immature product - stay away!
In June 2023, I let myself be seduced into pre-ordering the Nanoleaf 4D. Maybe I should have waited until the first reports were available. Now I have had some experiences myself, which I share here. Mind you, I had this experience with two kits, as I had asked for the first to be exchanged due to the problems. But at least the impression arises that the shortcomings described below are fundamental errors of the Nanoleaf 4D. The equipment is good and (almost) complete, but: the kit, actually the controller, has significant technical weaknesses in my opinion. The first time the mobile app is paired with the controller, the first point that I find problematic, but which the Nanoleaf 4D shares with other similar products, becomes apparent: the controller provides its own WIFI network. This means that connecting the cell phone to the controller in order to change settings or another lighting program requires that the normal Internet connection has to be interrupted each time. You could live with it if it weren't for the fact that the controller is technically immature in my opinion. After the first pairing of the controller with the mobile phone, I was initially only able to establish a connection sporadically, and in the end I was no longer able to connect at all. Without a connection, however, no settings can be made using the app. The LEDs can only be switched off via the app, they cannot be switched on without a WIFI connection. This, in turn, can only be established after the controller has been manually (!) switched on. Then, with both tested controllers, on both mobile devices used and after various new installations and reconnections, the app pointed out insistently that the firmware of the controller was outdated and therefore functions (which ones?) were not available. However, there was no option to perform a firmware update. The app claimed under the device info that the firmware is up to date. You can now decide to live with the fact that you may not be able to use new features that are distributed via firmware updates in the future. If it weren't for the fact that the error message appears very frequently (annoying!) and, depending on the display used, also covers the operating elements. After confirming the error message, control elements of the app (program selection) are grayed out again and again and only become active again after random "clicking around". But well, assuming I've decided to use the originally set configuration of the controller forever, to do without alternative features and programs, to ignore the firmware warning messages, then the trouble doesn't stop there, because: the conversion of the TV picture into an ambilight-like LED lighting is poor and shows up in colors that don't match the picture as well as twitching changes in color and brightness, even in quiet scenes or in still pictures(!). Basically, the playback seemed unreasonably restless to me compared to the recorded image. I documented this behavior via video and made it available to Nanoleaf. Note: the European contact is in Paris, which does not necessarily make communication and, if necessary, the enforcement of buyer rights from (in my case) Germany easier. As of this writing I have requested the kit be returned for a refund and but seems the support has stopped all communications. Of course it is possible that the problems I have described here are exceptions and that I was just unlucky to catch two defective devices. However, I would rule out incorrect operation due to several decades of professional and private IT background despite the poor documentation. But who knows, maybe proper documentation would reveal hidden knowledge? At this point in time, I recommend not buying the Nanoleaf 4D and definitely waiting until the kit is ready for the market. I won't buy anything from Nanoleaf anymore. TL;DR - Problematic connection via WIFI instead of Bluetooth - Connection of mobile device with controller only sporadically or not possible at all, i.e. no access to device control! - Error message regarding firmware update, which is not possible - Poorly adjusted color rendering of the LEDs - Poor documentation