Sourced Product Comparison

TruLight vs Astoria Lighting

Name: TruLight Permanent Outdoor LED Lighting System
Brand: TruLight

Astoria's own HOA packet identifies its roofline product as Gemstone Lights, and its current materials publish a real RGB-WW system with dedicated warm white. TruLight's advantage is the combination of 48V power, six emitters per light, and substantially higher published output.

Specifications and policies checked August 23, 2026. Product packages and local contracts can change.

The short answer

We would start with TruLight for a large home, a long roofline, or a buyer who wants brighter architectural lighting. We would take Astoria seriously when its local service history, written labor coverage, or price makes it the lower-risk purchase. Both deserve an in-person nighttime demonstration.

TruLight: 48V and high output

TruLight publishes 90 to 120 lumens per light from six emitters, with 48V distribution designed for longer runs.

Astoria: strong service terms

Astoria publishes limited lifetime bulb coverage, 10 years on installed parts, and 3 years on labor/service.

Both: real warm white

Astoria has true 2800K RGB-WW. TruLight uses three dedicated warm-white emitters alongside three RGB emitters.

Published specs, side by side

These are manufacturer and installer-published figures, not results from one independent laboratory test. Output can also change with spacing, color, brightness setting, optics, and installation height.

Feature	TruLight	Astoria
Published product relationship	TruLight system	Astoria's HOA packet identifies the roofline product as Gemstone Lights
System voltage	48V	12V in Astoria's published HOA packet
Light design	3 RGB emitters plus 3 dedicated warm-white emitters	3 RGB-WW LEDs per light
Published output per light	90 to 120 lumens	Up to 23 lumens
Dedicated warm white	Yes, dedicated warm-white emitters	Yes, published at 2800K
White-light options	Dedicated warm white plus a pure-white mode that blends all 6 emitters	Dedicated 2800K warm white; app also supports bright-white settings
Published LED rating	100,000 hours	50,000 hours
Track	Color-matched aluminum track	Color-matched, powder-coated aluminum track
Published warranty summary	Lifetime LED hardware coverage on qualifying professional installs. Local labor terms vary by dealer.	Limited lifetime bulb coverage, 10 years on installed parts, and 3 years on labor/service.
Published pricing	Quoted by the local certified dealer	$20 to $26 per foot, plus $250 to $450 for controller and power supplies

The hardware difference

Astoria's published material says each light contains three RGB-WW LEDs and produces up to 23 lumens. It also publishes true warm white at 2800K, so Astoria should not be described as an RGB-only system.

TruLight uses six emitters per light: three RGB and three dedicated warm-white emitters. TruLight publishes 90 to 120 lumens per light and a 100,000-hour LED rating. Both systems offer warm white. TruLight also has a pure-white mode that blends all six emitters. TruLight co-owner Tom Porter says pure white is the setting customers most often tell him they use. This is owner-reported feedback, not app telemetry.

TruLight permanent lighting displaying pure white across a residential roofline — Owner-supplied photo of a TruLight installation displaying pure white. TruLight creates this setting by blending its RGB and dedicated warm-white emitters.

Voltage matters most as rooflines get longer. Astoria's HOA packet describes a 12V system. TruLight runs at 48V, which carries the same wattage at one quarter of the current and can reduce voltage drop and power-injection complexity on large installations.

How Bowdrie's Gemstone video applies

Bowdrie's hands-on TruLight vs Gemstone video is relevant because Astoria's own packet identifies Gemstone Lights as its roofline product. The video directly compares the 12V architecture, three-LED design, track, white-light behavior, voltage, power layout, and app experience of the Gemstone sample available for that test.

We do not automatically carry every older Gemstone finding into a current Astoria quote. Astoria now publishes RGB-WW lights with 2800K warm white, and its 2026 controller manual shows updated white presets and controller software. Claims about chip model, wiring, pattern count, zoning, power injection, or white-light limits should be tied to the exact package in the quote or retested side by side.

Watch the Gemstone Comparison Read the Gemstone Breakdown

Useful video chapters: white light at 4:12, voltage at 9:34, the visual comparison at 15:03, and the app at 18:48.

