Philips Hue FAQ

AndyBoBandy

Blazer wrote: »

Well the missus has now approved my purchase after cribbing about it for a waste of money.
Our young fella is autistic and has been waking around 3-5am every night his week. Got the brainwave to
Put one in his room with it set to blue to indicate blue zone (autism has a number of zones so children can express themselves more easily. Ie blue is tired etc while red is angry and green is happy)
When he woke up this mornin I just turned it lightly on and he went back to sleep straight away. Woke again at 5 , did the same and he slept in till 8.40am.
Will see how it goes during the week but I’ve now been given approval to expand

Excellent use of Hue and great that it can help you out with the various colours.

Would you think of adding a sensor to the room so it would automatically come on blue during the night?

Blazer

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Excellent use of Hue and great that it can help you out with the various colours.

Would you think of adding a sensor to the room so it would automatically come on blue during the night?

That’s what I was thinking of. But I see people say it won’t work in the dark?

TitianGerm

Blazer wrote: »

That’s what I was thinking of. But I see people say it won’t work in the dark?

If I walk down to the kitchen in the middle of the night my sensor will turn on the lights in the kitchen no problem.

RobbieTheRobber

Blazer wrote: »

That’s what I was thinking of. But I see people say it won’t work in the dark?

I have no problem with my sensors in normal household nightime darkness.
I dont have any fully blacked out rooms so cant say for total darkness though.

But for a childs bedroom i cant see you having much problems with the dark and a sensor

AndyBoBandy

Blazer wrote: »

That’s what I was thinking of. But I see people say it won’t work in the dark?

People are speaking absolute nonsense, they work in any light conditions, get one, you’ll never look back.

They work on infrared, same as alarm sensors, so ambient light has no affect on them.

I’ve one in my kitchen, my office, my bathroom and ensuite and it’s great for middle of the night visits to either room.

Blazer

Awesome. My next purchase then is sensors and a few more lights

AndyBoBandy

Blazer wrote: »

Awesome. My next purchase then is sensors and a few more lights

Sensors are currently buy 3 for the price of 2 on Amazon, along with certain bulbs

Blazer

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Sensors are currently buy 3 for the price of 2 on Amazon, along with certain bulbs

Excellent,
Just picked up 3 x sensors and 3 of the richer color lights for about €205.
That saved me about €80

eusap

Blazer wrote: »

That’s what I was thinking of. But I see people say it won’t work in the dark?

I had problems with my sensor at the beginning which I put down to the light in the room e,g, when there was small amount of light in room =sensor worked perfectly. When there was no light in the room = it was slow to react.

Oddly I don't notice it anymore but then I put the above issue more down to me moving the sensor often to now never moving it. (Not scientific)


p.s. if you can place the sensor under the bed so when your child steps out of bed it triggers the light is better than trying to find a good corner to place it in

donegal.

Blazer wrote: »

..... but I’ve now been given approval to expand

living the dream.

jones

Just picked up another 3 packs of GU10 white ambiance pairs in the 3 for 2.
It's the only way i can justify getting them

wexfordman2

bk wrote: »

That is fantastic wexfordman2, though it is totally possible to do the same with SmartThings and Z-Wave switches. It isn't just limited to wired.

Here is an article about doing it with Homey/Vera + Hue + Fibaro modules, though the concept is the same for SmartThings:

https://www.vesternet.com/resources/using-z-wave-and-philips-hue-together/

Yeah, it's pretty cool BK, but also much more flexible (and cheaper) than the fibaro mix etc.

For a start, at a setup cost of about 100euro for a velbus interface , and then about 5 euro per input after that you get huge flexibility. (That example is using velbus for your digital inputs, but lots of other options that may be even cheaper)

For example, you can use those inputs as pir inputs, so you can then use standard wired pir's to manage your smart lights, a cheaper option than z wave or zigbee door contacts, no batteries and more reliable etc.

You can also common up switch's and/or pir's to a single input, so for example, two way switching, or commoning up multiple door sensors together rather than buying multiple z wave sensors to do the same thing.

I've got mine working now in the living room, with a two gang switch, where one short press on a light switch activates the main lights, whereas a long push turns on the hue lamps. Gonna configure the second button (which currently turns on the kitchen lights) to run a scene in the living room with a long push.


You could use something like this zwave input module either, so at a cost of 15stg per input, but cheaper options available still. If you were doing a full rewire, then cat5 to the light switch wired to these or similar.

If your not doing a rewire you could look to see if these can be installed behind a standard light switch and then get your standard light switch controlling hue and whatever, removing the need for hue switches

bk

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Yeah, it's pretty cool BK, but also much more flexible (and cheaper) than the fibaro mix etc.

I definitely don't think it would be cheaper then getting someone in to rip your walls open and run cat5 everywhere!

