If you only have a few Hue bulbs, you’ll be better off with the cheaper Hue Smart Dimmer, which can do everything this device does, just with less individual room control and with a clunkier interface for dimming. (The first Tap switch was powered kinetically). The switch uses a single CR2032 battery that should last two years. The slightly clunky workaround here is to use the second and third presses on each button to dim the lights that aren’t controlled by the dial. I’d like it to dim or brighten the lights for whichever button you just pressed. One limitation of using the Tap Dial this way is that the dial can only control either all lights or a single room or zone. I set the dial to control all the lights at once. I also added some colorful scenes for subsequent button presses (you can press each button up to 10 times to cycle through additional scenes) but didn’t find myself using them often. Button one turned on all the Hue lights in the house, button two those in the entry hall and living room, button three the upstairs lights, and button four the downstairs lights. I set up the Tap Dial in my entry hall, with each button programmed to control a different part of my house. Mounting: freestanding, wall mount, magnet.Protocol: Zigbee, requires a Hue Bridge.
![new switch new switch](https://cdn.abcotvs.com/dip/images/5388472_071019-kabc-5pm-cnn-nintendo-switch-vid.jpg)
Wall plate size: 0.24 inches deep, 4.9 inches high, 3.15 inches wide.Size: 0.79 inches high, 2.36 inches long, and wide.The Tap Dial shines as a multizone controller for people with lots of Hue lights. That’s what the Hue Dimmer Switch does well at about half the price. (Hue scenes are different combinations of brightness, color temperature, or color, depending on the types of bulbs you have.)īut there’s no real reason to buy the Tap Dial if you’re just going to control a single room or zone. The dial gives more precise dimming, and a long press on any button turns the lights off.
![new switch new switch](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vp6Xg5SmkmHO7b_UY9RhkH6u_5I=/0x0:2040x1360/1200x800/filters:focal(857x517:1183x843)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58351947/Nintendo_Switch.0.jpg)
Buttons one through three adjust the light levels, and the fourth cycles through five Hue scenes. Out of the box, it’s set up to dim whichever lights, room, or zone you pair it with in the Hue app. It also worked quickly and reliably, and the dimming action was smooth and responsive, with no noticeable lag. It’s a lot like rotating a Nest Learning Thermostat, and it’s only a smidge smaller than that. The dial itself has a good solid feel as you turn it, with nice haptic feedback. But that weight is to its advantage you can turn the dial while it’s sitting on the table, and it won’t slide around.
#New switch tv#
The Tap Dial is hefty, weighing just over two and a half ounces (an ounce heavier than the Apple TV remote). Buy for $49.99 from Best Buy Buy for $49.99 from Philips Hue