As someone who uses the Hue light bar and strips on my monitor and theater setup, I absolutely love them. For my monitor I just like having the extra light becuase I stay more enganged with what I am doing and feel more relaxed overall, and for my theater setup I have the gradiant lightstrip which I find awesome for movies but also I run an emulation station on it as well and it really provides a great experience to some old classics and makes everything just feel more enjoyable overall. They are expensive and more of a novelty for most, but for those who spend a lot of time gaming or watching movies, you will have a blast!
@@Exlipse703 not that I have ever noticed, no. I've used the light bars, strips, bulbs, and even the gradient light strips and never have heard any static or buzzing.
this is the main reason im actually considering Phillips hue is for this feature. I know razor chroma has the ability to sync with games and whats on the screen using certain smart lighting products I'm just not sure what to go for. ik govee has gotten bigger and i want to check them out as well. My goal is seamless compatibility with these services and being able to sync my lighting with my desktop lights and headphone and mouse. Would you say it's worth going all in with phillips hue? are other brands may be able to achieve this? i know phillips hue is the biggest name but I'm doing research atm any advice helps!!
@cottoncandykeith if I had more expendable cash I would go with Phillips hue. I've never tried the others and was tempted too, but I just grabbed hue because the gradient light was what I knew I wanted and hue stuff has some decent discounts every so often. The UI is really good and all my lights are still going 3 years down the road. The quality is there, but the price holds it back from being accessible to me and there are some restrictions to lighting control from what I remember, but I already forgot what they were so I don't think it's much to worry about. The hue sync box is the biggest downfall with its price to get the lights to do anything without a computer (gaming consoles, tv, blu ray) but I get past this with a 25ft HDMI running from my PC to my home theater tv in the next room. If you mod consoles, you can also cast your console to your PC and the PC can use the hue sync app to show lights in my theater room while I play on the theater tv.
I’ve been using devices bought more than six years ago when we lived at our old house. All of it is still working. I now have over 60 different Philips lights and accessories around my new home.
I'm hoping Philips Hue continues to expand on the app and add new features, I really like the effects it provides. Expense seems to be the only downside from what I can tell. I had a bulb go out after buying it earlier this year and it was pretty easy for them to send me a new replacement no questions asked. Definitely paying for quality.
I LOVE the new candle and fireplace effects! I only wish you could change the color on them :( The fireplace is too orange, and it would be cool to change to green for instance on Halloween :P I also wish they would support more colors on the gradient strip instead of just three colors. At least it's good to see that they do change and add things to the app :D Cant wait to see what's next!
I recently replaced the vast majority of my bulbs with Philips Hue and they're the best I've used. Super fast to respond and no issues. The lutron dimmer looks awesome. Great video, Eric!
Hue Sync is to be connected to your OLED TV in the living room not your computer. That is why it has 4 HDMI inputs. That is where it makes sense. My family loves the effect. Never connected it to the monitor or PC ... makes little sense to me.
Thanks for sharing! You bring up a good point about entertainment on the TV. I might just be convinced to reconsider my Hue Sync thoughts some day soon.
@@EricWelander I second what Nuno said. Watching movies are just so much more immersive with the sync box. We’ve placed bulbs all around alongside the TV gradient light strip in our living room, giving us a “surround Lighting” in addition to surround sound!
@@EricWelander just a warning. The Hue Sync box its a money trojan horse. You buy the box but to work as intended you need to spend at least twice of that (gradient light strip or bar TV). Apart from that it creates a nice living room entertainment environment. I have it connected to my LG OLED C9. The TV detects the Hue Sync (HDMI Hub), so all the HDMI inputs become available from the UI ... changing inputs with the TV remote. Connected to it I have my Apple TV, TV Set-top box and Playstation. So get ambient light and syncing if desired for any kind of media in the living room. Wether at the rhythm of imaging or audio. Totally hands free operation (HDMI-CEC). For me the main drawback disabling and enabling light sync. In my case as I use Siri I need to use my phone for that. But if you use Google Home or Alexa you can configure it to respond to voice commands. "Ok Google, enable/disable light sync".
If you use Hue Sync with a PC it's more about controlling the lighting of devices (e.g. kboard, case) than bias lighting The Sync system needs an update to be compatible with latest release TVs (HDMI 2.1, etc...)
Love your videos! I understand it's not for everybody, but I have the HDMI Sync Box with a "proper" setup of a gradient strip behind the TV, to evenly spread the light, and two Play Bars on the floor beside the TV table for extra effect, and I personally LOVE it. By far my favorite of all the Hue products. I'm very sensitive to light, especially if there is a high contrast between a darker environment and a light source (it's weird, I know), and watching TV has been awful on my eyes for years, UNTIL I got the Sync Box. It takes away the contrast in lighting when it matches what I see on screen (and for that only, it is worth it to me) AND I love how it adds to effects and "extends" the TV across my (white) wall. You have to find the correct setting and balance of sensitivity and brightness that works for you, but once you do, it's absolutely amazing. I don't use bulbs that are in clear view of my eyes as it can become very distracting. Another good tip for a better experience is to turn the brightness down to match the TV brightness (or just a bit lower) so it's less distracting, and keep the sensitivity to just above middle, so it doesn't go off when i'ts not supposed to 😁 You don't want the light to take away from what is happening on the screen! Thank you for creating such amazing videos 😊
It's not weird Xander. I have the exact same thing with my eyes. In the old days (without the sync box) after 1,5hr or so i would see double and had to squeeze my eyes for a "just enough"view. Now with the lights working with the tv it is completly over!! so great
Re the buttons. You can do different scenes with additional presses, and a long press dims or brightens the bulbs. However, I do tend to use them for simple places ie rooms which just need ‘on or off’ and next to the bed for a little convenient light switch.
We use the Hue Smart plugs for controlling our regular led fence lights. We also use the smart plugs for controlling Christmas tree lights. Lastly we also control our two portable Air-conditioning units with the smart plugs. So there are many useful options for these smart plugs.
I agree with the price being equivalent to the quality of the products. I tend to purchase during Black Friday, Hot Sale, Amazon Prime Day, and lother similar local discount days, and that has helped me to keep my system affordable. I now have up to 36 accessories connected to my bridge (between lights, switches and sensors) and I wouldn't trade my Philips Hue System for anything. I also have the Hue Sync Box connected to my TV and in conjunction with the TV led strip, it's been GLORIOUS! There's one thing that also comes with that premium Philips Hue price: reliability. There's nothing more frustrating for the smart-home owner than having bulbs and accessories go bonkers and stop working for no apparent reason. That happened to me with several Meross products. I traded them little by little for their PH counterparts and I've never looked back.
Have you ever tried or thought about Wyze bulbs? They're a lot cheaper, and I heard they flicker less/at a higher refresh rate; the flicker rate is important, because flickering lights can contribute to headaches and/or migraines. The reason I'm interested in Hue lights, is because they seem to have the best software. I don't understand why companies don't understand that the software is possibly _the most_ important part of smart electronics -- what does it matter if you have great bulbs if the software isn't as customizable, integrateable, or doesn't have the options to make the bulbs do what you want.
Yeah the price is crazy. But at least in modern times anytime I’ve bought a Philips anything it’s never broken on me. I have 5-6-7 ( not ever sure ) of Philips power saving but not smart bulbs I had in lamps since about 2010 that still work haha. I’m about to buy the HUE signe lamp from Amazon. So was trying to find info on it.
I have a Philips Hue Smart plug and I thinks it's great. Currently I use it to control my fan. Being able to control my fan and my lights on the same app is really convenient.
I'm using a hue module and it's been great! As far as being in the wall is no big deal. Just pop out two screws, replace batteries and screw it back in. No contact to high voltage. It's great!
Great intro to people unaware of Philips Hue. I was an early adoptor and I have lights close to 10 years old, still working like a charm! I use standard E27 lamps outside in freezing temperatures down to minus 10 celsius and up to 35 in summer time - no problem. One thing to meantion which I didnt see in this video, is the Ambiance products (where the lightstrip or lamp has severel light units). I use the Ambiance lightstrip behind my 49" Super Ultra Wide monitor for my pc and it is incredible immersive and changes the whole office / gaming environment. Using the two devices in this video, would understandably be pretty dull. I have a few of the ambiance lamps too and together with basically all other lights being Hue, this really makes it easy to program theft-prevention timers or throw disco parties that the kids loves. I also like the smartplugs and being the same eco-system as the rest totally makes sense. I even use them for other things than lights that I want rebooted on a weekly basis.
