Ballast Comparison?

[Chibils]

I know that the IceCap 430 and 660 are the crowning jewels of the T5 empire. That said, what makes them worth $100 more than something like the generic BallastWise model or even the more expensive dimmable Advance Mark 10 Powerline? Does the 4% pf really make that much of a difference, or is it the exceptional support and name brand behind IceCap that makes them so much better?

 

[James77]

I wouldn't call them the crowning jewels. They overdrive any T5 lamp you put on them, which is a plus for some people. Generally, they are very reliable, versatile, and have excellent warranties.

They cannot dim T5s, whereas the ones you linked can be dimmed using a 0-10V capable controller.

 

[Chibils]

So the price tag is due to the quality, versatility, and mfg backing? Irregardless of versatility, how does the quality (including service, etc.) of Advance Transformers stack up?