The trickiest part of this build is that Hue bulbs are not really intended for this kind of control, and Zachary Butler still got a full song-length sequence out of them by finding a workaround instead of adding DMX. Everything runs in time to Wizards in Winter by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, with the lights strobing, dimming, toggling, and shifting colors on cue. Turning ordinary home lighting into a synced display without stage gear seems like the real achievement here.
The hardware layout spreads across the whole space. Smart bulbs sit in an industrial metal floor lamp, a single bulb fires upward from a torchiere lamp, and the ceiling fan holds two Hue bulbs. LED strips run along high ledges on the walls, plus cabinets and window valances, and a dark metal fixture with two caged bulbs hangs over the dining table. Using fixtures already in the room, with no purchase needed beyond the Hue gear on hand, looks like a smart way to keep the project approachable.
The presentation details stand out as well. Several camera angles take in both the living room and the kitchen, and at one point the entire room sits washed in vivid cyan-blue light. The sequence opens under a flashing-light warning, and I think that is a considerate touch given how hard the lights strobe.
One thing remains open: the software behind the sequencing has not been explained yet, and the description leaves controllers and hubs unclear. A how-to is planned for early January. Zachary Butler calls the process funny and obnoxious but doable, and jokes about not wanting to hear the song again for a long time. Another note worth flagging: the fan bulbs are described as the least bright of the whole set.
Project by Zachary Butler. Watch it on their YouTube channel: