Christmas is fast approaching, and it's time to put up the Christmas decorations! Some have already done so :D Whether outside, inside, on the tree, etc., fairy lights are an essential element to create a warm atmosphere at Christmas. And today there are really practical and very nice connected models, which can not only be programmed to turn on and off at the desired times, but also create magnificent animations. Even the most ordinary Christmas tree becomes a little marvel with these connected garlands! To better find your way around, here is a comparison of three models that we particularly like.
Woox connected garland: the cheapest
We discovered the Woox connected garland during a test last summer. Indeed, although originally presented as a Christmas garland, which can be used to decorate the Christmas tree, this connected garland can be used anywhere you want to create a luminous atmosphere, both indoors and outdoors. We had also presented it as part of the creation of an atmosphere around the swimming pool.
Equipped with a luminous power of 300 lumens, it measures 20m long (+5m extension) for 200 LEDs.
Connected directly in Wifi (no need for a Hub), and controllable from a mobile application, it is possible to adjust its luminous intensity from bright warm white to romantic soft warm white (3000K-3500K). It also offers 8 predefined programs:
- Combination
- Waves
- Sequential
- Slow glow
- Color shift
- Slow fade
- Flash twinkle
- Constant
But that's not all, since it is able to move to the rhythm of the music, thanks to a small microphone integrated into its case that “listens” to the local music.
Of course, the application allows you to set start and stop times very easily.
Finally, it is voice controllable, via Google or Alexa assistants, and can be integrated very easily into a third-party system, as we saw with Jeedom for example.
All this for a price of less than €30!
Twinkly connected garland: the reference
Twinkly is the first connected garland that we tested. The manufacturer has specialized in the field of light animations for several years now, and is now clearly the reference! Not only for the many products it offers, but also for their possibilities!
Twinkly connected garlands come in several lengths and styles, all of which can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Twinkly garlands of course offer excellent quality lighting, the colors and brightness of which can be adjusted. But the power of these products lies in the application. Indeed, all the LEDs are addressable, that is to say that each LED can take on a different color, independently of its neighbors. All you have to do is install the garland in the Christmas tree, as a decoration at home, or even outside. Then start the synchronization with the application: the garland lights up in different ways, allowing the application to accurately map each LED using the smartphone's camera.
From there, it is possible to select the animation(s) you want from the large catalog available in the application. It is possible to stay on a single animation, or to chain different ones. Better: it is possible to create your own animations, very easily, by drawing directly on the smartphone's touch screen.
The animations are beautiful. Better than a long speech, here is a little preview of a very ordinary artificial Christmas tree, used here just for the demo:
By adding the small Twinkly USB dongle (optional) it is also possible to synchronize the lighting with the background music.
Of course, the application allows you to set the operating hours. The lighting can also be controlled by voice via Google assistants, Alexa, but also Siri (Apple).
Note that it is possible to combine several lights to synchronize them: this can be to use several garlands in a very large tree, or to synchronize several lights installed in different places in the house or garden. All the lights will then react as one and only!
Finally, the Twinkly connected garland integrates easily into third-party systems such as Jeedom or Homey for example.
Philips Hue Festavia: the power of the ecosystem
Philips Hue, leader in connected lighting, did not have a connected garland until now. LED strips for atmospheres, animations behind the TV, etc. but no garland that can sit enthroned in a Christmas tree. But a new product has appeared in the catalog, with a very evocative name: Festavia!
We have here a 20m garland containing 250 LEDs, which looks a lot like its competitors. The brightness and colors can be adjusted from the mobile application, as can the operating hours.
Different animations can be performed on the garland, and while it is possible to create your own animations, we are very, very far from the possibilities offered by Twinkly. On the other hand, this Festavia garland benefits from a large ecosystem: once linked to the Hue Hub (mandatory for its operation), it can be included in a Hue leisure space, in order to synchronize the lighting with music, a film or even a video game. But it is also possible to synchronize this connected garland with all the other connected lighting in the house (Hue lighting, of course).
Of course, we find the possibilities now well known with Hue: voice control via Google, Alexa, and Apple voice assistants, as well as integration on many third-party systems such as Jeedom, Home Assistant, etc. The price also follows Hue's habits, with a price announced at €219, which makes it the most expensive garland in this ranking :/
Conclusion
Previously, to “connect” a garland, you could simply plug a classic garland into a connected socket, which made it very easy to program it to turn on and off at the desired times, or even to integrate it into a home automation system to react according to other information (not to turn on if the total alarm is activated, which means that the family is away, turn off the garland during a Home Cinema session, etc.). This is an option that is still possible, by the way.
But it is clear that the world of connected objects has also been able to evolve this area of festive lighting, for Christmas, of course, but also for all the holidays we want, since it is quite possible to use these connected garlands for other events, such as Halloween, July 14, a wedding, a birthday, etc. You just have to change the colors and animations to suit the context.
Of course, the Woox garland is a little limited in this respect since it does not offer color. On the other hand, it offers already nice animations, the possibility of using it outside, and above all an unbeatable price compared to its competitors. Without neglecting the connected side with voice assistants or home automation systems like Jeedom for example.
The Festavia model from Philips Hue is very tempting for its already existing ecosystem. If you already have Hue lighting, this will allow you to manage everything in the same application, and especially to create light animations synchronized with all the other lighting in the house. So there is enough to create superb atmospheres! We are just waiting for the product to actually be available for sale, because a real test in situation would allow us to form a real opinion of the product.
However, our favorite remains the Twinkly connected garland, which simply has no rival in terms of features. The application is a real success, the LED mapping is amazing, and the catalog of animations, as well as the ability to create your own animations and patterns, are great. Indoor / outdoor use, ability to associate several devices to make only one, voice control or from a home automation system, etc. The solution is ultra complete and really superb. And all this for a price that is ultimately much lower than that of the Hue model. In short, if you are looking for a connected garland with a guaranteed Wow effect, this is the Twinkly model for you!
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