Philips, maker of color-projecting Ambilight TVs and Philips Hue smart bulbs, is bridging its iconic technologies for a real light show.
The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is a cabled way to hook up Philips Hue bulbs in your home with your TV – unsurprisingly through HDMI.
Much like the Ambilight system on many Philips TVs, which project onscreen colors onto the wall behind the display for immersive lighting, the Sync Box allows users to use Philips Hue bulbs for the same purpose.
That means even if your TV isn't from Philips, you can still put on a suitable show, with flashing lights and moody color tones accompanying your movie night – whether it's the pulsing action of The Fast and The Furious or the unnerving thrills of that Black Mirror episode.
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You can connect "as many as ten Philips Hue color capable lights" over the Philips Hue Sync app, while the Sync Box can switch on the fly between whatever's hooked up to its four HDMI ports: consoles, TVs, set-top boxes, 4K Blu-ray players, laptops or otherwise.
Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box will be available in the US, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands from October 15.
There's no word on availability for the UK just yet, though we're told more countries will follow in 2020. Retail price is set at €249.95 / $229.99 (around £185).
The Sync Box comes off the back of some sleek new Philips Hue Edison bulbs, which were named Best in Smart Home in our IFA 2019 Awards.
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