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    Bug v4.118 (Smart Lighting): f.lux sets wrong color temp (2200K) for some Hue bulbs when temp ≥6500K

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    • Q
      quantum
      last edited by

      Hi,

      I have two types of Philips Hue smart bulbs in my computer room: Color Ambiance and White Ambiance.

      There’s an issue where, above a certain threshold, f.lux sets my White Ambiance bulbs to 2200K (warmest setting) instead of the correct temp. This happens for temperatures ≥6500K with the “match screen exactly” option, and ≥9200K with the “slightly warmer” option.

      The Color Ambiance bulbs don’t appear to exhibit any issue that's visible to the naked eye. But querying the Hue API debugger reveals unexpected values at 6500K with the “match screen exactly” option, and at 9200K with the “slightly warmer” option.

      Obviously, 9200K is not such a big deal, but 6500K happens to be the standard “daylight” temperature, the D65 white point, and the default setting for f.lux and for most computer displays. It’s way more problematic.

      Technical info: (see https://developers.meethue.com/develop/get-started-2/)

      • The Color Ambiance bulbs have a color gamut delimited by the following xy chromaticity coordinates: [[0.6915, 0.3083], [0.17, 0.7], [0.1532, 0.0475]];
      • Those bulbs can also operate directly in color temperature (ct) mode for temperatures from 153 to 500 mireks, approx. 6540K to 2000K;
      • The White Ambiance bulbs only operate in ct mode, with a temperature range of 153 to 454 mireks, approx. 6540K to 2200K;
      • To convert color temperature from kelvins to mireks and back, the formula is M = 1E6/T;
      • Trying to set a value that’s out-of-range in ct mode will default to the nearest in-range value:
        • e.g., trying to set {"ct": 108} (≈9260K) will actually set {"ct": 153} (≈6540K);
      • This is true even for Color Ambiance bulbs. However, those can be set to warmer or cooler temperatures that fall outside of their ct range using xy mode and some fancy math (or lookup tables):
        • e.g., for 1900K, one could set those bulbs to {"xy": [0.5378, 0.4112]} because {"ct": 526} would instead set them to {"ct": 500}, i.e., 2000K;
      • There is not hard limit on values in xy mode for Color Ambiance bulbs. They accept just about any xy chromaticity coordinates, even if out of gamut, in which case their color may be close but inaccurate;

      Expected f.lux behavior:

      Based on the information above, if the target Hue bulb is a Color Ambiance bulb (i.e., ct and xy color modes), f.lux should first compute the temperature in mireks (M = 1E6/T). If the result falls within the ct range of the bulb (in my case, between 153 and 500), f.lux should set the bulb to that value in ct mode. If it falls outside of that range, f.lux should compute xy chromaticity coordinates for that temperature (or use lookup tables), and set the bulb to those coordinates in xy mode.

      However, if the target Hue bulb is a White Ambiance bulb (i.e., ct color mode only), I’d expect f.lux to compute the temperature in mireks (M = 1E6/T) and try set the bulb to that value in ct mode, even if out of range. In theory, if the value is out of range, the bulb should default to the nearest valid temperature.

      Actual f.lux behavior: (with the “match screen exactly” option)

      • 1200K: 1E6/1200 ≈ 833 mireks, which falls outside the ct range of both bulbs.
        • As expected, the Color Ambiance bulbs are set to {"xy": [0.6206, 0.3615]} ≈ 1193K (according to Python’s colour-science module).
        • As expected, the White Ambiance bulbs are set to {"ct": 454} (nearest in-range value).
      • 2100K: 1E6/2100 ≈ 476 mireks, which falls inside the ct range of the Color Ambiance bulbs, but outside that of the White Ambiance bulbs.
        • As expected, the Color Ambiance bulbs are set to {"ct": 476} (exact value).
        • As expected, the White Ambiance bulbs are set to {"ct": 454} (nearest in-range value).
      • 4300K: 1E6/4300 ≈ 233 mireks, which falls inside the ct range of both bulbs.
        • As expected, both the Color and White Ambiance bulbs are set to {"ct": 233}.
      • 6500K (buggy): 1E6/5000 ≈ 154 mireks, which falls inside the ct range of both bulbs. One would expect both bulbs to be set to {"ct": 154}. However, neither are!
        • The Color Ambiance bulbs are set to {"xy": [0.3135, 0.3236]} ≈ 6502K (according to Python’s colour-science module). This is not necessarily wrong, but unexpected... Why assign an xy value manually when the hardware can handle the color temperature directly?
        • The White Ambiance bulbs are set to {"ct": 454}, which is very wrong: 1E6/454 ≈ 2200K, their warmest color temperature, and nowhere near 6500K.
      • 9300K (buggy): 1E6/9300 ≈ 108 mireks, which falls outside the ct range of both bulbs.
        • As expected, the Color Ambiance bulbs are set to {"xy": [0.6206, 0.3615]} ≈ 9297K (according to Python’s colour-science module).
        • However, as with any temperature ≥6500K, the White Ambiance bulbs are set to {"ct": 454}, which is very wrong: 1E6/454 ≈ 2200K, their warmest color temperature, and nowhere near 9300K.

