Another big question now is if Home Assistant developers could make it even easier for users to migrate away from the Philips Hue integration and Philips Hue Bridge to Home Assistant’s built-in ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation) integration and the Home Assistant SkyConnect USB dongle, retaining most of the features and functions by replicating them and their user experience while fully removing the need to keep using a Philips Hue Bridge?
That is, how could the experience of using Philips Hue products with the native ZHA integration in Home Assistant be made as easy and good of an experience as using the original Philips Hue Bridge and app? And can replicating all features and functions available with Philips Hue Bridge and app be made easier? And can migration from Philips Hue Bridge to the ZHA integration be made more streamlined?
For example, I wish someone would develop easier ways for new users just getting started to add/use:
A set of default scenes if using ZHA to replicate the lighting scenes that come as standard with Philips Hue Bridge and app today.
An easier way to create new custom scenes similar to how it is done with the scene editor on the official Philips Hue app.
An easier way to add ”Formulas” features like example ”Living Scenes” from Philips Hue labs.
Philips Hue Zigbee OTAU (Over-The-Air Updates) firmware images included by default in ZHA OTA providers.
for now I disabled internet connection for the HUE bridge. My setup is ok for months now so I don’t need to use the HUE application. Even The HUE Sync Box is working inside HA. So don’t use that app also.
Leave all the iOS updates as it is and wait what Philips will do when account is required. I have an account already (happy new user and followed the steps) but we don’t know yet if the API will removed from the bridge etc… So to be sure that nothing on my side will brick I disconnect the internet for the Bridge.
+1, especially the scene editor in HA is currently a real mess to use, it immediately applies the state of the devices and saves changed states while just viewing a scene.
Imagine having e.g a scene which powers off a smart plug connected to your PC, you want to add things to that and suddenly power to the PC where you edit it is killed.
The thing I like the most in the Hue App is that you can save the current state of lights as a scene, but also edit it without changing the physical light’s status.
the diyhue project seems a good start it has a way to replicate the hue API so the integration can be used normally and then some third party app can be used as a scene editor.
Hopefully one of the many Home Assistant supporters on Youtube will post a how-to for avoiding the requirement for having a cloud account… Then we can all rest easy…
We should be thankful Philips have been up-front about their intentions (now) to acquire our data and we can take appropriate action to guard against the company we all bought into…
This is really bad news. I wouldn’t hesitate to throw the HUE bridge in my wood chipper. BUT, sure as amen in church, the problem with the WAF would arise quickly. And rest assured that this problem is not cloud based, it’s 100% local.
Acceptance is currently high due to the user friendly native HUE app. Several bulbs are connected through native zigbee bridge though, but the “most important” goes through the HUE bridge.
Also, the HUE system has been super reliable, can’t think of many problems… It just works. Sadly my HA does not all the time. And it’s not nearly as user friendly.
The wake up lights is a real must, if that function would go from the house, I would be in big trouble.
The only thing I could hope for, is that some of the brilliant people around here will come up with a solution.
Damnit Signify, ofc security is important. But so is also integrity and privacy! And regarding security, is this a upgrade or a downgrade?
At least let me make the choice myself!
Ffs, I bought their really pricy products, since they were fine to use without internet access and without cloud. Now they’re pushing this change, and their products is rendered useless without internet (at least it will be required now and then) and cloud.
We can also keep up our sleeve the idea that if our email and associated details are stolen we can always legally pursue Phillips…If it becomes an issue…
Good friend of mine did the mistake buying a sonos speaker - just for the reason to use it to locally play flac (high res audio) from his android devices. The sonos is (was?) placed on a “weekend” shack which doesn’t have a internet (or even mobile) connection.
He wrote to sonos and they literally said something like: We don’t give a f**k as when you bought the device you accepted the TOS which obligates you to have a broadband internet access for the sonos speaker to work!
Sign me up! I want an SD card slot in the back of my head so I can install more memory!
Seriously, I have to grudgingly agree with Musk on this concept, if not his approach. It’s an important area of research. It could lead to great things someday, and it has to start somewhere. Of course it has to be done ethically, but given the right circumstances I would volunteer.
Then we can all rest easy…
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