Philips Hue Line Gains Smart Cameras and Sensors

[FelixDerKater]

That first one looks very similar to the current Nest wired camera.

 

[svish]

Good new products from Philips

 

[hellosil]

No HomeKit Secure Video support (so no Apple based recognition of people, pets, packages and cars.)

Instead a $39.99 per camera per year or $99.99 per year for multiple cameras subscription.

A very disappointing offer from Philips Hue.

 

[paulman311]

I know people are still sour about Eufy but I just spent half that on a wireless camera + solar panel from eufy that works with HomeKit. This hue option sounds overpriced and requires a subscription for some pretty basic features.

What model are you using?? My understand was none of the recent eufy 3 cameras with solar panel works with HomeKit.

 

[missingar]

What model are you using?? My understand was none of the recent eufy 3 cameras with solar panel works with HomeKit.

EufyCam 2C is HomeKit compatible but I’m using HomeBridge to access all of my eufy security devices via HomeKit.

 

[Kleber20]

Thread isn't for cameras. Thread is a low-bitrate protocol. Extraordinarily low power usage, but also low bitrate. More than enough for a sensor to to say "yep" or "nope", but not enough to stream video or anything like that.

WiFi (or possibly something proprietary in Hue's case, to talk to the hub) is necessary for anything with as high of a data rate needed as a camera.

(If you're familiar with Zigbee, Thread is basically the evolution of Zigbee. Created by the same people and everything. The underlying nuts and bolts are improved and modern, like it being based on IPv6 and the ability to have more than one coordinator (now called border routers), but the way it works otherwise, and the kinds of applications suited to it, is almost exactly the same.)

Wow thanks for the very awesome reply!

So in short words, there is no possibility to have a security camera that is as responsive as a thread device? I used to have one hub less, and was a pain as it always was going offline.

 

[alexandr]

No HomeKit secure video no buy

I imagine they should work with it — Hue works very well with HomeKit.

 

[alexandr]

Ok, these are way to expensive for what they are. Especially if you have to pay even more for motion detection etc. — WTF is that?!

 

[KENESS]

Wow thanks for the very awesome reply!

So in short words, there is no possibility to have a security camera that is as responsive as a thread device? I used to have one hub less, and was a pain as it always was going offline.

Well... Yes and no. There is no hardware reason a WiFi security camera can't be super reliable. As long as your WiFi network is stable and if they implement their camera well (this is the big if) in their software, it should be very solid.

Because they typically don't record 24/7 in order to save battery, there can often be a short lag when initiating a video stream, because it isn't already streaming. But this isn't related to the communication protocol, more a limitation on practical battery-based operation.

A wired security camera, in places where it is possible and appropriate, can often be much more responsive because they typically ARE recording (or at least actively running) 24/7 and therefore you can pop in pretty quick to see a live feed.

Not a lot of wired (any?) HomeKit native cameras, though, admittedly.

 

[hellosil]

I imagine they should work with it — Hue works very well with HomeKit.

They won’t as they’ve chosen to create and sell their own subscription service for the (so far) same functionality.

I am a fan of Hue, and in the market for several cameras, but this is Hue hardware I won’t buy because of their new subscription service.

 

[alexandr]

They won’t as they’ve chosen to create and sell their own subscription service for the (so far) same functionality.

I am a fan of Hue, and in the market for several cameras, but this is Hue hardware I won’t buy because of their new subscription service.

Hm, that's annoying. I wouldn't go for these purely because of how much they cost, but that adds to it. I am also a big fan of hue, but probably since they were the first to offer HomeKit lights and I jumped on the band wagon. I have a few remotes that won't reprogram as the hue app is absolute trash. I think there are better options out there, but as I have about 40 lamps and several switches, I'm not looking to switch.