Philips Hue WiFi lighting set up - what do you have?

Optimus Prime · 10-10-2016 10:38am

Plugged in my HUb and 6 bulbs in the kitchen over the weekend and setup. Have E14 Fixtures so had to use the adapters, which seem to be ok. but my god the length of the bulbs with the adapters. They really need to release E14 type candle shaped ones. my wife isn't too happy about the look of the bulbs in the fixture because of this.

But otherwise they are great! Got the Hue Disco app and the kids had a great time dancing around haha.

The Halloween app I seen mentioned a couple of times, I can only get it to work with 1 bulb at a time, eg when I hit the thunder button only 1 bulb flashes, the next time I hit it another bulb flashes on its own. Even though I have selected all 6 bulbs I have. Should all six flash together?

In the other apps like Christmas etc, they all flash. just not in the Halloween one.

Thanks

AndyBoBandy · 10-10-2016 1:49pm

In the Halloween app, it plays through a different bulb each time!, so if you have six selected, it will go through each one at a time, so when I'm using it, I only have two bulbs selected, one in the front room, and one in the hallway, that way I know one of the two bulbs will flash and give the effect I want. I'll just have all the other bulbs doing something else with a different app!!

Optimus Prime · 10-10-2016 1:57pm

ah cool thanks, its was annoying me trying to figure out how to get them all to work at the same time. turns out they don't haha.. two light strips are next and going to get some of those elgato eve plugs.

AndyBoBandy · 10-10-2016 2:00pm

What are the plugs for?

Optimus Prime · 10-10-2016 2:04pm

They are compatible with apple home. so you put one in the socket in a wall. plug in your skybox and tv and you can turn them on remotely. So you can add them to a scene, like TV Time, set the lights to dim to 20% and sky and the tv to come one.

I dunno im just using that as an example, the reason I want them though is that Ive a few arcade machines and a pinball in my kitchen I bought and fixed over the years, so I want to be able to turn on the one I want to play remotely because its a pain having to kneel down and switch the socket on the wall on each time and each socket has two cabs plugged into each, so I cant only turn on one at a time.. So I can name one "Pinball" in apple home and when I switch that the pinball powers on etc

Caillte · 10-10-2016 2:13pm

Just looking at amazon there. The GU10 is £49.99 a bit pricey if you ask me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Personal-Wireless-Lighting-Single/dp/B00IHZJ51A/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1476104161&sr=8-8&keywords=philips+hue+bulb

Caillte · 10-10-2016 2:15pm

Optimus Prime wrote: »

They are compatible with apple home. so you put one in the socket in a wall. plug in your skybox and tv and you can turn them on remotely. So you can add them to a scene, like TV Time, set the lights to dim to 20% and sky and the tv to come one.

I dunno im just using that as an example, the reason I want them though is that Ive a few arcade machines and a pinball in my kitchen I bought and fixed over the years, so I want to be able to turn on the one I want to play remotely because its a pain having to kneel down and switch the socket on the wall on each time and each socket has two cabs plugged into each, so I cant only turn on one at a time.. So I can name one "Pinball" in apple home and when I switch that the pinball powers on etc

I use wemo insight switch for this type of thing.

Optimus Prime · 10-10-2016 2:21pm

Caillte wrote: »

I use wemo insight switch for this type of thing.

Ill check that out before I buy one of the elgato ones. thanks

Edit: had a quick look, doesn't work with the apple homekit apparently.

Caillte · 10-10-2016 2:41pm

Optimus Prime wrote: »

Ill check that out before I buy one of the elgato ones. thanks

Edit: had a quick look, doesn't work with the apple homekit apparently.

Works with IFTTT though.

Stoner · 10-10-2016 3:23pm

Optimus Prime wrote:

Edit: had a quick look, doesn't work with the apple homekit apparently.

Have you looked at the IFTTT app and recipes?

Stoner · 10-10-2016 3:24pm

Caillte wrote:

Works with IFTTT though.

Sorry in just missed that.

