GE Lighting Solutions Liars
Update: After this blog post General Electric removed the video from the web on 3-21-13! see the comments below.
I was browsing the GE LED lighting website and they were talking all about how when you buy GE lighting, you are buying into the GE Six Sigma methodology and trust and confidence and people in labcoats and testing and history and blah di blah di blah… And then I saw this video (via) and got just a little pissed off. Starting at 1:15, compared compared an old street lamp system to a shiny new GE Evolve LED Roadway Lighting system with photos.
Can you see what’s wrong with this comparison?
Wow, that’s amazing! Look how bright the LEDs are compared to the old lights! You’re so right! I couldn’t see the sign before beca… wait a second. In the “after” picture I can see the tree in the foreground.. and where is the light in the foreground splashing on the road coming from? Wait. They just fixed a light in the foreground!
And wait a minute more. In the upper right corner of each photo, there’s a light on someone’s property… and in the “before” photo, that light is much dimmer! GE tweaked the brightness and contrast in the photo to fake how their lighting compares!
Let’s see. I did my best at fixing the the brightness, contrast and color temperature of the “before” photo:
Yes, I am calling the people at GE Lighting Solutions liars.
local archive
I should note that the yellow cast of the “before” image is probably due to high pressure sodium lamps. It is hard to believe that it actually is as yellow as was depicted in the image, nevertheless, it should still be said that LEDs have better color rendition than high pressure sodium lamps.
I wrote this comment on the video’s youtube page today:
It appears that my comment on Youtube inspired GE to take the video down. Never fear, I have an archive version. I hope they come up with a more accurate video as the system is probably worthwhile. Though be sure to check out my comparison of lighting technologies.