Hue always works and is very dependable. And works great with homekit. That’s also the reason I got the Hue system because in the Netherlands where not many other options available back then. Now with other brands working well with homekit. Its worth to check out other brands as well. Since Hue is very overpriced compared to other brands
Hue Sync is GREAT for gaming, especially since it doesn’t require the sync box on PC. I also have my Razer keyboard and mouse light-synced, and it’s really an immersive experience. Great video!
Thanks! That does sound like a cool gaming setup and I bet it's nice how you can sync all your lights from your Razer accessories too. Your comment here is getting me to reconsider my ideas about Sync. We'll see...
@@EricWelander The important thing about sync is setting up your lights to do sync instead of just using the ones already in the room the experience needs to be crafted with the idea of sync from the start otherwise I find it to be meh but love my set up
👍 Same except that I use it not just for games, since my big computer display is used for everything (no TV needed in my appartement), you are right, it's so immersive, but you have to set it up the good way for it. And I do not use the lights he used behind his screen, I use the strip made for it , which transform your screen into an ambilight display system, not just a bicolor stuff. And also I use Google assistant for my smart home, I'm not into Apple at all. I don't use switches, it's all automatic or I use voice. Very occasionally I use my phone for control, or some Google assistant with displays here and there. When it's smart it's smart.
@@ultrawidepc I use those already in my room, but I had already 6 in my room. I prefer lights all around to make a better cosy ambiance instead of big things. And it make them easier to make surround light for the display since they are everywhere. If you tell the system correctly where they exactly are, it's really immersive. You are right inside the scene. The only light I bought on purpose is the light strip for the screen, capable of multiple colors simultaneously (not just one at the same time) corresponding to the display. This strip is the most pricey but it worth it.
@@EricWelander Definitely reconsider, but make sure to do a proper setup (with gradient light strip around the TV and maybe even play bars to the sides) 😅
The Wall Switch is great for rooms like the bathroom, where only 2 lights are in there. Especially if you want to adjust the light colors. Yes, these are not products that everyone needs. However, I'm glad they exist. They are therefore not bad or to avoid.
Love all my hue lights, switches, light strips, and motion sensors. We just bought a brand new Samsung 65” QN90B 4K TV. I was surprised to find it had the Philips Hue Sync built in. Pretty sweet to just download an app on the tv and sync lights. No extra box to plug into tv.
I'm a long time user and here's what you truly need to understand about Philips Hue. I invested hundreds of dollars on Hue products and to thank me, Philips discontinued the Hub Hub I purchased by releasing a Hue Hub 2 and discontinuing the Hue App I was using. If I wanted to keep using my lights, I had to upgrade to the Hue Hub 2 or else, screw you, you'll have to use the old app that was never updated to modern phones and that is full of bugs that they never bothered to fix. That being said, I had to spend over a hundred more to get a new hub that doesn't do anything more than the perfectly capable one I had purchased 2 years prior. The newer app isn't less buggy. So let me paint you a picture here. If you purchase a Hub 2 system right now, know that within the next few years, they'll release version 3 and the V2 apps will not be working on the next iPhones or newer Android releases. You'll be stuck using your old phone or upgrading to the new hub. They did it once, no reason to not do it again. To summarize, when it works, it works, I appreciate the lights but Philips is shady company that sells overpriced product with minimal support.
I do like your video, and don't mean to be "that guy" in your chat, but clearly I will LOL. My suggestion to you is to try the Sync box with the gradient strip on the back of your TV, I also have two of the stand alone lights pointing down. I also have perimeter lights around the back of my room and sync everything together. It is expensive, however it is one of my favourite smart lights in my home. My only complaint is I can only sync 10 lights at a time. I know that might sound like a lot but I have my whole family room set up with the Hue bulbs including 6 GU10 ceiling lights. Just wanted to share my experience with that ecosystem because I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the video and appreciate your work.
Hue makes high quality products, the newest version are bright with great color saturation. We tested a bunch of alternatives, and there are some more affordable options but philips hue really is the industry leader. If you've already got an entertainment space with a lot of Hue lightning and a decent sized TV, the sync box adds a cool effect, it'd be nice if they offered a package with the sync box, lightstrips and a couple of bars
I agree a package deal would simplify what people have to understand to get the sync setup, and I that's great to hear it's the best in the category. I guess I'm just not really into the category and I think it's easy, like I did, to get sold on the idea and then realize you don't like it after spending hundreds of $. There's always the option to return it though...
Thanks for giving us the rundown on Philip Hue. I do agree with you about the sync box. I, purchased it a little while ago. I actually run a 5.2 Atmos surroundsound with receiver on my entertainment set up. And stream most of my content via Apple 4K TV. When you run the sink box through the receiver. You do have occasional hiccups. Like the screen will flash on and off. The only way to rectify this is in between all of the flashing. Try to access your Apple settings and adjust them. Which is almost impossible because your screen is flashing on and off rapidly. I finally just took it off. Even though I do like it. it sure wasn’t worth the hassle. I know if I run it on one of my TVs that do not have a receiver hooked to it. I probably will not have this issue. When searching the Internet. I have found that a multitude of people experience the exact same thing. One other thing that I had to deal with. Every time I turned everything off. As in my TV, Apple TV 4K, and receiver. Once I turned everything back on again. It always had a problem finding my video source. I would always have to unplug my Apple 4K TV. Wait 10 seconds. And plug it back on while everything else was left on. That usually fixed it. But it was a hassle. Keep up your awesome content.
Over the last 7 years I’ve bought cheaper alternative smart bulbs on Amazon because Hue was so expensive. I’ve used them over wifi with the smart home app. My third set of bulbs just started failing and I finally bought a bunch of hue things to dive into the ecosystem. They’re definitely way more expensive but I’m done with failed pairings (my wifi router is on a different floor), having to program every phrase through Siri to get it what I want to do (no Alexa or google built in), Siri sometimes not understanding the exact phrases I’ve said 100s of times etc. excited for everything to get here!
I've had excellent results with Philips hue! Great products. Only issue I have is sometimes when the motion sensor in the kitchen turns on the lights, the smart plug sometimes will activate and turn on the fan connected to it. Doesn't happen all the time. A little bug in the system somewhere. Other than that minor issue, Hue products have been bullet proof! Can't say the same for my Aqara camera and motion sensor. They never want to work all the time.
10:17 well Eric, you may have missed the part where it’s meant to be used in a living room setup as another commenter pointed out and also maybe you missed the announcement earlier in the fall where Philips is launching a different version specifically for your computer
The outdoor range is great. Sure not cheap but when you buy a few items at a time and add on, it transforms the outdoor space beautifully and works easily with a switch you can use to control (as well as your phone).
Welcome Back! So glad to have you back sharing your straight forward information/opinions...from a mother who also had twins and a spare....I know the struggle with finding time for just about anything when they're young!
8:55 yeah this is great if you want to control a smart light where the switch doesn’t have a neutral wire, but then again I think the Lutron Aurora dimmer is a better solution here
I bought a 4 pack with bridge starter kit for $80 on Black Friday in 2016. I also bought an additional 2 pack of bulbs for $20. I haven’t changed my light bulbs since.
Ive had WEMO/ihome and other HomeKit smart plugs. I just purchased the Hue Plug to replace all of the as they keep disconnecting. I noticed anything that uses a hub as far as lights go IE Hue and Lutron have been the most consistent with reliability
Hi Eric, Just a few things to reconsider. Wall module: When installed you can add lights you want to control with the wall switch so not only the luminair that is original connected to the wall switch. The real thing they invented this module is the fact that it is not possible to cut off the electric flow to the luminair so if somebody accidentaly switch you are not able to use the app, you first have to witch it back. When using the module you never ever cut of the electricity. I have one myself and are more then pleased, Sync box: This is just great but the scene you showed is a very silly and indeed needless setup, that does not work, if you use these light bars they have to be close to the wall otherwise you do not see the light coming from them. Also only a lightbar behind the tv is not sufficient to have a good experience, it is best to have the gradient behind the tv (also close to the wall) and other lights divided thru your room, preferble all the lights in the same room. When the set-up in the app is done correctly (placement and height of the lamps) i guarante you will come back to your statement and even want to make a new video only about the sync box. Wall switch: believe it or not but not everybody has Apple products ;-) The switch is very handy if you want other devices beside light to remotely control via the Hue app or accesoires. For example i have connected my tv with the plug, now if i turn on my lights when i come home the tv automticaly turns on, same when all lights are turning off. So now my tv does not eat any electricity for standby mode.
