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Philips Hue Secure looks after your home

Translate from : Philips Hue Secure passer på hjemmet

Extension to the existing series

The Hue Secure products build on the existing products from Philips Hue and several of them can be used cross-functionally.

If we start by looking at the new products that have been added, it concerns cameras and sensors.

On the camera side, a surveillance camera with a 1080p resolution has been added, which is designed to be used both indoors and outdoors. If the plan is to use it indoors, a stand is available for it, so it can be placed on shelves or the like.

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The camera is available in a wireless version with battery and a version with cable, which must be connected to mains power via the included adapter or via Hue's low voltage systems, which are also used for their outdoor lamps.

Both types are available in a white or a black version.

The Hue Secure series also includes a camera that is built together with a floodlight, so you can also illuminate the surroundings.

All cameras also have built-in motion sensors, so they detect when there is movement. They are also equipped with microphones, so you can also hear what is happening around the camera. If needed, they also have a built-in siren that can be activated in connection with an alarm.

In addition to the cameras, the Hue range has also been expanded with contact sensors. These are sensors that you can mount on, for example, windows or doors and use them to register when they are opened.

Works with your existing Hue system

In addition to the new products, existing products can also be used as part of a Hue Secure setup.

For example, the Hue Motion Sensor, which was originally designed to activate lights, can be connected to the Hue Secure component and act as an alarm in conjunction with cameras and contact sensors.

Finally, you can of course also use all your existing Hue lights. They can be used to either illuminate the surroundings for your cameras or as a deterrent to any uninvited guests.

In connection with this article, Hue has sent us a wireless Hue Secure camera, a contact sensor, and a motion sensor.

To use the new Hue Secure devices, you need a Hue Bridge.

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Setup and software

Philips Hue has brought all their products together in the same Hue app. Previously, certain parts were separate, but everything is now combined. This means that the Secure features have their own area in the Hue app.

Setting up Hue Secure devices is done in the same way as all other Hue devices, through the app. Here, simply select add new device and then follow the instructions in the app.

Once you have added the devices and specified where in your home they are located, you can set their behavior. Here you can specify what should happen when motion is detected or a contact sensor is triggered.

For the camera units, both video and audio can of course be recorded when motion is detected. However, it is also possible to connect other things to the detection of motion or the triggering of a contact sensor. You may just want to receive a notification on your phone, but you may also want to activate other Hue devices or an alarm.

The smart thing about this system is that you can connect other Hue devices, such as lights or switches, so that they are activated.

So when your Hue Secure camera detects movement or a contact sensor is triggered, you can set the system to turn on the lights in the house and thus act as a deterrent. All while receiving a notification on your phone, so you can check what has happened and possibly raise an alarm if necessary.

Home or away?

Like most other alarm systems, Hue Secure also has different modes that you can put the system into. With Secure, it is possible to activate “Home” and “Away” modes on the system.

Both parts more or less give themselves and make good sense, because of course you want different settings based on whether you are at home or not.

When you are at home, you may still want the cameras you have outside to be active and able to monitor your home. On the other hand, you may not want the devices you have inside to be active, so you trigger the alarm when you move through your home.

You can manually change the mode quickly in the app, but if you have a fairly fixed schedule during the week, you can also set up a schedule. That way, the system will automatically change modes based on your settings.

Alert!

For many, the purpose of a surveillance system like Hue Secure is of course the extra security it can provide if you are unfortunate enough to have uninvited guests. Both in terms of being able to act as a deterrent, but also to be able to secure any evidence for the police in connection with, for example, a burglary.

This is where one of the big advantages of Hue Secure comes in. Because it is part of the overall Hue system, it is possible to connect your Hue lights to the system so that they can function as part of an alarm.

When the system detects an activated sensor, you will receive a notification on your phone, allowing you to see what is happening.

From here you can manually trigger an alarm, which combines the siren built into the Hue Secure cameras with the activation of your Hue lighting, which is set to flash.

The combination of flashing lights in the house, along with a siren, can hopefully act as a deterrent, and perhaps attract the attention of neighbors or passersby.

If you have multiple Hue Secure cameras, the sirens will be activated across all of them for maximum effect.

Very conveniently, shortcuts have also been created on the alarm page in the Hue app so that you can quickly call 112 and another contact you specify. This could be, for example, a neighbor who can follow up to see if everything is as it should be.

It is also possible to set up the system so that an alarm is automatically triggered with siren, lights, etc., without you having to do anything. However, this is currently in Beta stage.

Requires subscription

The detail you need to be aware of with the Hue Secure system is that you need to factor in an ongoing expense for the system in the form of a subscription.

Hue Secure subscription plans are priced based on how many cameras you have in your system. You get the first 30 days free, but after that you need a subscription to save recordings.

There are two tiers of Hue Basic, with the option of either one or two cameras and 30 days of clip history stored in the cloud. They cost 299 Dkk or 599 Dkk per year, respectively.

Finally, there is the option for Hue Plus, where you can have an unlimited number of cameras along with 60 days of clip history in the cloud.

The prices cover the cost associated with having storage space in the cloud to store the recordings.

Targeted Hue users

Although you can of course use Hue Secure without already having a Hue setup in your home, it makes the most sense in places where the Hue ecosystem is already part of the home.

One of the great advantages of Hue Secure is that it can be combined easily and quickly with existing Hue devices.

The ability to use your Hue lights as part of an alarm and integrate surveillance into your existing system is a great advantage. It adds another dimension to the surveillance system, as the lighting in your home and perhaps even outside your home and garden can now easily be made part of your home security system.

However, Philips Hue has made it easy to get started, even if you don't already have a Hue system, with product bundles targeted at new users.

Price and availability

Hue Secure products are available directly from the Philips Hue website or through a selection of electronics retailers.

Prices for a Hue Secure Camera start at around 1200 Dkk, while contact sensors are available from 299 Dkk.

However, there is an opportunity to get better prices if you buy multiple devices in a bundle. This is possible both with the individual devices, such as sensors or cameras, but there is also the option to buy a starter kit, where you get everything you need to get started with Hue Secure.

Read much more about the complete Hue Secure series at Philips Hue here.