These lights would get a 5-star rating if the software controls work as designed.
I bought two of these lights to use for work video conferencing during COVID-19 shelter-in-place spring 2020.
The software controls the on/off function of the light, as well as the color temp, and the lumen intensity. However, the lights can only be turned on by using the software, which can be installed on a phone and/or computer.
I have the software installed on a MacBook Pro (2016 Dual-core i7) and on an iPhone X. The software communicates with the lights over Wi-Fi. I have a brand new Google Mesh Wi-Fi network, and the lights are in a 4-bar Wi-Fi zone.
The initial set up was easy. The lights have been set up and connected to Wi-Fi for the past 2+ weeks.
Unfortunately, the lights WILL NOT remain connected to Wi-FI. So, when you want to turn the lights on, or off, you simply cannot.
Here's what happens:
In the morning if I try to turn on the lights using the software for my first meeting of the day, I usually see a message "to connect - open Wi-Fi menu and add new device..." - sometimes if I wait 10 minutes or more, the light controls will mysteriously become available.
There is no way to manually turn on the lights. They require software to make that happen.
Sometimes controls for one light are available and the second light control is MIA.
If I do manage to get one, or two lights working, yay! The intensity and color controls are fantastic! Perfect for video calls.
However, most of the time during a conference call of 30 minutes or longer, the controls become unresponsive. The lights will be on, but I cannot turn them off using the software. I am then forced to manually turn off the lights, which basically powers off the lights and makes it impossible to use the software to power them on again.
I have reset the lights to factory settings and re-connected them to WiFi several times to try and debug. I have reset my Wi-Fi network several times to try to debug (the Google Nest Mesh Wi-Fi is awesome and works flawlessly!)
I really, really want to love these lights, and I would, if the software problems can be resolved. Sooooo bugggy.
| Brand | Elgato |
|---|---|
| Series | Elgato Key Light Air |
| Item model number | 10LAB9901 |
| Item Weight | 3.52 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 9.92 x 23.34 x 4.01 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 9.92 x 23.34 x 4.01 inches |
| Manufacturer | Elgato |
| ASIN | B082QHRZFW |
| Country of Origin | Taiwan |
| Date First Available | January 6, 2020 |