Hue just works with everything, every time. Automatically discovered in the home assistant, works with all the assistants: Alexa, Google, and Siri before Matter started to be a thing. I replaced all my lights with Hue and I have 0 reasons to choose another brand. Also, I have Philips The One and some light strips synced to it and it works perfectly.
Hmm. Good info, but I was looking for operational info. What colors does it support? How do you change the color? How does the phone app work remotely? etc.
Hi, thanks for the great content. I use sync on my computer via the hue sync app and 2 light bars. It works great for gaming as it lights up based on the colors on the monitor. However, I wanted to talk about the small hue button, it does have long press functionality and it is not limited to only hue products. I stuck mine to my bedside table and the long press function turns off all lights in the house including my lutron light switches. I am able to achieve this because it works with Homekit. If you don't use Homekit perhaps it is limited to only hue products.
I actually love the wall switch module. Sure it’s crazy that you need it to remove all confusion, and it means that the fixture is powered on at all times. But it idiot-proves the lighting.
Yeah that's the thing with sticking with one vendor like Philips Hue. You do have the lock in with the switch module, which I want to caution people about, but I can imagine how it makes things so much simpler if you are willing to commit to it. Thanks for sharing your experience here.
@@EricWelander Absolutely! It keeps me looking at Zigbee bulbs. Of course you can control it through HomeKit as well, but I’ve yet to try this. Mostly because I don’t appreciate having to use shortcuts for a simple button handle.
@@JustMe-sh8nd I know, sometimes my English is clumsy. I meant that it keeps me locked in to Zigbee instead of trying something like the Nanoleaf Essential bulbs.
You should check out the runlesswire switches. They have a dual rocker style, which allows up to 8 different functions per switch. Have them in every room, and work amazingly.
I initially invested in Philips Hue, but eventually, I switched over to Nanoleaf. The brightness, customization options, and unique designs that Nanoleaf offers are just unmatched.
Innovelli makes switches that can pair directly with Hue bulbs, and can be set to not cut power to the bulb… but you need to have Hubitat, SmartThings or HomeAssistant.
i bought the hue light bulbs and bridge in 2013, had to buy the new bridge a few years later and by 2018 everything stopped working. The bulbs still work as bulbs but thats it, they don't have bluetooth if you bought them before 2019
I waited till the Sync Box was $179 before I bought one. I love that it's basically a smart HDMI switch with wifi. Also? I don't have it connected to a computer. I feel like it's actually meant for main TV setups...not so much computer setups, cept for heavy gamers. Connected it into Home Assistant and it works pretty well for me.
That's a good point on the entertainment use vs computer use. I've heard it's fun for gaming too. Maybe some day I will come around on the idea but I'm still skeptical I would like it personally.
@@EricWelander I noticed that the lights on your monitor is not really meant to be used with the sync box(I have those lights too on my monitor). I have the gradient lights and the sync box on my tv and I love them! I just switched to Phillips Hue. Should've done it a while ago!
@@EricWelander The Sync Box is atually more to be used with a TV, as there is a free online Sync App for your PC (at least under Windows and Linux, so the Sync Box is wasted money in this case). The Sync Box also comes with a HDMI Wifi switch, as mentioned already by the Craig S.: When I want my oldschool TV to turn on without using the remote, I can now use voicecommand with Google or just tap "stream to device" in Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video etc and it will turn on. I can use it to toggle the video (e.g. "pause the video"/"reduce the volume"/"switch the channel") without touching any remote, it all works by voice.
The lutron aurora dimmer looks like it may be the key to not having to rewire my ceiling fan in order to be able to dim the lights on it. I can't use a regular dimmer with a ceiling fan motor so I would usually need an extra wire to control the lights and fan independently. With the lutron I could leave power on, dim the hue lights, and control the fan with the pull chain as we've already been doing. Dimmer and hue lights ordered :-)
Philips Hue noob here. Just moved into a new place and would like to get started with some home automation. Some people in the family never turn off lights so need to mitigate that to save energy. I know there are tonnes of eco systems out there but hue seems like I won't encounter a roadblock later on.
The Hue Hub is the most rock solid controller I've used. I've had it two years and it's never disconnected. I use third party switch modules, not the Hue ones, and never have to worry about people turning off at the switch. One product I wouldn't recommend are the new light strips. They are way too expensive.
I bought 4 GU10 "bulbs" to try it, and I'm now waiting for 2 additional GU10 and the bridge... I hate directional lights, but I don't want to change the current setup in my rooms.
I've got hie blubs that came with my starer kit in 2014 that are still perfectly fine i live in Birmingham UK & everyone knows how wet & cold the UK is lol & touch wood *knocking my head lol*lol they are all working a charm. I'm just about to open a parcel i purchase on amazon & what's inside I hear you ask? 2 Philips Hue Buttons lol. What he said about the Buttons is rubbish. I already have 1 Button & you can do long & short presses you can also add scean, but like someone else said. The Buttons are best when you just want a simple on/off & have your dimmer switches for your main rooms. I'm thinking about getting a sync box but, I need to get other stuff first that are more important.
High quality video. Liked how you laid it all out. The one thing I would disagree on is the hue smart plug. Between hue and Caseta, you won’t find a more reliable smart plug. And it’s all about reliability with HomeKit accessories.
That's good to hear. Thanks for sharing! I find the TP-Link ones work really well for less $, but given how reliable my Philips Hue bulbs are I bet their smart plugs are too.
@@EricWelander I just installed a smart plug to turn on/off four cheap Phillips 1800lm LED Ledinaire "tubes" to light my 700sqf garage/workshop, controlled by a HUE motion sensor. Exactly what I wanted, works perfectly. So the plug is pretty decent, IMO.
I use the wall switch module and smart plug together. One of our family members is blind and quite elderly, we have a system so she can switch on a 2kw oil filled radiator. The smart plug is rated at 2.8kw, and we mounted a surface mount light switch on the wall near her chair. This has no power connected to it, and simply acts as a remote switch for the smart plug. If she forgets to switch the radiator off, I can do so remotely. She cannot see the controls of the radiator and they are quite fiddly to use and this means she has one switch to operate instead of having to locate the radiator, and then use it’s controls.
Hello fellow Cortexen! Awesome video! Unfortunately, I am not an apple user. The video was generally informative for me, but your outro leads me to believe that you will not be what I personally need for my smart home/ lighting solutions. I will poke around a bit more though. Good luck.
the Bluetooth can also be used with google home devices (such as google Nest smart speakers) to replace the Hue Bridge since the home device becomes the bridge instead and be good if you need a way to get started with philips hue
Very comprehensive video as always! Hue was the first smart home product I purchased and I now have over 30 lighting products and it is the main lighting source throughout my home. It is very reliable and I really enjoy their accessory’s. This being said, if I had to do it over again, I would not choose Hue. While the hardware and software combination works very well together, I do feel that they are significantly overpriced, and I actually don’t find myself taking advantage of all that the software has to offer.
Have to agree, also have 30+ bulbs, light strips and smart plugs. These things do seem to be reliable but definitely way over priced. Would I buy again? Delends on the competition and their price along with features.
@@NurseAcrobat I can't say I would completely eliminate Hue from my set up, but I would definitely opt for smart switches as opposed to smart bulbs for my primary light sources. I do really like their control accessories, but I'm not so impressed with their actual lighting products.
@@myHomeKithome Hello, I don't understand it when you Say that you would opt for smart switches instead of smart bulbs. Aren't smart bulbs supposed to work with smart switches (both beeing hue or Any other brand with a bridge?)
@@theattorney6072 not really. Smart switches allow all of the damn lights on that circuit to be controlled remotely and automated. Smart bulbs can do the same but if they are on a "dumb" circuit, if the light switch controlling that circuit is turned off, it kills power to the smart bulb. it is possible to control some smart bulbs with smart switches, but the instances are a few and far between and often redundant.
you dont need the hdmi sync box to use hue sync on a pc, you only need a hue bridge, hue sync compatible lights and an entertainment zone set up in the hue app I'd assume you only need the sync box for a TV or similar
Why I have a lot of respect for your knowledge and the videos you do I have to disagree with you on the Sync Box. With Covid shutting down theaters I had no choice to create my own. Using the Sync Box with 10 Hue lights has given me an amazing experience that enhances the shows I watch. I do agree it is not for everyone and it is definitely not cheap (my setup is $800) but when watching a movie and the effects I get I feel it was worth every penny.
