how smart has your home gone?

[danlightbulb]

Incidentally @danlightbulb you ought to check the obvious site for "Innr" bulbs. I have those for the most part not hue, they're basically copies of hue bulbs which the hue hubs sees as hue bulbs/have all the same functionality just cheaper.

Thanks, £5 cheaper for the Innr one. Do you know if it works directly with the £6 Ikea dimmer, it doesnt say on their site?

 

[jpaul]

Xiaomi smart bulbs are great and very reliable in my experience, have been using them for 2 years or so with no issues. And much cheaper than Philips, they also directly connect to WiFi, so no need for an additional box.

yes - my reluctance with them+innr, vs ikea, has been being able to purchase 'supplied by amazon', hence, some kind of guarantee,
and also, I've not investigated interoperability with ikea zigbee buttons/guidance switches .... from the sofa watching tv/music a physical button, rules, vs phone/alexa.

The bulbs speak zigbee, and the ikea remote speaks zigbee. The bridge allows the two devices to talk zigbee to each other.

yes - emgh - but afaik hue doesn't have a proper zigbee implementation(ie. repeaters=transmitters?) otherwise they could be used directly with ikea remotes, and,
you can't use the hues directly with smarthings hub. ... must be intentional ?

 

[Semple]

I'll be honest I haven't followed this too much but isn't the bridge you refer to either the ikea or the hue one?

That's my point (in part) about it being hacky, I guess you either need to add the ikea dimmer to the hue hub as a hue dimmer or the hue bulb to the ikea hub as an ikea bulb.

Do they just show up on a search? And either way it adds cost.

The Hue bridge, i've never looked at the Ikea gateway (not had a reason to do so).

Ikea bulbs are added the same way as Hue bulbs, but as i mentioned earlier in the thread, they can be a bit temperamental when adding.

Ikea dimmers can also be added: https://redsilico.com/blog/ikea-tradri-remote-with-hue-hub

 

[Semple]

Thanks, £5 cheaper for the Innr one. Do you know if it works directly with the £6 Ikea dimmer, it doesnt say on their site?

Not directly, no. You need a zigbee gateway (Hue Bridge, Tradfri gateway etc). According to this Hue bulbs can be added to Tradfri gateway (https://www.reddit.com/r/tradfri/comments/6vcnzv/hue_bulbs_can_now_also_be_paired_with_ikea/) although it looked like colour/temp might have been lacking in functionality - this was 3 years ago, so may have been resolved.

Think of the zigbee gateway as doing the same thing as your wireless router. You can't cast stuff from your phone to your TV, or from your PC to your ipad without the wireless router - the zigbee gateway does the same thing.

Edit: Just seen you were looking at Innr bulbs instead, according to this they should still work with Tradfri gateway: https://www.reddit.com/r/tradfri/comments/79b68t/innr_bulbs_with_trådfri_bridge/

I don't know if the Tradfri gateway can be had any cheaper mind. Looks about the same price as a second-hand Hue bridge off ebay.

yes - emgh - but afaik hue doesn't have a proper zigbee implementation(ie. repeaters=transmitters?) otherwise they could be used directly with ikea remotes, and,
you can't use the hues directly with smarthings hub. ... must be intentional ?

According to the previous link i posted you can integrate ikea remotes with the Hue bridge.

I don't know with the smart things hub, but you can work around that with something like Home Assistant. So i have all my Hue/Tradfri bulbs connected to my Hue bridge, i then have another zigbee gateway (Conbee2) that allows me to connect a number of other zigbee devices - i've currently got xiaomi push buttons that i can use to control any of the bulbs that i set up, and stealing @no idea what 's idea, i've got some xiaomi contact sensors on the way so that i can stick one on the front door that triggers the hallway light when opened.

 

[danlightbulb]

Not directly, no. You need a zigbee gateway (Hue Bridge, Tradfri gateway etc). According to this Hue bulbs can be added to Tradfri gateway (https://www.reddit.com/r/tradfri/comments/6vcnzv/hue_bulbs_can_now_also_be_paired_with_ikea/) although it looked like colour/temp might have been lacking in functionality - this was 3 years ago, so may have been resolved.

Think of the zigbee gateway as doing the same thing as your wireless router. You can't cast stuff from your phone to your TV, or from your PC to your ipad without the wireless router - the zigbee gateway does the same thing.

Edit: Just seen you were looking at Innr bulbs instead, according to this they should still work with Tradfri gateway: https://www.reddit.com/r/tradfri/comments/79b68t/innr_bulbs_with_trådfri_bridge/

I don't know if the Tradfri gateway can be had any cheaper mind. Looks about the same price as a second-hand Hue bridge off ebay.

Ok thanks. I don't really want a gateway/hub setting up for one bulb, a direct remote/dimmer is all i need (stuck on the wall next to the lamp) and I'd rather pay £6 than £14. Look like my only options are the Hue bulb and dimmer, or the Ikea bulb and dimmer.

 

[jpaul]

I don't know with the smart things hub, but you can work around that with something like Home Assistant. So i have all my Hue/Tradfri bulbs connected to my Hue bridge, i then have another zigbee gateway (Conbee2) that allows me to connect a number of other zigbee devices -

your practical experience trrumps my internet research

this was the link about hue with smarthings ... having just one hub would be nice

https://community.smartthings.com/t/does-the-smartthings-hub-need-the-hue-bridge/123008

Remember that you aren’t just losing optional features. Including hue bulbs in your smartthings zigbee network means that you have added unreliable repeaters, so messages from your other devices, such as battery operated sensors, maybe lost from time to time. :scream:

This often makes it look like the sensors are a problem when in fact the sensors are just fine, the messages are getting lost further down the line by the bulbs that should be repeating the messages but are not.

If you aren’t going to have any battery operated Zigbee devices, then that’s not an issue, but it’s just something to be aware of.

 

[Semple]

your practical experience trrumps my internet research

this was the link about hue with smarthings ... having just one hub would be nice

https://community.smartthings.com/t/does-the-smartthings-hub-need-the-hue-bridge/123008

One hub is possible - the Conbee2 supports pretty much every zigbee device. The flipside is that you won't be able to use the native app to control it.

But you can create some nice layouts in Home Assistant to do everything you want/need.

Remember that you aren’t just losing optional features. Including hue bulbs in your smartthings zigbee network means that you have added unreliable repeaters, so messages from your other devices, such as battery operated sensors, maybe lost from time to time. :scream:

This often makes it look like the sensors are a problem when in fact the sensors are just fine, the messages are getting lost further down the line by the bulbs that should be repeating the messages but are not.

If you aren’t going to have any battery operated Zigbee devices, then that’s not an issue, but it’s just something to be aware of.

It is something to be mindful of, especially with bigger houses, or putting zigbee devices into the garden etc.

 

[Skynet5]

I just bought two Philips Hue BT e14 candle bulbs.

I've ordered 4 more to complete the lounge and hopefully with the hub I'll also buy tomorrow, I can link to the harmony remote.

Will look at doing the bedrooms at Christmas if I remain impressed.

Whole house is led now other than downstairs loo, lads bedroom and a really nice upstair landing light.

 

[utajoker]

Anyone found good automation for blinds that work with alexa and ifttt?

Would like to open close them on command but also have them close in time with sun rise/ sun down.

Don't want whole blind systems but something that can control the current blinds.

 

[Martynt74]

I just bought two Philips Hue BT e14 candle bulbs.

I've ordered 4 more to complete the lounge and hopefully with the hub I'll also buy tomorrow, I can link to the harmony remote.

Will look at doing the bedrooms at Christmas if I remain impressed.

Whole house is led now other than downstairs loo, lads bedroom and a really nice upstair landing light.

I'm after some colour E14 bulbs, ideally the golfball shape, however i ordered some cheap ones from Amazon and they were awful. Just flashed and the app didn't detect them.