Maybe as part of a new build or major refurb. But even then an electrician will charge extra per switch and for the cat5 run, I honestly don't think it would work out much cheaper then a €50 Fibaro module.

Don't get me wrong, it definitely has it's advantages. But cheap isn't what I think one of them is.

And don't forget you don't have to use just expensive z-wave options. There are also the cheap as chips Xiaomi zigbee options. Motion sensor just €12, hell that is cheaper then a wired PIR. Or Xiaomi switches.

Of course there is the battery thing, that is definitely an advantage. And if you are using these sensors for security purposes, then wired is always better as it isn't open to various wireless attacks.

BTW though you almost never want PIR's to be where your light switch is, PIR's normally go in a corner of the room, near the ceiling, so you want to be running the wire to there. Standard "alarm cable" would be better then for those locations. Of course unless you also want to put CCTV cams in those locations, then cat5e can be very useful.

Sorry, not meaning to be too contrary, it is really cool what you are doing.

wexfordman2

bk wrote: »

I definitely don't think it would be cheaper then getting someone in to rip your walls open and run cat5 everywhere!

Absolutely, I never said it was a realistic retrofit option, my point is that in the case of a new build/rewire, then the argument/case for cat5 to wall switches is a no brainer.

bk wrote: »

Maybe as part of a new build or major refurb.

Def, as part of a rebuild/new build, thats my entire arguement/case.

bk wrote: »

But even then an electrician will charge extra per switch and for the cat5 run,

But we are not talking about extra switches, we are talking about the same light swiitches, just with cat5 to them (and to my mind, no 220v tbh, but thats a side matter)

bk wrote: »

I honestly don't think it would work out much cheaper then a €50 Fibaro module.

I have 24 light switch locations in my house, that is 1200 euro just on fibaro modules, never mind the fact than a number of them are 2/3 gang and the space issues etc.

Those same 24 circuits on a wired system using cat5 to the wall switch will cost me under 800 euro!!

There is no comparison in price BK, individual fibaro modules, while a good solution for a refit, are expensive in comparison.

bk wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, it definitely has it's advantages. But cheap isn't what I think one of them is.

The economics alone for the hardware from my example above show otherwise.

bk wrote: »

And don't forget you don't have to use just expensive z-wave options. There are also the cheap as chips Xiaomi zigbee options. Motion sensor just €12, hell that is cheaper then a wired PIR. Or Xiaomi switches.

When building or rewiring, its a false economy to use "cheap as chips" solutions, and madness to install a wireless smart lighting system when there is absolutely no need to go wireless.

But even to go there, a wireless motion sensor for 12 euro gives you a wirless motion sensor, which is no where near as comparable in reliability to a wired sensor.

You can get a wired PIR sensor for 8 euro, and a door sensor for less than a euro each.

Thats, wired, no batteries, unlimited connectivity options, and the ability to common them up/daisy chain them which you cant to with individual z wave modules.

How many threads do we have on this forum with people having problems with wireless sensors/bulbs etc not working, or going off line ?

bk wrote: »

Of course there is the battery thing, that is definitely an advantage. And if you are using these sensors for security purposes, then wired is always better as it isn't open to various wireless attacks.

Yep

bk wrote: »

BTW though you almost never want PIR's to be where your light switch is, PIR's normally go in a corner of the room, near the ceiling, so you want to be running the wire to there. Standard "alarm cable" would be better then for those locations. Of course unless you also want to put CCTV cams in those locations, then cat5e can be very useful.

Sorry, not meaning to be too contrary, it is really cool what you are doing.

No, PIR's would be wired seperately, and to seperate locations than wall swithes as you say.

The point I was making about PIR's, was that if you plan for wired inputs, then those inputs can be fed from a range of sources, be it your cat5 wired wall switches, or you wired PIR's and motion sensors etc, then can all plug into the same system, so multiple input/feed in devices from multiple vendors can talk to multiple smart systems, a common interface to bring in both manual control of your smart home, and logic control via a logic controller such as home assitant, openhab, comfort alarm etc etc.


We are probably going off topic here, I initially wanted to show how there is a very feasible option to avoid the expense of seperate wireless light switches like hue, and you could amalgamate them all into one standard wall switch using a cat5 solution, and also be abile to mix and match easily.

I did create a seperate thread on the case for cat5 to wall switches, perhaps we should take it over there ?

Mantis Toboggan

What's the best starter kit to get?

AndyBoBandy

Tyson Fury wrote: »

What's the best starter kit to get?

The one with 3 colour bulbs

Blazer

Make sure its the 3rd gen one..Says richer colours on the top right hand side

Mantis Toboggan

Cheers, yeah when I look it up on amazon I'm getting different products at different prices. Hard to know which is the correct one to get.

Blazer

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Cheers, yeah when I look it up on amazon I'm getting different products at different prices. Hard to know which is the correct one to get.