The Sync system is absolutely AMAZING. It’s better used for a TV than a monitor, but I definitely see how it’d be perfect for a gamer using a monitor, because it truly takes your gaming to an ENTIRELY new level. Definitely worth the price!!
Can you make us an updated video for this year on the product that you tested or know about that work with Apple HomeKit? I have seen you’ve had one 2 years and it’s amazing. I think that would be great to be done again!
Eric, I couldn’t agree with you more about the Sync. Last year, I had Best Buy install Hue lights throughout my home which I’ve used with Home Kit. But I also had sync boxes attached to my TVs i the family room and master bedroom with the Hue Lightstrips. The sync boxes were a disaster. There were so many problems. They constantly lost connection to the internet. The TVs took forever to turn on because of them and in the case of the one in my master, took more than 2-3 minutes at times. I got rid of them a couple of weeks ago and everything works well with the TVs again.
Well about the Hue Smart Plug.. it’s made just for lights and it’s not safe to use with appliances. It’s useful if you want to have a reliable connection to control a non-philips hue fixture, to have the same benefits of all the other bulbs and fixtures that are part of the hue system.
I’m a little confused on the router requirement for the Hub. With a conventional router set-up, the router would broadcast the WiFi signal throughout the house. This also would provide for remote access. What if you don’t have WiFi, but you do have a router? Does the Hub coupled to a router broadcast the signal throughout the house? Of course then remote control usage away from the house would not be available.
How do you make a timed smart plug foolproof? For example, the internet might fail momentarily when the switch is due to be activated. Also if you use Apple home, which device sends the signal to the smart switch?
I guess you mean when power goes out to one or more of the devices? That can happen often for some people. Yes, the devices reset to "full power on" when the power comes back on. There is no algorithm in the Hue Bridge to account for that and reset previous program, if that's what you're asking. Try making a request with the Hue people, I guess it's possible they have not tried to fix that in years.
@@razoraz it’s actually under Settings, Lights under on this Hue Bridge and it’s called Power Loss Recovery. This isn’t an uncommon feature on other platforms. My LIFX and Nanoleaf lights have this feature and it works as intended.
@@theattorney6072 so my Lutron Caseta and LIFX lights function properly. Hue lights have a setting to remember power State but it doesn’t work properly.
Why don’t you recommend the wall switches from Hue? Coincidentally I ordered them while watching, before I got to the part where you were going to talk about them, so it kinda hit hard when I found out it was the first one on your list 😂😂🙃 My room has a switch directly around the corner when you walk in, so whenever I walk out of my room, I use that switch to turn off my GU10 spots which are mounted on the ceiling. I have four more bulbs there which don’t turn off using the switch, so those keep being turned on after I leave my room. I figured: using the wall switch will turn on and off all my bulbs, while even being able to turn on some selected scenes. Also, the switches you use in the USA aren’t common in the Netherlands where I live, so the wall switch is one of the only options I have to keep them connected to power. I hope I made a good decision!
These are not to avoid, Eric did not know the exact working of these products. Regarding the sync box for example, the setup he showed... yeah that is useless indeed but not the way as intended (see a lot of comments here) als the module is a great thing. Do not rely on 1 person and check more videos to have a better understanding of functionalities.. It would be a shame if you missed some really cool features you would have liked
If I had mislaid my phone (I live in the UK) I used to be able to power cycle the wall switch, (not Hue smart switch), on a off a few times and the HUE bulb would turn on full brightness. However, this no longer works since early 2024. Have the settings behaviour of the bulbs or bridges changed?
Do you think that people will regret buying into this right now as thread becomes more of the standard? Or do you think it will be fine regardless? Will hue be able to update to thread with an over the air update? Or is it a hardware issue? Will Hue continue to work seamlessly in my home even when my Wifi is down?
I have my coffee maker on a hue smart plug and an alexa morning routine scheduled to turn on when I wake up so my morning coffee is waiting for me when I get out of bed! I also use hue’s away command which turns off all of my hue lights&devices when it detects I’ve left home so nothing will be accidentally left on.💡
Yeah baby! I wanna drink that coffee! I also love Hue's geofencing so the lights go on/off when you arrive/leave. Listen up people, this little stuff saves us time, just like robotic vacuums can. We're living in quasi- star trek times. Catch the vibe!
Thanks for another great video. Have been a big fan of your for long time. I am totally in agreement about your assessment on hue products, but do disagree a little bit about hue sync. To fully advantage of using hue sync, you really need to using proper hue lighting products that is really designed for hue sync. Yes, it can become very expensive. But a fully configured hue sync system do give much better viewing experiences. I have two hue systems setup in my house, and do worth it. Just my thoughts to share.
Not sure how old this video is. But can you use one dimmer switch as a master switch that will turn off all the lights in the house by the door for example? While still allowing room by room function?
Something you're telling is not right : the Philips hue Botton ( the round rubbery one K ) does have multiple options . I've been using it for years , the button in the hallway before I leave the house turns off all lights when I long press it :)
for the tech savy ones, you can purchase a regular rgb led strip for a few bucks, connect it to an arduino. Then you have a software in your pc that send via USB the signal. It was a bit time consuming to do it manually, but for less than 50 buck ( AC adapter included ) you'll have a very reliable RGB ambilight around every edge of your computer screen. You can even assign which part of the screen activate which led etc. The only cons are that you need to have a bit of knowledge for Arduino stuff, and it doesn't work for TV. But it's faaar less expensive than the hue system. You can even go further like I did and 3D print yourself a case etc, so it doesn't look messy.
Don't rely for his "better not to buy" products just like that. As you can see in many comments for example the sync box is just amazing (when enough lights are connected). Best to watch more video's from different youtubers to get a better understanding of what these products actually do..
Hi there. Love Hue system but am stumped by a problem. I was forced to fully reset all three of my bridges as well as a full new Home in Honekit. Painful but I did it but can only manage to add one bridge to Homekit. I used to have three working and I just don’t know what to try to fix this. Sorry to put question here but I am desperate. Thanks.
Forgot to mention the big downside with Philips Hue system is the software Terms and conditions. Go take a read and see for yourself, those updates may cost you in 3 or 5 years.
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As someone who uses the Hue light bar and strips on my monitor and theater setup, I absolutely love them. For my monitor I just like having the extra light becuase I stay more enganged with what I am doing and feel more relaxed overall, and for my theater setup I have the gradiant lightstrip which I find awesome for movies but also I run an emulation station on it as well and it really provides a great experience to some old classics and makes everything just feel more enjoyable overall. They are expensive and more of a novelty for most, but for those who spend a lot of time gaming or watching movies, you will have a blast!
Does the power supply make a static noise when on or when off?
@@Exlipse703 not that I have ever noticed, no. I've used the light bars, strips, bulbs, and even the gradient light strips and never have heard any static or buzzing.
this is the main reason im actually considering Phillips hue is for this feature. I know razor chroma has the ability to sync with games and whats on the screen using certain smart lighting products I'm just not sure what to go for. ik govee has gotten bigger and i want to check them out as well. My goal is seamless compatibility with these services and being able to sync my lighting with my desktop lights and headphone and mouse. Would you say it's worth going all in with phillips hue? are other brands may be able to achieve this? i know phillips hue is the biggest name but I'm doing research atm any advice helps!!
@cottoncandykeith if I had more expendable cash I would go with Phillips hue. I've never tried the others and was tempted too, but I just grabbed hue because the gradient light was what I knew I wanted and hue stuff has some decent discounts every so often. The UI is really good and all my lights are still going 3 years down the road. The quality is there, but the price holds it back from being accessible to me and there are some restrictions to lighting control from what I remember, but I already forgot what they were so I don't think it's much to worry about.
The hue sync box is the biggest downfall with its price to get the lights to do anything without a computer (gaming consoles, tv, blu ray) but I get past this with a 25ft HDMI running from my PC to my home theater tv in the next room. If you mod consoles, you can also cast your console to your PC and the PC can use the hue sync app to show lights in my theater room while I play on the theater tv.
I’ve been using devices bought more than six years ago when we lived at our old house. All of it is still working. I now have over 60 different Philips lights and accessories around my new home.
I'm hoping Philips Hue continues to expand on the app and add new features, I really like the effects it provides. Expense seems to be the only downside from what I can tell. I had a bulb go out after buying it earlier this year and it was pretty easy for them to send me a new replacement no questions asked. Definitely paying for quality.
