If you have a windows machine, check above for a link to the software @stevechang has been developing. By the reports it makes results much closer to reality.
It seems that the app has more impact on the strange results than the device itself.
Welcome
portability is an issue for windows software,
currently I spend time on other stuff, secondly I have to port C/C++ code to JavaScript cuz Android/iOS run JavaScript code, thirdly I have to make the PM consent to my update request which also comes not easy.
I have full confidence that the new algorithm outperforms LM3, LM3’s results is just “happens to be true”. and the Ra of daylight is not necessarily always 100.
Thanks @stevechang for all the great work you did for the LM4. You are the reason why I bought one. Take care.
Hello,
so, I am looking for such a device. Is it now at a level with good accuracy and reliable results?
Are there any alternatives in a price range that is not too expensive?
Thanks!
It seems to work mostly fine now when using the windows app that Steve has made, with good accuracy for the price.
The next step up would be a used Xrite Colormunki Photo, but those are a $100-150 price range.
There is also this for ~60-80 USD on Aliexpress, a passion project from a Chinese hobbyist. I ordered one and it is on the way here. Curious how well it works. It is a proper diffraction grating + monochrome CMOS sensor spectrometer, but built with very low budget materials to allow the price tag. Will see how it works once it is here.
thank you for your information, I am in contact with the hobbyist.
he said he chose monochrome CMOS sensor instead of filter-based sensor like as7341 is that as7341 has a extremely low resolution. I may suggest this to superior.
Based on the description the Bayer array is removed from the CMOS sensor. There are a few ways to do this, people make a living out of it. Most crude would be mechanical / scraped, but it can be done chemically as well (a slow, manual, painstaking multi step process involving solvents and cleaners to remove residue).
The question is, how consistent this process is from sensor to sensor, and whether inconsistencies can be known / calibrated for.
Hello I have a question. I have been using LM4 for a while on my phone but wanted better results so a downloaded the windows app and installed on my virtual machine on Mac. However I need it to pair with it via BT first but the LM4 does not show on my BT list. Same thing happens on my phone, does not show on the BT List, the Opple app somehow connects to the LM4 directly without having it paired with the phone.
So, how can I pair it with my computer via BT? How do I make it appear on the BT settings?
Thank you!
I never used Mac, perhaps you first should make sure the BT is enabled?
for windows, it’s like below graph:
Yeah it’s enabled. The problem is that the LM4 does not show on that list.
I have found a pinhole at the bottom, maybe that’s a pair button? To make the device discoverable?
The pairing starts when you open the LM4 (sliding out). Sometimes it takes a while for me. I still use my 2013 laptop everyday, but I have no more BT drivers that works with it on Windows 10 , so I bought a BT usb adaptor and it worked for me.
you can use nRF installed on Android/iOS to check whether LM4 is broadcasting.
Hi steve, thanks for your work on the windows app. I tested it, but the UI is buggy. My laptop has a 2560*1600 panel @ 125% scaling. However, only spectrum (I vs hv) can be seen, while most results (LUX, CCT, duv, Rx, etc.) are out of the window.
I think it needs to be optimized for different scalings as the modern laptops are usually at least 2560*1600 and they need scaling to be read.
I am sorry, I am afraid you had installed the wrong version. since last time I received help from @Limsup on the UI issue, it’s been a long time now. I’d start to optimize the windows app as soon as possible. the current version’s UI is like this, you may check previous posts to find the linkage.
I am currently working on a project that is scheduled to be demonstrated to the chairman of the company on November 15th, so I should prioritize this task. sorry for the inconvenience.
So, I finally got my Light Master 4 Pro from Amazon.us. Later I will do some initial tests with Steve’s Windows software. But is there a appropriate specification for measurements? How far should the distance be? what should the environment look like so that the results are comparable? Any advice?
Can you please show me how you do it?
Setup the LM4 on a table in a dark room.
Put a flashlight in a holder (e.g. tripod mount) and position it as close as possible without overpowering the sensor. Start with one metre.
Point the beam at the LM4 and record the measurment.
I don’t have any rooms without windows. If I wanted to take measurements during the day could I mount the LM at one one of a long thin shipping box and the flashlight at the other end? Or do i want the light hitting the meter as un-reflected as possible? Does tube color (say white vs. brown) change the readings?
I’ve been meaning to test all this myself, but have been finding three kids to be a lot more work than two 
I was a bit skeptical at first as well, but let me tell you: it is great. You can use the latest softwere version (v0.3) or v0.2. When you use bright light source, it will create reflections inside, so try to use dimmer light. You will have to experiment a bit with light intensity and Theremino settings.