      Conclusion:

      For color temperatures ≥6500K, f.lux sets Hue smart bulbs to wrong or unexpected values. It appears as if f.lux didn't query the API correctly to determine the specifications of each bulb. If f.lux uses lookup tables to convert color temperatures to xy and ct values, there could also be a problem with those LUTs.

      Since 6500K is the default daylight color in f.lux, the issue is mitigated by setting the lighting color to “slightly warmer” or “quite a bit warmer (default)”, since that prevents the bulb temperature from crossing that threshold under normal circumstances. The bug may have gone unnoticed until now because not everyone has Philips Hue lighting, and it is most obvious when the lighting color is set to “match screen exactly”.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Q
        quantum
        last edited by

        Additional debug info:

        NVIDIA 27.21.14.5206: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (20200812)

LEN L24q-30, 527 x 296mm, built 2020
Chromaticities: 
  R=0.663086 0.327148
  G=0.272461 0.627930
  B=0.147461 0.051758
  W=0.313477 0.329102
  sRGB gamut: 100%, AdobeRGB gamut: 75%

Winlimit=0, 0
Monitor 1 on NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti: VCGT=0 gamma=1

Windows Build: 19041.508

        {
  "1": {
    "state": {
      "on": true,
      "bri": 226,
      "hue": 42104,
      "sat": 76,
      "effect": "none",
      "xy": [
        0.3136,
        0.3237
      ],
      "ct": 153,
      "alert": "select",
      "colormode": "xy",
      "mode": "homeautomation",
      "reachable": true
    },
    "swupdate": {
      "state": "noupdates",
      "lastinstall": "2020-03-10T12:00:00"
    },
    "type": "Extended color light",
    "name": "Bedroom 1",
    "modelid": "LCT016",
    "manufacturername": "Signify Netherlands B.V.",
    "productname": "Hue color lamp",
    "capabilities": {
      "certified": true,
      "control": {
        "mindimlevel": 1000,
        "maxlumen": 800,
        "colorgamuttype": "C",
        "colorgamut": [
          [
            0.6915,
            0.3083
          ],
          [
            0.17,
            0.7
          ],
          [
            0.1532,
            0.0475
          ]
        ],
        "ct": {
          "min": 153,
          "max": 500
        }
      },
      "streaming": {
        "renderer": true,
        "proxy": true
      }
    },
    "config": {
      "archetype": "sultanbulb",
      "function": "mixed",
      "direction": "omnidirectional",
      "startup": {
        "mode": "powerfail",
        "configured": true
      }
    },
    "uniqueid": "xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx-xx",
    "swversion": "1.50.2_r30933",
    "swconfigid": "B8000037",
    "productid": "Philips-LCT016-1-A19ECLv5"
  },
  "2": {
    "state": {
      "on": true,
      "bri": 226,
      "hue": 42104,
      "sat": 76,
      "effect": "none",
      "xy": [
        0.3136,
        0.3237
      ],
      "ct": 153,
      "alert": "select",
      "colormode": "xy",
      "mode": "homeautomation",
      "reachable": true
    },
    "swupdate": {
      "state": "noupdates",
      "lastinstall": "2020-03-10T12:00:00"
    },
    "type": "Extended color light",
    "name": "Bedroom 2",
    "modelid": "LCT016",
    "manufacturername": "Signify Netherlands B.V.",
    "productname": "Hue color lamp",
    "capabilities": {
      "certified": true,
      "control": {
        "mindimlevel": 1000,
        "maxlumen": 800,
        "colorgamuttype": "C",
        "colorgamut": [
          [
            0.6915,
            0.3083
          ],
          [
            0.17,
            0.7
          ],
          [
            0.1532,
            0.0475
          ]
        ],
        "ct": {
          "min": 153,
          "max": 500
        }
      },
      "streaming": {
        "renderer": true,
        "proxy": true
      }
    },
    "config": {
      "archetype": "sultanbulb",
      "function": "mixed",
      "direction": "omnidirectional",
      "startup": {
        "mode": "powerfail",
        "configured": true
      }
    },
    "uniqueid": "xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx-xx",
    "swversion": "1.50.2_r30933",
    "swconfigid": "B8000037",
    "productid": "Philips-LCT016-1-A19ECLv5"
  },
  "3": {
    "state": {
      "on": true,
      "bri": 226,
      "hue": 42104,
      "sat": 76,
      "effect": "none",
      "xy": [
        0.3136,
        0.3237
      ],
      "ct": 153,
      "alert": "select",
      "colormode": "xy",
      "mode": "homeautomation",
      "reachable": true
    },
    "swupdate": {
      "state": "noupdates",
      "lastinstall": "2020-03-10T12:00:00"
    },
    "type": "Extended color light",
    "name": "Bedroom 3",
    "modelid": "LCT016",
    "manufacturername": "Signify Netherlands B.V.",
    "productname": "Hue color lamp",
    "capabilities": {
      "certified": true,
      "control": {
        "mindimlevel": 1000,
        "maxlumen": 800,
        "colorgamuttype": "C",
        "colorgamut": [
          [
            0.6915,
            0.3083
          ],
          [
            0.17,
            0.7
          ],
          [
            0.1532,
            0.0475
          ]
        ],
        "ct": {
          "min": 153,
          "max": 500
        }
      },
      "streaming": {
        "renderer": true,
        "proxy": true
      }
    },
    "config": {
      "archetype": "sultanbulb",
      "function": "mixed",
      "direction": "omnidirectional",
      "startup": {
        "mode": "powerfail",
        "configured": true
      }
    },
    "uniqueid": "xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx-xx",
    "swversion": "1.50.2_r30933",
    "swconfigid": "B8000037",
    "productid": "Philips-LCT016-1-A19ECLv5"
  },
  "4": {
    "state": {
      "on": true,
      "bri": 226,
      "hue": 42104,
      "sat": 76,
      "effect": "none",
      "xy": [
        0.3135,
        0.3236
      ],
      "ct": 153,
      "alert": "select",
      "colormode": "xy",
      "mode": "homeautomation",
      "reachable": true
    },
    "swupdate": {
      "state": "noupdates",
      "lastinstall": "2020-03-10T12:00:00"
    },
    "type": "Extended color light",
    "name": "Bedroom 4",
    "modelid": "LCT016",
    "manufacturername": "Signify Netherlands B.V.",
    "productname": "Hue color lamp",
    "capabilities": {
      "certified": true,
      "control": {
        "mindimlevel": 1000,
        "maxlumen": 800,
        "colorgamuttype": "C",
        "colorgamut": [
          [
            0.6915,
            0.3083
          ],
          [
            0.17,
            0.7
          ],
          [
            0.1532,
            0.0475
          ]
        ],
        "ct": {
          "min": 153,
          "max": 500
        }
      },
      "streaming": {
        "renderer": true,
        "proxy": true
      }
    },
    "config": {
      "archetype": "sultanbulb",
      "function": "mixed",
      "direction": "omnidirectional",
      "startup": {
        "mode": "powerfail",
        "configured": true
      }
    },
    "uniqueid": "xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx-xx",
    "swversion": "1.50.2_r30933",
    "swconfigid": "B8000037",
    "productid": "Philips-LCT016-1-A19ECLv5"
  },
  "5": {
    "state": {
      "on": true,
      "bri": 226,
      "ct": 454,
      "alert": "none",
      "colormode": "ct",
      "mode": "homeautomation",
      "reachable": true
    },
    "swupdate": {
      "state": "noupdates",
      "lastinstall": "2020-03-10T12:00:00"
    },
    "type": "Color temperature light",
    "name": "Desk 1",
    "modelid": "LTW015",
    "manufacturername": "Signify Netherlands B.V.",
    "productname": "Hue ambiance lamp",
    "capabilities": {
      "certified": true,
      "control": {
        "mindimlevel": 1000,
        "maxlumen": 800,
        "ct": {
          "min": 153,
          "max": 454
        }
      },
      "streaming": {
        "renderer": false,
        "proxy": false
      }
    },
    "config": {
      "archetype": "flexiblelamp",
      "function": "functional",
      "direction": "omnidirectional",
      "startup": {
        "mode": "custom",
        "configured": true,
        "customsettings": {
          "bri": 254,
          "ct": 233
        }
      }
    },
    "uniqueid": "xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx-xx",
    "swversion": "1.50.2_r30933",
    "swconfigid": "72630961",
    "productid": "Philips-LTW015-1-A19CTv2"
  }
}
        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • herfH
          herf
          last edited by

