Pros and cons Spark 8 and Pixie

Just wanted to provide some feedback. I had B-hyve XR Smart Indoor/Outdoor Sprinkler Timer for 2 years. I noted that it does not water on a schedule sometimes. Either because the internet was down, and it did not reconnect or something else. The contractor who replaced it told me that there is probably an internal battery, and it should have been replaced. Too late.

I Googled the best irrigation timer and found that Orbit B-hyve is the best, followed by Netro. Never heard of it. I chose it because it retains programs in case of Wi-Fi outage. I bought Spark 8 zones and installed it today (my contractor did). Also 2 Pixies.

Pros:

Clean modern packaging, clear web interface, app has installation instructions and troubleshooting tips.

Cons:

Why white cover? I could not see indicators with daylight. How to pair? Did some of your staff try to install it in bright daylight outdoors?

Does it have an internal battery which eventually needs to be replaced? How is the memory retained? I believe this was a problem with B-hyve..

What about Pixie? Is rechargeable battery forever?

Web interface still needs improvement: for example – my order is in a different place than my account, Pixie should state that there is no backup program, other logical flaws.

Created a program on Spark, but when tried to edit time it did not allow, stating that the same program already exists.

Backup should automatically copy the program with the option to edit. Why should it be entered as a separate program if this is a backup in case of Wi-Fi outage?

The outdoor cover can have a transparent wall to see indicators.

Thank you.

Adil

Answer From Wency Pan

19
Wency Pan
 Updated at 2023-06-09 02:30:57 UTC
Dear customer,

Thank you very much for your support of our Netro products! Please find the answers below:
  1. Our design team has carefully designed the cover to ensure that the product can provide optimal performance in various environments, and the product's light is already very bright. We will consider your suggestion and provide feedback to the design team. We recommend installing the unit in a slightly darker environment or installing it indoors.
  2. Netro Spark controller has an internal battery that generally does not need to be replaced.
  3. The Pixie battery is permanently rechargeable and can charge under sunlight.
  4. Thank you for your suggestion regarding the web interface. I will report it to our R&D team for improvement.
  5. We do not allow two programs to overlap watering times, so the app will give an error message. You can check whether your programs have time conflicts.
  6. We apologize that we do not currently support copying program. The backup program is designed to ensure that the device continues to operate in case of a network outage. It does not run when the device is connected to the network, and it will run after the device is disconnected and the settings are successfully saved on the cloud server.


If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Regards,

Wency

Netro Support






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