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Dorv

macrumors 6502
Feb 11, 2008
350
335
Now, if you drop a/c to a bulb and then turn it back on, it goes to full white.

I prefer it that way. If I just need the lights on quick, I can flip the switch off/on and be good.

Plus it allows for my buddy, if he comes to walk my dog, to be able to use the lights in a more "normal" manner.

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When you look at the longevity of the lights, they are a whole much better deal than you'd think.

Sorry, replied to the wrong post.
 

glutenenvy

macrumors regular
Sep 6, 2011
175
21
WA
For that price I'm thinking Hue Laser with iOS tie in to my music library and a free bag of munchies.
 

cclloyd

macrumors 68000
Oct 26, 2011
1,760
147
Alpha Centauri A
Do the light strips need to have a power cord coming from one end to turn them on, or battery powered or what? If there is a cord, that eliminates a lot of places I would love to put them.
 

macs4nw

macrumors 601
.....In creating the right atmosphere at home sometimes the smallest changes can make a big difference. Philips offers lighting solutions that you can create great effects with subtle light effects and colors. See Philips Living Colors, candlelights and LightStrips playful and are easy to use. Elegant design combined with LED-based technology creates mood lighting with which you can create exactly the right atmosphere.

The Philips Hue LightStrips are priced at $89.95 and the Philips Hue Bloom is priced at $79.95. They join the Philips Hue Starter Pack that includes 3 LED bulbs and the Hue wireless bridge, a package which currently sells for $199.95. As with the original Hue, both products will initially be sold exclusively through the Apple Retail Store and Apple Online Store.

Article Link: Philips Expands iOS-Controlled 'Hue' Line with New Products

Definitely not inexpensive, considering how many 'Strips' and 'Blooms' one might need, but a designers dream, no doubt.

I wonder if these have a life expectancy, similar to the (very long) life expectancy of 'ordinary' LED lights?
 

DisMyMac

macrumors 65816
Sep 30, 2009
1,087
11
So, what happens in five years when Philips or Apple discontinue support? Now your expensive lights are inaccessible with the new Apple hardware/OS. To deal with this you must maintain an older Apple iOS device just to access your lights. Then that dies, no support, no access. Sorry sucker!

Try getting parts for anything in Greg Brady's attic..... all of the grooviest motion-lamps went EOL under Reagan.

Companies should be required to continue providing support for older hardware and software. New OSs should not be allowed to discontinue support for older software like Apple did with Classic, PPC, Rosetta, 68K, etc. Just because they want people to buy their new OS and hardware doesn't mean we should have to abandon our data and tools.

I would go further with those requirements, using "harsh but fair" as a guideline. Anyways Hue seems like typical As-Seen-On-TV crap. Let's not be fooled this time.
 

dylanlive

macrumors member
Mar 7, 2012
75
54
San Francisco, Calif.
I am waiting for some other 'controller' to use with Hue. The biggest disadvantage is that the only control is from an IOS device. If not a wall mountable (preferably in a decora form factor) then at least if the switch is turned off of a Hue lamp that when it's turned back on it 'remembers' it's setting. Now, if you drop a/c to a bulb and then turn it back on, it goes to full white. Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer to be able to dim a light via a switch and not have to fumble for the phone. If I have missed something or some device that does this, please enlighten me.

And for those questioning, I currently own a Hue system, and just stating it's shortcomings (I have a significant investment of Leviton DHC controllers throughout the house and for now, HUE falls very very short of replacing a system like that for real world use). It is fun for parties though.

Hue can be controlled other ways as well. IFTTT will allow you to text or email to change lights. Hue has a web interface that you can change scenes on.

There are also various different apps that you can download. I have the "QuickHue" app on my Mac, so I can change lights directly from my computer's desktop.

http://www.everyhue.com/

This is great. I really didn't want to spend 200$. 79.99$ is reasonable.

I believe you still need the starter kit for the bridge.
 

mdelvecchio

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2010
3,151
1,149
Do the light strips need to have a power cord coming from one end to turn them on, or battery powered or what? If there is a cord, that eliminates a lot of places I would love to put them.

they use a power cord. batteries would be a major PITA for multiple reasons.

