Philips - Hue Play HDMI Sync Box - Black

I really like the Hue Play Sync Box, and if it were cheaper and easier to set up, I would likely have given it 5 stars. I did wait until the latest firmware was added so that remote control support was enabled. Pros: - Sync has worked really well, adding a very nice ambient light to the TV - No connection issues as of right now - Once I got it set up with my Logitech Harmony Hub remote, everything is super seamless - Quite adjustable - has 4 different levels of intensity and 10 levels of brightness. Personally, I really like the subtle effect of having it on the lowest intensity and 5 on brightness. - Latest firmware has added a lot of missing features - HDR10+/Dolby Vision Support, Remote Control Support, Smart Assistant Support Cons: - Expensive - Remote support requires IR training - Setup was cumbersome My Setup: I am using this with a pair of Hue Play White & Color Ambiance Light bars. I have a FiOS cable box, a roku ultra, and a Nintendo Switch going into the Sync Box and then into a Samsung TV. I also have a Vizio soundbar that is connected via the ARC-enabled HDMI port on the TV. I have a Logitech Harmony Hub remote controlling the whole system, and the Sync Box is connected to my wifi using Google WiFi mesh routers. You can set up remote support for the Sync Box with the latest firmware update by using the Hue Sync app. You'll have to "train" the box on IR signals to correspond with each command. You can set up signals for turning on/off, switching to specific inputs, changing intensity, changing brightness, and starting/stop sync. If you're using a Logitech Harmony remote, I strongly recommend finding a remote for a device not in your current setup that has buttons that switch to specified inputs, like you would find on a TV or receiver remote (I used a Denon remote I had for a receiver in a different room). This will let you add that device to your setup, and then all you have to do is add the device to Harmony and to your activities, and you can then set which input should be used for each activity so it switches seamlessly. I also set it up so the lights turn on and off with the start of each activity, and I added the "start sync" play button to fire at the start of each activity too. This lets me start it up and have it turn on both the box and the lights, switch to the right input, and have the sync start automatically.

This is one of the coolest gimmicks you can add to your living room. I recently snapped and got fed up with the lack of light in our apartment. Since then I've slowly been adding hue bulbs, and now the little half ball lamps, this, and the play bars. Living room is currently the bars behind the tv, two standing lamps, and a half ball (they have three and the diffuse all over one has the best reviews online for color applications over regular lighting). The rest of the house has regular bulbs, though I'm putting in a lot of the hue led strip soon, so things will change. However at the moment, I have no complaints about how the work. It does EXACTLY what it says it does, and really does immerse you in the content. This brings me to my one problem. The price. To have my TV light my room and the content control the colors its far too expensive. I cannot in good conscience say that everyone NEEDS THIS PRODUCT. HOWEVER I am generally a creature of wants not needs when looking at things like this and oh ho ho is this something EVERYONE will want. Until they go to check out. Which leads me to the title of this. This product and what it does with smart lights has the POTENTIAL to be the next dolby atmos or HDR. IF content makers find a way to bake in object based lighting as atmos as done for object based sounds. If we can't get studios to adopt this technology I fear it will remain a gimmick and slowly go the way of the 3D tv or plasma screens. As for ease of use and all that, it is seriously easy to use. I mean a monkey could control it. If you have google home or something similar simply ask "start/stop hue sync" or the app to control it has a slider for brightness and 4 intensity options across a few content styles (movie, music, and game). A great thing to want to show off, but a horrible thing to pay to get. (If you have this setup and want to watch the video I used for these pictures its a fan video of EVE Online called "Do not go gentile into EVE Online" and features a large assortment of scenes, planets, nebula, ship battles, and more to show off eve and without meaning too just how vibrant these lights get.) [Also both pictures taken at 4pm with western facing sliding glass (with shades) just out of frame to the right]

Upgraded from the 4k box to this 8k box. Here are some tips for a smooth setup: 1. You will not be able to use the separate “Hue Sync” app anymore. You need to setup the sync box with the same app you use to control your lights. Add it like you would a new light. 2. My FireTV stick worked fine when I plugged it in. My Apple TV gave me issues, it was flickering. Just restart your Apple TV from the settings menu and restart the hue sync box. Worked for me. 3. If you have high output devices, consider upgrading the HDMI cord that comes with the box. I upgraded to a “Ocean 48” AudioQuest HDMI Cable that can handle 8k and is 2.1 certified. 4. I have a LG C1 with this. If you’re having issues, check the settings on your TV such as HDMI Deep Color, Dolby Vision, FreeSync, Instant Game Response; sometimes those settings can mess with the sync box. 5. I don’t have my sound bar connected to the sync box, but if you do, make sure it’s in HDMI 4 on the sync box and enable eArc bypass in the hue app under settings. Hope this helps and saves you the headache.

