Philips hue dimmer switches, bridges and smart plugs

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  Anthrox on 24/06/2019 - 23:39

  +2

  I think you need the hue bridge because that is the device that gets the request from Google to do things it's worth it hue imo is the best lighting system.

  Yes Google Chromecast and audio devices work great especially in the audio devices as you can create a group with the Google home and have music throughout the house

  I have the brilliant smart plugs they work great but you'll need their own app.

  most of the smart home stuff works in a way where you have an account with hue or brilliant and you link that account with Google then you control your devices with the Google assistant

  If you're unsure how to do some of this stuff use the help and the chat on the Google assistant help page just search for it

  there is also lots of helpful videos on YouTube regarding how to set up Google home and smart home devices

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  Banj0 on 24/06/2019 - 23:45

  +1

  +1…yes, I think the bridge is required. I'm in the Apple ecosystem though, so YMMV. I do the whole 'Hey Siri' thing to verbally control the lights, and the Apple TV (4th/5th gen) or HomePod can act as a sort of control centre - but the Hue Bridge is still needed.

  Odd that somebody would leave those in a rental. Expensive to buy. I'm in a rental atm, but we'll absolutely be removing all our Hue bulbs when we eventually go.

  Good system though. Low power communications, and it sets up its own smart network (one bulb/device will talk to another as required). Very clever, and ours works beautifully.

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  Mrgt900 on 25/06/2019 - 00:42

  +3

  Google Home connects to the Philips Hue Bridge through Wi-Fi and the Philips Hue Bridge connects to Philips Hue lights and accessories via Zigbee (which is just another type of wireless standard - more on that in a second), provided you link your Google Home app to the Philips Hue app. So yes, you will need the bridge for to control lights through Google Home (using your voice to control lights etc).

  Because Philips Hue bulbs work on the Zigbee standard, it can only connect to other devices on the Zigbee standard, such as the Bridge or the Dimmer Switch. Since your phone uses Wi-Fi, it can't connect to the lights without going through the bridge, meaning the Philips Hue app without the bridge is useless. The lights in your home at the moment is only connected to the Dimmer Switch, which itself cannot connect to your phone, only the bridge can do that. This may be fine for some people, but without the app (which again, you will need the bridge for), you're very limited in what you can do with the lights, such as setting up routines, using lights without the need of a switch, easily adding and rearanging lights, changing colours on certain bubls, and troubleshooting lights.

  Now you may ask why there are smart lights out there that don't need a bridge (LIFX and TP-Link for e.g.). These lights use regular Wi-Fi standard, so your router is essentially the bridge. The biggest benefit is that you do not need to fork out extra coin to buy a bridge. You also have much more freedom in choosing different brands, whereas there are not many Zigbee lights on the market, and some may still have issues connected to the Philips Hue Bridge. However the downside is that the number of lights you can have is affected by the router you have. Adding another light is like adding another device to the router on an already quite congested 2.4GHz band that most Wi-Fi lights use. Having a dozen or more Wi-Fi connected lights ontop of your current devices, and you may start to see network and connectivity issues. Zigbee allows up to 60,000+ something connected nodes. Another benefit of Zigbee is that it works as a mesh network. So you can have lights all the way on the other side of a large house, far away from the bridge, since the Zigbee lights are all connected to each other. Wi-Fi lights will only work as far as the signal on your router allows. Zigbee also consumes less power, but the differences between the two these days are quite negligible. Given that, if you have a small house/apartment and only looking to control a few lights, Wi-Fi lights should be sufficient, but if you have quite a large house and are looking at to control a fair few lights, then Zigbee lights (like the Philips Hue) may be the better option. Though be aware you may be limited to mostly using the generally more expensive Philips Hue lights.

  The main Philips bulbs are:

  • White - comes in Edison and Bayonet, dimmable, standard yellowy/orange light, around $29
  • Ambient White - comes in Edison, Bayonet and GU10, dimmable, wider range of white from very cool, almost blue, to very orangy light, around $49
  • Ambient White & colour - comes in Edison, Bayonet and GU10, dimmable, same as ambient white, but with colours too, around $89

  Then you have downlights, spotlight, lightstrips and other lights too, but I'm not too familiar with them.

  • 

    ngengerous on 27/06/2019 - 14:06

    +1

    Excellent writeup.

