Philips Hue wireless smart lighting

Stspark · Sep 5, 2017

Only recently become aware of Philips Hue lighting (don't do much domestic nowadays), after it was mentioned in another post on this forum.

It appears to be a decent basic, easy to retro-fit at a reasonable price. I presume it wouldn't be as adaptable or robust as other fully wired smart systems (Cbus for example) as the Philips hue is wireless app controlled it's fully reliant on a good wifi connection.

Has anyone much experience with it? Opinions?

Octopus · Sep 5, 2017

Got a starter set of 2 colour changing bulbs last year ..... Useful in social occasions, and can be set to work with iTunes .... Not that I've done that yet.

Stspark · Sep 6, 2017

Do the lamps work with conventional switching and without use of the app?
ie if I didn't want colour changing or dimming or have my phone handy does it operate on a default colour setting like any standard lamp would?

Gazthesparky · Sep 6, 2017

Yes the lamps come on a standard warm white when you switch them on. So you can use them as a normal light. You can then control them on and off intensity and colour through the app.

You can have them flashing to music through iTunes and they are compatible with the nest system so they flash if the smoke detectors are sounding.

TBH they are a gimic lighting Dad and I wouldn't consider them as a proper automated lighting set up

They are cool and do make a good talking point at parties but that's pretty much it

Octopus · Sep 6, 2017

Stspark said:
Do the lamps work with conventional switching and without use of the app?
ie if I didn't want colour changing or dimming or have my phone handy does it operate on a default colour setting like any standard lamp would?

Yup - to use the app the light needs to be left switched on ............... if you switch it off and back on again, it defaults to white and its brightest setting.