Hue Play HDMI Sync Box Review

[@iblackfeathers]

it’s too bad that hue light strips leds are not individually addressable. there’s not much color accuracy detail in the location areas - it’s all one color or another. dreamscene had that advantage. it would be nice to have for example the corner red when it’s red there, while right above it blue when it’s blue there. the closest you can get is buying more hue lights and placing them in that area, but it’s not the same as addressable led light strips.

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Absolutely! They haven’t updated their lightstrip in a while so I really hope they add that functionality in V2.

[@SharkLifeSean]

I agree feathers. I’m taking mine back. It would cost me about another 100 for the hue play so it will look right. Light strip is only recognized as one light so it’s all the same. Plus I find it too much of a distraction while watching tv

[@TechTechMoreTech]

It’s super expensive when you account for all the extra lights you need to really make it work well.

[@ABAK08]

How does this work if we are running all of our devices through a receiver, then 1 HDMI to the TV? Thank You!

[@TechTechMoreTech]

You will keep all your devices connected to the receiver inputs; the receiver output will go into 1 input of the Sync Box, and then output from the sync box to the TV, and you can enable ARC on that HDMI as well.

[@AdamMarr]

The other option... if available, is that some receivers (most newer mid-range+) will have 2 or 3 hdmi outputs, and allow you to mirror content. So instead of running "through" the box, you could leave your setup as is, and run monitor 2 (or zone 2 in mirror mode) to the sync box.

[@ReLapse85]

Box should be £89 (£120 most)

[@TechTechMoreTech]

I agree it should be a loss leader so people buy more lights. But $230 plus another $300 in lights is excessive

[@Whereawillisisabruce]

You talked about the lights latency, but does it affect the PlayStation 4 Pro's gaming performance in any way? Also really liked this review if I compare to some others who are more the ranting type. You're good.

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Thanks! I didn’t notice any lag in input on my Xbox or switch. Don’t have a ps4 pro so can’t say 100%

[@Nudals]

Can I use one long light strip going around the TV or would I need 4 separate strips connected to the HUE box?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Hue light strips can only do 1 color at a time (unfortunately) So you would need 4 separate strips for each side of the TV. Or you can use something like the Play Bars and mix and match lights.

[@NewTech_2024]

Or buy gradient strip it will hit the market in 1,month

[@coolbluemoy]

I JUST BOUGHT MY SYNC BOX BUT IT WONT TURN ON IVE TRIED MULTIPLE OUTLETS AND NO LUCK. ANY REASON WHY?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Could be a dead unit. Get it replaced

[@carlwellington6197]

Well you said it will cost over 400 dollars or around 380 pounds I was gonna buy a amilight TV at 899 pounds so I fink buying separate I would still save on money

[@TechTechMoreTech]

I would assume that the £900 ambilight will be a higher quality tv than a £500 tv, so there’s also that to consider

[@Daeys2411]

What I love ❤️ about this product is the price ! Very affordable and ok 👌

[@vadiveluaristotle]

Is it compatible with a home theater amplifier ? (how do you make the connections)

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Yes. Connect all of your devices normally to your receiver, then connect the receiver output to the Hue Sync box input. Connect Hue output to your TV input.

[@NoBodysGamer]

The main issue here is that for 40USD you can get a full kit with 5 meters of 60leds per meter rgbstrip, that works with your PC AND unlike Philips HUE that can only do a SINGLE color per TV side, the 40$ kit will do as many colors as you have leds on the strip, so if top of your TV has picture with 5-10 different colors, the strip will light up accordingly, Philips hue will do single color. IF you invested in PC but also have a console, then cheap HDMI 4K+HDR spliter with build in downscaler option for 30$ from aliexpress and the cheapest PC USB HDMI FHD Capture card, will allow you to connect it to your PC and while you play games on your console or watch movies from bluray or cable box it will work by analyzing the video that comes trough capture card, easy solution.

[@TechTechMoreTech]

I agree that DIY hack solutions will always be cheaper. I also agree that it is very expensive. However there lots of people want an elegant all in one solution that is plug and play, and they’ll just have to pay a bit more

[@NoBodysGamer]

@@TechTechMoreTech its not really a hack, you get special usb controller, everything is ready to go, plug into pc, install the software and ready

[@TechTechMoreTech]

I really meant hack more in the DIY putting it together sense than a software sense

[@NerdsMag]

i got this box and i luv my Setup :)

[@Duraltia]

In a sense, I have both, a Philips Hue ( via the PC Hue Sync App ) and DIY ( Hardware ) solution... In this picture ( i.imgur.com/hkAQ6zx.jpg ) the two Lamps use Philips Hue LED Strips and are controllable via the App but I'm not using it because of how lacking it is. In this video ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3KZl6J3esuEms0 ) the DIY solution drives 318 LEDs on the back of the TV to mirror what is happening on the border of the TV. Both have their Pro's and Con's... The Philips 2-3 Light solution is obviously easier to install but just can't hold a candle to a DIY solution - Doesn't even have to be 318 LEDs. If Philips were to offer a semi DIY Solution with like two sets of LEDs to choose from ( one with narrow spacing for small TVs and one with wide spacing for large ones ) they'd win the game. Those LED's would certainly have to be cutable at every LED to get the best result and ideally be fed around corners using solderfree corner connectors and maybe an additional power inlet for larger systems - Mine requires 3 ( 3x 106 LEDs )

[@Helio73]

Does this do 4K I have Xbox x and PS4 pro will it work with it

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Yes it does! It will work with both

[@LucasCarmona]

Hi!!! do you know if it works with 220V?? Or only 110v?

