off button, in addition to the flexibility to easily swipe up and down to alter the sample of the LEDs. You too can swipe to the precise for stable colours, open up a palette to pick from the 16 million obtainable colours, and even alter brightness.

An extra swipe to the precise reveals varied configurations that may be constructed, every with its personal sample. Sadly, most of those are for greater than 9 hexagons.

An extra choice is to create your personal sample. Whereas the app supplies a sensible person interface for doing this it crashed on each my makes an attempt.

Lastly, the app lets you configure how the hexes react to music.

Controlling the LEDs with Sound

One of many first issues to strive with the Cololight Hexagons is to see how the lights react to sound. The button mounted on the controller unit can be utilized right here to toggle between modes.

Alternatively, you should use the cellular app to allow the sound reactive mode. This allows you to detect audio utilizing the cellphone’s mic, or the Cololight’s personal machine mic. If the cellphone is nearer to the audio supply, this could be a higher choice, however total you’ll most likely wish to guarantee your music is pumping close to to the Cololight Hexagons.

Any form of sound can provoke the Cololights, from claps and beats to any music you playback. You’ll be able to even get outcomes with a ukulele!

Cololight Hexagons Look Nice, However Is 9 Sufficient?

Biking via the assorted designs and customized choices, the Cololight Hexagons look putting sufficient to attract consideration in any room. Not like the frequent LED strips, they don’t simply carry ambiance to a room, they supply a speaking level.

To start out off, 9 hexes may be nearly proper, actually if all you intend to do is show modest LED exhibits. However past 9, the controller unit begins to get a bit unsteady, and also you get the sensation the entire decoration can tip over, the heavy base unit included.

Briefly, for those who’re planning on greater than 9 hexagons, use the wall mounts.

The place Can You Use the Cololight Hexagons?

Fancy an attention-grabbing illuminated decoration? The Cololight Hexagons are supreme. Want one thing conscious of music? Once more, these LEDs are good.

Whether or not you want a fantastic-looking decoration that may reply to audio, temper, or simply look a bit futuristic, otherwise you want a bit of digital artwork that adjustments together with your outlook, the Cololight Hexagons go well with nearly any room and floor.

Because of Wi-Fi integration, wherever you might be on the earth, you possibly can entry the Cololight Hexagons. Nevertheless, regardless of listings stating integration with Alexa and Google Assistant, this proved inconceivable to arrange. Within the case of Alexa, the required integration results in a defunct web site, with loads of feedback from different Alexa customers bemoaning the dearth of promised performance. Google Assistant integration additionally proved non-existent.

Nice Wanting, Atmospheric LEDs for Any Room

Some LED techniques look a bit low-cost; the Cololight Hexagons look something however. This is likely one of the finest LED techniques I’ve seen, a putting equipment that goes past strips on the again of a TV or monitor and re-packages customizable LED lamps as speaking factors and ornaments.

Simply have a look at the heavy base that ships with this equipment!

On the draw back, new hexagons are a bit dear, the dearth of 5GHz wi-fi help looks as if a key omission, and creating patterns within the cellular app is a bit hit-and-miss. The ability cable can be ridiculously brief, particularly for wall- or ceiling-mounted—one meter is just not lengthy sufficient. As for the dearth of promised good integrations…

However for those who’re on the lookout for a reactive LED answer to your residence, workplace, or studio Cololight Hexagons are enjoyable, customizable, and look wonderful.

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