Low-profile diffuser vs protruding puck

Gemstone presents the protruding puck as a selling point. In a current dealer walkthrough, the installer explains that the puck extends beyond the track so light can shine from the top and around the bulb. The tradeoff is that more of the light remains visible when the system is off.

Owner-supplied physical comparison. The Bosso sample on the left uses the same visible three-lens form shown in the Gemstone dealer walkthrough. The TruLight node is on the right. This is not an Astoria product sample.

Side view of a TruLight diffused light node — A TruLight node photographed from the side. The frosted diffuser sits above the low-profile housing.

Owner-supplied daytime photo showing TruLight track installed close to the fascia edge.

TruLight uses a lower-profile puck with a diffuser that softens and spreads the beam. The track can sit against the front edge of the fascia so the two surfaces read as one continuous line. The exact fit still depends on the soffit, fascia, roof geometry, and installer.

One TruLight customer told us she chose TruLight even though her quote was higher after comparing it with an Astoria installation on a neighbor's home. Her deciding factor was the way the TruLight track met the fascia. She preferred that look over the visible setback on the nearby installation.

TruLight's six-emitter design helps explain its higher published output. The 48V architecture separately reduces voltage drop across long roofline runs. TruLight publishes 90 to 120 lumens per low-profile diffused light, while Astoria publishes up to 23 lumens per light. A close daytime view and a matched nighttime test show the difference more clearly than either number alone.

Watch the Gemstone dealer explain the protruding puck design

Warranty and price deserve equal weight

Astoria publishes one of the clearer service packages in this category: limited lifetime coverage on bulbs, 10 years on installed parts, and 3 years on labor/service. Its current site also publishes a typical range of $20 to $26 per linear foot, plus $250 to $450 for controllers and power supplies. The exact range varies across Astoria pages and by season.

TruLight publishes lifetime LED hardware coverage on qualifying systems installed by a certified dealer. Local labor terms, service commitments, and project pricing come from the selling dealer. Before choosing either company, put the complete written quote next to the written warranty and ask who pays for labor after years one, three, and ten.

How we would compare them in person

1. See both systems on a finished home at night, not only on a sample board.
2. Run warm white at 25%, 50%, and 100%, then test full white and several colors.
3. Compare homes with similar soffit height, stone, brick, or stucco.
4. Ask each installer to identify voltage, light spacing, power supplies, and labor coverage in writing.
5. Confirm which company handles service if the local dealer changes ownership or closes.

Hands-on video coming

We are preparing a side-by-side video. Until it is ready, this page uses published source documents and labels claims that have not been independently tested.

Frequently asked questions

Is TruLight or Astoria the better permanent lighting system?

TruLight is the stronger fit when 48V power distribution, high published output, and long roofline runs matter most. Astoria is a credible alternative with true 2800K warm white, a lower published price range, and strong published parts and labor coverage. The right choice depends on the house, the quote, and the local installer's service record.

Does Astoria Lighting have true warm white?

Yes. Astoria publishes an RGB-WW design with a dedicated warm-white channel at 2800K. It should not be grouped with RGB-only systems that create white by mixing red, green, and blue.

Is Astoria Lighting a 12V system?

Astoria's current HOA information packet says its controller converts household power to 12V and that the roofline system stays low voltage. Buyers should still ask Astoria to confirm the exact equipment included in their quote because product packages can change.

Can TruLight produce pure white light?

Yes. TruLight's pure-white mode blends its three RGB emitters with three dedicated warm-white emitters. TruLight co-owner Tom Porter says pure white is the setting customers most often tell him they use. This is owner-reported feedback, not app telemetry.

Which company publishes the stronger warranty?

Astoria publishes the clearer service package: limited lifetime bulb coverage, 10 years on installed parts, and 3 years on labor/service. TruLight publishes lifetime LED hardware coverage for qualifying professional installs, while installation labor and local service terms can vary by certified dealer. Compare the written contracts, not just the word lifetime.

Sources and methodology

TruLight specifications come from TruLight's corporate product and warranty pages. Astoria specifications, pricing, and warranty terms come from Astoria's own current pages and documents. We favor first-party sources and disclose when figures have not been independently tested.

Compare the systems on a real home

Find the certified TruLight dealer for your area, request a written quote, and ask to see a completed installation at night.

Find a TruLight Dealer See All Comparisons