Are you doing anything with Hue?

Semple · 22 Nov 2018 at 22:51

matt100 said:
Close! Thanks very much. This is really exciting, I've wanted to replace some crappy xmas type lights behind a unit with something I can integrate into the rest of the smarts I've got going on.

Would something like this work? Basically I want something warm white that probably stretches to about 15m so can I daisy chain these? Do I need to buy extra of those 4 pin connector things? etc.

Thanks!

Did you order these in the end Matt?

Nikumba · 23 Nov 2018 at 09:53

Zenith said:
It can but you can’t then control those bulbs through homekit if you’re an apple gadget user.

Thanks, shouldn't be an issue then

matt100 · 23 Nov 2018 at 17:59

Semple said:
Did you order these in the end Matt?

Nope.. still wasn't clear I had the right thing so I bottled it.. It's still at the back of my mind to have a go though!

UberTiger · 23 Nov 2018 at 18:08

andy_mk3 · 23 Nov 2018 at 18:41

We all know hue is very expensive, but it's a great product

UberTiger · 23 Nov 2018 at 18:43

Yeah, title is a little clickbaity, he does review some alternatives, it’s not a bad vid.

andy_mk3 · 23 Nov 2018 at 21:26

I also agree that they should have some global scenes.

Simon · 23 Nov 2018 at 22:29

Hue Cher ceiling lamp fitted in dining room. Expensive at £186 from dmlights in Germany but looks good and puts out a decent amount of light. Although I thought it would be brighter at 3000lm but I guess that’s on the colder temperatures where it is very bright.

The switch also comes with it and seems good quality but still think I prefer to go with switch’s on the wall that can also work with the hub as a system. The remote can still come in use to sit on table. Pressing the on button also cycles through the preset warmth’s

Harmony hub on the way now to link up with the rest of it. I have a nest but waiting for a good deal on a nest protect.

Last addition will be WiFi plugs to run a few cheap gu10 bulbs on a dedicated circuit.

Then it’s going to be fun getting it all to work properly

jpaul · 27 Nov 2018 at 21:56

I have not yet bought into the Hue ecosystem and am waiting for an app controllable conventional led dimmer, for regular led (high cri) dimmable bulbs,
there seems a big market gap ... varilight don't have one

But noticed amazon have these
any thoughts ?

Schizo · 28 Nov 2018 at 04:05

Kemik said:
Anyone got any photos of the Hue Lighting Strips behind their TV unit (rather than the TV)? I'm tempted to press the button on Amazon but feel like it will look tacky...

I've got the play lights bars if that's what you was on about ?

Nikumba · 28 Nov 2018 at 08:20

jpaul said:
I have not yet bought into the Hue ecosystem and am waiting for an app controllable conventional led dimmer, for regular led (high cri) dimmable bulbs,
there seems a big market gap ... varilight don't have one

But noticed amazon have these
any thoughts ?

Guy in work bought one, but as he didn't have the neutral needed in the back of his light switch, so would be work checking if you have that before buying

V_R · 28 Nov 2018 at 09:16

Schizo said:
I've got the play lights bars if that's what you was on about ?

Ah how are they? I've been tempted by them myself. Any pics?

JamesM · 28 Nov 2018 at 09:58

Having had a fairly major move around with rooms, I decided to use just the Home app in Apple to setup automation etc.

Why have I not done this sooner? It's so much easier to use than the Hue app and there are so many more options.

Going to grab some Eve smart plugs as well for the Christmas tree lights.

Just wish my Nest stuff was compatible.

Street · 28 Nov 2018 at 10:01

jpaul said:
I have not yet bought into the Hue ecosystem and am waiting for an app controllable conventional led dimmer, for regular led (high cri) dimmable bulbs,
there seems a big market gap ... varilight don't have one

What about the Lightwave kit? I originally wanted to go that way but my back boxes weren't deep enough in my walls and I really couldn't be bothered to make them deeper so ended up going with Hue.

robj20 · 28 Nov 2018 at 10:32

Just wait for the hue branded version of the Feller, Niko and Vimar. Sure at least one of them is powered by the act of switching so doesn't require a neutral.

jpaul · 28 Nov 2018 at 11:21

Street said:
What about the Lightwave kit? I originally wanted to go that way but my back boxes weren't deep enough in my walls and I really couldn't be bothered to make them deeper so ended up going with Hue.

Yes - lightwave switch ~£50 + their hub £50 is a solution , but like varilight without a neutral wire I don't know whether they can dim successfully to low levels, or like varilight, you have to insert a dummy load.
I prinicipally want to control led uplighters, that do have a neutral, and I can put a trailing back-box in-line on mains cable.

robj20 said:
Just wait for the hue branded version of the Feller, Niko and Vimar. Sure at least one of them is powered by the act of switching so doesn't require a neutral.

Yes, I did not know, that is interesting now watched the video
so they will remove the need for a hue bulb - that's good, although looking at Niko web-site they do not have a pedigree for led dimming just incandescent, so far ...

Sonoff who already have a good wifi switch need to democratize the dimmer market too.

robj20 · 28 Nov 2018 at 11:34

jpaul said:
Yes - lightwave switch ~£50 + their hub £50 is a solution , but like varilight without a neutral wire I don't know whether they can dim successfully to low levels, or like varilight, you have to insert a dummy load.
I prinicipally want to control led uplighters, that do have a neutral, and I can put a trailing back-box in-line on mains cable.

Yes, I did not know, that is interesting now watched the video
so they will remove the need for a hue bulb - that's good, although looking at Niko web-site they do not have a pedigree for led dimming just incandescent, so far ...

Sonoff who already have a good wifi switch need to democratize the dimmer market too.

No pretty sure you will still need the bulb.

jpaul · 28 Nov 2018 at 12:07

yes you are right - https://huehomelighting.com/hue-compatible-light-switches-coming-this-year/

The report of Hue's death was an exaggeration.

Nikumba · 28 Nov 2018 at 13:53

jpaul said:
yes you are right - https://huehomelighting.com/hue-compatible-light-switches-coming-this-year/

That looks interesting

Though looking at the install doc doenst show anything about existing cabling, so would you instsall this along side your switch? If so how is this different to a holder for the dimmer?

matt100 · 28 Nov 2018 at 14:14

jpaul said:
I have not yet bought into the Hue ecosystem and am waiting for an app controllable conventional led dimmer, for regular led (high cri) dimmable bulbs,
there seems a big market gap ... varilight don't have one

But noticed amazon have these
any thoughts ?

Just out of curiosity, how come CRI is such a big deal to you? I just had to google it to even figure out what it is!

I did try lightwave for a triple gang switch I have controlling 10 bulbs.. it was sooo expensive and then when I got the hub setup, I shelled out £100 for the switch, then realised it had a slave off that socket for an outside light with the switch over the other end of the room which would have been another £50ish even though I didn't want smart control over that and then the nest of wires behind the triple gang put me off so much I just gave up.

Now I have echos in every room I want to control lights, I have them set to knw what room they're in so I can just say "alexa turn the lights on" and she knows what I want and then "alexa set the lights to 50%" or whatever I want.

Never need to touch a switch and I bet it still cost less than lightwave.. if you're not well experienced I'd steer clear.

I mean I work in IoT, I've built PCs for years, I know my way around a youtube guide.. I still bottled it.