Philips Hue FAQ

ablelocks

thecivvie wrote: »

Got the dimmer to work. See no reason why the motion detector won't.

brilliant - voice control using the echo dot isn't really working out as kids are shouting at it from their rooms into our room to turn on or off the lights

then if it doesn't work they use the switch in the room.

then they leave they leave the room and leave the lights on.

and as for wife, she doesn't want to talk to alexa at all.

thecivvie

ablelocks wrote: »

brilliant - voice control using the echo dot isn't really working out as kids are shouting at it from their rooms into our room to turn on or off the lights

then if it doesn't work they use the switch in the room.

then they leave they leave the room and leave the lights on.

and as for wife, she doesn't want to talk to alexa at all.

My ex got me to install her system and she used Philips Hue bulbs with Ikea switches. She has one Ikea bulb and motion detector.

bk

thecivvie wrote: »

My ex got me to install her system and she used Philips Hue bulbs with Ikea switches. She has one Ikea bulb and motion detector.

My understanding, the one downside is that you can't connect the Ikea switches to the Hue hub, they are connected directly to the bulbs instead. Which means you can't reprogram the buttons to do different things (different scenes, etc.) like you can the Hue switches.

Sorry correct me if I'm wrong, but just FYI for others thinking of doing this.

AndyBoBandy

bk wrote: »

My understanding, the one downside is that you can't connect the Ikea switches to the Hue hub, they are connected directly to the bulbs instead. Which means you can't reprogram the buttons to do different things (different scenes, etc.) like you can the Hue switches.

Same is the case when using the Ikea sensors, they'll pair to a bulb(s) and not to the hub, and when they detect motion, will come on 100% bright, and thats it!!

I installed a Hue sensor in our ensuite a few weeks ago, and it's great. Nightlight scene is set for during the night, and energise for during the day/evening.

bk

Yes, the Hue sensors are really great and I recommend them over Ikea sensors for this reason.

However the Ikea switches could be ok if you just want simple on/off/dimming controls. I will say I prefer the physical design of the Ikea switches to the Hue ones. One big button to toggle on/off, then smaller buttons for dimming and scenes, plus one more button then Hue. The big button makes it simpler to use IMO.

ablelocks

ikea switches should be perfect for the basic lights so - on off and dimming is all that's needed.

The Black Oil

Power cut last night, don't know when exactly. Woke up to go the loo - all Hue lights were on, The landing is normally dimmed when triggered by the sensor in the small hours, but I could see from my door it was at full brightness.

Seems from Google there's not really a way around this.

AndyBoBandy

The Black Oil wrote: »

Power cut last night, don't know when exactly. Woke up to go the loo - all Hue lights were on, The landing is normally dimmed when triggered by the sensor in the small hours, but I could see from my door it was at full brightness.

Seems from Google there's not really a way around this.

I believe the Hue Entertainment update adds something so the bulbs will remain off (if they were already off) in the event of a power cut.

I’m sure I read it somewhere.

randombar

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I believe the Hue Entertainment update adds something so the bulbs will remain off (if they were already off) in the event of a power cut.

I’m sure I read it somewhere.

Any link or do we just wait for an update?

cletus

GaryCocs wrote: »

Any link or do we just wait for an update?

Check your hue app, the update was queued for me

AndyBoBandy

GaryCocs wrote: »

Any link or do we just wait for an update?

Updates pushed out last week (took my system about 24 hours to update and download all updates)

368100

I posted this problem in the Alexa thread but after investigation and trying things its a hue issue.

My hue bridge v2 is set up, lights connected and able to control fully via the app. But when I try and log into myhue it doesn't recognise me pressing the bridge button.

Ive reset fully and it recognises the bridge button being pressed on initial setup just not for logging into myhue on the app.

Has anyone else came up against this?

mloc123

I got the entertainment update. I have setup my area... But can't find anything that integrates with it? Little or no info on their site.

AndyBoBandy

mloc123 wrote: »

I got the entertainment update. I have setup my area... But can't find anything that integrates with it? Little or no info on their site.

