Recent content by TheIntruder

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    LED filament bulbs a market failure?

    The incongruity of sticking a big white twisty inside a fancy ornamental/antique fixture for all the world to see is what bugs me. I expect starkness and harshness from more functional fixtures like security lights, but one could argue that aesthetics are a big part of house fixtures. To me...
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    Who's taking over at Home Depot?

    That wouldn't surprise me, but I didn't notice any upheavals at any other stores, and one would think that, given the sensationalist bent the media has now, especially local TV news during May Sweeps, they'd make a big deal of it. Literally all but 25% of the lighting aisle was bare. This...
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    Who's taking over at Home Depot?

    A little while ago, I noticed that almost all off the Ax/household/non-specialty bulbs at Home Despot were marked with yellow clearance tags on the shelf. I would have picked up some spares, but the discounts weren't that great. Fast forward to yesterday, all the shelves were bare except for...
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    LED filament bulbs a market failure?

    I have a few in clear glass fixtures for outdoor lighting. They have clear glass globes and are not the kind marketed as vintage-look, which are tinted. I think the lumen ratings on some of them are quite optimistic, but the ones I chose have more "filaments" than typical for the wattage...
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    Impressions of Allmaybe TC2 (nee XTAR ET1 Polaris) battery charger

    More impressions... Took the opportunity over the weekend to try out the capacity test function with an almost new Samsung 30Q (< 5 cycles). The cell was nearly full, so it didn't take long for the initial charge phase to complete, but overall, it still required about 13-14 hours total for the...
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    Test/review of UltraFire H2 (HXY-H2)

    This charger has been sold under various names, at as low as ~$5 at one point (as the Eastshine S2), which made it quite popular on a deal site. More normally, it was closer to $10 with a coupon code, or from seller Vitovill on Amazon (though only the 4-slot version is listed now). HKJ, do you...
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    Impressions of Allmaybe TC2 (nee XTAR ET1 Polaris) battery charger

    I fully understand that USB input imposes constraints that many don't want, especially heavy-duty users. For me, as a casual user, it's something I can live with and later opt for something more if needed. But for now, I'm loathe to add yet another 12v mains adapter to the mess behind my desk...
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    Impressions of Allmaybe TC2 (nee XTAR ET1 Polaris) battery charger

    Just received a new charger, the Allmaybe TC2, an English-language version of the XTAR ET1 Polaris. For reasons unknown, the ET1 is marketed only in China, and I had resigned myself to a VC2 Plus, despite some minor reservations about it, before making an inquiry to XTAR directly. Unbeknownst...
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    Why isn't the ET1 charger marketed internationally?

    As Professor Farnsworth used to say, "Good News, Everyone." My curiosity got the better of me, so I contacted Xtar directly to ask that they consider selling an English version of the ET1 outside China. At first, they thought I might a potential dealer/distributor, but after a clarification...
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    Why isn't the ET1 charger marketed internationally?

    Something else I didn't catch initially...apparently, it also measures capacity! Given that's it's been on the Chinese market for over a year, I guess Xtar has no interest in expanding it. Too bad.
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    Why isn't the ET1 charger marketed internationally?

    I happened upon the ET1 charger, and despite being unable to read Chinese, was still able to make out the basic features of what appears to be an attractive product. * 2-slot * Li-ion/Ni-MH compatibility * 0.5/1.0/2.0A current capability * Micro USB input (not the proprietary cable that many...
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    Is this a Philips QC issue?

    Nope, not counterfeit. New, unopened product. Both retailers, Amazon and Pep Boys, appear on this list. Like I said, I didn't buy this things off the street from some guy who drove buy in a van, and was selling them for a dollar, in white boxes. I did what any normal consumer would, and...
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    Is this a Philips QC issue?

    I had the opportunity to examine the same product at a local store. The results are just as inconsistent. The bulbs in one package were even worse than the ones I received. Therein lies the problem. I have other applications where their German-made bulbs were fine. One package I can...
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    Is this a Philips QC issue?

    I will. But I'm not sure I could trust Philips again after this, or at least anything not from their German factories. Both packages show the same sort of inconsistency. These should be first quality, from one of the big OEMs, not the seconds they're said to pawn off to other brands like...
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    Is this a Philips QC issue?

    Received a couple packs of Philips 9004 VP bulbs. In the process of installing them, I noticed something seemingly odd about the bulbs -- the "pedestal" isn't attached symmetrically to the legs. All four bulbs in both packs exhibit this trait. They were sold by Amazon, so I believe they are...
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