I LOVE the new candle and fireplace effects! I only wish you could change the color on them :( The fireplace is too orange, and it would be cool to change to green for instance on Halloween :P I also wish they would support more colors on the gradient strip instead of just three colors. At least it's good to see that they do change and add things to the app :D Cant wait to see what's next!
I recently replaced the vast majority of my bulbs with Philips Hue and they're the best I've used. Super fast to respond and no issues. The lutron dimmer looks awesome. Great video, Eric!
Hue Sync is to be connected to your OLED TV in the living room not your computer. That is why it has 4 HDMI inputs. That is where it makes sense. My family loves the effect. Never connected it to the monitor or PC ... makes little sense to me.
Thanks for sharing! You bring up a good point about entertainment on the TV. I might just be convinced to reconsider my Hue Sync thoughts some day soon.
@@EricWelander I second what Nuno said. Watching movies are just so much more immersive with the sync box. We’ve placed bulbs all around alongside the TV gradient light strip in our living room, giving us a “surround Lighting” in addition to surround sound!
I use my pc to play movies and games so I didn't have to buy a sync box. This comment is stupid...
@@EricWelander just a warning. The Hue Sync box its a money trojan horse. You buy the box but to work as intended you need to spend at least twice of that (gradient light strip or bar TV). Apart from that it creates a nice living room entertainment environment.
I have it connected to my LG OLED C9. The TV detects the Hue Sync (HDMI Hub), so all the HDMI inputs become available from the UI ... changing inputs with the TV remote. Connected to it I have my Apple TV, TV Set-top box and Playstation. So get ambient light and syncing if desired for any kind of media in the living room. Wether at the rhythm of imaging or audio. Totally hands free operation (HDMI-CEC).
For me the main drawback disabling and enabling light sync. In my case as I use Siri I need to use my phone for that. But if you use Google Home or Alexa you can configure it to respond to voice commands. "Ok Google, enable/disable light sync".
If you use Hue Sync with a PC it's more about controlling the lighting of devices (e.g. kboard, case) than bias lighting
The Sync system needs an update to be compatible with latest release TVs (HDMI 2.1, etc...)
I started with one bulb , and I ended up with 90 Philips Hue light of all kinds. It is addicting
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Lol
I have a Hue Sync with 10 colour lights including 2 gradient light strips. That's when its worth it ❤️ expensive though! But I love it
Love your videos! I understand it's not for everybody, but I have the HDMI Sync Box with a "proper" setup of a gradient strip behind the TV, to evenly spread the light, and two Play Bars on the floor beside the TV table for extra effect, and I personally LOVE it. By far my favorite of all the Hue products. I'm very sensitive to light, especially if there is a high contrast between a darker environment and a light source (it's weird, I know), and watching TV has been awful on my eyes for years, UNTIL I got the Sync Box. It takes away the contrast in lighting when it matches what I see on screen (and for that only, it is worth it to me) AND I love how it adds to effects and "extends" the TV across my (white) wall. You have to find the correct setting and balance of sensitivity and brightness that works for you, but once you do, it's absolutely amazing. I don't use bulbs that are in clear view of my eyes as it can become very distracting. Another good tip for a better experience is to turn the brightness down to match the TV brightness (or just a bit lower) so it's less distracting, and keep the sensitivity to just above middle, so it doesn't go off when i'ts not supposed to 😁 You don't want the light to take away from what is happening on the screen! Thank you for creating such amazing videos 😊
It's not weird Xander. I have the exact same thing with my eyes. In the old days (without the sync box) after 1,5hr or so i would see double and had to squeeze my eyes for a "just enough"view. Now with the lights working with the tv it is completly over!! so great
Re the buttons. You can do different scenes with additional presses, and a long press dims or brightens the bulbs.
However, I do tend to use them for simple places ie rooms which just need ‘on or off’ and next to the bed for a little convenient light switch.
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We use the Hue Smart plugs for controlling our regular led fence lights.
We also use the smart plugs for controlling Christmas tree lights.
Lastly we also control our two portable Air-conditioning units with the smart plugs.
So there are many useful options for these smart plugs.
I agree with the price being equivalent to the quality of the products. I tend to purchase during Black Friday, Hot Sale, Amazon Prime Day, and lother similar local discount days, and that has helped me to keep my system affordable. I now have up to 36 accessories connected to my bridge (between lights, switches and sensors) and I wouldn't trade my Philips Hue System for anything. I also have the Hue Sync Box connected to my TV and in conjunction with the TV led strip, it's been GLORIOUS! There's one thing that also comes with that premium Philips Hue price: reliability. There's nothing more frustrating for the smart-home owner than having bulbs and accessories go bonkers and stop working for no apparent reason. That happened to me with several Meross products. I traded them little by little for their PH counterparts and I've never looked back.
Thanks for sharing! I'm glad Hue is working reliably for you too. It sounds like you and I have had similar experiences with this stuff.
Have you ever tried or thought about Wyze bulbs? They're a lot cheaper, and I heard they flicker less/at a higher refresh rate; the flicker rate is important, because flickering lights can contribute to headaches and/or migraines.
The reason I'm interested in Hue lights, is because they seem to have the best software. I don't understand why companies don't understand that the software is possibly _the most_ important part of smart electronics -- what does it matter if you have great bulbs if the software isn't as customizable, integrateable, or doesn't have the options to make the bulbs do what you want.
@@EricWelander Can you use a smart led bulb in a 3 way lamp? Thank you
Yeah the price is crazy. But at least in modern times anytime I’ve bought a Philips anything it’s never broken on me. I have 5-6-7 ( not ever sure ) of Philips power saving but not smart bulbs I had in lamps since about 2010 that still work haha. I’m about to buy the HUE signe lamp from Amazon. So was trying to find info on it.
I have a Philips Hue Smart plug and I thinks it's great. Currently I use it to control my fan. Being able to control my fan and my lights on the same app is really convenient.
I'm using a hue module and it's been great! As far as being in the wall is no big deal. Just pop out two screws, replace batteries and screw it back in. No contact to high voltage. It's great!
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Great intro to people unaware of Philips Hue. I was an early adoptor and I have lights close to 10 years old, still working like a charm! I use standard E27 lamps outside in freezing temperatures down to minus 10 celsius and up to 35 in summer time - no problem. One thing to meantion which I didnt see in this video, is the Ambiance products (where the lightstrip or lamp has severel light units). I use the Ambiance lightstrip behind my 49" Super Ultra Wide monitor for my pc and it is incredible immersive and changes the whole office / gaming environment. Using the two devices in this video, would understandably be pretty dull.
I have a few of the ambiance lamps too and together with basically all other lights being Hue, this really makes it easy to program theft-prevention timers or throw disco parties that the kids loves. I also like the smartplugs and being the same eco-system as the rest totally makes sense. I even use them for other things than lights that I want rebooted on a weekly basis.
bullshit
Hue always works and is very dependable. And works great with homekit. That’s also the reason I got the Hue system because in the Netherlands where not many other options available back then. Now with other brands working well with homekit. Its worth to check out other brands as well. Since Hue is very overpriced compared to other brands
Hue Sync is GREAT for gaming, especially since it doesn’t require the sync box on PC. I also have my Razer keyboard and mouse light-synced, and it’s really an immersive experience. Great video!
Thanks! That does sound like a cool gaming setup and I bet it's nice how you can sync all your lights from your Razer accessories too. Your comment here is getting me to reconsider my ideas about Sync. We'll see...
@@EricWelander The important thing about sync is setting up your lights to do sync instead of just using the ones already in the room the experience needs to be crafted with the idea of sync from the start otherwise I find it to be meh but love my set up
👍 Same except that I use it not just for games, since my big computer display is used for everything (no TV needed in my appartement), you are right, it's so immersive, but you have to set it up the good way for it. And I do not use the lights he used behind his screen, I use the strip made for it , which transform your screen into an ambilight display system, not just a bicolor stuff.
And also I use Google assistant for my smart home, I'm not into Apple at all.
I don't use switches, it's all automatic or I use voice. Very occasionally I use my phone for control, or some Google assistant with displays here and there. When it's smart it's smart.
@@ultrawidepc I use those already in my room, but I had already 6 in my room. I prefer lights all around to make a better cosy ambiance instead of big things. And it make them easier to make surround light for the display since they are everywhere. If you tell the system correctly where they exactly are, it's really immersive. You are right inside the scene. The only light I bought on purpose is the light strip for the screen, capable of multiple colors simultaneously (not just one at the same time) corresponding to the display. This strip is the most pricey but it worth it.
