STACK #193 Nov 2020

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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LET THERE BE SMART LIGHT! So, you’ve read up on it now and feel ready to get into the wonders of smart lighting?We’ve come up with some handy set-up examples that start off with dipping your little toe in the water, and grow to diving into it head first.

EASY

We’re going to expand upon our entertainment area setup here, for that’s where we spend the most awake time. As we started with a LIFX Smart Bulb in our lamp, we’ll stay within that ecosystem for starters. A LIFX Beam Light Starter INTERMEDIATE

The best way to kick a smart lighting trip off is with a single bulb. Our journey started with a single LIFX Smart Bulb in our loungeroom lamp. We then connected the LIFX app to our Google Home app and could control everything by voice – “Hey Google, turn on the lounge lamp”, “Hey Google, change the lounge lamp to 20”, “Hey Google, change the lounge lamp to red.” REQUIREMENTS: Wi-Fi connection, Google Nest Mini, 1x LIFX Smart Bulb.

Kit set up around that framed movie poster will make a bold start, and while we’re at it we’ll pop a LIFX Z LED Strip behind the entertainment unit for some ambient light. We still need something – ah, a combination of Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons and

Nanoleaf Shapes Triangles above the TV will do the job nicely! ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: LIFX Beam Light Starter Kit, LIFX Z LED Strip Starter Kit, Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons Starter Kit, Nanoleaf Shapes Triangles Starter Kit.

VETERAN

OK, let’s go crazy! We’re going to do the whole indoor/outdoor shebang here, hooking into the Philips Hue universe via the Hue Bridge v.2.0 and its accompanying super easy-to-use app, starting outside. For our pathway, two five-metre Philips Hue Outdoor Strips , one each side. Nice! Next, let’s add a Discover Outdoor Floodlight above the front door, and trigger all three via a Philips Hue Motion Sensor . These are only a selection of the many outdoor lighting options in the Philips Hue range. Popping inside, first up we’ll replace all those power-hungry downlights with Philips HueWhite & Colour Ambiance varieties – we could go plain white, but why not have more colourful options available? Next, the bathroom. Let’s add a Philips Hue AdoreWall Lamp Bar above the mirror. Perfect! Kitchen- wise, a two-metre Philips Hue Colour Bluetooth Lightstrip under

the overhead cupboards will really help light up the benchtop. Now for the really fun stuff, adding to our entertainment area. We’re going in with a Philips Hue Play HDMI

to lend a sleek look to exposed bulbs. Oh, and we didn’t get to the laundry… Seriously, once you’re into the Philips Hue-niverse you may find it very addictive coming up with wild new lighting solutions. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Philips Hue Bridge V2.0, Philips Hue Outdoor Strips, Philips Hue Discover Outdoor Floodlight, Philips Hue Motion Sensor, Philips Hue White & Colour Ambiance Downlights, Philips Hue Adore Wall Lamp Bar, Philips Hue Colour Bluetooth Lightstrip, Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip, Philips Hue Play Smart Light Bars.

Sync Box , with two consoles, our streaming box and 4K player all connected. Next, we’ll attach a Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip to the back of our trusty TV, and also add a pair of Philips Hue Play Smart Light Bars , one at far left, one at far right. Surround vision, here we come! That should cover us for now, remembering that we could also change up our bedroom reading lamps with any of the extensive range of Philips Hue bulbs – there are even candle shaped ones

20 NOVEMBER 2020

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