We’ve been waiting a long time for Philips to get around to updating its innovative Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, but the company has finally done so, announcing a new version of the technology that supports 8K TVs and HDMI 2.1 ports.
The new Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box was launched at IFA 2024 this week, and will ensure that the company’s signature lighting effects can work with any compatible television at up to 8K resolution and 120Hz refresh rates. Of course, that means it also becomes a compelling option for console gamers looking to enhance the immersiveness of their gaming sessions.
If you’re wondering what all of the fuss is about, we’re talking about ambient lighting. The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K can connect with up to four HDMI devices at once, and synchronises up to 10 Philips Hue smart lights that are placed around them to deliver ambient lighting effects, similar to the Ambilight feature found on premium Philips TVs.
The great thing about using Philips Hue smart lights is that you get more flexibility than you do with an Ambilight TV, as you can stick strips to the back of your television, and place bulbs and lamps in strategic locations in the room.
The basic idea is that the lighting helps to soften the edge of the TV screen, and it has the effect of making whatever you’re watching appear more immersive.
Philips debuted the Hue Sync Box a few years ago, but there were a number of complaints with it, as it only supported HDMI 2.0 and 4K resolution at 60Hz. It didn’t support Dolby Vision content either, at first, though it gained that capability later through an update. But the lack of HDMI 2.1 support meant it was less than effective for console gaming.
With the refreshed version announced this week, HDMI 2.1 is now supported, ensuring it can pass through video signals in 8K resolution at up to 60Hz, or 4K signals at 120Hz.
The only real downside is the cost of the thing, with the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K priced at $349.99 (around £270), which might be a bit tough for some to justify given the economy right now. That said, it’s a whole lot cheaper than buying a brand new Philips Ambilight television.
The updated Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box comes as Philips celebrates the 20th anniversary of its Ambilight technology, which was first revealed at the 2004 edition of IFA. The original Ambilight tech was featured on a range of Philips plasma and LCD TVs, and it has since become one of the most defining features of the company’s televisions, setting them apart from any other brand.
In an announcement regarding Ambilight’s birthday, TP Vision, the company behind the Philips brand, said its surveys show that more than 80% of Ambilight TV owners will never consider buying a TV that doesn’t have the mood lighting tech, which shows the incredible impact it has had over the years.
Ambilight is being updated with the launch of Philips’ new flagship OLED television, the 65-inch Philips OLED+959 TV, which is the first to feature “Ambilight Plus”.
It’s billed as the most sophisticated version of Ambilight thus far, and builds on the recent development of four-sided Ambilight, which appeared last year. Not only is it four-sided, but it adds multiple lenses to the individual, rear-mounted colour LEDs. According to Philips, this enables it to create a more dynamic, and larger halo effect with greater resolution than before. In addition, it can project up to four halos at once, at different depths, for added impact.
It’s an extremely promising update for Ambilight fans, and a testament to its incredible popularity. Johnson Su, general manager of Europe at TP Vision, said it’s almost unheard of for a consumer technology to remain so relevant after almost 20 years.
“It’s testament to how valid the original idea of Ambilight was but also to how the system has been continually improved over the years,” he said. “And with Ambilight plus, I’m happy to say we are introducing the best version of the system yet.”