I wish Hue offered more options.

 

[Snow-Munki]

Hi,
Looking at getting smart blinds, ideally Venetians blinds than roller blinds to have some privacy but also let light in during the days.

any suggestions, I’ve seem the Somfy ones.

cheers

 

[Semple]

Anyone found good automation for blinds that work with alexa and ifttt?

Would like to open close them on command but also have them close in time with sun rise/ sun down.

Don't want whole blind systems but something that can control the current blinds.

There are a couple of 3rd party kits out there for roller blinds - they're essentially just a motor that attaches to the cord and can do the raising/lowering for you. Or a motor that's attached to the roller part of the blind.

Obviously venetian blinds are a lot trickier, and i've not seen any kits to convert existing blinds yet - only DIY solutions.

Hi,
Looking at getting smart blinds, ideally Venetians blinds than roller blinds to have some privacy but also let light in during the days.

any suggestions, I’ve seem the Somfy ones.

cheers

Smart blinds are still a fairly new concept to the market, so not many players in this area yet.

Somfy make some good blinds, but they're very expensive.

 

[Skynet5]

I'm after some colour E14 bulbs, ideally the golfball shape, however i ordered some cheap ones from Amazon and they were awful. Just flashed and the app didn't detect them.

I wish Hue offered more options.

If they are 230v then make sure you don't have a dimmer switch, and if you do it's a led dimmer.

If they are 12v then replace the down converter to an led one that gives a much smoother 12v.



Led lights are so tempermental in my experience full stop.

 

[joelk2]

I’m just getting into the smart home game. As the place is rented I can only go as far as speakers/plugs etc.

I have 1 room which I am looking for a product which I’m hoping exists. (I can’t seem to find anything though)

my en suite. I only use my en-suite and I love listening to music while in the shower. I don’t have any outlets in the room, not even a shaver socket so am wondering if a wife enabled, light bulb speaker exists that would connect with google home.

My be quite specific but without any sockets I’m not sure what else would be suitable?

 

[matt100]

I’m just getting into the smart home game. As the place is rented I can only go as far as speakers/plugs etc.

I have 1 room which I am looking for a product which I’m hoping exists. (I can’t seem to find anything though)

my en suite. I only use my en-suite and I love listening to music while in the shower. I don’t have any outlets in the room, not even a shaver socket so am wondering if a wife enabled, light bulb speaker exists that would connect with google home.

My be quite specific but without any sockets I’m not sure what else would be suitable?

It's pretty simple actually

I have an echo dot in a battery base that turns it into a wireless echo. You can get the same for google home minis.

So you might end up having to get a new dot/mini but they're dirt cheap anyway, then go to everyone's favourite online shop and search for mini/dot battery base and buy whatever you like the look of.

I charge my dot one maybe every other week and I have voice controlled music in the shower.. lush

 

[BigT]

I don't think I've seen bulbs with the mic in needed to voice control them. Plenty Wifi/smart enabled bulbs though like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sengled-Bl...QMDTNDO/ref=psdc_248790031_t1_B018KSO48W?th=1 (assuming a ceiling rose otherwise you're out of luck with GU10 and the like as the form factor is too small to get a speaker in)

I'd go down the battery operated echo route like @matt100 suggests personally but probably the reason a product doesn't exist is because the mics in any device aren't going to pick up your commands properly over the noise of the shower. That being the case there's an argument for just any old quality bluetooth portable speaker. Get it playing and then just step into the shower - don't over complicate it.

 

[matt100]

I've tried bluetooth bulbs before.. they're trash.

The battery base I have for my echo is also a speaker which makes the sound much better too, it was like £25 or something, totally worth it.

Bluetooth is bleurgh

 

[Danthus]

Can anyone recommend some Alexa compatible bulbs, the Philips Hue ones sting a bit a £12 a bulb.

 

[matt100]

If you have the Hue hub you can get Innr ones which are cheaper and basically the same.

 

[Danthus]

I don't have a hub, just a 4th Gen Echo.