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  bwatt72 on 25/06/2019 - 00:52

  So is the bridge only just for use with ipad/iphone or its needed just to work philips hue lights with google mini.
  I need to double check that these dimmers work or see what owner had set up and if worthwhile getting bridge.
  I know when i needed a globe for bathroom which was missing it was only when i seen the make of bedroom looked it up and thought shit thats an expensive bulb.
  I had no idea what these dimmer controllers where on wall when viewing home but others viewing must have known as a couple was very interested in them.
  But i need to look into them and see how to get them running I think they must have been set up used by owner and now im here i need to do same.
  If i buy a bridge how do i know which is v2.0 and what's the difference from that and previous as having a quick look i see amazon have for $58 where as jb hifi is $71 on sale and officeworks and others as much as $89. Jb hifi says v2.0 but others dont say which.
  Having a $15 voucher for jb hifi might be my best bet if i go ahead.
  How long does these philips hue globes normally last dont fancy replacing them if when we move out to be honest.

  • 

    Mrgt900 on 25/06/2019 - 05:00

    Without the bridge, lights can only be controlled via the dimmer switch. As I wrote above, there's no way a phone/tablet/Google Home can connect to the lights as they use Wi-Fi, and the lights are controlled via Zigbee. The bridge acts like, well a a bridge, allowing Wi-Fi devices to connect to the bridge, and then the bridge connects to the bulbs via Zigbee.

    If you don't want to get the bridge, then the dimmer switch will work since it connects to the bulbs via Zigbee, but it can't connect to Wi-Fi, therefore it can't connect to your phone/Google Home. Without a bridge, pairing a dimmer switch with a bulb involves pointing the switch at a bulb/s and holding the on button until the LED light turns green. You might need to reset the switch too if it's been paired to the bulbs you don't want it to be paired to. That's why a bridge is recommended, even if it's just to make setting up the bulbs a lot easier. The dimmer switch requires a battery for it to work.

    Philips Hue Bridge v1: Circular shape, does not support Apple HomeKit, discontinued
    Philips Hue Bridge v2: Square shape, supports Apple HomeKit

    Major retailers only sell the v2. V1s are mostly only available second hand. The two versions of the bridges are compatiable with all generations of Philips Hue bulbs.

    Current generation bulbs are rated for around 25,000 hours, or around 3 years if you leave them on 24/7.

• 

  bwatt72 on 25/06/2019 - 10:48

  So the bridge is square v2.0 its just amazon shows this but someone questioned if v1 or v2 and a reply was its v1? So either they are wrong or amazon have wrong pic,but as you say it be more common to find v1 in second hand shops etc now.
  So jb hifi at $71 reduced from $80 plus and office works etc are expensive then as likes of amazon and bunnings have for $50 something. Im sure these have been cheaper am sure i seen $38 once when i searched maybe on here so maybe worth waiting for a deal again.
  Might be an idea to see what the house is in regards to hue bulbs and see if worth buying bridge. I know main bedroom has that dimmer plate on wall but no remote,there is dinner remote on wall in cinema room,same again in kitchen,living dining area and another remote in study room. Unsure about rest of rooms but in the living,kitchen,dining area and cinema room is spot lights and im sure has has a box in laundry cupboard saying dimmable so i could dig this out and see whats in these rooms. As what be point in having a few dimmer switches around of the philips if dont work with spotlights.

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  bwatt72 on 25/06/2019 - 12:59

  Maybe the owner had philips hue bulbs at one point in most rooms and changed to ordinary ones as time went on. I believe there is only two hue bulbs in 2 bedrooms rest are just ordinary.
  There is dimmable down lights in kitchen,living area,dining room one hall way and cinema room where it has philips dimmer switches in them rooms. The box i found in laundry room is called starburst crystal eco says multi led down light dimmable i asume these philips dimmer switches will work on these.
  My question is the living area,dining area,kitchen area and hallway are all one room so does that mean it dim all light if it does. Might not want hallway light on where want living or dinning area.

  But in tegards to the bridge i might just pass on that for now or maybe jump on it if deal comes along. As being only possible 2 philips hue bulbs its probably not worth it and i have no idea what these starburst down lights can do.
  I think i be happy just to use what we have with dimmer swiches for now which we have 3 of. Had I owned the house maybe a bridge would be good or if we knew we be a few years here then all good but might be out of here in 10 months time and just be a waste.
  But if i can make work what's here already with philips dimmer switches then all good im just not sure about the down lights. Thanks