MelCurrently you can get the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box including a LightStrip Plus for 249 euros at Saturn – the best offer so far for a hardware that is not yet fully developed – just like you indicated in the comments below the last article.
Signify has also recognized this and announced a major firmware update for this spring in January The release is due to follow in March or April. Apart from an activation of the IR function there should also be support for voice assistants.
Hue HDMI Sync Box API still in beta status
In this respect, a closer look at the developer portal of Philips Hue is interesting. The availability of a very important thing was announced there today: The Hue HDMI Sync Box API.
Still in beta status, this interface allows interested developers to control the Sync Box via JSON commands or query its current status. Among other things, this API is also required to enable control via a language wizard.
In general, it is also possible for third-party apps to integrate controls of the Sync Box. It is still questionable how useful this matter actually is. Maybe you have an interesting idea for an app or service? If you want to get acquainted with the new API, you can now do so after registering in the Hue Developer Portal.
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Fabian