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Smart GU 10's

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  • 08-09-2020 1:01pm
    #1
    rodneytrotter15
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭


    Hi, I bought these bulbs last night https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084NWPQ2P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and am going to test them out to see how they work before pulling the trigger on another 25 of them for downstairs. Over half will be going in my kitchen or at least that's the plan. Kitchen doesn't have a dimmer switch and I was hoping to just use the regular on/off wall switch and use Alexa to control dimming function. Will this work or will I need to change switch ?


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    #2
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,536 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    Never heard of them. I use Philips Hue a little (as they are very expensive) and IKEA TRÅDFRI all over the place because they are so cheap, integrate fully with Philips Hue and work with Google Home / Alexa.


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I'm using greenco. Cheap, cheerful, closest led I've seen to tungsten in all my days. I think that's smart....there's no app though....I think that's smart too.


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    #4
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,845 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Wifi bulbs are just asking for trouble. You want zigbee with a bridge, e.g. Hue, Tradfri or the generic brands.


    You would just leave these on at the switch and use the voice control to dim etc; but not being able to have any form of physical switch is going to get very annoying very fast - do you want to be voice commanding lights on if going to the kitchen in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep? Zigbee lights can have supplementary switches - I have dimmers / colour temperature controllers in every room.


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    #5
    rodneytrotter15
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭rodneytrotter15


    When you say asking for trouble ? As in connection wont be solid with all the bulbs and the router ?


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    #6
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,845 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    rodneytrotter15 wrote: »
    When you say asking for trouble ? As in connection wont be solid with all the bulbs and the router ?

    They're all incompatible with other brands, and they rarely get software updates so they become massive security holes.

    They have much higher power consumption when "off" than other types too - sure, the zigbee bridge consumes some power but when you're dealing with 25+ like you intend to you're going to notice the difference


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    #7
    Zarco
    Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭Zarco


    L1011 wrote: »
    They're all incompatible with other brands, and they rarely get software updates so they become massive security holes.

    They have much higher power consumption when "off" than other types too - sure, the zigbee bridge consumes some power but when you're dealing with 25+ like you intend to you're going to notice the difference

    I've heard it all now , lightbulbs = massive security hole!

    Guess that's the way things are gone

    When you say much higher power consumption , what sort of power are u talking?


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    #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    L1011 wrote: »
    They're all incompatible with other brands, and they rarely get software updates so they become massive security holes.

    They have much higher power consumption when "off" than other types too -


    None of that sounds smart to me. :confused:


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    #9
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,845 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Zarco wrote: »
    I've heard it all now , lightbulbs = massive security hole!

    Guess that's the way things are gone

    When you say much higher power consumption , what sort of power are u talking?

    They're all running an embedded OS, often Linux (because its free). Whereas Zigbee lights are on a microcontroller with all the real stuff in the bridge.

    Zigbee bulbs use ~0.1W when 'off' but wifi bulbs can use up to 5W if cheap junk.


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    #10
    Irish_peppa
    Registered Users Posts: 653 ✭✭✭Irish_peppa


    rodneytrotter15 wrote: »
    Hi, I bought these bulbs last night https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084NWPQ2P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and am going to test them out to see how they work before pulling the trigger on another 25 of them for downstairs. Over half will be going in my kitchen or at least that's the plan. Kitchen doesn't have a dimmer switch and I was hoping to just use the regular on/off wall switch and use Alexa to control dimming function. Will this work or will I need to change switch ?

    OP, You will be running 29 of these on your 2.4ghz network... Most good domestic routers can handle a max of 32 concurrent users on this radio. If i am right these will be 29 seperate connections to your network. I dont think these are a mesh style system like a hub based equivalent. You are going to choke up your wifi. They dont handle much data but they constantly chatter back and fourth to your router acting like seperate devices akin to androids etc. If you have a lot of IOT avoid these !


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    #11
    Zarco
    Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭Zarco


    Seems these smart lightbulbs are maybe not so smart after all


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    #12
    rodneytrotter15
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭rodneytrotter15


    Irish_peppa wrote: »
    OP, You will be running 29 of these on your 2.4ghz network... Most good domestic routers can handle a max of 32 concurrent users on this radio. If i am right these will be 29 seperate connections to your network. I dont think these are a mesh style system like a hub based equivalent. You are going to choke up your wifi. They dont handle much data but they constantly chatter back and fourth to your router acting like seperate devices akin to androids etc. If you have a lot of IOT avoid these !

    I have 3 Deco M5 installed and was going to create a guest 2.5ghz network for them. It's all immaterial now, can't get them to connect and am just going to bin em and start over


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