[@pr0ctor1]

Can you send me one to Australia... they don't sell in here and most of the US stores don't send to Australia

[@Shehan01]

Great video! I have a question about the Arc bypass. The app says one input, does that mean if you have multiple devices plugged into the box- will only one device sync?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Thanks! That is correct, yeah. It’s a bit silly. So if you’re using arc with a receiver, I would recommend plugging in everything into your receiver, and then having a single connection from the receiver output to an input on the Sync Box, that way the ARC still works will all your devices

[@Shehan01]

@@TechTechMoreTech Oh wow that's a limitation! I am using a soundbar with only one HDMI input and the rest is plugged into my TV's ports directly. Hmm I think I have to reconsider my purchase now. Thanks for the heads up!

[@TechTechMoreTech]

You could run your setup without arc and just have the sound bar plugged into the tv with a optical cable, that’s how I have my setup. Glad to have helped out though!

[@Shehan01]

@@TechTechMoreTech Fantastic idea! I didn't even think about optical lol.

[@jameslewis6368]

Tech Tech & More Tech were you able to get yours to sync with the beat of the music? Video and game work for me but music seems to be a different story lol, great video by the way.

[@blakeallistair]

Have you heard any updates of this device ? Cause it needs a lot of extra like a hue bridge play bars plus the hue sync?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Nothing to my knowledge. It will always need the lights obviously, but it would be great to not need the bridge.

[@benpro01]

Very disappointed with no Dolby Vision or HDR+, that’s a big compromise. I highly doubt anyone enjoying those formats will downgrade.

[@TechTechMoreTech]

They have actually added both of those in a recent software update!

[@mknightstalkerx]

@@TechTechMoreTech dolby vision and HDR 10 + is now supported.

[@SimonLeicester]

Great video thanks. It's just gone on sale in the UK for a whopping £229. Complete rip off. Wonder why something like the Xbox One can't run the free Hue Sync App that already available for PC or Mac, apart from the fact Philips want you to spend £229. Really feel these should be around the £100 mark and then something to pick up in a Black Friday, Prime Day sale when it is 40% / 50% off.

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Thanks! Yeah it’s a ton of money. That’s a good point about the Xbox and even PlayStation being powerful enough to do the job. I think at around $179 or so it would be more reasonable, but the real kicker is needing an extra $130-300 worth of lights just to make it useful.

[@LucasRey1972]

Great video, thank you. But does it needs the gateway? Is it possible to sync it with Alexa as I already did with HUE lamps?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Do you mean the Hue Hub? I believe it does, during the setup it doesn’t give you the option to skip that part.

[@LucasRey1972]

@@TechTechMoreTech I see. I believe alexa supports only lamps.

[@ReLapse85]

After hooking my pc up to my telly and trying this before I got the box I decided it was horribly distracting and not immersive at all. Saved myself £220

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Yeah it definitely isn’t for everyone and doesn’t make that much more content great

[@vGREENARROWv]

Do you connect the soundbar to this or tv?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

TV

[@Pesens88]

There are not alternative to the Philips sync Box? That's really expensive.. :)

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Not really. Some people have gotten similar functionality using a raspberry pi and Plex plugins, but that isn’t as easy to set up and doesnt support external hdmi input like a game console etc

[@JackOEllingham]

Would this work with the new Samsung one connect boxes?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

It should work with anything that is outputting video via HDMI

[@lclements62]

My Samsung one connect box does not have an HDMI out. There are plenty of toslink to HDMI adapters. A lot of hookup adapters are needed but it can be done.

[@kings9634]

I getting a disconnection problem anyone else have this problem.

[@sunnybachan6027]

Does it work with netflix ?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Yes.

[@elbrujomaya]

@@TechTechMoreTech yes but no 4k

[@user-wj3zq5vz3q]

Game mario?

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Super Mario Bros U Deluxe

[@GuardianGrizzly]

these are way too expensive, the box is $230, some lights will run you around $150. just to get some back lighting to a tv your looking at nearly $400.

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Yep! Very very expensive thing to have

[@vGREENARROWv]

But I mean think about it.. people already invested in this so they just need the box. Like myself lol

[@HansKeesom]

Mistake in first 10 seconds : It does not sync your tv screen with your HUE lights, it syncs one of fout HDMI inputs with your hue lights. and has an HDMI-out for your tv-screen

[@pinchopaxtonsgreatestminds9591]

I had to cancel mine, because I don't use mobile phones.

[@elmeromero5605]

Awesome idea...way overpriced!...but then again everything in the hue product line is overpriced.

[@TechTechMoreTech]

Yeah I wish it was way cheaper

[@thy-wounded]

This is a waste of money. ...

[@TechTechMoreTech]

It’s certainly an extravagance

[@vGREENARROWv]

Nah

[@TMCC401]

Useless since you cant use Netflix, hulu.. ect

[@TechTechMoreTech]

You can use all of those services

[@JackOEllingham]

But you can't use the inbuilt TV app? So inbuilt netflix on my qled Samsung wouldn't work?

[@ReLapse85]

@@JackOEllingham you must use Xbox or firestick 🙄

[@mikelllantz4891]

@@JackOEllingham is this true?

[@mikelllantz4891]

@@TechTechMoreTech Do i need to have passthrough? Did you test that?