[mcscoobs]

I was given a couple of Hue E27 bulbs, so I bought a couple of table lamps from IKEA, and along with Google Assistant, works great. Loving the whole light automation thing. Been looking at the light bars, for behind my TV and also my monitors, but so many people have been saying they are way overpriced for what they are.

Anyone use anything similar that can be used with Google Assistant and/or Apple Homekit?

[Ronstein]

Be very wary with any IoT devices!

https://fortune.com/2020/02/05/phili...rability-flaw/

DYOR

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by mcscoobs

I was given a couple of Hue E27 bulbs, so I bought a couple of table lamps from IKEA, and along with Google Assistant, works great. Loving the whole light automation thing. Been looking at the light bars, for behind my TV and also my monitors, but so many people have been saying they are way overpriced for what they are.

Anyone use anything similar that can be used with Google Assistant and/or Apple Homekit?

I am sure all this home automation stuff is great, but so far I am managing to switch my own lamp on. I'd love automated blinds though as faffing with them is a chore....

I havent even embraced Alexa yet, but I am loving voice control in my car - except when it dials the wrong person..... !

[SkyJawa]

Yep, had Hue for years, on the whole works great but sometimes the dimmer remotes can be a bit glitchy.

We have it in most rooms but we've not gone for funky stuff just normal colour changing bulbs in lamps and ceiling, none of the LED strips (had nowhere to put it).

Its great for having routines so upstairs is all ready to go when its the lads bedtime and also has the bonus of varying times so when on holiday you can make it look like you are home with the lights coming on and off at different times plus being able to do it from wherever you are manually.

I think some of their more funky stuff is silly expensive hence really just stuck to the bulbs.

[saltyamigo]

Lidl sold Zigbee bulbs, light strips and power sockets recently, they work well directly from the Hue app. Our local store still has stock but they were on offer in December so stores may vary. If I remember correctly the prices were £7.99 for white ambience, £9.99 for colour GU10/E27 etc, £14.99 for 2m light strip, £7.99 for power switch. There were £10 off £40 spend vouchers in the Newspapers at that time so they worked out a decent bargain.

[mcscoobs]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Yep, had Hue for years, on the whole works great but sometimes the dimmer remotes can be a bit glitchy.

We have it in most rooms but we've not gone for funky stuff just normal colour changing bulbs in lamps and ceiling, none of the LED strips (had nowhere to put it).

Its great for having routines so upstairs is all ready to go when its the lads bedtime and also has the bonus of varying times so when on holiday you can make it look like you are home with the lights coming on and off at different times plus being able to do it from wherever you are manually.

I think some of their more funky stuff is silly expensive hence really just stuck to the bulbs.

Have you got the light bar, or just bulbs in lamps?

[SkyJawa]

Originally Posted by mcscoobs

Have you got the light bar, or just bulbs in lamps?

nah, just the bulbs. I don't get the idea of lighting up behind the tv, or the philips ambilight tv's either, I like to watch tv with no irritating lighting around it!

[Ridg]

Originally Posted by mcscoobs

I was given a couple of Hue E27 bulbs, so I bought a couple of table lamps from IKEA, and along with Google Assistant, works great. Loving the whole light automation thing. Been looking at the light bars, for behind my TV and also my monitors, but so many people have been saying they are way overpriced for what they are.

Anyone use anything similar that can be used with Google Assistant and/or Apple Homekit?

We've got a mix of smart devices, the echo / google devices allow you to homogenise them once you've added the skills. One of the most useful features I've found is having lights set to come on and off with sunrise/sunset times.

The smart plugs are great for automating "dumb" devices e.g. the Christmas lights or fans

I've also got stuff like
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
this I used to make the strip lights in the garage smart meaning I could schedule them to come on in the morning or simply as google to turn them on via the phone.

As pointed out they aren't infallible and there are security concerns around some of them, are the needed? No, but they can certainly make life easier.

[mcscoobs]

Originally Posted by saltyamigo

By light bar do you mean the flexible strip light or the Hue Play? My daughter wanted her room spruced up, we got a TV bed and installed 3D wall panels to the roof behind the headboard and light it with hue strip light shining up from behind the headboard. She's happy with it.

I meant Hue Play, just didn't know it was called that

[Grant_7]

Yes we have a number of Hue bulbs, remote dimmer switches and also the motion sensor.

They're nice for setting an ambience and/or being able to finely control the lighting levels. Also we have the colour ambience bulbs for my Sons' rooms (and playroom) which can be fun.

But the best bit is the linked motion sensor that we have in the downstairs hallway. You can set different profiles so that it behaves differently at different times of the day etc. It is absolutely brilliant to effectively have hands-free lighting when moving around the house.

[lethbridge]

My son has them but then he works for the people that own the Phillips brand so occassionally gets 60% discount! It is good stuff for sure but I don't think he'd ever buy without the discount... Think about putting an uplighter either side of your TV and sync it with the TV - so it matches the colours at the screen edges and things like lightning or darkness become more immersive:

https://www.philips-hue.com/en-us/ex...t/sync-with-tv

[EvilDrPorkChop]

We've got Hue throughout mostly, I've got the outdoor posts on the path and the Front spots on.

We've then got most of the Sport lights inside on Hue, all on Motion and with the dimmer switches. I've managed to get my mate to 3D print wall covers for the old switches (As the standard Hue ones won't cover existing UK switches).

They're all mainly set up on motion as what's the point otherwise.

If you want to convert existing lights to Hue - i've found these really useful. If you've got Dimmable LEDs existing they work great - i've used them for lights in our Bathroom.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zigbee-Swit...r=8-2&th=1

[Blacktemplar]

Originally Posted by mcscoobs

I was given a couple of Hue E27 bulbs, so I bought a couple of table lamps from IKEA, and along with Google Assistant, works great. Loving the whole light automation thing. Been looking at the light bars, for behind my TV and also my monitors, but so many people have been saying they are way overpriced for what they are.

Anyone use anything similar that can be used with Google Assistant and/or Apple Homekit?

I have used this guy...... if that's of any help. Really good for a bad back....

[Nibbles]

I've been looking at these for a while but just can't bring myself to spend £20 on a lightbulb that will last no longer than a normal LED bulb. Also I have had previous Philips TV's with ambilight and they were good for immersion on the smaller TV's but I'm not sure it's needed on a 55" or bigger screen.

[Hartside]

I got two Hue bulbs in December for £10.90 each and an Echo Dot for my 82 year old mum. She had her lower leg amputated in 2013 and they are an absolute godsend for her, she can turn the lights on and off without needing to get up and do it. This is where home automation comes into its own.

[Nibbles]

Originally Posted by Hartside

I got two Hue bulbs in December for £10.90 each and an Echo Dot for my 82 year old mum. She had her lower leg amputated in 2013 and they are an absolute godsend for her, she can turn the lights on and off without needing to get up and do it. This is where home automation comes into its own.

Yes that's a brilliant use case. For me to do the 3 rooms it might be nice to have would involve over £1k of bulbs just for the kids to be able to annoy me by changing the colour of the light in the room I'm in from their bedrooms.

[Hartside]

Originally Posted by Nibbles

Yes that's a brilliant use case. For me to do the 3 rooms it might be nice to have would involve over £1k of bulbs just for the kids to be able to annoy me by changing the colour of the light in the room I'm in from their bedrooms.

Must admit, I wouldn’t be spending daft money for my own house. As you say nice to have but not essential.