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Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

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Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#251

Post by Syonyk »

hadlock wrote: post #225
Syonyk wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is this easier than just having a dimmer switch inside the bedroom door? That's what I've done in our house. Lots of dimmers. Some are "rocker switches with a slide along the side," other are more digital "push button to turn lights on to the last setting, small rocker to adjust light level, you can always come up from 0 by using the rocker" types.

Having moved twice with a toddler, and gone without voice activated lights in the nursery for a couple of days, it's huge . Usually I am carrying them up the stairs, with both hands; they're squirming, set them directly on the diaper changing table, and then plop them (again, both hands) into the crib. There is almost never a time when I am not holding thing(s) with both hands in that room. Or in another case, most o…

And I don't believe in "sharing my home activity data with third parties," so I won't have voice activated anything.

I'll just note that most of what you complain about with dimmers isn't a problem with the correct dimmer - I don't have any dimmers that require coming to full brightness before dimming them down, no matter where they were last set.

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#252

Post by realharo »

ewoodrich wrote: post #218
bigstrat2003 wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't used anything but Hue, but I've been looking to get off them because they're so unreliable. Like clockwork, one or two bulbs go bad every year and will still be dimly lit even when "off", or worse still they will start flickering constantly when "off". It's kind of depressing if something with such poor quality is the most reliable option out there. :(

Anecdata but I have about 20 Hue bulbs of various color types I've owned for several years and have had no failures. I do wish the button switches wouldn't eat through coin cell batteries though.

If the switch is draining battery too fast, that could be a software bug.

I have a bunch of these switches https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/devices/TS0044.html#tuya-ts0044, and the solution of turning off the periodic battery reporting seems to have helped, I haven't had to change any of their batteries in many months. See https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee2mqtt/issues/14157#issuecomm.... Not sure if something similar can be done with original Hue switches or bridge (or whether it would help there).

One different kind of switch I have, which doesn't have this problem, has had the same battery in it since I bought it 2 years ago.

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#253

Post by petepete »

coremoff wrote: post #98
mirekrusin wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you joking about Sonos? They force you to have account with them to use speakers and you have to enable location sharing on your app to connect (!!). They know more about people than their parents do.

Sonos are also agressively pushing out app updates that sunset older models of their speakers, as we all arbitrarily doing things like blocking streaming of audio from your phone. Sonos might have been good in the past when they were selling a way of streaming your ripped mp3s around your house, they are no longer good now that they think they own the content too.

Plus Sonos really hasn't kept up. No support for RSTP, no ability to cast audio.

I have many devices and use them every day - but if I had a clean slate I don't think I'd buy them again.

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#254

Post by EduardoBautista »

basisword wrote: post #109

For iOS/Apple users just use the bulbs through the Home app. I don’t think I’ve used the Hue app in at least a couple of years since configuring that. Fuck Phillips. Won’t be buying any more of their products.

I don’t think you can have dynamic lighting that slowly changes the color of the lights with just the Home app.

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#255

Post by orev »

yebyen wrote: post #119
orev wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you install the mobile Hue app, it’s right on the main screen.

So if I'm not using the Hue app, am I affected? That's what isn't particularly clear from the post or the comments here. If you're already using their app, is it so onerous to get an account? (I might or might not get an account, the Hue kit is already sitting on my shelf collecting dust, but I was thinking of using Urbit or some other open source project to resurrect it soon... so does this affect us?)

My bulbs use Bluetooth or ZigBee, and have never needed the Hue hub or the app, as I’ve used Home Assistant with them the whole time. Currently using the app because I need to rebuild HA, and it doesn’t seem like the change effects the bulbs themselves. However you do need the app to install firmware updates, so that would force the account usage if you wanted to stay up to date.

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#256

Post by wlesieutre »

Syonyk wrote: post #251
hadlock wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having moved twice with a toddler, and gone without voice activated lights in the nursery for a couple of days, it's huge . Usually I am carrying them up the stairs, with both hands; they're squirming, set them directly on the diaper changing table, and then plop them (again, both hands) into the crib. There is almost never a time when I am not holding thing(s) with both hands in that room. Or in another case, most o…

And I don't believe in "sharing my home activity data with third parties," so I won't have voice activated anything. I'll just note that most of what you complain about with dimmers isn't a problem with the correct dimmer - I don't have any dimmers that require coming to full brightness before dimming them down, no matter where they were last set.

Home Assistant can facilitate local offline voice control if online 3rd party smart speakers are a problem

https://www.home-assistant.io/voice_control/voice_remote_loc...

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#257

Post by ilyt »

mrguyorama wrote: post #153
theshrike79 wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being able to remotely make sure the coffee machine isn't powered is the true game changer. Having the lights turn off automatically when there's nobody home is also nice though.

Coffeemakers usually turn themselves off? My $12 one does.

Some have heater that keeps it warm indefinitely. We had mechanical timer for that one in our old job.

Well, it was reason why it was installed, but what actually was used for is that we set up coffee to brew before leaving work and the timer turned it on right before people started coming to the office so we were welcomed by smell of fresh coffee

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#258

Post by vidarh »

yjftsjthsd-h wrote: post #211
vidarh wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty much any home automation that supports zigbee or z-wave already provides this for everything except their bridges , though. And that includes Hue. While I'd happily support regulating tethering as well, because it'd certainly make some things easier, with a little bit of thought you can build out home automation where it's all under your control. E.g. stick to zigbee and z-wave devices as the default, and get…

Sure, but the bridge is an important part of the system.

It is, but it's a small one, typically both in cost and number. E.g. I have 5 led strips, half a dozen smart plugs, about 40 bulbs, and a dozen smart switches, and 5 smart radiator valves/thermostats. Replacing a bridge with Home Assistant and a 10 pound USB dongle isn't the problem if everything else speaks open protocols. As I said, I wouldn't object to requiring untethering ability even for those, but requiring open protocols for the other devices is more important.

Most of the above is Zigbee, which is open, but some is Tado and Lightwave, and if they go rogue it'd suck to replace the devices rather than just the hubs.

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#259

Post by vidarh »

ChainOfFools wrote: post #184
vidarh wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I can see most of their products (all?) are z-wave, so even if they try to change as long as they don't break the z-wave support, you can buy a z-wave USB dongle and drop whatever wants to be directly connected to your network anyway.

None of the Shelly devices I have are z-wave, they are all Wi-Fi entirely. This includes several of the Shelly 1 power management in-wall relays, several of the Shelly external power management plugs of the kind that you plug into an outlet, a few of the Shelly in-wall dimmers/fan controllers and a couple Shelly bulbs. I think if these had Z-Wave they would have cost a few dollars more each, due to licensing. It woul…

Thanks. Looking at their site again now, I have no idea what made me assume z-wave, and no recollection of what I was thinking.

Re: Philips Hue will soon force users to create an account

#260

Post by vidarh »

yomlica8 wrote: post #115
vidarh wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is a game changer is to be able to just turn off everything in the house when I leave, and know the iron will be off, along with all the lights. It's not critically important, but the many individually small conveniences add up.

Seems like cheap auto off timers and simple motion detector lights would solve all those problems with 1970s technology and no network connections at all.

Motion detectors generally makes things less convenient, not more. Now I have to wave my arms around regularly. No thanks. I'll take the network connections any day - the user experience is far superior before getting into that this was just one example.
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