The Starter Kit E27 offers good quality, is user-friendly and has broad integration options.
Aad Munsterman and Rob Coenraads
Philips Hue also releases security products under the name Philips Hue Secure. Their Secure Starter Kit E27 includes a bridge for interconnection of the components, two 220V/11W smart E27 lamps with white/color light, a motion detector and 3 contact sensors. Integration of the bridge is possible with Apple Homekit, Google Home, Alexa and the new Matter protocol.
The Secure Camera is for indoors or outdoors (IP65) and with power or battery. The generated image is full HD (1080P) with a 110° viewing angle and infrared night vision allows recording in the dark. The image is sent encrypted to the app for live view and optionally to the Hue Cloud for storage; There is no local storage and no integration with a NAS or Homekit possible.
Without a subscription you get live streaming, bi-directional sound, light and sound alarms and pop-up notifications on your phone. With a subscription there are advanced functions: the Basic or Plus variant includes 30/60 days access to video clips, detailed detection of people, among other things, and the determination of detection areas. The Basic is max. 2 cameras and costs € 39.99 per year per camera, the Plus version costs € 99.99 per year (for max. 10 cameras). The simple installation is done via the user-friendly app.
The live image of the Secure Camera looks good, even in the dark. The components from the starter kit work well together, while the smart lamps and the motion sensor can also be controlled via the Homey and Hue app. Although the recommended retail price of all components is higher than that of the competition, they are high-quality and user-friendly security products.
Product: Philips Hue Secure Starter Kit E27 and Security Camera
Recommended retail price: kit €299.99, camera €199.99
Pros:
* good quality and user-friendly
* broad integration options
Negatives:
* high recommended prices
* no local image storage for camera