- Feb 10, 2019
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- 0
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My first post! Probably can be summed up with "Thanks Tom!" but it deserves more than that!
Stumbled upon Tom's Guide yesterday and found it most useful already! Particularly tips and hints with 'Alexa'.
I have some 30 or so Philips Hue ( couple of other brands ) bulbs now installed in my Kitchen, Sitting Room, Dining Room etc. and I love the flexibility they offer for changing the ambience of the room and being able to control them all via Alexa, Siri or one of the plethora of apps available.
I would like to pay particular thanks for the list of 123 colour commands to control the lights via Alexa. I was just using the basic colours with Alexa until I found the list! Clearly, one has access to 16 million combinations using an app but, it's much quicker and often more convenient, to use Alexa. Yesterday evening, I went through the whole list ( thank goodness for .follow-on ) and whilst there were a handful that were not recognised ( could have been my accent - British or my pronunciation ), the vast majority worked very well indeed and with some I even said "Wow!".
Very few are going to remember all 123 so, I set about constructing a list which I printed out on 3 labels ( via Brother QL-500 ), about 30-40 each label, which were just legible! I then stuck the labels onto a piece of card and have one for the kitchen and one for the sitting room, as a reference ( largely because my house will be going up for sale soon and I want to ensure the new owner sees the potential ).
After spending > £2000 on LED lighting ( some 98% bulbs replaced ) the largest cost being colour bulbs, I would hate to think that the new owners would just think that the on/off switch was the size of it or, "these bulbs don't work-I'll have to replace the lot", as I won't be here to demonstrate the possibilities ( and I really mean, I WON'T BE HERE )! I have gone to enormous lengths to write a 'manual' of some sorts to act as a guide. Tom's Alexa list now being an integral part!
I have had a great deal of fun ( and some frustration ) in setting up the lights and it's kept me busy ( much to the derision of my Daughters - "Why are you doing this Dad, it's a waste of money" - well, we know what they're concerned about! ) over the last 8 weeks or so. Electronic door entry would be my next step, should my daughters not invoke Lasting Power of Attorney.
FRUSTRATIONS : Just incase anyone has got this far in my missive, some bulbs do not show the correct colour or hue when used in the same group. For example, I have 10 Philips GU10s in the kitchen and ALL show the same colour, on demand, regardless ( two separate banks of 5 ). However, in my sitting room, I have 3 Philips SES candle bulbs ( all show the same colour ), 1 wall wash uplighter with a Philips GU10, and 1 Philips wall wash, 'Hue Bloom' lamp. The latter two, with certain colour settings, are way off in terms of colour/hue/shade. I can balance them all up by using an app but it's fiddly and defeats the objective.
Does anyone have a logical explanation or indeed, a solution ( clearly, I would prefer NOT to replace the offenders )?
MODERATORS: I will, if I may, post this in the 'Smart Home' thread, just in case a member can help from there? Please feel free to 'moderate' if I have contravened a rule!
I look forward to enjoying this forum. Splendid.
best wishes,
Col.
Stumbled upon Tom's Guide yesterday and found it most useful already! Particularly tips and hints with 'Alexa'.
I have some 30 or so Philips Hue ( couple of other brands ) bulbs now installed in my Kitchen, Sitting Room, Dining Room etc. and I love the flexibility they offer for changing the ambience of the room and being able to control them all via Alexa, Siri or one of the plethora of apps available.
I would like to pay particular thanks for the list of 123 colour commands to control the lights via Alexa. I was just using the basic colours with Alexa until I found the list! Clearly, one has access to 16 million combinations using an app but, it's much quicker and often more convenient, to use Alexa. Yesterday evening, I went through the whole list ( thank goodness for .follow-on ) and whilst there were a handful that were not recognised ( could have been my accent - British or my pronunciation ), the vast majority worked very well indeed and with some I even said "Wow!".
Very few are going to remember all 123 so, I set about constructing a list which I printed out on 3 labels ( via Brother QL-500 ), about 30-40 each label, which were just legible! I then stuck the labels onto a piece of card and have one for the kitchen and one for the sitting room, as a reference ( largely because my house will be going up for sale soon and I want to ensure the new owner sees the potential ).
After spending > £2000 on LED lighting ( some 98% bulbs replaced ) the largest cost being colour bulbs, I would hate to think that the new owners would just think that the on/off switch was the size of it or, "these bulbs don't work-I'll have to replace the lot", as I won't be here to demonstrate the possibilities ( and I really mean, I WON'T BE HERE )! I have gone to enormous lengths to write a 'manual' of some sorts to act as a guide. Tom's Alexa list now being an integral part!
I have had a great deal of fun ( and some frustration ) in setting up the lights and it's kept me busy ( much to the derision of my Daughters - "Why are you doing this Dad, it's a waste of money" - well, we know what they're concerned about! ) over the last 8 weeks or so. Electronic door entry would be my next step, should my daughters not invoke Lasting Power of Attorney.
FRUSTRATIONS : Just incase anyone has got this far in my missive, some bulbs do not show the correct colour or hue when used in the same group. For example, I have 10 Philips GU10s in the kitchen and ALL show the same colour, on demand, regardless ( two separate banks of 5 ). However, in my sitting room, I have 3 Philips SES candle bulbs ( all show the same colour ), 1 wall wash uplighter with a Philips GU10, and 1 Philips wall wash, 'Hue Bloom' lamp. The latter two, with certain colour settings, are way off in terms of colour/hue/shade. I can balance them all up by using an app but it's fiddly and defeats the objective.
Does anyone have a logical explanation or indeed, a solution ( clearly, I would prefer NOT to replace the offenders )?
MODERATORS: I will, if I may, post this in the 'Smart Home' thread, just in case a member can help from there? Please feel free to 'moderate' if I have contravened a rule!
I look forward to enjoying this forum. Splendid.
best wishes,
Col.
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