@@EricWelander Definitely reconsider, but make sure to do a proper setup (with gradient light strip around the TV and maybe even play bars to the sides) 😅
The Wall Switch is great for rooms like the bathroom, where only 2 lights are in there.
Especially if you want to adjust the light colors. Yes, these are not products that everyone needs. However, I'm glad they exist. They are therefore not bad or to avoid.
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Love all my hue lights, switches, light strips, and motion sensors. We just bought a brand new Samsung 65” QN90B 4K TV. I was surprised to find it had the Philips Hue Sync built in. Pretty sweet to just download an app on the tv and sync lights. No extra box to plug into tv.
I am curious if in 2024 with all the options out there you would still go with the very expensive Philips products that are getting pretty outdated.
I'm a long time user and here's what you truly need to understand about Philips Hue. I invested hundreds of dollars on Hue products and to thank me, Philips discontinued the Hub Hub I purchased by releasing a Hue Hub 2 and discontinuing the Hue App I was using. If I wanted to keep using my lights, I had to upgrade to the Hue Hub 2 or else, screw you, you'll have to use the old app that was never updated to modern phones and that is full of bugs that they never bothered to fix. That being said, I had to spend over a hundred more to get a new hub that doesn't do anything more than the perfectly capable one I had purchased 2 years prior. The newer app isn't less buggy. So let me paint you a picture here. If you purchase a Hub 2 system right now, know that within the next few years, they'll release version 3 and the V2 apps will not be working on the next iPhones or newer Android releases. You'll be stuck using your old phone or upgrading to the new hub. They did it once, no reason to not do it again. To summarize, when it works, it works, I appreciate the lights but Philips is shady company that sells overpriced product with minimal support.
I do like your video, and don't mean to be "that guy" in your chat, but clearly I will LOL. My suggestion to you is to try the Sync box with the gradient strip on the back of your TV, I also have two of the stand alone lights pointing down. I also have perimeter lights around the back of my room and sync everything together. It is expensive, however it is one of my favourite smart lights in my home. My only complaint is I can only sync 10 lights at a time. I know that might sound like a lot but I have my whole family room set up with the Hue bulbs including 6 GU10 ceiling lights. Just wanted to share my experience with that ecosystem because I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the video and appreciate your work.
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Hue makes high quality products, the newest version are bright with great color saturation. We tested a bunch of alternatives, and there are some more affordable options but philips hue really is the industry leader. If you've already got an entertainment space with a lot of Hue lightning and a decent sized TV, the sync box adds a cool effect, it'd be nice if they offered a package with the sync box, lightstrips and a couple of bars
I agree a package deal would simplify what people have to understand to get the sync setup, and I that's great to hear it's the best in the category. I guess I'm just not really into the category and I think it's easy, like I did, to get sold on the idea and then realize you don't like it after spending hundreds of $. There's always the option to return it though...
Hello, is the newer version you talk about the 1100 or 1600 lumens ? Thx
Thanks for giving us the rundown on Philip Hue. I do agree with you about the sync box. I, purchased it a little while ago. I actually run a 5.2 Atmos surroundsound with receiver on my entertainment set up. And stream most of my content via Apple 4K TV. When you run the sink box through the receiver. You do have occasional hiccups. Like the screen will flash on and off. The only way to rectify this is in between all of the flashing. Try to access your Apple settings and adjust them. Which is almost impossible because your screen is flashing on and off rapidly. I finally just took it off. Even though I do like it. it sure wasn’t worth the hassle. I know if I run it on one of my TVs that do not have a receiver hooked to it. I probably will not have this issue. When searching the Internet. I have found that a multitude of people experience the exact same thing. One other thing that I had to deal with. Every time I turned everything off. As in my TV, Apple TV 4K, and receiver. Once I turned everything back on again. It always had a problem finding my video source. I would always have to unplug my Apple 4K TV. Wait 10 seconds. And plug it back on while everything else was left on. That usually fixed it. But it was a hassle.
Keep up your awesome content.
Over the last 7 years I’ve bought cheaper alternative smart bulbs on Amazon because Hue was so expensive. I’ve used them over wifi with the smart home app. My third set of bulbs just started failing and I finally bought a bunch of hue things to dive into the ecosystem. They’re definitely way more expensive but I’m done with failed pairings (my wifi router is on a different floor), having to program every phrase through Siri to get it what I want to do (no Alexa or google built in), Siri sometimes not understanding the exact phrases I’ve said 100s of times etc. excited for everything to get here!
I've had excellent results with Philips hue! Great products. Only issue I have is sometimes when the motion sensor in the kitchen turns on the lights, the smart plug sometimes will activate and turn on the fan connected to it. Doesn't happen all the time. A little bug in the system somewhere. Other than that minor issue, Hue products have been bullet proof! Can't say the same for my Aqara camera and motion sensor. They never want to work all the time.
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Bought my first light bulb in 2012, still works great!
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10:17 well Eric, you may have missed the part where it’s meant to be used in a living room setup as another commenter pointed out and also maybe you missed the announcement earlier in the fall where Philips is launching a different version specifically for your computer
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The outdoor range is great. Sure not cheap but when you buy a few items at a time and add on, it transforms the outdoor space beautifully and works easily with a switch you can use to control (as well as your phone).
Welcome Back! So glad to have you back sharing your straight forward information/opinions...from a mother who also had twins and a spare....I know the struggle with finding time for just about anything when they're young!
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So glad to have you back! Hope all is well!
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8:55 yeah this is great if you want to control a smart light where the switch doesn’t have a neutral wire, but then again I think the Lutron Aurora dimmer is a better solution here
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I bought a 4 pack with bridge starter kit for $80 on Black Friday in 2016. I also bought an additional 2 pack of bulbs for $20. I haven’t changed my light bulbs since.
Ive had WEMO/ihome and other HomeKit smart plugs. I just purchased the Hue Plug to replace all of the as they keep disconnecting. I noticed anything that uses a hub as far as lights go IE Hue and Lutron have been the most consistent with reliability
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Great video. However, I do have the HDMI Sync box and gradient strip lighting behind my TV and it's my favorite of all my Hue products.
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Same!!
Hi Eric, Just a few things to reconsider.
Wall module:
When installed you can add lights you want to control with the wall switch so not only the luminair that is original connected to the wall switch. The real thing they invented this module is the fact that it is not possible to cut off the electric flow to the luminair so if somebody accidentaly switch you are not able to use the app, you first have to witch it back. When using the module you never ever cut of the electricity. I have one myself and are more then pleased,
Sync box:
This is just great but the scene you showed is a very silly and indeed needless setup, that does not work, if you use these light bars they have to be close to the wall otherwise you do not see the light coming from them. Also only a lightbar behind the tv is not sufficient to have a good experience, it is best to have the gradient behind the tv (also close to the wall) and other lights divided thru your room, preferble all the lights in the same room. When the set-up in the app is done correctly (placement and height of the lamps) i guarante you will come back to your statement and even want to make a new video only about the sync box.
Wall switch:
believe it or not but not everybody has Apple products ;-) The switch is very handy if you want other devices beside light to remotely control via the Hue app or accesoires. For example i have connected my tv with the plug, now if i turn on my lights when i come home the tv automticaly turns on, same when all lights are turning off. So now my tv does not eat any electricity for standby mode.
Hue just works with everything, every time. Automatically discovered in the home assistant, works with all the assistants: Alexa, Google, and Siri before Matter started to be a thing.
I replaced all my lights with Hue and I have 0 reasons to choose another brand. Also, I have Philips The One and some light strips synced to it and it works perfectly.
Hue reliability is very good in my experience too
Finally! Someone who’s honest about the sync box
What is your opinnion on IKEAs Dirigera? It could be more budgetfriendly option for Hue?
Hmm. Good info, but I was looking for operational info. What colors does it support? How do you change the color? How does the phone app work remotely? etc.
Hi, thanks for the great content. I use sync on my computer via the hue sync app and 2 light bars. It works great for gaming as it lights up based on the colors on the monitor. However, I wanted to talk about the small hue button, it does have long press functionality and it is not limited to only hue products. I stuck mine to my bedside table and the long press function turns off all lights in the house including my lutron light switches. I am able to achieve this because it works with Homekit. If you don't use Homekit perhaps it is limited to only hue products.