          Thanks we will take a look - the white ambiance bug seems pretty real.

          Also, min/max are newer in the API - we will try to use them also.

          Q 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Q
            quantum @herf
            last edited by

            @herf said in Bug v4.118 (Smart Lighting): f.lux sets wrong color temp (2200K) for some Hue bulbs when temp ≥6500K:

            Thanks we will take a look - the white ambiance bug seems pretty real.

            Also, min/max are newer in the API - we will try to use them also.

            Hi again!

            I just wanted to report that this bug still occurs in f.lux v4.119 despite the release notes mentioning "fixes for Hue reliability".

            If you'd like, I could perhaps contribute to the f.lux's Hue lights logic, given I've got access to the hardware at home to test it. I have some familiarity with the Hue API as well as the math to convert between different colour spaces. Just let me know!

            All the best,
            quantum

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • G
              Grigorety
              last edited by Grigorety

              Thanks for the review of the problem. I’ve been getting similar problems during the last few weeks, and I didn’t know what to do.
              I have tried to fix the problem myself, but I am not a professional, and I think I have made things even worse. My light bulbs are from vont.com, and I decided to contact them and ask for help. They answered quickly and offered to send me a pair of new smart bulbs for free instead of trying to fix the old ones. They said that this case was guaranteed and they had to deliver me new bulbs instead.
              It was a nice surprise from them.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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