DescriptionSince we published our unboxing video for the Monster Smart Illuminessence Orb, we have received a number of questions about how to set up the product. Having been through the process ourselves, we can understand the concerns and difficulties associated with the setup.The first helpful hint is to have a single panel connected to the controller. This will make the status of the controller far clearer than just trying to use the small blue LED on the controller. The second hint is to make sure that the phone you are using to configure the product is connected to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. If you have a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network in your home or office, you are likely connected to that since it is faster, but for the purposes of setting up the product, you must be connected to a 2.4 GHz.Once you're connected to the correct Wi-Fi network, make sure the light is in pairing mode. You'll know it is in pairing mode because the light will blink quickly green. Once all of these conditions are met, you are ready to go through the pairing process in the app. All of the Monster Smart Illuminessence products are Lighting (Wi-Fi), which is the third option in the pairing process.ParticipantsScott ErtzHostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

DescriptionSince we published our unboxing video for the Monster Smart Illuminessence Digit, we have received a number of questions about how to set up the product. Having been through the process ourselves, we can understand the concerns and difficulties associated with the setup.The first helpful hint is to have a single panel connected to the controller. This will make the status of the controller far clearer than just trying to use the small blue LED on the controller. The second hint is to make sure that the phone you are using to configure the product is connected to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. If you have a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network in your home or office, you are likely connected to that since it is faster, but for the purposes of setting up the product, you must be connected to a 2.4 GHz.Once you're connected to the correct Wi-Fi network, make sure the light is in pairing mode. You'll know it is in pairing mode because the light will blink quickly green. Once all of these conditions are met, you are ready to go through the pairing process in the app. All of the Monster Smart Illuminessence products are Lighting (Wi-Fi), which is the third option in the pairing process.ParticipantsScott ErtzHostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

DescriptionSince we published our unboxing video for the Monster Smart Illuminessence Prism, we have received a number of questions about how to set up the product. Having been through the process ourselves, we can understand the concerns and difficulties associated with the setup.The first helpful hint is to have a single panel connected to the controller. This will make the status of the controller far clearer than just trying to use the small blue LED on the controller. The second hint is to make sure that the phone you are using to configure the product is connected to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. If you have a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network in your home or office, you are likely connected to that since it is faster, but for the purposes of setting up the product, you must be connected to a 2.4 GHz.Once you're connected to the correct Wi-Fi network, make sure the light is in pairing mode. You'll know it is in pairing mode because the light will blink quickly green. Once all of these conditions are met, you are ready to go through the pairing process in the app. All of the Monster Smart Illuminessence products are Lighting (Wi-Fi), which is the third option in the pairing process.ParticipantsScott ErtzHostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

DescriptionFor those who purchased the Monster IlluminEssence LED Strip on Black Friday from Walmart, you probably got left with a defective unit. Over the past month, we have been trying to come up with a solution, working with both Monster and the factory that produces the products to identify and solve the issue. However, it's Christmas and we're tired of waiting, and we're sure you are, as well. The good news is that there is a solution!A new batch of product has been produced and shipped to Walmart stores across the country. We've tested quite a few of the new units and they have all been a success. If you have not installed your strip, simply swap them out at your local store. If you have already installed the strip, purchase a new one at your local store, swap the control units, and return the defective one. The key is that you need to look at the bottom of the box for the new batch number (1929A) and on the control unit for the new batch number (1906).Good luck and Happy Holidays!ParticipantsScott ErtzHostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

DescriptionIt's Black Friday, and that means some new products are available. This year, Monster has made available a new SKU in its IlluminEssence product line - a single LED strip. We've reviewed all of the other products, and expected that this new SKU would work the same way. But, after thousands of views in a few hours and dozens of comments, it was clear that we were wrong. So, we braved the crowds and headed to Walmart to purchase the last unit in our local store so we could try it out.Unfortunately, this new SKU was definitely produced separately from the standard SKUs. The packaging is slightly different, and the manual is completely different. In this case, the product seems to be defective. We were able to power it on (by plugging it in), but could not get the included remote to work with it, even after following the pairing instructions. We also weren't able to use one of our working remotes with the new strip. There is definitely a problem and you are NOT CRAZY!ParticipantsScott ErtzHostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

DescriptionSince we published our Unboxed video for the Monster IlluminEssence line of products, we have been asked almost daily how to pair a remote to an LED strip. There are a lot of reasons why someone might want to do that. First, you might be trying to customize your home with remotes for the living room, bedroom, etc. That was exactly why our team was so familiar with the process - we customized our offices with the review products.However, we hear fairly often that the remotes and lights are not always paired out of the box. However, once they are paired, they work as expected. Because of this, we decided to show people the process of pairing. The good news is that it is incredibly easy. Simply remove power from the bulb or LED strip, return power, and within 5 seconds press and hold the Speed Up button. You will know it worked when the bulb or strip blinks 3 times. If you want to undo the pairing, simply press and hold the Speed Down button within 5 seconds of powering the bulb. You'll know it worked because the light will flash rapidly 5 times.If you want to learn more about the product line, you can check out our reviews.IlluminEssence Large Space LED Mood Light KitIlluminEssence Small Space LED Mood Lighting KitIlluminEssence 2-LED Bulb Mood Light KitIlluminEssence 16.4-ft LED Strip Mood Light KitParticipantsScott ErtzHostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

DescriptionThe idea of consumer LED strips is a fairly new one, and that sometimes causes some confusion. The good news is that we're here for you to show you exactly how they work. Making sure the strip has power is not entirely straight forward. The important thing to know is that the Monster logo and the LEDs represent the front of the devices, and must be plugged in with both facing the same direction. From there, it's as easy as plugging in the power cord, either to USB or a power outlet (depending on the model you have).Another common question is whether or not you can cut the strip to length. The good news is that you certainly can. Simply find one of the cut lines (indicated by a clack line through 4 copper connectors) and cut. It is important to remember that once they are cut, they cannot be put back together. The new length is now the maximum length for the strip going forward. Before cutting the length, consider alternatives, such as tucking the end behind something or doubling back the length.If you want to learn more about the product line, you can check out our reviews.IlluminEssence Large Space LED Mood Light KitIlluminEssence Small Space LED Mood Lighting KitIlluminEssence 2-LED Bulb Mood Light KitIlluminEssence 16.4-ft LED Strip Mood Light KitParticipantsScott ErtzHostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

DescriptionSince we published our Unboxed video for the Monster IlluminEssence line of products, we have been asked almost daily how to pair a remote to a light. There are a lot of reasons why someone might want to do that. First, you might be trying to customize your home with remotes for the living room, bedroom, etc. That was exactly why our team was so familiar with the process - we customized our offices with the review products.However, we hear fairly often that the remotes and lights are not always paired out of the box. However, once they are paired, they work as expected. Because of this, we decided to show people the process of pairing. The good news is that it is incredibly easy. Simply remove power from the bulb or LED strip, return power, and within 5 seconds press and hold the Speed Up button. You will know it worked when the bulb or strip blinks 3 times. If you want to undo the pairing, simply press and hold the Speed Down button within 5 seconds of powering the bulb. You'll know it worked because the light will flash rapidly 5 times.If you want to learn more about the product line, you can check out our reviews.IlluminEssence Large Space LED Mood Light KitIlluminEssence Small Space LED Mood Lighting KitIlluminEssence 2-LED Bulb Mood Light KitIlluminEssence 16.4-ft LED Strip Mood Light KitParticipantsScott ErtzHostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.