What are peoples opinion on mixing smart lights on the one system? So I will be replacing all my downlights with smart lights but as they are different sizes I will be using Lifx for about half and then the larger ones will be the Hue downlight and for the bathroom and rooms not used that much I want to just use these cheap ones from Sengled
For the hub I will be using HE but do I also still need the Hue bridge? Do you think I would run into any problems with this set up? Also side note, I know people say for lights should change out the switches but in Aus, options are limited due to laws here so a lot of the switches are expensive or about same price and on top of that I would have to pay an electrician to install and run neutral wires to each switch.
There aren't any technical problems with mixing bulbs--if you have them in the same fixture or room, you might notice different behavior (some brands dim more than others, for example, or have different color gamuts). You can pair Hue lights and any Sengled bulb that uses ZigBee directly to the Hubitat hub. Many people do still use the Hue bridge, however (to which you can also pair any ZigBee Light Link and possibly ZigBee 3.0 bulb) for a few different reasons, including the ability to perform firmware upgrades on Hue bulbs, use Hue accessories (tap, dimmer, etc.), have fewer worries about ZigBee channel/reset problems if you ever have the bulbs on a ZHA controller like Hubitat and want to go back to using them on the Hue bridge, and because most people find Hue to be quite reliable (not that Hubitat isn't, but Hue is rock solid and not really something I tinker with on a daily basis, unlike Hubitat--which is mostly my fault).
So, no, I don't think you'll run into any problems. As long as Hubitat is compatible (either directly or via the Hue bridge) with all your bulbs, you can use Hubitat for your automations to tie everything together and shouldn't have any problems just because they're different brands. That's actually one thing that most home automation platforms, Hubitat included, are good at doing--bringing these things together.
PS - Some people are very adamant about smart switches. They are guest-friendly and convenient if your hub or automations go down, but in addition to ease of installation, many smart bulbs have the advantage of being able to change color temperature and/or color, which is one of my favorite features and something you can't get from a switch. Don't feel bad if people tease you about that. (But do be prepared if you have a family or guests--that's one reason I like using the Hue bridge with the Dimmer, easy to set up and looks like a switch. It can also pair directly to Hubitat now, but it's a bit more work to set up and doesn't support all the software features Hue added on top like multi-press of "On" to activate different scenes.)
Thanks so much for all that info! Really appreciate it.
And yeah I see your points, but good thing is I don't think will affect us as the lights will all be same brand in the rooms and we really don't have that many gusts over, and when we do they are not running around turning our lights on and off
So would the Hue switch work via HE the other lights as well? As Lifx does not really make a wifi switch like Hue does and it's just something might look at down the road.
The best part of Hubitat is that it brings everything together.
I use my Hue bridge with Hue lights (and a few GE, Osram, Cree, and Ecosmart), combined with GE and Leviton Z-Wave devices, and Lutron Dimmers. To top it off I control them all with Lutron Pico Remotes. I occasionally run into scenarios where the Dim levels don't match but that's ok as rule machine allows you to set some devices at one level, and other dimmers at another level to give you the perfectly balanced scene. I haven't had success with the Hue dimmer but I believe others have. The Tap isn't compatible. If you're looking for a great control solution I would highly recommend Lutron Pico's, although that does require a Lutron Pro Bridge. But you could deploy that control solution across your whole house for a uniform look.
To get the Hue Dimmer to work with the other brands of lights, you'll need to either have those lights (and the Dimmer) connected to the Hue bridge and set up the Dimmer there, or you'll need to have the Dimmer on Hubitat and configure the Dimmer there (and have the bulbs on Hubitat somehow, either paired directly or via the Hue bridge). So yes, there are ways to make it work.
You can really use any device to do this, however; the Dimmer is nice because it looks kind of like a "regular" light switch, but it won't mount in a standard wall plate. A Lutron Pico remote can also be used in a similar fashion, but it requires the Lutron Smart Bridge Pro to work wiht Hubitat. However, they mount in standard decorator and are pretty cheap once you have the Bridge. Finally, there are a variety of "buttons" that work with Hubitat that you can also use (the Hank ZigBee 4-button controller is one I considered before I went with Picos--doesn't look like a switch, but it's cheap). You can see a list of natively supported buttons here, though there are more community-developed drivers for things like Xiaomi: Hubitat Elevation supported button controller capabilities matrix
EDIT: The Eria Dimmer Remote is similar, can be paired to Hubitat (and possibly Hue but not configurable via the app, from what I've read), and fits in a standard decorator plate.
Definitely recommend getting a Hue Bridge and using the Hue Integration vs direct. That way you have access to the Hue Groups and you don't have to worry about whether or not a Hue device is compatible with Hubitat yet or not. Plus you can then use the tap too if you like. Also, don't forget the the less expensive Ikea Trådfri bulbs are compatible with both the Hue Bridge and Hubitat.
Your call on the Lutron SmartBridge Pro and Pico. I don't know availability in Australia of that product and you use the square type light switches like Europe don't you? Lutron does offer European style wall plates, but Lutron may be ridiculously expensive for you. Having said that, Pico is a nice looking and much better designed control than the Hue dimmer.
These Zigbee controllers are an interesting option for those with square switch plates. They are compatible with Hue, but not Hubitat. Maybe contact them. If they can interface with SmartThings (although I don't see that on their site), then you could likely modify the groovy code to work on Hubitat as well. Another option is you buy one, send it to @mike.maxwell and hopefully he could find the time to integrate it at some point. These are Zigbee LL so they likely interface direct with bulbs, but you need a driver on the hub, otherwise pairing them with a bulb will "steal" them away from the hub. Similar issue with Trådfri remotes. No driver, but you can pair them as "Device" with the hub so that the bulb and the hub can independently control the bulbs (paired directly with the hub), without stealing the pairing from each other.
If you have the Lutron Bridge integrated with Hubitat, your Picos become a standard button device that can control any light/bulb that is also integrated with Hubitat. I use it to control all my various types of lights, my fans, my Sonos speakers. It can control pretty much anything tied to your hub.
Yep...that's the one. You can usually get it bundled with a switch for the same or better price....but I'm not sure of your shopping options in Australia.
Yeah I will prob have to get it mailed to a US address and forwarded on to me. Thanks for thelp guys! Hopefully my HE gets here soon... been about 3 weeks now and can get get right into this.
(But do be prepared if you have a family or guests--that's one reason I like using the Hue bridge with the Dimmer, easy to set up and looks like a switch. It can also pair directly to Hubitat now, but it's a bit more work to set up and doesn't support all the software features Hue added on top like multi-press of "On" to activate different scenes.)
