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Review: Weatherproof Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor Lets You Automate Your Indoor or Outdoor Lights

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Apr 12, 2001
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The Philips Hue line of lights have been controllable via an indoor motion sensor for some time, but Signify is today introducing an Outdoor Motion Sensor that's designed to control the range of outdoor Hue lights that are now available for purchase.

The Outdoor Motion Sensor works just like the indoor Smart Motion Sensor, automating your lights and other HomeKit products to come on when motion is detected and turn off when there's no motion detected, all on an automatic basis.

huemotionsensor-800x533.jpg

As with all Hue products, the Outdoor Motion Sensor is designed to work with a hub, so a Hue hub and Hue lights are required to use the product, even though it can interface with other HomeKit devices.

Design

The Outdoor Motion Sensor is small and relatively unobtrusive, but it does have a design that stands out somewhat, so it's not entirely unnoticeable. It features a square-shaped plastic housing with a protruding white circle where daylight and motion sensors are built in.

huemotionsensor-800x600.jpg

At the back, Outdoor Motion Sensor features a mounting plate and a variety of mounting options so you can put it wherever it works best. There's an option for a flat wall or mounting it at a corner, which would allow for maximum view of a driveway, lawn, or entryway.

huemotion5-800x600.jpg

I live in an apartment so I'm not able to do wall mounting, but I'm including this image of the Outdoor Motion Sensor from Amazon to show the different ways that it can be mounted -- flat, on an inward corner, or on an outwards-facing corner. For testing purposes, I have tall shelves outdoors where I keep plants, which is what I used, so it also doesn't necessarily need to be permanently mounted to work well.

huemotion7-800x625.jpg

You can screw the Outdoor Motion Sensor into the wall outside, and the hardware that you need is included (wall brackets, screws, and screw plugs), making it simple to get up and running. There is a built-in battery inside the Outdoor Motion Sensor that's supposed to last for about two years, so you don't need to worry about charging it. It's using AA batteries, so when the included batteries are exhausted, it won't be a hassle to get a replacement.


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Article Link: Review: Weatherproof Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor Lets You Automate Your Indoor or Outdoor Lights
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/review/hue-outdoor-motion-sensor/
MallardDuck said:
All we need now is a bridge with more memory for all these cool devices and lights.
Click to expand...

Noooo!!! My 1.0 hub is identical to the 2.0 but they've mothballed it so it's getting no more updates, doesn't support Homekit (purely a software thing), requires a separate app and works like rubbish.

I protest the fact they want $100 (AUD) for a brand new 2.0. Please no 3.0...
 
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Very interested in this. I have multiple lights and sensors. I can make use of this and been toying with the idea of extending the hue system to outdoors.
 
MacRumors said:
Design wise, the Outdoor Motion Sensor is small and relatively unobtrusive, though it's clearly a smart device that's noticeable.
Click to expand...
Does that sentence make any sense? Can it be both relatively unobtrusive and clearly noticeable? Or is it "clearly a smart device"? If so, how?
 
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Biggest drawback is that Hue app is too limited in letting you customize complex logic on when/what to do with motion triggers.

For example if you want motion to trigger only during certain hours AND only if there is no other scene active, you can’t. It’s worthless to me without powerful customizability.
 
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I’ve had the ‘indoor’ motion sensors installed in 2 places outside for a a few years...they work as good as new.
 
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Applebot1 said:
Very interested in this. I have multiple lights and sensors. I can make use of this and been toying with the idea of extending the hue system to outdoors.
Click to expand...

You have always had the option of using the indoor sensors outside. I've been using one for over a year, place it just under the eve of the garage and it works perfectly!
 
djgamble said:
Noooo!!! My 1.0 hub is identical to the 2.0 but they've mothballed it so it's getting no more updates, doesn't support Homekit (purely a software thing), requires a separate app and works like rubbish.

I protest the fact they want $100 (AUD) for a brand new 2.0. Please no 3.0...
Click to expand...
Probably best picking one up second hand, we bought a few kits (were on special offer over Black Friday in the U.K.) and so had a bunch of spare hubs. Probably do something similar over there?
 
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Vjosullivan said:
Does that sentence make any sense? Can it be both relatively unobtrusive and clearly noticeable? Or is it "clearly a smart device"? If so, how?
Click to expand...