Btw I'm using lightwaverf sockets etc very happy with them . Have my rads on them too. It's all tied together by IFTTT

Optimus Prime · 10-10-2016 3:56pm

No I haven't, never heard of it until that post there earlier, ill check it out. thanks

AndyBoBandy · 10-10-2016 7:26pm

Caillte wrote: »

Just looking at amazon there. The GU10 is £49.99 a bit pricey if you ask me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Personal-Wireless-Lighting-Single/dp/B00IHZJ51A/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1476104161&sr=8-8&keywords=philips+hue+bulb

They are, and putting 10 in my kitchen will not be cheap!

However the ones you linked are the previous version of the light, the new ones do better greens & yellows apparently (something which up to now, Hue wasn't great at!), looks like they are only available in a starter set at the minute, but for the price of £150, means the bridge is for free really!!

Stoner · 10-10-2016 9:22pm

Optimus Prime wrote:

No I haven't, never heard of it until that post there earlier, ill check it out. thanks

It's a doddle. You'll be up and running I'm no time, it's a great addition to these devices, use a Google calendar etc

Caillte · 11-10-2016 3:04pm

Stoner wrote: »

It's a doddle. You'll be up and running I'm no time, it's a great addition to these devices, use a Google calendar etc

NEver knew about lightwave either. A total new world of interconnections. The TRVs caught my eye mind you. Very expensive and yet another bridge to connect to the router.

AndyBoBandy · 11-10-2016 7:20pm

I just got the Hue Disco app.

By far looks to be one of the best 3rd party Hue apps available. (with 2 strips in my kitchen it looks fantastic, can't wait to try it with 2 strips and 10 GU10's)

Stoner · 12-10-2016 3:57am

Caillte wrote:

NEver knew about lightwave either. A total new world of interconnections. The TRVs caught my eye mind you. Very expensive and yet another bridge to connect to the router.

They are the least expensive TVRs I've seen. I got 3 for 95 pounds. I have them on the three biggest rads in the house. You'd need good quality rechargeable batteries though and they run a noisy recalibration once a day.

It is another bridge. Well it is and it isn't a bridge. It just connects to the internet. You use the Mac address to link it to the app. This is just a case of plugin in the cat 5 cable. This takes 2 minutes and you do it once.

Everything is taken care of and resolved outside your house as far as we'd be concerned. You'd see the hub on your nw map but that's it.

If your internet connection goes down the system stops , you have a local connection to the hub but you don't have a local network for the devices that you can access. Thats all on the web interface.

The TVRs are the most finicky part of the set up. They took mine back and reset the firmware for them. I had to get one if the valves on the rad changed it only worked for me when I could connect the tvr straight to the steel thread

Note the energy monitor was 20 , the boiler switch was 60 the remote stat/ timer was 60 the hub was 65

Three sockets adaptors was 25 pounds and a twin chrome sck with each sck controlled was 25 pounds.

A pir for the lights was 25 pounds

A single channel relay was 20 and 40 for the three channel although costs have risen since.

They have 3 output relays etc that you can hook up to control three different outputs on one device. So three security lights etc. so you buy by any security light you want and power it thought a port on the relay.

There is a mag switch for about 15 pounds that will turn off a tvr if open, so if you have rad by a back door or window it will close the rad if it's open.

Ideally all that would be linked to your intruder alarm.

I had a nice X10 link up on a Siemens alarm before but it became limited

I'm considering getting a nest now as lightwaverf directly links to it.
The Philips hue will all work with it too through IFTTT, I just don't want to I down that pi solution again with something bridging everything in the house you are always at them.

These units have a very quick and easy internet set up that you don't have to keep returning to.

I've never had to pair anything bar a tvr more than once

Stoner · 12-10-2016 3:59am

We've tried twice to get a forum for these systems set up here but the appetite for it was not big enough
I think it might be worth another go

What do you think 2011.

It has at last started to the off.

paulbok · 12-10-2016 7:17am

Stoner wrote: »

We've tried twice to get a forum for these systems set up here but the appetite for it was not big enough
I think it might be worth another go

What do you think 2011.

It has at last started to the off.

I think so. There is a busy Amazon Echo thread in gadgets that would tie in with this thread, esp with Hue systems.
Couple of Nest threads over the last year as well.