Razor (PC gaming) is currently the only way to use Hue Entertainment

More partners will be announced in the coming months

There is. Mac/windows app coming soon as well that will sync music with Hue

nialldinho

bk wrote: »

I've two Ikea €7 GU10's from Dublin. I was able to pair them with my Hue hub out of the box, they seem to have the latest software.

We'll sort of, one bulb paired with the Hue hub straight off. Unfortunately the second wouldn't and took nearly three hours of me switching it on and off trying to reset it to get it paired. Finally worked but pretty frustrating.

Once paired with the Hue hub, it works fine with the Hue dimmers and motion sensors.

Here is my advice for pairing these bulbs
- switch off at the wall or unplug all Hue bulbs and lights
- Only try and set up one Ikea bulb at a time
- try and move the bulb being setup as close to the hub as is physically possible

I just got an E27 white bulb from Ikea. The on/off 6 times made the blub go off for a split second so thought it was working ok. But the hue app couldn’t find it. However if I turned the bulb off before searching and then turned it on once the search commenced it found it straight away.

So I have it set up in the hue app. But google Home isn’t recognising it. It is only showing the original 3 Philips bulb under hue. Is there something else I need to do now?

Thanks

EDIT: just asked google to ‘sync Philips hue’ and it found them then

Irish Gunner

Questions about the Hue Sensor

Few breaks in around neighbourhood and wondering if I get one of these can they be used with IFTT so if something detected all the lights in the house flash etc.?

Have Logitech camera also but just wondering if this is possible with sensor if I decide to purchase one?

AndyBoBandy

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Questions about the Hue Sensor

Few breaks in around neighbourhood and wondering if I get one of these can they be used with IFTT so if something detected all the lights in the house flash etc.?

Have Logitech camera also but just wondering if this is possible with sensor if I decide to purchase one?

I believe you can,

I've read of others doing this. I'd imagine it's a case of IF a certain light comes on (via sensor), other lights are triggered to flash red.

bk

Hue Sensors aren't connected to IFTTT or anything else like that unfortunately.

However I do believe you can pair them with the SmartThings hub and use them with SmartThings home security setup. So for instance set off alarm when you are out and motion detected, etc.

However a few things to note, this isn't officially supported, you have to use custom, community supplied code and it runs in the cloud and thus won't work if broadband/power down. Also the sensors won't be paired with the Hue bridge anymore, so you would have to rely on SmartThings to control the lights (which can still be connected to the Hue bridge).

So it is all a bit of a wonky solution. I do however plan on doing exactly this with my Hue sensors and SmartThings as I already have them, but I don't think I'd recommend people to go out and buy these for this particular purpose. I use mine mostly for Home Automation stuff and then only as a second layer of security on top of my traditional alarm system.

I'm sure you can do similar setup with Home Assistant, etc.

If you can afford it, a traditional security system would be best. Or perhaps the Yale or Honeywell DIY systems.

The high horse brigade

I'm already using stringy to flicker my hue lights when there's motion outside on the Ring doorbell. You can easily use it to turn on lights on a few minutes timer to turn off

Uriel.

The high horse brigade wrote: »

I'm already using stringy to flicker my hue lights when there's motion outside on the Ring doorbell. You can easily use it to turn on lights on a few minutes timer to turn off

I do the same via ifttt as well motion at certain hours flicker the lights in the house and a doorbell press pulses the lights.

Mostly for the craic tbh

Irish Gunner

Uriel. wrote: »

I do the same via ifttt as well motion at certain hours flicker the lights in the house and a doorbell press pulses the lights.

Mostly for the craic tbh

would it be possible to do with a Logitech Camera as don't have ring doorbell but looking at it.

Not to Tech savvy so does it require a lot of IT knowledge?

Thanks

bk

Irish Gunner wrote: »

would it be possible to do with a Logitech Camera as don't have ring doorbell but looking at it.

Not to Tech savvy so does it require a lot of IT knowledge?

Not at the moment as the Logitech cameras don't support IFTTT yet. It is the one downside of them, hopefully they will add IFTTT support some day as they have for their other products.

