Community question of the week: Buy now or wait for the new generation?

Now that TV manufacturer TP Vision has completely abolished the Ambilight+Hue function in the latest TV generation and the “smart” app is still only available for Samsung TVs, the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is currently the best way to have up to ten Hue lamps light up to match the content on the TV. Hueblog reader Olaf sent me an interesting question about this.

I read your blog carefully and wanted to get the Hue Sync Box. It was written that there might be a new Hue Sync Box that will support 120 Hertz. However, I am not a gamer and only use the TV for streaming and watching TV. Is it worth waiting for the new box and when will it be released? Will there also be new and different TV Play Gradient Lightstrip or Tubes to go with the new box?

What is the status of a new Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box?

That's quite a few questions at once, which I would of course like to answer. First of all, the Sync Box itself. Back in the spring, product images of an 8K variant were buzzing around the net, presumably published by Philips Hue itself by mistake on an Amazon product page. These images were not fake.

However, I have learned that the launch of the new Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box will be delayed. In all likelihood, it will not be launched in September with the other new releases, at the very best it will be announced. Sales are expected to start in October at the earliest, but perhaps not until the current generation is “sold out”.

This is what the new generation is supposed to be able to do

The new Sync Box will presumably be able to handle 8K. The resolution itself may not be particularly interesting, but it will probably also support 4K at 120 hertz, which should be great for gamers and the current generation of consoles.

And what about the “normal” TV functions? Unfortunately, I don't have any information at the moment about whether the second-generation Hue Sync Box will offer any other new functions apart from resolution. But Philips Hue might come up with something to justify an increase in the current list price of 269.99 euros.

No new gradient light bulbs for the Sync Box

Besides the new Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, will there be any matching new hardware, such as a new gradient light strip? At the moment, I can clearly answer this question with a “no”. I have no information about new products.

In September, Philips Hue will focus on the introduction of security hardware as well as the return of the Festavia string lights, and there will also be 12-volt spots for the first time.