Philips Hue Wireless Dimming Kit

[Guest]

This kit (Wall switch and 2 smart A-Line bulbs) sold at home depot for 34.99$CAN says it works independently without a hub. Do you know if the hub can control the bulbs as well?

[w.vuyk]

Jim,

Is this the same kit as shown here but with two lights?

if the "2 smart A-Line bulbs" are from Philips then I am pretty sure it will be controllable through the hub and thus also the plugin.
I know that the Philips dimmer switch is capable of controling lights directly without the hub (at least the whites, not sure about the hues). When you connect the bulbs like normal to the bridge and also connect the dimmer switch to the bridge, you can assign your group of choice to the dimmer scwitch through the plugin.

I believe there is an oneliner statement in the usage guide on how many connection to separate lights (or hubs?) the dimmerswitch can hold.

Wim

[Guest]

Yes, that's the one. The switch isn't even needed as long as bridge and your plugin can control them!

It's cheaper for me to put those bulbs in than a Cooper switch. And if I understand correctly, they will help extend my hue network as well, won't they?

[w.vuyk]

Jim,

The bulbs will be part in the mesh network indeed, just like Zwave adding the light in the zigbee network will extend the reach of the bridge so to say...

I have one switch here too. I like them to quickly raise or lower light level when I do not need the plugins presets at that moment. Other then that my lights are controlled by moment of the day en motion sensors.
In daily practise I use the switch only once or twice a week.

Wim

[Guest]

Was actually a typo. Kit is as you posted. But HD game me the extra bulbs anyway.

Can your plugin recognize the switch to use it a scene controller of sorts instead of just controlling bulbs?

[w.vuyk]

Was actually a typo. Kit is as you posted. But HD game me the extra bulbs anyway.

Can your plugin recognize the switch to use it a scene controller of sorts instead of just controlling bulbs?

The plugin recognises the switch and adds it as a congfigurable page in the menu. Uptill now you can change the group of bulbs it controls and optionally create it as device, so you could trigger events on it (but it is polled, so expect a bit of delay on that).
With the device you could indeed set a certain scene (including other devices, like zwave devices) based on up/down/on/off state if you want. But that's outside control of the plugin, it just forwards the state of the buttons.

I was also thinking one could use the switch also to change through hue, but so far only implemented brightness change.


Wim

[Guest]

It would be interesting to see if it could be made into a minimote of sorts. For the cost of the kit, I could see lots of people adopting that!

[w.vuyk]

I agree, the prize is very good. But keep in mind there is a delay when you want to use it aa device outside the hub.... Still hoping here Phillips will work on passing the signal outside the bridge directly. Having a bit of hope they will do that

[Guest]

Hey Wim,

Thanks for your help with this so far. Have 2 dimmers and some more white bulbs registered and working great!

Kids can use their own lamps and I can overrule and turn them off when they forget! LOL

I noticed that there is a pending use of dimmer setup through your plugin. What are you hoping to add there?

[w.vuyk]

Jim,

Good catch! this old man should have removed it as it is functioning as expected. there is even another line there that should be removed. The long presses are not caught by the plugin and should be removed.

I was thinking on other possibilities, bud I had to skip someideas, because of the polling. If Philips would allow signals to be forwarded directly from the dimmer switches lots of other possibilities would have been available...
That would be my largest wish

Wim

[Guest]

I know that the Philips dimmer switch is capable of controling lights directly without the hub (at least the whites, not sure about the hues).

Wim

It controls ANY group of whites or hues that I assign. It may need hub, but who doesn't have a hub if they have hues! ;-)
Up to 10 bulbs according to specs.