What do you need to start with Philips Hue?

Philips Hue smart lights are available in 3 colors. White, White Ambiance, and White and Color. White lights only emit a warm white light, White Ambiance emit any shade of white light, and White and Color can also emit colored light. White lights have the least options, because you can only dim them. To switch from work ambiance to a work living room ambiance at the push of a button, choose White Ambiance. Do you also want to set separate lighting scenes, connect your lights to Spotify, or even create a movie theater feeling? Choose White and Color. Starter packs will contain everything to get started with smart lights.

To make your Philips Hue lights really smart, you have to connect them to a Philips Hue Bridge. This Bridge is connected to your router via an Ethernet cable. This way, your lights are connected to the internet. Without a Bridge, you can only control the lights via Bluetooth. Without a bridge, you can only control the lights if you're not too far away from the lights. And you can't set up routines. Do you want the lights to turn on automatically when you come home, or do you want to use them as a wake-up light? Choose a bridge.

Apart from the color of the light, the lights also have a different design. For example, there are lights that are built into a fixture, outdoor lights, and filament lights. You can't replace the light source in fixtures, and you use them to hang up a spot light or pendant lamp right away. Outdoor lights are suitable for the outdoors, so they're waterproof. Do you want extra atmospheric lights? Choose filament. These lights look like old-fashioned light bulbs and they come in many types and sizes.

Sometimes, you want to control the lights without your phone. You can do that with a wireless dimmer, for example. The dimmer has a magnetic holder that you stick onto the wall. This way, you can use it as light switch and as remote. In addition, you can set preprogrammed lighting scenes. This allows you to quickly switch between your favorite light settings, and you can dim the lighting.

It's a unique experience to have lights that light up along with your TV. This way, your movie or series is even more immersive. You do really need a few things for this. Lights from the Play series are often ideal for your entertainment setup, but regular White and Color are also suitable. You have to connect these lights to a bridge. To connect the lights to the TV, you need a Hue Play Sync Box.

For PC monitors, you need specific Philips Hue lights. For example, choose a special Light Strip for a PC monitor. This way, you can make your game extra dynamic. To connect them to your monitor, you have to download an app. You only need a Hue Bridge, not a Sync Box like for your television.