I'm sorry that doesn't make sense. I'll reword it. What I mean is that while it's small, it very much looks like a smart device like a camera because of the design. So while it is relatively unobtrusive, it's not going to be unnoticeable to people.
 
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vmistery said:
Probably best picking one up second hand, we bought a few kits (were on special offer over Black Friday in the U.K.) and so had a bunch of spare hubs. Probably do something similar over there?
Click to expand...

Yep long-term I'll need one... or an alternative solution. In no rush as the current rig works fine but will eventually.
 
I wish they had the ability to be wired, I hate the idea of having to replace batteries after a certain point.
 
trifid said:
Biggest drawback is that Hue app is too limited in letting you customize complex logic on when/what to do with motion triggers.

For example if you want motion to trigger only during certain hours AND only if there is no other scene active, you can’t. It’s worthless to me without powerful customizability.
Click to expand...

You could try Hesperus instead to automate your Hue lights
https://itunes.apple.com/app/hesperus/id969348892
 
djgamble said:
Noooo!!! My 1.0 hub is identical to the 2.0 but they've mothballed it so it's getting no more updates, doesn't support Homekit (purely a software thing), requires a separate app and works like rubbish.

I protest the fact they want $100 (AUD) for a brand new 2.0. Please no 3.0...
Click to expand...
HomeKit was only a software feature as of the past 12 months with iOS 11.3. Until then it did require hardware so the gen 1 and gen 2 bridges are different.

Additionally, the Bridge isnt $100AUD. It’s $76 AUD at Amazon AU and has been available for less.
trifid said:
Biggest drawback is that Hue app is too limited in letting you customize complex logic on when/what to do with motion triggers.

For example if you want motion to trigger only during certain hours AND only if there is no other scene active, you can’t. It’s worthless to me without powerful customizability.
Click to expand...

You can use a number of mobile apps to expose different logic and if you really want to get complex you can use something like HomeAssistant to go incredibly granular if you want.

Personally I mix Apples Home App and Home Assistant. Only thing I use the Hue app for is updates and adding new devices to my bridge. Find other apps do a much better job of controlling things.
 
From a hardware perspective, this is great. I needed something exactly like this and will buy at least one.

From a software perspective, there is one thing missing that I badly need (unless someone knows how to do this): a back-to-previous-state command. For example, my outdoor hue lights are set to shift colors in a fairly complex way, which I achieved through a pattern of HomeKit automations. No matter what color they are on at any evening time, I'd like for them to turn bright white when they detect motion and then go back to the previous color when the motion is no longer detected.

The easiest way to do this (by far) would seem to be an option that simply returns the lights to their prior state when the motion stops. Is there something like this that I'm missing? As is, if I have 18 automations that set lighting colors during the week, it seems like I need 18 separate automations to get the lights back to those colors when the motion stops. This seems undesirably complicated.
 
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I also have used a 2 “indoor” motion sensors outside for a couple years without any problem...and I live in Canada.

Sounds like a cash grab to me...
 
I wonder if you can adjust the sensitivity? we have a road right next to our front door and it has been a battle to use a motion detector. I had one facing the house on the stairs and it would still go off with the wind and shadows sometimes. I got a arlo security light for the job and it worked great. but the arlo cameras with person detection are the best to eally get rid of false notifications.
 
Our cats are very excited that they will now be able to randomly turn the outside lights on like they do the inside lights.
 
steve knight said:
I wonder if you can adjust the sensitivity? we have a road right next to our front door and it has been a battle to use a motion detector. I had one facing the house on the stairs and it would still go off with the wind and shadows sometimes. I got a arlo security light for the job and it worked great. but the arlo cameras with person detection are the best to eally get rid of false notifications.
Click to expand...

You can, however the sensitivity is terrible. My road is about 30 ft from my front door, have sensitivity at lowest setting, and it still triggers. Support said to lower the sensor. Sorry, I don't want the sensor visible/at knee level.
Seems they didn't do good testing before releasing to public.
 
Someone used it for the brightness sensor, I would like to close my Fyrtur blinds when brightness is xxx Lux.
Indoor sensor lacks that feature
 
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