I've just bought a Hue kit - what can it do?! :)

[Blue Oval84]

I've taken advantage of a small saving on Amazon's black Friday to get five Hue bulbs and bridge for my living room. Plan is to kit out the rest of the flat over time, but right now the MK1 lightswitch works fine everywhere else.

Google Home mini is on it's way for Christmas, so there will be an element of voice control soon which I understand works with Hue, as well as Chromecast Audios positioned throughout the flat, phone is Android.

My main priority is to take advantage of the so called synching with movies and music.

My music will mainly be Spotify played over the Chromecasts once they arrive. I do have a traditional CD player etc. but it's more for show now, I think usage is going to all but stop!

What I'm struggling with from my searches is how to get Hue to do the synchronised strobe lighting thing. There is an Android app but it seems to use the phone microphone to listen to the music in the room and then control the lights accordingly. Needless to say the reviews mention things like the light show stopping when the phone screen goes off, or you use the phone.

Is there an app that is clever enough to sync in with Spotify and adjust the lights automatically, without relying on the microphone?

Also, where to even start with getting it to sync with movies? I have Netflix and Amazon movies, which I currently watch on the PS4, would I need a TV Chromecast to get this going? So confused about how that bit works, but I'm going to be eagerly awaiting DPD tomorrow with my new toys regardless

Oh, also, once funds permit I can't wait to start playing with LED light strips, but are there any colour changing ones that work with Hue (and therefore Google Home) other than the Phillips one? It's all a bit vague as to what works and doesn't...

[wjwren]

Hue disco is good. I have it on my phone and it picks the microphone up. You can strobe or let it go in auto. I have 12 bulbs outside on the decking. Gives a good effect for parties etc.

[ecsrobin]

At the moment it doesn’t sync with TV, films and games consoles.

I do have an app iOS which people have created syncs and when you watch any of the limited films it will sync. (Dr strangelove is good although slightly odd as it’s black and white and the hue is colour)

Currently the software has just gone to developers to creat syncs so within the next year I expect to see films and games rolling out with hue syncs.

[Blue Oval84]

Thanks for the advice guys, it arrived today and I've been playing with it just as soon as I could get enough plug adaptors!
Absolutely thrilled with it I've got the Hue Disco app now and have been figuring out what it can do-
Colour changing theme-


Full brightness


Northern lights theme-


Engrossing movie night theme-


The chrome lamp is also on Hue, but as it's a white bulb I excluded it and the other white one (just out of shot) from any of the changing themes, just having them go up and down in brightness makes it a little too much like a Poltergeist is visiting...

E36 Guy - if you happen to be reading this, those LED wall lights are still looking great too

[ecsrobin]

That looks great!! I have all my coloured lights in lamps but think you get a far better effect as a wall light.

[Blue Oval84]

Thanks! Pleased you like

I used these to hold the bulbs-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clip-Bulb-Holder-Off-Func...

Unfortunately as the bulbs I had to buy were screw cap (in order to get the 4 for 3 offer on black Friday) I also needed to use some little adaptors to convert them to bayonet fit, but as they're out of sight it doesn't matter, just needed something to make it light up!

I have to say that even in the daytime it's much better in here now, although one whole side of the room is glass, the flat faces east so is actually quite dull in the afternoon, with everything turned up max it's a lot brighter

[Easternlight]

It's given me a migraine just looking at the pics!



Old fart leaves thread---->

[Blue Oval84]

Easternlight said:

It's given me a migraine just looking at the pics!



Old fart leaves thread---->

I've got to be honest, that funky colour changing mode in the GIF is not going to see a lot of use on a standard night in front of the TV, most of the time it'll be white or a subtle colour. But you've got to play with new toys haven't you?

That orange glow is actually very subtle in real life and probably will see quite a lot of use with movies and such like

[tenohfive]

I like the northern lights effect you've got there. Very funky and looks like it's something you could live with rather than one of the epileptic fit inducing modes.

One more thing I now want...

[Blue Oval84]

Sat and watched a film last night and the movie mode worked well, I know it looks quite garish in the picture but it's actually just a soft orange glow and it worked nicely to give an ambient light to the room.

