Use Philips Hue Secure cameras as motion detectors

Philips Hue will be offering its own security cameras this autumn. One thing is already certain: With prices starting at 199.99 euros, the Philips Hue products are among the most expensive smart home cameras on the market. However, the integration into the Hue system is particularly intelligently solved, as we would like to explain to you today using the motion sensor as an example.

The new Philips Hue Secure cameras can be used as motion sensors at any time and could offer even more functions and comfort in the future than we know from the classic motion sensors.

Camera communication can be easily restricted

Certainly, it is not everyone's cup of tea to use the cameras as motion sensors even when you are at home yourself. After all, who likes to be watched? But Philips Hue has solved exactly that quite well in my view.

If the Hue Secure System is “deactivated”, the WiFi module of the cameras switches off. They continue to record and process the image material locally on their own chip, but they cannot stream a video signal without WiFi.

However, the small ZigBee antenna in the Hue Secure cameras remains active and can send a detected movement in the camera image as a normal sensor command to the Hue Bridge. The motion detection is supposed to work just as fast as with a classic motion sensor.

The advantages of Philips Hue Secure cameras as contact sensors

The classic motion sensors from Philips Hue rely on a PIR sensor that detects heat sources. This works reliably, but is limited: Pets cannot be distinguished from people, the sensor's “field of view” cannot be determined and glass panes become an insurmountable obstacle.

Here, of course, the cameras have clear advantages. First of all, activity zones can be defined in the Hue app so that movements outside the selected areas are excluded. In addition, detection through glass is also no problem.

And with future updates, Philips Hue could even increase the comfort. Then it could even be possible to trigger the motion detector only when the camera detects a person – while pets, for example, do not trigger a motion alarm.

There is only a small restriction with the Hue Secure camera with battery – here, the simple PIR sensor is still used for motion detection so that the camera's battery lasts longer.

Philips Hue Secure Camera

from $199.99 / €199.99 / £174.99

Let Philips Hue keep an eye on your home for you! Get a crisp, clear 1080p HD live stream, turn on the lights or send an alert to your mobile device when motion is detected, or even trigger a sound alarm with a tap in the Hue app. This wired home security camera is easy to mount and install in any home.

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It will definitely be an exciting time

The next weeks and months until the launch of Philips Hue Secure will definitely be exciting. Even if the price is a bit daunting at first glance, the functions and especially the integration into the Hue system are definitely worth seeing. Of course, we still have to find out how well it all works in practice.

• Philips Hue smart home cameras officially announced Hue Secure to launch in autumn 2023 - The word is probably out by now, but now it's official: Philips Hue is expanding its portfolio and will launch its first smart home cameras this autumn. In combination with… …