I actually love the wall switch module. Sure it’s crazy that you need it to remove all confusion, and it means that the fixture is powered on at all times.
But it idiot-proves the lighting.
Yeah that's the thing with sticking with one vendor like Philips Hue. You do have the lock in with the switch module, which I want to caution people about, but I can imagine how it makes things so much simpler if you are willing to commit to it. Thanks for sharing your experience here.
@@EricWelander Absolutely! It keeps me looking at Zigbee bulbs.
Of course you can control it through HomeKit as well, but I’ve yet to try this. Mostly because I don’t appreciate having to use shortcuts for a simple button handle.
@@andreasb4kken uuhm... Hue bulbs are Zigbee.. thats the communication method of Hue
@@JustMe-sh8nd I know, sometimes my English is clumsy. I meant that it keeps me locked in to Zigbee instead of trying something like the Nanoleaf Essential bulbs.
You should check out the runlesswire switches. They have a dual rocker style, which allows up to 8 different functions per switch. Have them in every room, and work amazingly.
Glad you’re back! You have one of the most informative channels
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The benefit of Hue plugs is Zigbee - they just have such a great range. I’ve a TP-Link smart plug in the garden and it’s got such weak range.
I initially invested in Philips Hue, but eventually, I switched over to Nanoleaf. The brightness, customization options, and unique designs that Nanoleaf offers are just unmatched.
Nanoleaf bulbs are soooo dim when in color
good to see you back men, greetings from Chile
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Innovelli makes switches that can pair directly with Hue bulbs, and can be set to not cut power to the bulb… but you need to have Hubitat, SmartThings or HomeAssistant.
i bought the hue light bulbs and bridge in 2013, had to buy the new bridge a few years later and by 2018 everything stopped working. The bulbs still work as bulbs but thats it, they don't have bluetooth if you bought them before 2019
I waited till the Sync Box was $179 before I bought one. I love that it's basically a smart HDMI switch with wifi. Also? I don't have it connected to a computer. I feel like it's actually meant for main TV setups...not so much computer setups, cept for heavy gamers. Connected it into Home Assistant and it works pretty well for me.
That's a good point on the entertainment use vs computer use. I've heard it's fun for gaming too. Maybe some day I will come around on the idea but I'm still skeptical I would like it personally.
@@EricWelander I noticed that the lights on your monitor is not really meant to be used with the sync box(I have those lights too on my monitor). I have the gradient lights and the sync box on my tv and I love them! I just switched to Phillips Hue. Should've done it a while ago!
@@EricWelander The Sync Box is atually more to be used with a TV, as there is a free online Sync App for your PC (at least under Windows and Linux, so the Sync Box is wasted money in this case). The Sync Box also comes with a HDMI Wifi switch, as mentioned already by the Craig S.: When I want my oldschool TV to turn on without using the remote, I can now use voicecommand with Google or just tap "stream to device" in Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video etc and it will turn on. I can use it to toggle the video (e.g. "pause the video"/"reduce the volume"/"switch the channel") without touching any remote, it all works by voice.
The lutron aurora dimmer looks like it may be the key to not having to rewire my ceiling fan in order to be able to dim the lights on it. I can't use a regular dimmer with a ceiling fan motor so I would usually need an extra wire to control the lights and fan independently. With the lutron I could leave power on, dim the hue lights, and control the fan with the pull chain as we've already been doing. Dimmer and hue lights ordered :-)
Philips Hue noob here. Just moved into a new place and would like to get started with some home automation.
Some people in the family never turn off lights so need to mitigate that to save energy. I know there are tonnes of eco systems out there but hue seems like I won't encounter a roadblock later on.
The Hue Hub is the most rock solid controller I've used. I've had it two years and it's never disconnected. I use third party switch modules, not the Hue ones, and never have to worry about people turning off at the switch.
One product I wouldn't recommend are the new light strips. They are way too expensive.
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Hello, which wall switches do you use ?
@@theattorney6072 They are called Stitchy switches. They may only work in Australia
I bought 4 GU10 "bulbs" to try it, and I'm now waiting for 2 additional GU10 and the bridge...
I hate directional lights, but I don't want to change the current setup in my rooms.
I've got hie blubs that came with my starer kit in 2014 that are still perfectly fine i live in Birmingham UK & everyone knows how wet & cold the UK is lol & touch wood *knocking my head lol*lol they are all working a charm. I'm just about to open a parcel i purchase on amazon & what's inside I hear you ask? 2 Philips Hue Buttons lol. What he said about the Buttons is rubbish. I already have 1 Button & you can do long & short presses you can also add scean, but like someone else said.
The Buttons are best when you just want a simple on/off & have your dimmer switches for your main rooms.
I'm thinking about getting a sync box but, I need to get other stuff first that are more important.
High quality video. Liked how you laid it all out. The one thing I would disagree on is the hue smart plug. Between hue and Caseta, you won’t find a more reliable smart plug. And it’s all about reliability with HomeKit accessories.
That's good to hear. Thanks for sharing! I find the TP-Link ones work really well for less $, but given how reliable my Philips Hue bulbs are I bet their smart plugs are too.
@@EricWelander I just installed a smart plug to turn on/off four cheap Phillips 1800lm LED Ledinaire "tubes" to light my 700sqf garage/workshop, controlled by a HUE motion sensor. Exactly what I wanted, works perfectly. So the plug is pretty decent, IMO.
I use the wall switch module and smart plug together.
One of our family members is blind and quite elderly, we have a system so she can switch on a 2kw oil filled radiator. The smart plug is rated at 2.8kw, and we mounted a surface mount light switch on the wall near her chair. This has no power connected to it, and simply acts as a remote switch for the smart plug. If she forgets to switch the radiator off, I can do so remotely.
She cannot see the controls of the radiator and they are quite fiddly to use and this means she has one switch to operate instead of having to locate the radiator, and then use it’s controls.
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Hello fellow Cortexen! Awesome video! Unfortunately, I am not an apple user. The video was generally informative for me, but your outro leads me to believe that you will not be what I personally need for my smart home/ lighting solutions. I will poke around a bit more though. Good luck.
the Bluetooth can also be used with google home devices (such as google Nest smart speakers) to replace the Hue Bridge since the home device becomes the bridge instead and be good if you need a way to get started with philips hue
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Very comprehensive video as always! Hue was the first smart home product I purchased and I now have over 30 lighting products and it is the main lighting source throughout my home. It is very reliable and I really enjoy their accessory’s. This being said, if I had to do it over again, I would not choose Hue. While the hardware and software combination works very well together, I do feel that they are significantly overpriced, and I actually don’t find myself taking advantage of all that the software has to offer.
Have to agree, also have 30+ bulbs, light strips and smart plugs. These things do seem to be reliable but definitely way over priced.
Would I buy again?
Delends on the competition and their price along with features.
What would you choose if doing it again?
@@NurseAcrobat I can't say I would completely eliminate Hue from my set up, but I would definitely opt for smart switches as opposed to smart bulbs for my primary light sources. I do really like their control accessories, but I'm not so impressed with their actual lighting products.
@@myHomeKithome Hello, I don't understand it when you Say that you would opt for smart switches instead of smart bulbs. Aren't smart bulbs supposed to work with smart switches (both beeing hue or Any other brand with a bridge?)
@@theattorney6072 not really. Smart switches allow all of the damn lights on that circuit to be controlled remotely and automated. Smart bulbs can do the same but if they are on a "dumb" circuit, if the light switch controlling that circuit is turned off, it kills power to the smart bulb. it is possible to control some smart bulbs with smart switches, but the instances are a few and far between and often redundant.
Is this entire system Cloud based, and if so what happens if your Internet connection goes down?
you dont need the hdmi sync box to use hue sync on a pc, you only need a hue bridge, hue sync compatible lights and an entertainment zone set up in the hue app
I'd assume you only need the sync box for a TV or similar
Great video! Super useful information
Why I have a lot of respect for your knowledge and the videos you do I have to disagree with you on the Sync Box. With Covid shutting down theaters I had no choice to create my own. Using the Sync Box with 10 Hue lights has given me an amazing experience that enhances the shows I watch. I do agree it is not for everyone and it is definitely not cheap (my setup is $800) but when watching a movie and the effects I get I feel it was worth every penny.
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Still have Hue bulbs that work great from 8 years ago!
Nice! That's phenomenal
The surround lighting (hdmi sync) is the best part of Philips hue. Why would you get all those lights if you don’t unlock their best feature?