I'm very, very pleased with it, definitely worth putting on your Christmas list, even if you have to buy it yourself

[cb31]

I think they are quite cool but I just can't get over the cost. While I don't mind paying £40 for a bit of electronics I baulk at paying that for a light bulb, no matter how smart it is. Every time a bulb blows due to a power surge or something it costs £40 for a new one? Madness. If they were in my bedroom wall lights I would need a direct debit to Philips with the amount of times bulbs blow.

[Blue Oval84]

cb31 said:

I think they are quite cool but I just can't get over the cost. While I don't mind paying £40 for a bit of electronics I baulk at paying that for a light bulb, no matter how smart it is. Every time a bulb blows due to a power surge or something it costs £40 for a new one? Madness. If they were in my bedroom wall lights I would need a direct debit to Philips with the amount of times bulbs blow.

Allegedly the LED bulbs last much, much longer than either incandescent or even the regular low energy ones, time will tell.

Worth noting that once you've got the Hue Bridge, you don't need to buy Hue bulbs, you can get cheaper versions from Innr or Osram which work more or less the same (YouTube suggests that Innr ones struggle with disco style instant colour changes, but are otherwise as good)

[Ved]

Get yourself an Amazon Echo and a sensor or two. Mine react to time of day and ambience which is quite good.

[Blue Oval84]

Ved said:

Get yourself an Amazon Echo and a sensor or two. Mine react to time of day and ambience which is quite good.

I'm thinking about the sensor as a neat little add on when funds allow, but Echo is a non-starter as I'm going for Google Home instead, I want the Chromecast audio etc. As far as the lights go I think Google will do the same as the Echo?

[tenohfive]

cb31 said:

I think they are quite cool but I just can't get over the cost. While I don't mind paying £40 for a bit of electronics I baulk at paying that for a light bulb, no matter how smart it is. Every time a bulb blows due to a power surge or something it costs £40 for a new one? Madness. If they were in my bedroom wall lights I would need a direct debit to Philips with the amount of times bulbs blow.

The simple ones (non coloured) can be had on deals that makes then about £10 each; not a lot more than a dumb LED equivalent from your local supermarket. Currys PC World are currently doing them for 3 for £30 so I'm planning on picking some up.

I've skipped the Hue Bridge as I've just bought and setup a SmartThings Hub which allows control of them (and a whole tonne of other stuff besides - it does both Zigbee & Z-Wave.) I'm not 100% on whether it'll be full control including dimming and colour changing, but the app certainly appears to support them and the forums confirm they work. If it doesn't do colour changes etc I can live without as I'm more interested in functional lights to start with. It's a really simple job to set up a motion sensor that'll activate a light (landing, during sunset-sunrise) or to use one of the door sensors that triggers a light when a door opens. Rigging up the bedroom light to flash on receipt of messages etc seems really easy too with IFTTT. Lots of potential there.

[wjwren]

Bit of a rubbish video off my phone, but you get the idea with Hue Disco. Couldnt turn the music up too loud .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEiPllPia68

[Blue Oval84]

I think I can see a SmartThings hub in my future as well then. I understand that the Samsung can operate alongside a Hue hub as well, so I won't feel like I've wasted my money (unless it turns out that the Samsung hub literally does everything that the Hue does, even then the hub probably only cost me about £40)

Loving the disco lights wjwren!

[wjwren]

can you buy a movement sensor for hue that could turn the lights on?

Edit - just found them on Amazon for £30.

The Hue bulbs are great, I leave mine out all year and have had no issues, although im not sure if they are classed as outdoor use.

Edited by wjwren on Monday 20th November 23:07

[JimbobVFR]

Realistically could the colour hue bulbs produce a decent white light. None of rhe other RGB stuff I've got is good as a light so is supplemented by other white lights.

[Blue Oval84]

JimbobVFR said:

Realistically could the colour hue bulbs produce a decent white light. None of rhe other RGB stuff I've got is good as a light so is supplemented by other white lights.

They produce a white light that's as good as the regular white-only Hue bulbs, and I'd certainly say it's an improvement on the old LED bulb I had in the table lamp previously. Added advantage is you can choose any colour temp you like.

In the second pic I've posted I've got them set pretty much on pure white. Obviously it's not as obvious because the bulbs are tucked behind the sofa.