Yeah the latest color kit is around 199-209.
Amazon have a kit for €150 or something but it’s all white bulbs. And the 2nd gen color kit is around the same price

AndyBoBandy

Blazer wrote: »

Yeah the latest color kit is around 199-209.
Amazon have a kit for €150 or something but it’s all white bulbs. And the 2nd gen color kit is around the same price

Hue E27 Starter Kit (richer colours) is currently £146 on Amazon U.K.

AndyBoBandy

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Hue E27 Starter Kit (richer colours) is currently £146 on Amazon U.K.

With price shown

Blazer

I couldn’t wait 2 days to get it, had to buy it now damnit

AndyBoBandy

If your going to do your entire house with Hue, only buy from Amazon and only when they have 3 for 2 deals or very heavy discounts.

It’s an expensive product to install (all in I’ve bought about 80 bulbs over the years)

AngelaRI

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

If your going to do your entire house with Hue, only buy from Amazon and only when they have 3 for 2 deals or very heavy discounts.

It’s an expensive product to install (all in I’ve bought about 80 bulbs over the years)

Keep an eye on John Lewis too - they often have 3-for-2 deals on Hue, and some nice combo deals too, I got my bulbs from them at a better deal than Amazon had at the time

Blazer

Picked up a sensor in B&Q for my young fella's room and its set to come on blue during the night and at 7am its green to indicate the colour zones he should be in.
Since the first night he's be sleeping in till nearly 8am every morning and we've all been getting a great nights sleep since we did it..well worth the money.
I'm thinking next of a lightstrip for behind the tv and I should be nearly done then apart from maybe a few more sensors and white bulbs.
Then again

TitianGerm

Blazer wrote: »

I'm thinking next of a lightstrip for behind the tv and I should be nearly done then apart from maybe a few more sensors and white bulbs.
Then again

Oh to be this naive again :pac: welcome to the rabbit hole.

Have you considered a Hue Go for your son? It can be left plugged in as a lamp but it has a rechargeable battery as well so can be moved around.

Blazer

TitianGerm wrote: »

Oh to be this naive again :pac: welcome to the rabbit hole.

Have you considered a Hue Go for your son? It can be left plugged in as a lamp but it has a rechargeable battery as well so can be moved around.

lol I know I'm only fooling myself

I had been looking at it but for the moment I'm happy with what hes got.
I've love 2 of them for the back of my tv though

TitianGerm

Blazer wrote: »

lol I know I'm only fooling myself

I had been looking at it but for the moment I'm happy with what hes got.
I've love 2 of them for the back of my tv though

The Bloom might be better behind a TV if you just want to throw colour onto the wall.

I'm going to put two strips under the bed over the weekend to see how it looks.

bk

Blazer wrote: »

Picked up a sensor in B&Q for my young fella's room and its set to come on blue during the night and at 7am its green to indicate the colour zones he should be in.
Since the first night he's be sleeping in till nearly 8am every morning and we've all been getting a great nights sleep since we did it..well worth the money.
I'm thinking next of a lightstrip for behind the tv and I should be nearly done then apart from maybe a few more sensors and white bulbs.
Then again

I'm delighted to hear that you are having such a good experience.

I didn't buy Hue for this reason but I was very surprised at the positive psychological effects it has had.

We find using bright white during the dark winter days can help with SAD.

Also using bright white during the day while I'm working from home helps put me in an "office" type mindset. When it comes to finish work time, I change them to a more subtle candlelight white colour that helps put me in a relaxed "home" mindset then a "work" mindset if that makes sense. Then use red when we go to bed, which we find helps us fall asleep very fast.

When I think about it, it is quiet similar to what you are doing with your son. The concept can help with all people I think.

AndyBoBandy

bk wrote: »

We find using bright white during the dark winter days can help with SAD.

Also using bright white during the day while I'm working from home helps put me in an "office" type mindset. When it comes to finish work time, I change them to a more subtle candlelight white colour that helps put me in a relaxed "home" mindset then a "work" mindset if that makes sense. Then use red when we go to bed, which we find helps us fall asleep very fast.

When I think about it, it is quiet similar to what you are doing with your son. The concept can help with all people I think.

I guess thats the main reason for the Philips Hue 'Recipes' concept, in that you can set certain tones for what mood you want to be in.

I'm home based as well, and in the winter months, it's 'Energise' or 'Concentrate' all over the house until around 5ish, when it all mostly fades into the 'Relax' scenes when it's time to start settling down and chilling out.

Its great for Blazer though in that the colours combined with a sensor can help him in his situation (I was never aware of the colours representing different moods for autism), and hopefully it continues to work well and give him good nights rest.

(I must try the red before bed though, as I've only done red in bed when myself & herself are feeling a bit frisky!!!)