I haven't looked at this stuff until today because i assume its just junk for DIY people to play with. While at a project (installed in 2008) last week i was discussing new technology and where things are in the consumer market. I guess a lot of people are under the impression that you don't need Lutron for lights because you can buy smart bulbs and download an app. So i decided to look into this a little.

Here i see a starter pack [Link: www2.meethue.com]

Okay so without reading anything i know its some sort of wi-fi or bluetooth box that serves as the go between for my app and the bulbs. Great.

Next thought is "What happens when someone walks into a room with the light on...and they flip the switch to OFF and then i walk in later and open my app and try to turn the light on?"

Am i missing something? Or is this just like when my gf refused to use the pronto remote 15 years ago to turn the fan in the bedroom on. She would take unplug the power cord from the x10 widget and plug it into another outlet....totally breaking the automation.

exactly. Once you turn the light off with the switch, its off the network.

Caseta doesn't cost that much more than Hue. And when your dealing with loads that have 3+ bulbs, its actually less.

Hue is great for lamps and accent lighting... But its not a good solution for a "lighting system"

Hue is a gimmick and consumer junk IMO.

Caseta is rock solid, can’t beat it (integrates flawlessly) it’s literally radio Ra2 in a fuglier switch and limited to 50 switches. Integrated into a real control system and there is absolutely nothing you can’t do that you can do with RA. That being said even the standalone caseta is pretty darn powerful!

Hue is good if you live alone, or if it's a personal space (bedroom) that isn't shared with someone else. You know what position the switch is in.

It's not for me, in my home, with 4 other people, but it could be a fun toy. It has its niche, but certainly not for whole-home.

Huh? Its great on small jobs where you DONT need much automation. Try adding a sensor to the equation and tie that to automation. Caseta has its place, for sure. but, it does NOT integrate flawlessely and it does NOT do everything Ra2 can do.

Is Ra (non 2) even still around?

I posed this EXACT question literally 3 (or maybe more) years ago (either RC or IP) and the thread received almost no feedback.

Apparently this topic and specific question has a commonality with crickets

I don’t need it to do everything Ra2 can do. I have Elan for the stuff like adding a sensor or other features. I just need the caseta to turn the lights on and off.

Fills some nice gaps. We have a couple of smart bulbs (not Hue) in places like over the kitchen sink that we never use, but we like to automate as a nightlight. Smart bulbs also come in handy if you want to separate certain fixtures from the pack, like when you have a bunch of lights controlled by one switch, but you want the one at the end of the hall to do it's own thing.

But the thing with smart bulbs is always the issue of the light switch, which has to stay in the on position. Most of the bulb makers now have control devices that sit next to or, better yet, ON TOP OF, the switch, locking it into the on position so the virtual switch controls the bulb.

Makes no tech sense or economic sense to use these things for whole-house lighting control. Nice to have in your back pocket though.

Or just use an automatic button-presser for the light switch
[Link: cepro.com]

Phillips Hue and Casetta are one thing. But, platforms such as Wink take it to a much more advanced level. It's the same inexpensive DIY gear, but you can get Z-Wave light switches, thermostats, etc. Plus, there Wink is programmable to pseudo integrate these systems and there is an app. In one swoop, you can turn off the lights, lower the thermostat and lock the front door. Even Sonos/Wink integration is a thing.

So, to some extent, platforms like Wink do begin to encroach on the market of Control4/Crestron/Savant. However:

1. They are not not "architecturally friendly." You don't get sophisticated keypads, in-wall speakers, etc., in a typically Wink install.

2. They are not super robust. I wouldn't want to support a Wink project.

3. They are not nearly as customizable as the big boys.

4. There is still no capability in the video control/distribution realm.

The list goes on.

In short, for the mass market, Wink and the Z-Wave ecosystem can be an appealing alternative to the more costly platforms. However, the high end market demands much more than what Wink can offer.

What Fins said.

I hate to say it but when you use a platform such as TC that doesn’t get the love of manufacturers you get boned with features such as what your outlining and is common place in C4, Crestron and even Elan.

My house is a mixture of C4 lighting and caseta. The only reason I use C4 switches in common areas because they look good. Caseta is fuggly. My house uses C4 keypads and picos. I’m using the UPB enclosure for all of my caseta switches (was going todo panelized)

You literally would have no idea what was C4 and what was caseta. I have triggers and events all over based on my security system and C4 occupancy sensors. The integration is absolutely flawless. Picos communicate through C4 and C4 sends the scenes to caseta.

Now In the real world I would have done panelized lighting for a client. But this works fine for me and I did it for less then half of what it would cost me to of done panelized.

Someday you will see that TC isn’t the end all be all platform.

I have broken people into lighting control by the caseta lamp dimmers and bridge, one has lead to doing the entire house in C4 switches (would have hit the limit and client found them to be ugly) but this client would have never gone for it bad I not did a lamp Dimmer!

huh? I've never stated such nonsense. Is it possible that you dont understand what TC is and can do? Maybe you do, maybe you dont. NO control system is perfect, thus there is no end all be all. To suggest otherwise is idiotic.

I know it does what i need it to do. I use a mix of UPB, lutron and a few hues. Whats not seamless about it?

My post was about Caseta and its lacking capabilities.

I think the point Brenden is trying to make is, Caseta is lacking capabilities with TC that other control systems have.
Meaning: With C4, ELAN, and others; you can make Caseta do everything RA2 can do and much more (than RA2 standalone). With only the ugly switches and 50 device limit to worry about.
TC hasn't gotten that level of control/integration with Caseta yet. I say yet, because you know that company (can't remember the name right now) is working on a lot of good 3rd party modules for TC now.
.... deleted a few paragraphs that I should not type in public and aren't relevant to the discussion ....

I use Hue at home, I would never use the lightbulbs themselves, as stated if the switch is turned off, then it's smartness is all gone.

What I do use is the LED strips behind my cabinets and have a mickey mouse styled in my daughters bedroom.

As these are plugged into the mains, and that is hidden behind cabinets, my partner is forced to use the RTI and keep the automation in place which works flawlessly.

The RTI driver works well and has all the necessary functions to change any setting I need, where with the remotes etc it turns on and off simply for my girlfriend.