LIFX Developer Zone

LIFX-Control-Panel: An Open-Source LIFX App for Windows

#1

After learning that the LIFX Native Windows App is no longer officially supported, I wanted to create a free, open source, LAN-based alternative. After around 1 month of work, I’ve just released LIFX-Control-Panel 1.3.0.

EDIT: Version 1.4.0 is out, featuring several UI improvements.

In addition to monitoring and changing the colors of all the lights on your network, you can:

  • Send a light the continuous average of your screen, for immersive effects.
  • Use the Eyedropper tool to pick a color off your screen to mimic on your light
  • Create a palette of premade colors to quickly choose from
  • Register keybindings that run in the background. Change your bulb’s color by a simple keypress.

At this point, I just want as many people testing out the app as possible, on different versions of Windows (still need confirmation 7/8 works), different bulb setups, and even different monitor setups. I’m currently testing on a single A19 + some dummy code that imitates LIFX devices. I’ve been relying on the wonderful input from the /r/LIFX and /r/homeautomation subreddits for feedback and support. I’m hopeful that the LIFX Developer community can give me some pointers and feedback as well.

Thanks again!

#2

Sadly, I isolated all of my LIFX devices on their own VLAN to improve their stability. Over the weekend, I’ll see if I have time to put a laptop on that VLAN to test the app. I really like the idea of sending the average color of your monitor to a light for an immersive experience.

#3

If you route between VLANs and have an mDNS reflector, you shouldn’t have to put a laptop on the LIFX VLAN. All my LIFX bulbs sit on their own dedicated VLAN too but are still reachable from iOS/Mac/HomeKit without a problem.

#4

I do have routes between my VLANs, and I have no problem with iOS, homekit, or Alexa, interacting with my lights. It may be that the lan protocol seems to do discovery via udp broadcast, which won’t traverse that layer3 boundary. Putting a laptop on the same VLAN as the lights will prove that (or not).

#5

Target the Lifx VLAN with the broadcast ie don’t send Broadcast to 255.255.255.255 send it to 192.168.2.255 assuming Lifx Vlan is 192.168.2.? and Subnet is 255.255.255.0