Yes, I got into them as well and now I have 8 color bulbs, 7 white bulbs, and 3 light strips. I just got the last two strips to put behind my TV and with an iOS app called Hue TV, it will “see” up to 3 colors used in a movie or show and change the colors of the light strip accordingly. So if there are a lot of red in the screen, my light strip will be glowing red as well. It should definitely add visual ambiance to whatever I’m watching! If you use Android, I think there is a similar apps as well. Only drawback is having to set up your device to keep looking at your screen.
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I use iOS, the cool apps I found are lightDJ, Thorlight… I’ll check out the one you mentioned!
Also a Cool Mac/windows app that syncs movies on your screen is called “screenbloom”. Check it out
Hey, since I’m newbie… I only have 1 dot & hue starter kit… (1) I want hue strips, but I have to figure out how to get it powered nicely on top of my kitchen cabinets. Guessing I’ll have to drill a hole up top… YouTube videos have not shown that part. I’m going to have to just buy strip & figure out how to pull it off. $60 on sale (from $89). I also want a hue Go, but $70 for cordless rechargeable ball, yikes! The Hue bloom I just ordered was $50… but sucks having a cord.
(2) I’m looking to replace my old worn out front door lock. I’d like it to be Alexa compatible & for it to also work with my future purchase of a ST hub (still deciding between ADT-ST or STv2).
(3) Lastly I want to replace switches, but that is out of my skill set… I know nothing of wires, I’m going to have to hire electrician & have them look at installing nuertral wires (if some of my outlets don’t have any). I want my switches/dimmers to be Alexa & ST compatible also.
I just double-checked the name of the app that I use and it’s actually called Hue TV although there is also an app called Hue Camera that does similar.
Hue Lights are expensive but I find that they do seem to have one of the best in quality and features. There’s a lot of 3rd party support and software as well.
I replaced my door lock with one of these although I haven’t researched any of the new options out there. I like the idea that it also can use a key as a fallback option.
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If you check the quick browse lists in the project report section in the community – created wiki there are a number of lighting projects and some discuss the various ways of connecting LEDs. Check both the " lighting" list and the “kitchen” list for ideas. 
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Also, I suggest you start your own thread under projects and that way people can give you advice and suggestions and we won’t be hijacking other threads. 
With two locations outfitted with SmartThing’s, Nest, Rachio, Ring, Hue… I am averaging $450 per month on smart home purchases. This month so far…I bought two Nest Hello’s $450 and $750 in parts to control my gate with ST. And also my garage relay failed so had to replace that…$60.
Basically three main costs in a smart home:
- Buy tech
- Replace it with newer version
- Replace when fails
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It’s funny how we tend to justify our purchases on smart devices to “save energy and costs”. Looking back over the past 3 years since I got into home automation, on average, my electrical usage has actually gone up by 25%. When it comes to cost, it’s even worse having spent thousands on all my new (yet fun) tech. However, there are things like purchasing 10 GE Link smart bulbs to find out later that they have a known firmware bug that won’t be fixed that causes them to constantly drop off the network. So I spend even more money replacing bulbs that are suppose to last 20 years with new ones. I bought Hue bulbs which seem to be the most reliable (but most expensive) and Sengled bulbs which are cheaper but even they have dropped off the network a couple of times already. All in all though, I’ve been enjoying my hobby automating my home despite some of the problems. That just comes with the territory of early adopters.
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This is random, but related, so here goes: Would any of you all who have been building out your smart homes be interested in talking more about it? (Yes, full disclosure, I’m a journalist: https://www.andrewzaleski.com/. So that’s what I mean by talking – being interviewed.)
The whole idea of building a bigger and badder smarthome is pretty fascinating to me — probably more so now that I’ve been playing around with my Wemo smart switch for the past two weeks. There’s something so satisfying about turning on a light without having to flick the physical switch.
Just wanted to say thanks to the folks who already reached out to me. If anyone else would like to chat, let me know. Happy to share my personal email. I’m really just interested in how much smarthome stuff people have. Kind of the whole tenor of this thread: you start small, but then find yourself adding more and more, whether we jokingly call that an addiction or not. And then what that looks like in the end.
I’m not typical. I have 185 devices connected, today. I can’t say what that number will be tomorrow.
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@JDRoberts: Thanks so much for that post. (See? Reporters are marginally competent. We rely on smart people like you.) I think I’m very much interested in speaking with the typical customer as well as folks like you, @bamarayne. I’m just so fascinated with what all those 185 (and counting) devices do. Although, I’m pretty sure I now want a Wemo switch in every room of my house.
At the risk of enabling the people who have been contributing to the discussion in this thread, the “impress your friends” quick browse list in the community – created wiki (in the project reports section near the end of the page) has a lot of very cool ideas:
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So, about these 185 connected devices and counting—is that something you’re up for chatting about, Jason? (Just ordered two more Wemo switches. n00b status still, but I am seeing The Light.)
Yeah, I love talking about home automation
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Cool! Mind sending me a message? https://www.andrewzaleski.com/contact/
My biggest problem, is I think I have everything I need, then I obsess on what else I can do. Then once I have an idea, I am like a hungry scavenger, I can’t stop until it is done. Yesterday i purchased a Eufy Genie, for the garage. Just so i can open and close the garage doors when my arms are full. So I said OK that is great, but what about the interior door. So now I am looking for an industrial magnetic door latching system, that when I open I tell Alexa unlock the interior door the magnet will release and the door will open just a pinch by a spring so I can open it. I have used them in office buildings to unlock fire stairs in an emergency, and to lock doors in an lock down. Problem is the cost of these, with their power supply. Below is a picture of the Eufy with my other controls.
If you were just talking about an electronic door strike, quite a few community members have used those, they don’t have to be expensive.
If you want a door which will actually open, not just unlock, then there are systems made for people in wheelchairs which again are not that expensive, The trick is integrating them with smartthings, but that can also be done.
Look at the quick browse lists in the community – created wiki, near the bottom of the page for the project reports section, and choose the “accessible” list for those discussion threads.
No, not a door strike, these a huge electro magnets, with heavy metal plate that goes on the door exterior. When electric is applied they energize and hold a door that has no latch closed. There is a small spring between the door jamb and the door. when the power is removed the door springs open just an inch. but when power is reapplied it pulls the door shut. You can have a latch, so when power is off the door will stay closed, but a slight nudge will open it. That is my plan, to use the slight nudge. In different states they are used for different purposes, fire control, security etc. A shame on my last job before I retired I removed over 200, and they went in the trash. If I would have known I would have asked permission and filled out the paper work to take one.
Here is an example with out the opener and auto lock. RS PRO - 7748235 - Access Control Door Magnet 1200lb Single Door 12, 24 VDC Stainless Steel - RS
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That cabling is FAR too neat and organized. A real techie nerd would have created a rat’s nest in which it is utterly impossible to tell which wires go to what.
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Dan, I take that as a complement. After doing this for 32 years, I had better be neat.
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