No one you know will know about this technology which is why YOU are the one that must get this. This sync’s any HDMI device such as AppleTV 4K, XBOX, PlayStation, Blu-ray but not your stupid Firestick. (I know you have one. Go get an AppleTV 4K and call your cable company to cut your cable. What are you thinking? Lol) The sync box will then take the video and sync in real time all of your Hue color changing lights to create an experience like you have never seen before in your theater or living room. This device requires someone techie to hook it all up right but even a techie would say it’s not that difficult to setup. The latest 2020 update brings this device completely up-to-date. Bring your theater to a new frontier of enjoyment. Lookup YouTube videos about this device to get a good feel and do your research. You can sync up to 10 different Hue lights. You need the Hue Bridge with this too and some of the lights come with it in the Starter Kit which saves some money. I got 4 Hue Play light bars, one for every side of the TV to create a very Immersive Experience. I put the bottom light bar beneath my entertainment cabinet which really worked best for me. Then I got two Hue color changing light bulbs and put them in my floor lamps and 4 Hue recessed lights. The recessed lights are a huge must have if you are looking for the best experience. If you’re still reading this... stop what you’re doing and put this in your cart. You’re welcome. Ps. You have impeccable taste.

I was so excited when I found out that Phillips put this item out. I’ve been researching various ways to get lights to sync to the action on screen for the past year and this seemed like it was going to be the easiest. The pros: When it works, it creates an immersive experience if you are watching the right kind of movie. Action scenes with explosions work best. Setup was simple The cons: This doesn’t always work. I keep getting connection errors and it states that there is no signal being detected. It seemingly doesn’t work with the Xbox One X with HDR10 even though all of the documentation states that it should. The picture keeps cutting out every minute or two which doesn’t work when playing an online game. You really need the right type of movie for this to work properly. If you watch a movie with little to no action, the lights are more of a distraction. You will usually just get a flickering of whites to colors while the scene moves between people talking. Price. I love the Hue line and have several of their products but they are just too expensive. $230 for the sync and $130 for the play lights puts you at $360 for what feels like a system that still needs the kinks worked out.

Nice effect… did two software updates during the first week… fixed an HDCP issue where it says my cable might not be compatible when it was before I inserted the Sync box. Also now I wasn’t getting Dolby Vision all the time and I’m using the absolute latest Apple TV 4K, rocket fish AK cables, and Sony X900h TV. I found Once I had the sync box , I needed to go into the Sony settings and go to its HDMI port and set that it’s Dolby Vision compatible …and now it just stays that way and everything‘s been working beautifully since. If I play Dolby Vision content on the Apple TV, I can go into the Sony to the picture setting I can see that is actually playing Dolby Vision. The unit does get hot… maybe that leads to operational malfunction issues for some depending on where it is kept, airflow around it, etc. Sony 85x900h Sony HT-ST5000 sound bar AppleTV 4K 2021 Sony ES UBP-X1100ES Blu-Ray player Rocketfish 8K HDMI cables Philips Hue bridge Philips Sync box Philips 75” gradient lightstrip

I have tried many apps with my Phillip Hue lights but the lag time was horrible. Once I saw the Phillips Hue Sync Box I was interested. Of course, I read a lot of reviews and some were favorable and some no so good. But I figured I’m an elite member, if it don’t work correctly, I can take back. First off let me say, setting it up was very easy. Took no time to connect to my home system and hue hub. I only connected the Apple TV to test the sync box to music and a movie. Many of the reviews talking about the sync box disconnecting is absolutely TRUE. Even in the Phillip Hue forums it’s discussed. I learned for myself it disconnects randomly from the hue hub a lot. You will not finish a song without having multiple disconnects. It would connect back after a few seconds but during the time of disconnectivity the light stops then would just start back once reconnection is done. I will say when it works, it is really cool playing with music and watching the lights adjust to the beat of the music. Also tested it with a movie however, it was very distracting with the number of disconnections. But I think if it actually would stay connected it would be good. I updated the sync box app to the newest software release from Phillip and same problem. I guess I will call Phillip to see if there is a fix coming or back to the store it goes. Robert 1906

Purchased on sale and worth it at a sale price. Especially since HDR 10 and Dolby Vision are now supported. Note that when using devices for Dolby Vision, that they need to be plugged into either input port 2 or 4 with a high speed cable. Took me a while to figure this out. The box worked flawlessly since purchase, for about 4 months. However, now the lights are really lagging. Like they are stuttering between color changes. It gets progressively worse then all the lights shut off and restart. This happens every 4 to 6 minutes and is now a distraction. This just started within the last 2 weeks. I may bring back to Best Buy to exchange under the protection plan. Is it an item you need? No. Do you have extra funds and hue lights around your tv area, and would like to enhance your viewing experience? Then purchase it. Be sure to get the protection plan on this if you purchase. The tech is new with a lot going on, so anything could happen to the box.