Smart lighting is one of the best and easiest ways to upgrade your home. Investing in just a handful of bulbs or a couple of pairs can change the role of any place, adding automatic light convenience to any room – and, with some smart home automation magic, helps improve your sleep.
Naturally, smart lights are more expensive than normal bulbs. But the beauty of the smart lighting system is that it can be constructed slowly with the same bulb or light strip, including the entire room or even your entire home – garden.
In this guide we will cover everything needed to know about smart lighting, how it works, which products are available, and advise you about how to select the right system. We will also add a handful of easy smart lighting projects to get started.
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No need to stop inside the house to equalize your lighting. This means finding ways to set the mode too. Whether you want to illuminate your yard with pure white or choose a different color for each individual LED pickup, you can easily do it with the HubSpace app. These lights are related to water and weather, so you can leave them all year long.
Which system should I use?
Philips Hue Smart Lights are something excellent, but they are not your only option (Image Credit: Future)
Before buying a single bulb, you should work to do what smart lighting system you are going to do. Everyone has their own strength and weakness, but, importantly, different smart lighting systems are generally not compatible with each other. So, once you make your decision, you should stay with this system for the best end results.
The obvious answer to this is Philip Hua, as it is the most famous smart lighting system by argument, and has a wider selection of bulbs, strips, switches and other accessories.
But that does not mean that you should ignore the competition. There are some excellent options available from the TP link from Guvi, Sanold, Wes, Nanvillef, Lifix, IKEA and Tipu and Casa System. Take a look at some of our recommended options for the best smart lights we recommend.
Unlike Hua, some of these systems (such as Govi and TP Link Tipo) do not require any center to connect the Internet and your phone. Nanoleph produces decorative LED light panels-which does not offer some Philips Hua-and some guerrilla lights offer music with the built-in microphone.
Are my current sockets and switches synchronized?
Smart bulbs are available for all normal items of light (Image Credit: Getty Images / Vathaya Prashangson)
Maybe, yes. Most smart lighting systems include bulbs with ordinary B22 (Bayonet), E14/26/27 (Edison Screw) and GU10 (spotlight) fitting types. They directly replace your existing bulbs and run through the same wiring and wall switch.
Many smartlight systems also include adhesive LED strips or back of your television or computer monitor to stick to the furniture. Other types of smart lights include long, floor LED sticks, vintage flight bulbs, veterinary outdoor lighting for outer walls and gardens, table lamps, ceiling panels and even multi -color rope lights for your Christmas tree.
In almost all cases, these lights either use your existing wiring or plugin in the wall store. Some, such as Philips Hue’s portable go range, are rechargeable batteries.
Smart bulbs that use your existing socket can be controlled by your regular wall switches. However, turning off the light will disconnect the rest of your system, as it is no longer getting any power. The easiest solution is to keep your wall switch, then control smart lights using your wireless switches (or use the relevant smartphone app).
There are alternative solutions. For example, Philips Hue sells a wall switch module that is installed in the cavity behind the current light switch. The module effectively re -re -reprises the switch so that it still turns off and off the bulb, but even the bulb is sent to the off -position to keep it connected to the rest of your Hue System. After that, it is possible to create a module through the Hue app, a single bulb, or the entire room or zone.
Which devices do I need?
You may need a Wi -Fi center like Philip Hua Bridge to take advantage of your smart lights (Image Credit: Future)
A smart lighting system can start with the same bulb. TP link tipu and cassa bulbs work themselves, without any center or bridge. So, too, gouge, lifix, bubbles and bunny. They all use either Wi -Fi or Bluetooth to connect with their respective smartphone app.
Many recent Philips Hue Bulb also has Bluetooth and can be controlled directly from your phone, but there are limits in this setup. To unlock all the features of Hue’s smart lights (including Apple Home Kit Support, when you are away from home, remote access, and compatible with accessories such as switches and sensors) will need to buy the Hua Bridge, which is plugged in your Wi -Fi router and is wireless.
All smart lighting systems can be controlled by the phone app, but also offer physical switches to add many convenience. They are wireless, but can often ride on the wall. More modern smart light switches include dummer and buttons to fix a bunch of light on the pre -formulated color, temperature and brightness.
Voice control is also possible, as many smart lighting systems are compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple’s home cut platform. With this setup, you can say things like “Alexa, Kitchen Light” or “Hey Google, Close room lights”.
What can a smart lighting do?
You can use smart lights to fix the mode, or as a practical task lighting (Image Credit: Future)
Speaking on a large scale, there are two types of smart light bulbs.
No shine and colorful temperature (rate ranging from cool blue light, bright white and yellow, to warm orange).
Second, more expensive, the type of bulb can do all this, and in addition to any other color that you can imagine to determine a particular mood. Our guide to a variety of Philips Hue Bulb describes this concept more deeply.
Beyond that, there are LED light strips that can be set on one or more colors at the same time, the lights that respond to the sound, and the lights that react to what you are on your television. For the latter, the guavie system uses a camera to see what colors are on the screen, and where; Philips Hue uses a box that plugs into your TV and connects with input devices such as games consoles and video streams to create the same effect.
In addition to creating the effects of entertainment light, smart lighting fulfills many useful goals around the house. Motion sensor can be used to control specific lights – enabling the light strip under the cabinet to temporarily illuminate the bathroom at night, for example, or installed inside a closet.
Some smart light systems, such as Philips Hue, TP Link, Waz and Goya, have ways that occupy your home, when you work to prevent a useful thief while staying away. Many people also allow you to make a custom lighting schedule, and when you are away, an app can be controlled.
Smart lighting can also be formed to dim at night, creates a comfortable environment before going to bed, then slowly illuminate to imitate the sunrise the next morning.
When folded with blackout blinds, it can work with a soft alternative to the risk clock, and is especially useful in the winter months, as you can set the time for lights and how much time they take to reach the whole brightness.
Can smart lighting be automatic?
You can create automotions that brighten or replace your smart lights when dynamic by an event (Image Credit: Getty Images / Enkee)
Yes At the same time, the aforementioned musk mode that acts as a thief prevention, smart lighting can be added to the wider smart home automation system. With a platform such as IFTTT, smarting and home assistant (additional devices such as smart plugs) your washing machine can be lightly green, or when someone rangs your door.
Another automation can see your office lights increase when your calendar is scheduled in your calendar.
But most consumers open the ability to change the bulb’s brightness and temperature to produce beautiful integration light in your home. This is an easy way to bring your lights an easy app and sound control, when you are away, imitating presence and adding a new dimension to gaming sessions and movie nights.
