![]() (The box does have a non-functioning IR receiver that could be enabled in the future, says Signify, which owns the Philips Hue brand.) By keeping your video sources connected to your AV receiver, you can use your receiver’s remote (or your universal remote) to switch inputs as usual. Why would you want to bother with keeping your video sources connected to your receiver when the HDMI Sync box has four HDMI inputs, which is (for most folks, anyway) more than plenty? Well, there are a couple reasons.įor starters, the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box doesn’t ship with a remote, nor does it work (yet) with universal remotes like those in the Harmony line. The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box comes with four rear HDMI inputs and a single HDMI output. In all, you can have up to 10 Hue lights wirelessly connected to a single Hue Play HDMI Sync Box. For the most basic setup, you’ll probably want at least one Hue Play light bar (but preferably two) behind your TV screen, but you could also add a third Play light bar (they can either sit behind your set, or you can mount them onto the back of the TV), some Hue light strips Remove non-product link, a portable Hue Go light Remove non-product link, maybe a couple of flanking Hue Signe floor lamps Remove non-product link (which, like many Philips Hue products, are gorgeous but pricey), or even some Hue White and Color Ambiance Remove non-product link bulbs in your various room lamps. The fun part of the setup process is deciding which Philips Hue lights you’d like to use, and where. The $130 Philips Hue Play light bar two-pack is an almost essential ingredient to any Hue Play HDMI Sync Box setup. Getting the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, which resembles an all-black Apple TV with five rear HDMI ports, not only takes some doing, it also involves a fair amount of planning, both in terms of how you’d like to set up your lights and also depending on your preferred AV setup. ![]() If, on the other hand, an array of syncing lights around your TV sounds awesome, read on. If the idea of pulsing lights synced to your TV screen sounds way too distracting, then the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box probable isn’t for you. static TV bias lighting debate here, but in the end, it all comes down to taste. ![]() You can read more about the responsive vs. Many videophiles and professional video creators prefer a bias lighting setup that’s far more subtle, typically resulting in a dim halo around the screen at a precise color temperature that boosts the perceived contrast of the screen while reducing eye strain. Of course, there’s a school of thought that says such “responsive” TV bias lighting is more distracting than immersive, and that it can distort the picture on your screen. The more accurate and precise the syncing is, the more immersive the experience. The whole idea behind the HDMI Sync Box is to boost the immersion of whatever you’re watching by precisely syncing your surrounding Hue lights with the picture on your screen. The kind of TV “bias” lighting that the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box enables isn’t for everyone. ‘Responsive’ versus ‘static’ TV bias lighting That said, those who are already invested in the Hue ecosystem (which is, in our opinion, tops when it comes to smart lighting) won’t feel the sting quite as badly. So yes, getting the Sync Box up and running from scratch could be a pricey proposition, given that the components I just ticked off would set you back $410. You’ll also need a Hue Bridge Remove non-product link, which goes for about $50, not to mention an arsenal of Hue lights, including (at least) the $130 Hue Play light bar two-pack Remove non-product link. The HDMI Sync Box itself costs $230, and that’s only for starters. The effect is impressively immersive given the Sync Box’s color accuracy and low latency, although you’ll have to deal with a somewhat complex setup process, not to mention the lack of a physical remote or any support (yet) for third-party universal remotes.Īnother issue is cost. Indeed, this device does precisely what it says: It syncs the images on your TV screen with your Hue lights by processing the video signals that arrive through your home theater’s HDMI cables. Not everyone wants pulsing lights around their TV screen while watching videos or playing games, but if you do, the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is currently the best way to make it happen.
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