It'd be nice to have a forum for all home automation systems, plenty of setup advice so far here and being able to see what goes well together before embarking on expensive outlays would be invaluable.

matrim · 12-10-2016 9:54am

Just started to set up last night. It's a bit annoying that the bridge requires a LAN connection as I had hoped to place it out of the way on a shelf on the landing for maximum coverage instead of beside the UPC box.

Can you run multiple dimmer switches in the same room? e.g. to have two for the hallway, one upstairs and one downstairs?

AndyBoBandy · 12-10-2016 10:03am

matrim wrote: »

Can you run multiple dimmer switches in the same room? e.g. to have two for the hallway, one upstairs and one downstairs?

Yes,
I have 2 dimmer switches in the bedroom, one beside her, and one beside me, and they both operate the same lights/scenes

Stoner · 12-10-2016 11:05pm

paulbok wrote:

I think so. There is a busy Amazon Echo thread in gadgets that would tie in with this thread, esp with Hue systems. Couple of Nest threads over the last year as well.

paulbok wrote:

It'd be nice to have a forum for all home automation systems, plenty of setup advice so far here and being able to see what goes well together before embarking on expensive outlays would be invaluable.

I'll ask again

AndyBoBandy · 14-10-2016 11:09am

I've decided on the White & Ambiance GU10's for the kitchen, the colours are just too expensive, and for 10 in the kitchen ceiling, it's just far too much to spend for the novelty of having the colour available to simply 'show off' the odd time. I've ordered 4 in total to start with (my kitchen lights are 4 on the dining room side, 6 on the kitchen side, and providing there are no issues, I'll get the next 6 if/when I'm happy with them, and then maybe another 4 for my landing down the line.

The colour GU10's work out at £49.99 (£149.99 for the starter pack), and the white ambiance GU10's are only £44.99 for a 2 pack, so only £22.50 per bulb, which is almost double the price of a standard dim-able LED GU10.

Another thing with the Hue Bloom I bought last week, it's decent enough, however one issue I have with it is the power cable from the plug/adaptor to the bloom light itself cannot be disconnected, as in the plug, cable & light are all 1 piece, which is probably fine in 99% of circumstances, but if you wanted to put the bloom in a dresser or in a bookcase (or anywhere and didn't want the power cable on show), you'd need a big enough hole at the back to feed the entire plug/adaptor through, whereas if where the cable went into the bloom was a plug/fitting like this, you'd only need to drill a small hole the width of the little push in plug to route the power cable where you wanted it. The light strip is set up this way, so why not the bloom?

Stoner · 14-10-2016 12:41pm

Just wondering do ibood ever offer deals on this stuff, they always seemed to have Philips led products, just wondering if the hue stuff ever made it there .

Stoner · 14-10-2016 12:49pm

Lads we are looking to get a home automation forum going to tie in this, and the other offerings along with the IFTTT offerings and security alarm interfaces.

We think it needs a home now with the echo and apple home kit, Google home, Rpi, ZigBee, lightwaverf etc.

The forum request is here. We can get the most from each other and integrating these systems, HW and SW.

Boards.ie: Home Automation Forum Request - http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057658649

Stoner · 14-10-2016 1:25pm

matrim wrote:

Just started to set up last night. It's a bit annoying that the bridge requires a LAN connection as I had hoped to place it out of the way on a shelf on the landing for maximum coverage instead of beside the UPC box.

I've a small switch behind my TV stand 8 Port

I've the hub's fixed to the back of the TV units

It takes time but it's worth it. I've a multi gang socket fixed to the back of the unit too.

It's worth doing imo. Your TV and android / apple / fire TV / PS4 etc you don't be long filling it up. Might as well hide it

Is there a Philips extender booster? Most of these systems have them

Optimus Prime · 14-10-2016 2:50pm

Just bought 2x lightstrips and 1 extension for above my kitchen units off the apple website. looking forward to setting them up!

AndyBoBandy · 14-10-2016 3:21pm

are you going to use 2 strips on the kitchen units to give off 2 different colours?

Optimus Prime · 14-10-2016 3:38pm

Ive units on the left and units on the right.

The units on the left are 3 meters long on top and the rights ones are 2 meters.

So I figured I could use the 2m and 1m extension on the left

and the 2m one on the right

I don't think id fancy different colours at the same time, ill probably just use all the same colour, ill have a mess with it. ill have 6 bulbs and these strips in the kitchen when I put them in, I assume you can add them all to one "Scene" in Home on IOS and just change the colour of all of them at the same time?

Thanks

AndyBoBandy · 14-10-2016 3:39pm

Optimus Prime wrote: »

I assume you can add them all to one "Scene" in Home on IOS and just change the colour of all of them at the same time?

You can indeed,

Optimus Prime · 14-10-2016 3:42pm

Cool, I was worried there for a minute haha!

Stoner · 14-10-2016 11:33pm

I've created a couple of recepies to turn on and off my heating and lamps using the IFTTT on my Sony smartwatch . I see there are similar ones for the hue, it works.
I also use the push buttons IFTTT app to create single button events once again this can mix hue with your phone and or other hubs

whiteley91 · 15-10-2016 7:49pm

So guys I have been reading through this thread and I am just wondering about how you manage the existing light switches? Do you just install covers over the switch and place a hue wireless switch beside it or just remove the switch altogether and use the app? I want to make the plunge and integrate with the echo but this part is abit annoying! Would prefer a smart light switch that replaces the existing switch and integrates into the smart home technology

AndyBoBandy · 15-10-2016 7:56pm

You keep your original switches as they are, as the hue lights will still function as regular lights if you don't use the app or hue dimmer. You could remove them if you want, but then you'd be solely relying on the app to control your lights, which would be awkward if your router went down!!

whiteley91 · 15-10-2016 8:07pm

So let's say I have a hue light in the sitting room and turn on my existing switch, will the light come on if it was last selected off by the hue app or the echo? Like will it default to on when power is applied? So if I turn the hue off with the app and flick the existing switch off then on would the hue light come back on? Ha sorry for the questions I just want to make sure before I have some strange looks by the parents saying u need the app and the switch! Ha

AndyBoBandy · 15-10-2016 8:10pm

Yes, it would come back on at the flick of the switch.

When you cut the power to a hue bulb it resets the bulb, so the next time the bulb receives power it will come back on at the default setting, which for the colour bulbs is a standard warm white.

AndyBoBandy · 15-10-2016 8:12pm

The bulbs will function like any regular light bulb with power on/off from a standard light switch.

So technically you don't need the app or a hue switch, though this would just make them very expensive light bulbs!!

whiteley91 · 15-10-2016 8:13pm

Thank you very much! I think you just made up my mind on them and its over to Amazon to say bye bye to the wages.

matrim · 15-10-2016 9:48pm

How does the location base stuff work of you have two people in the house?

Say I want the lights to turn off when I leave but don't want to leave my fiancee in the dark. Is there a way to say only when neither is home

AndyBoBandy · 16-10-2016 7:16am

To be honest it's not a feature I've ever used!

I use many various timers to turn my lights on:off every evening, and wouldn't be into the idea of plunging the house into darkness every time I left, advertising the fact the house is empty!!

J.pilkington · 16-10-2016 9:22am

Have my bridge and 4 bulbs up and running for a few week now, very happy with them. Man maths won the day with the justification for the purchase!

A real bonus for me was being able to code my iris to the hub, wasn't expecting this.

Here's a good link I found summarising all the offerings
http://www.howtogeek.com/248178/the-difference-between-all-of-philips-hue-light-bulbs/

Also, I recommend the ikea e27 adaptors, 2 for €1.50 is probably the cheapest you will find even online and you know you are quality made

irishgeo · 16-10-2016 9:33am

Just curious as to what the benefits of these lights are especially the colour ones. I have replaced all my bulbs with led so what's have these lights got that I am missing.

Apart from being able to change colours. What advantage does that bring.

AndyBoBandy · 16-10-2016 10:07am

irishgeo wrote: »

Just curious as to what the benefits of these lights are especially the colour ones. I have replaced all my bulbs with led so what's have these lights got that I am missing.

Apart from being able to change colours. What advantage does that bring.

Full control of the lights via your smart device, over the internet from anywhere in the world,
The ability to set timers for various different lighting 'scenes' on your smart device.
Use of various different 3rd party apps that allow lights to be used in any particular setting, Halloween, parties, Christmas etc...