The Sync system is absolutely AMAZING. It’s better used for a TV than a monitor, but I definitely see how it’d be perfect for a gamer using a monitor, because it truly takes your gaming to an ENTIRELY new level. Definitely worth the price!!
Thanks for sharing! You guys might just convince me to reconsider trying the Sync system on my TV.
Innr is a great knock off that is really well compatible with Philips Hue. Haven't had any issues with them.
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Lots of third party products work unofficially with Philips Hue. Such as the much more affordable Ikea smart bulbs.
Can you make us an updated video for this year on the product that you tested or know about that work with Apple HomeKit? I have seen you’ve had one 2 years and it’s amazing. I think that would be great to be done again!
Thanks for the suggestion Adam. I think my video coming on Saturday is close to your idea and I will keep this suggestion in mind for future videos.
Eric, I couldn’t agree with you more about the Sync. Last year, I had Best Buy install Hue lights throughout my home which I’ve used with Home Kit. But I also had sync boxes attached to my TVs i the family room and master bedroom with the Hue Lightstrips. The sync boxes were a disaster. There were so many problems. They constantly lost connection to the internet. The TVs took forever to turn on because of them and in the case of the one in my master, took more than 2-3 minutes at times. I got rid of them a couple of weeks ago and everything works well with the TVs again.
Glad to see you're back.
Thanks Dan! It's great to be back.
Well about the Hue Smart Plug.. it’s made just for lights and it’s not safe to use with appliances. It’s useful if you want to have a reliable connection to control a non-philips hue fixture, to have the same benefits of all the other bulbs and fixtures that are part of the hue system.
I’m a little confused on the router requirement for the Hub. With a conventional router set-up, the router would broadcast the WiFi signal throughout the house. This also would provide for remote access.
What if you don’t have WiFi, but you do have a router? Does the Hub coupled to a router broadcast the signal throughout the house?
Of course then remote control usage away from the house would not be available.
philips hue fan here, thanks for the advices
also, you're so handsome, awesome skin lol
How do you make a timed smart plug foolproof? For example, the internet might fail momentarily when the switch is due to be activated. Also if you use Apple home, which device sends the signal to the smart switch?
Just commenting to show appreciate or all the time u ou put into this video, it's exactly what I was looking for!
Hi Eric, are you familiar with the new feature added to the hue system that allows multiple bridges on one account?
Eric, ever get power state to work during power outages? Annoying having all your lights turn on when power is restored. Thanks!
what does that even mean?
I guess you mean when power goes out to one or more of the devices? That can happen often for some people. Yes, the devices reset to "full power on" when the power comes back on. There is no algorithm in the Hue Bridge to account for that and reset previous program, if that's what you're asking. Try making a request with the Hue people, I guess it's possible they have not tried to fix that in years.
@@razoraz it’s actually under Settings, Lights under on this Hue Bridge and it’s called Power Loss Recovery. This isn’t an uncommon feature on other platforms. My LIFX and Nanoleaf lights have this feature and it works as intended.
@@Reihenmotor5 So it works fine with your lights ? It is a very important feature. I won't get into smart lights if it does not work properly.
@@theattorney6072 so my Lutron Caseta and LIFX lights function properly. Hue lights have a setting to remember power State but it doesn’t work properly.
Why don’t you recommend the wall switches from Hue? Coincidentally I ordered them while watching, before I got to the part where you were going to talk about them, so it kinda hit hard when I found out it was the first one on your list 😂😂🙃 My room has a switch directly around the corner when you walk in, so whenever I walk out of my room, I use that switch to turn off my GU10 spots which are mounted on the ceiling. I have four more bulbs there which don’t turn off using the switch, so those keep being turned on after I leave my room. I figured: using the wall switch will turn on and off all my bulbs, while even being able to turn on some selected scenes. Also, the switches you use in the USA aren’t common in the Netherlands where I live, so the wall switch is one of the only options I have to keep them connected to power. I hope I made a good decision!
I have the gradient lightstrip around my desk which works perfectly while gaming. I'm a big fan of hue sync.
I switched to hue a year ago for 2 reasons, Google Home, and Elgato Stream deck.
Great video! Being new to Hue, I appreciated the "products to avoid" part the most. Thanks so much!
These are not to avoid, Eric did not know the exact working of these products. Regarding the sync box for example, the setup he showed... yeah that is useless indeed but not the way as intended (see a lot of comments here) als the module is a great thing. Do not rely on 1 person and check more videos to have a better understanding of functionalities.. It would be a shame if you missed some really cool features you would have liked
Thanks @@JustMe-sh8nd! Also a good tip! The sync box I would def investigate further. :)
If I had mislaid my phone (I live in the UK) I used to be able to power cycle the wall switch, (not Hue smart switch), on a off a few times and the HUE bulb would turn on full brightness. However, this no longer works since early 2024. Have the settings behaviour of the bulbs or bridges changed?
Do you think that people will regret buying into this right now as thread becomes more of the standard? Or do you think it will be fine regardless?
Will hue be able to update to thread with an over the air update? Or is it a hardware issue?
Will Hue continue to work seamlessly in my home even when my Wifi is down?
Good stuff Eric. I was pleasantly surprised to get the Notification of another new video on your channel. 😁
Awesome video, Eric! Glad you’re making content again! 👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️
Thanks Larry! It's great to be back.
I have my coffee maker on a hue smart plug and an alexa morning routine scheduled to turn on when I wake up so my morning coffee is waiting for me when I get out of bed! I also use hue’s away command which turns off all of my hue lights&devices when it detects I’ve left home so nothing will be accidentally left on.💡
Yeah baby! I wanna drink that coffee! I also love Hue's geofencing so the lights go on/off when you arrive/leave. Listen up people, this little stuff saves us time, just like robotic vacuums can. We're living in quasi- star trek times. Catch the vibe!
Thanks for another great video. Have been a big fan of your for long time. I am totally in agreement about your assessment on hue products, but do disagree a little bit about hue sync. To fully advantage of using hue sync, you really need to using proper hue lighting products that is really designed for hue sync. Yes, it can become very expensive. But a fully configured hue sync system do give much better viewing experiences. I have two hue systems setup in my house, and do worth it. Just my thoughts to share.
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Not sure how old this video is. But can you use one dimmer switch as a master switch that will turn off all the lights in the house by the door for example? While still allowing room by room function?
Something you're telling is not right : the Philips hue Botton ( the round rubbery one K ) does have multiple options . I've been using it for years , the button in the hallway before I leave the house turns off all lights when I long press it :)
for the tech savy ones, you can purchase a regular rgb led strip for a few bucks, connect it to an arduino. Then you have a software in your pc that send via USB the signal. It was a bit time consuming to do it manually, but for less than 50 buck ( AC adapter included ) you'll have a very reliable RGB ambilight around every edge of your computer screen. You can even assign which part of the screen activate which led etc. The only cons are that you need to have a bit of knowledge for Arduino stuff, and it doesn't work for TV. But it's faaar less expensive than the hue system. You can even go further like I did and 3D print yourself a case etc, so it doesn't look messy.
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I'd get that in-wall lightswitch adapter if it continued to work with legacy lamps after uninstalling hue.
Amazing thorough review! I am looking to start my Phillips Hue collection within the next few years. They’re expensive, but look and work so good.
Don't rely for his "better not to buy" products just like that. As you can see in many comments for example the sync box is just amazing (when enough lights are connected). Best to watch more video's from different youtubers to get a better understanding of what these products actually do..
I will second the Sync Box opinion. My biggest issue is the lag between the video and the color changes. Becomes a distraction more than an addition.
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Woo! You’re back! Don’t ever forget me. Just kidding. Stay safe
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Hi there. Love Hue system but am stumped by a problem. I was forced to fully reset all three of my bridges as well as a full new Home in Honekit. Painful but I did it but can only manage to add one bridge to Homekit. I used to have three working and I just don’t know what to try to fix this. Sorry to put question here but I am desperate. Thanks.
If you have a bunch of Phillips Hue bulbs and various types of lights in a room, are they all controlled by ONE remote? Or separate remotes?
You can configure it either way
Does the bridge have to be connected with cable to the router or can it be done wirelessly??
Hey, I have been facing a lot of connectivity issue. Could that be because I do not have a bridge?
Forgot to mention the big downside with Philips Hue system is the software Terms and conditions. Go take a read and see for yourself, those updates may cost you in 3 or 5 years.
So do I need to bridge if I have the dimmer? The bridge can only be hard wired, right? Or can I connect it through WiFi?