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Anyways Hue seems like typical As-Seen-On-TV crap. Let's not be fooled this time.

an odd opinion, considering you dont have or use the product. i do. it offers me, and a great many more like me, value. thus we voted with our dollars. philips is happy w/ that return and is investing more into the relationship; to which i will likely do the same.

thats how business works. no value-added business is designed to make everyone happy, and thats OK.

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It's clear that the target customers are.. kids with a lot a cash.

1) most homeowners i know are not "kids".

2) theres nothing wrong with having cash to buy things you enjoy. if you dont have the cash, or dont enjoy the product, thats fine. plenty do.
 

nuckinfutz

macrumors 603
Jul 3, 2002
5,537
398
Middle Earth
I'm surprised these came out first. Discussions on everyhue.com pointed at BR30 and MR16 bulbs as the next likely additions for Hue.

I'll gladly take light strips and a spotlight though. I love my Hue system. I admit I haven't taken the time to delve in and set things up the way I want but i'm going to be redoing my network and wanted to wait.

I'm thinking i'll like to eventually do lightstrips for bias lighting behind my next HDTV which will be wall mounted.

The spotlight may come into play if I see a suitable opportunity. At this point this is Philips game to lose. They are building the most comprehensive solution for networked lighting and frankly the guys working on similar projects on Kickstarter and Indiegogo are succumbing to the "now" familiar "we've got money, a great idea but lack execution skillet"

Philips Hue isn't cheap but it's working well and growing.
 

quaternio

macrumors member
Apr 8, 2010
39
11
I am waiting for some other 'controller' to use with Hue. The biggest disadvantage is that the only control is from an IOS device.

The newer Logitech Harmony Remote hubs (the Ultimate, and the cheaper version) advertise that they can control the Hue system.

An expensive combo, but it works for someone like me who would probably be buying the new harmony remote anyway.
 

PNutts

macrumors 601
Jul 24, 2008
4,874
357
Pacific Northwest, US
I am waiting for some other 'controller' to use with Hue. The biggest disadvantage is that the only control is from an IOS device.

So, what happens in five years when Philips or Apple discontinue support?

Because they are Zigbee standard they can be controlled with just about anything. My PC runs a Java based app that provides control, schedules, effects, etc., and available via HTTP to any browser on my network. It also does geofencing.

My work laptop integrates Hue and Lync via PowerShell and when I get on the phone a light outside my home office turns red so the kids know I'm on the phone.

There are many ways to send the commands to the Hue Hub. I wrote a quick and dirty HTML page based off someone else's work and ran it from my browser until I bought the Java app.

So Apple and Philips can disappear and Hue will be OK. ;)
 

PNutts

macrumors 601
Jul 24, 2008
4,874
357
Pacific Northwest, US
I just found out new Hue bulbs are instant on when power is applied (turning on with a wall switch, etc.). They plan to update the firmware on the old bulbs to make them behave the same.
 

rshanahan

macrumors regular
Dec 24, 2007
162
0
North East, MD
Isn't that the way they are now? I have ones from back in December, and they are instant on when power applied, which is quite the disadvantage when one equips their house with a lot of them using the scheduler and/or iOS control. If the house loses power, say at 3am, then it comes on at 3:05am, ALL hue bulbs come in, pretty irritating in my estimation.

I'm sure there are pros/cons to this, and different applications that this works or doesn't work for. For me, I have three bulbs, and that will be all I have as they don't fit into my 'application'



I just found out new Hue bulbs are instant on when power is applied (turning on with a wall switch, etc.). They plan to update the firmware on the old bulbs to make them behave the same.
 

PNutts

macrumors 601
Jul 24, 2008
4,874
357
Pacific Northwest, US
Isn't that the way they are now? I have ones from back in December, and they are instant on when power applied, which is quite the disadvantage when one equips their house with a lot of them using the scheduler and/or iOS control. If the house loses power, say at 3am, then it comes on at 3:05am, ALL hue bulbs come in, pretty irritating in my estimation.

I'm sure there are pros/cons to this, and different applications that this works or doesn't work for. For me, I have three bulbs, and that will be all I have as they don't fit into my 'application'

Now, yes. Previously when power was removed and then applied they would remain dark for a second or two and then quickly fade in to full brightness. I don't know when the change was made but folks in different countries noticed it at different times.

There's been a lot of discussion on what the bulbs should do when powered on. Some folks want them to come back to the state they were when the power was shut off. Philips opted to make them act like an incandescent.
 
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