AndyBoBandy · 16-10-2016 10:11am

J.pilkington wrote: »

Here's a good link I found summarising all the offerings
http://www.howtogeek.com/248178/the-difference-between-all-of-philips-hue-light-bulbs/

Nice link though the lights shown are the U.S. market lights, as there is no mention of the colour GU10 & White & Ambiance GU10.

I got a set of 3 Lux bulbs when they were released as up until then, it was only colour (fecking expensive) bulbs available.

paulbok · 17-10-2016 7:21am

irishgeo wrote: »

Just curious as to what the benefits of these lights are especially the colour ones. I have replaced all my bulbs with led so what's have these lights got that I am missing.

Apart from being able to change colours. What advantage does that bring.

Along with what AndyBo said, you can sync the bulbs with other smart devices, such as come on/off when motion detectors triggers, have the lights come on a certain colour when smoke detectors go off,
The control you have over the lights allows you a lot of flexibility rather than just on/ off or dim

bk · 17-10-2016 3:12pm

Damn it, yet another interesting home automatino in thread in yet another forum!

Stoner wrote: »

Is there a Philips extender booster? Most of these systems have them

Philips Hue uses ZigBee, which is a wireless mesh network. That means each hue device acts as a sort of extender and passes all commands along to the next nearest device. Therefore you shouldn't really need a dedicated extender.

whiteley91 wrote:

So guys I have been reading through this thread and I am just wondering about how you manage the existing light switches? Do you just install covers over the switch and place a hue wireless switch beside it or just remove the switch altogether and use the app?

I put a Philips Hue dimmer switch next to each of the old light switches and just leave the old light switches turned on all the time.

I covered over the old light switch in the living room with a child safety socket protection cover, so that visitors (baby sitters, etc.) don't accidentally switch them off.

In the bedrooms, I just leave the old switches uncovered. Since it is mostly just us family members using them, you get use to ignoring it and just using the dimmer switch after a few weeks. Of course you could cover those too, but the child safety covers are about €10, so didn't want to waste too much on those.

I prefer to use covers then completely remove the light switch, because you then always have a physical backup if the Philips Hue system goes down.

BTW lightwaverf looks like a good alternative for just switching out the physical switch for a smart switch. Two disadvantages, no colour options and for the moment, the system doesn't seem to be integrated with Amazon Echo, Yonomi, etc.

Lightwaverf does work with IFTTT, so once Amazon Echo UK supports that, it might be an option. Though I hear IFTTT might be somewhat unreliable. Philips Hue seems to be a much better integrated and reliable ecosystem, IMO.

Stoner · 17-10-2016 4:18pm

bk wrote:

Lightwaverf does work with IFTTT, so once Amazon Echo UK supports that, it might be an option. Though I hear IFTTT might be somewhat unreliable. Philips Hue seems to be a much better integrated and reliable ecosystem, IMO.

One thing apart from two way switches you can simply connect the switch wire to the permanent looped feed at the back of the switch. Easy to do and undo and makes the switch redundant.

Lightwaverf works ok with IFTTT. I only have buttons made though. No voice yet.

Echo dot gen 2 on back order
Google home due in November

I'll tell you then.

Outside of IFTTT all lightwaverf have done is link their home and away settings with nest. You do that within the official app. They are going in the right direction

I don't have a nest, just a new Google smoke detector.
I've the Philips hue arranged too. I'm going to get that bloom light.

Link it to the ring intercom and the smoke detector

Graham · 17-10-2016 4:28pm

Stoner wrote: »

I don't have a nest, just a new Google smoke detector.

After about 18 months of use, I can't say I'm particularly impressed with Nest.

Hive looks fairly promising but it's early days yet so that opinion could change.

OU812 · 17-10-2016 7:42pm

Guys, have my starter kit on order & wanted to throw this out to everyone as I discovered it myself & haven't seen it mentioned.

The Philips Hue is less expensive in the US, but the use an E26 bulb as opposed to our E27. Only 1mm in the difference but apparently it's enough to cause faults.

AndyBoBandy · 17-10-2016 7:49pm

The U.S. Bulbs will all be 110 volt,

Whereas in Europe they'll all be 230 volt.

So U.S. Bulbs won't work here.

Philips Hue WiFi lighting set up - what do you have?

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