You could achieve a similar effect with a SmartThnigs Hub and sensor if you happen to have those.

Irish Gunner

bk wrote: »

Not at the moment as the Logitech cameras don't support IFTTT yet. It is the one downside of them, hopefully they will add IFTTT support some day as they have for their other products.

You could achieve a similar effect with a SmartThnigs Hub and sensor if you happen to have those.

cheers don't have the SmartThings Hub just the Harmony and Hue take it not compatible with these?

Optimus Prime

Ive DLINK cameras front and back and i use Stringfy with them.

IE

If "back camera" detects motion and its "after 23:00" turn on "kitchen" and "outside" lights, then start a countdown timer for "20 minutes" then turn off "kitchen" and "outside" lights.

The cameras also send me an email with five screenshots taken before and after the motion is detected.

bk

Irish Gunner wrote: »

cheers don't have the SmartThings Hub just the Harmony and Hue take it not compatible with these?

I'm afraid not, it isn't really compatible with anything else other then Google Home + Chromecast for viewing video. Hopefully that will change in time.

ablelocks

I've installed one ikea dimmer switch in the boys room and it works fine.

However,

Alexa no longer works (which isn't really an issue)

but, the Hue routine for wake up (fade in for 10 minutes before 7.20) has also stopped working.

Is there a fix or are routines and the Ikea switch mutually exclusive?

AndyBoBandy

That’s the thing with the Ikea accessories, they connect directly to the Hue bulb, but at the same time they disconnect the bulb completely from the Hue hub, essentially isolating them from your system!!

For me I’ll happily pay the extra few quid to keep my entire system Philips, and thus keeping full functionality across the entire system.

THE ALM

Recently picked up the deal for the Hue starter kit plus free Google Home on my way through Birmingham airport on Monday and I am having an issue with one of the bulbs if anybody could offer any advice that would be great, although I think I have exhausted all avenues and am currently waiting feedback form Hue support.

Hub connected, three white colour ambience bulbs and dimmer switch added all ok but one of the bulbs I cannot turn off. I have tried it through the app and using the switch but when I hit off it will go from the setting it is on to a a bright white in the off position and just have to turn it off at the plug.

Suggestions I have seen online and tried without success include:-

Reseting the hub and trying again

Removing the bulb and trying again

Turning the bulb down to below 50% before turning off

Renaming the bulb

Updated all firmware

Anybody have this problem and found a solution, it seems to be a common enough complaint.

Thanks

ablelocks

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

That’s the thing with the Ikea accessories, they connect directly to the Hue bulb, but at the same time they disconnect the bulb completely from the Hue hub, essentially isolating them from your system!!

For me I’ll happily pay the extra few quid to keep my entire system Philips, and thus keeping full functionality across the entire system.

thanks, didn't realise that, i assumed it was just the alexa control that would go.

the ikea switches will be going back at the weekend.

illdoit2morrow

THE ALM wrote: »

Recently picked up the deal for the Hue starter kit plus free Google Home on my way through Birmingham airport on Monday and I am having an issue with one of the bulbs if anybody could offer any advice that would be great, although I think I have exhausted all avenues and am currently waiting feedback form Hue support.

Hub connected, three white colour ambience bulbs and dimmer switch added all ok but one of the bulbs I cannot turn off. I have tried it through the app and using the switch but when I hit off it will go from the setting it is on to a a bright white in the off position and just have to turn it off at the plug.

Suggestions I have seen online and tried without success include:-

Reseting the hub and trying again

Removing the bulb and trying again

Turning the bulb down to below 50% before turning off

Renaming the bulb

Updated all firmware

Anybody have this problem and found a solution, it seems to be a common enough complaint.

Thanks

Have you been using any 3rd party apps (i.e. not the official hue app) so far?

I had issues where i would use a 3rd party app and subsequently use the official app, but the bulb wouldn't respond to the official app instruction.

A reset of the hub would have sorted that i imagine, but something to keep in mind when trying to diagnose what might be the issue.