Echo & Alexa Forums

General Category => Smart Devices and Gadgets => Topic started by: nimage on December 26, 2016, 11:17:11 am

Title: Outles question
Post by: nimage on December 26, 2016, 11:17:11 am
Like I mentioned in another post, Im planing to buy in a few days the Samsung Hub, with a few Phillips hue lights..  now, looking for a outlet, I found the TP-Link Smart Plug, and the WeMo Switch.  The TP-Link don't need hub..   my question is..  if I want to do like combo setups, do I need better the one that need the hub, or that doesn't make Ny different making different groups of actions? I don't know if I explained my self correctly.

Thanks.


Title: Re: Outles question
Post by: DParker on December 26, 2016, 12:30:54 pm
Like I mentioned in another post, Im planing to buy in a few days the Samsung Hub, with a few Phillips hue lights..

That's not going to work unless you also get the Hue bridge.  The SmartThings hub can't directly control the Hue bulbs, but can do so indirectly via the bridge (or more accurately, the SmartThings cloud servers handling your ST account can do so via the Philips cloud servers, which then access your bridge via the internet, and your SmartThings hub isn't actually involved at all...it can get a bit complicated.)  And if you're going to get a SmartThings hub anyway then you have other smart bulb options besides Hue, with the advantage that the other brands won't require their own proprietary hub/bridge in addition to your ST hub, because the ST hub can control them directly.  These include GE Link, Cree Connected, Osram, LIFX, WeMo and Sengled.

now, looking for a outlet, I found the TP-Link Smart Plug, and the WeMo Switch.  The TP-Link don't need hub..

Neither do the Wemo switches.
 
my question is..  if I want to do like combo setups, do I need better the one that need the hub, or that doesn't make Ny different making different groups of actions? I don't know if I explained my self correctly.

Neither of the switches you mention need a hub for basic functionality as you can use a mobile app to control them.  But they can also be controlled by the ST hub, which is useful if you want to be able to integrate multiple smart devices into one or more bits of automation (for instance, a ST rule that activates one or more switches, lights, etc when a motion sensor detects you entering a room), or even if you just don't want to have to use multiple proprietary apps to control all of your devices.

My advice is to begin by planning exactly what it is that you want to accomplish initially with home automation, as well as what you think you're likely to want to do later and describe both here.  Then we'll be in a better position to make recommendations and furnish you with relevant information and additional advice.
Title: Re: Outles question
Post by: nimage on December 26, 2016, 02:35:40 pm
Wao!  First, thank you for taking the time and explained all of this.. I really, really appreciated!  This looks more complicated..

Ok.. this is what I want to do..   i want 2 echo dots .. one for my room and another one for the living room..  I will love to have eventually most of the important lights that I use, controlled with Alexa.  Also, I have a few led lights, for behind of the tv, like ambient lights, thats why I need an Outlet to control those lights. 

So, I want to make groups of light, for example..  ask Alexa for "movie ambient",  so, turn off all the lights, and leave one on, but dim, and also the led light with the outlet on.

I have not yet been able to play with the Alexa app yet, so I don't know if you can do all of this. , because I don't have the echo yet. I want to order everything together.  So, my question is.. do I need another hub in addition to the Phillips hue kit? Or do I need anything else?

Again.. thanks for all you help!


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