First off Hue is expensive and not something anybody really needs. However, it's one of those things that has a high cool factor and if your into gadgets whats $200 bucks. I am a gadget guy and had the $200 so I went for it. Hue arrived via Amazon, so he was right on time and a day early. I couldn't wait to get him out of the box and give him a test run. It was incredibly easy to set up. I mean really easy, so don't worry about that. First download the app on to your Ipad or Iphone from the Apple App Store. Secondly plug the Hue Bridge into your router with the included ethernet cable (you need an open port on your router) and screw the pricey bulbs into a fixture. Then push the button on the Hue Bridge and grab your device and start making rainbow colored rooms. Everything worked perfectly the first time, the router found the bulds and the app controlled the whole thing. Really very cool, it worked exactly as it should.
One other thing about Hue, it does not work with Dimmer switches. Hue has a built in dimmer system, so you need to switch out the dimmer switches or keep them on full power all the time. That is easier said than done as by habit you turn the lights off when leaving a room. Not having the switch turned on makes the light bulbs not respond, So you need to have all the lights switched on with power flowing. Hue then controls the power to the lights via the bulbs,
Living with HUE
Your whole life you are conditioned to turn off lights when you exit the room. You just flip the switch and its done. Same thing for turning on the lights, its easy and simple. Hue changes this simple everyday thing into a much more complicated process. To turn on or off the lights you must first locate your phone or iPad wherever you laid it down or worse someone else takes it away to another room. Once you find your Ipad/Iphone,. enter your lock code and then find the Hue App open it and then look for the turn off lights button. This drives me nuts, it be no problem if you had an Ipad at every light switch. This is the one thing that I think makes Hue totally not practical for anyone but a single person living alone. Imagine hunting down the iPad that your kid took upstairs etc etc.
This issue changed the relationship i thought I would have with Hue. I thought, this would be the future of lighting, sit back adjust the lights and live in a full spectrum of mood altering colors.
Reality is Hue traps you in a room where you can't turn on or off the lights without locating your phone! I was ready to kick Hue out of my house as he was not what I thought he would be. Then it dawned on my I was expecting to much of Hue, especially in my house. Hue became an expensive accent light here and there. We put him in some cheap spot light fixtures and move him around the house. I would take him into the bedroom and he would turn it into the glowing red hot love volcano. On Sundays, we turn the kitchen lime green and have breakfast on Mars, the kids love it! You can have a lot of fun with Hue just use your imagination.
Hue works great and it is really cool. Lots of wow factor, just think about the practicality of Hue in your home. For us it went from a serious lighting system to basically a toy we really enjoy. For my family, Hue has been great, it has brought us some fun times and it creates a lot of joy and laughter. What else could you want from any product.
I hope that my experience with Hue helps you understand the product better, it's uses and it's limitations. Thanks for reading.
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