FabianToday I would like to deal with a question that has certainly been dealt with somewhere and somehow here on the blog. However, Hueblog reader Dennis has contacted our community with a question and is once again looking for an answer. I would of course like to provide him with an answer, but first of all here is his (summarised) question.
I have attached the Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip to my 75-inch TV and am now looking for something to light up the fourth side at the bottom. I'm currently using three Play Lightbars, which works great. However, there are too many gaps. What other options are there?
A television with a 75-inch diagonal has a width of around 170 centimetres, but it's best to measure this yourself. However, my suggested solutions can also be easily implemented for smaller televisions.
This is how the bottom of the TV is also illuminated with Philips Hue
The first idea would certainly be a Philips Hue Play Gradient Light Tube, but at 137.7 centimetres, even the long version is a bit short for a 170-centimetre-wide TV – even if the light naturally shines outwards a little. I therefore see the Light Tube as more suitable for TVs up to 65 inches.
Philips Hue Play Gradient Light Tube
$219.99 / £189.99 / €219,99
Probably the best alternative is the Philips Hue Ambiance Gradient Lightstrip. The basic version is 200 centimetres long and can be shortened every 12.5 centimetres, meaning it can be perfectly adapted to the width of the TV and easily attached to the back of the TV.
It is important to know that even though only three light points can be selected in the app, the Ambiance Gradient Lightstrip can display more than three colours. It has a total of 16 segments, which are automatically controlled by Philips Hue. If the light strip is shortened, the colour distribution is automatically adjusted to the new length.
Philips Hue Ambiance Gradient Lightstrip
$179.99 / £139.99 / €159,99
There is only one mistake you should never make: Simply buy a longer Play Gradient Lightstrip for a smaller TV so that it can also illuminate the bottom of the TV. The light strip is calibrated so that it only illuminates the left, top and right edges of the screen.
Also important: Gradient products only work in combination with the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box. The gradient function is not supported with Philips Ambilight televisions; the lamps then only display a single colour.
Of course, the easiest way would be for Philips Hue to launch a new Play Gradient Lightstrip that directly covers all four sides of the TV with the Ambilight effect. As far as I know, however, such a product is not yet in the pipeline.
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In this regard I’m still loving my 15 year old Philips Aurea (42PFL9903) with detailed (150 individual LEDs as opposed to 7 zones) ambilight shining inside the bezel and out onto the wall on all four sides. It’s such a shame this line was discontinued and never updated with modern specs (larger screen, 4K, etc).
I use a 75” gradient light strip for the top and sides and 3 hue play bars placed horizontally for the bottom mounted to the back of the tv. I am not wall mounted though and on top of a barn door TV stand. Still patiently waiting on HUE 8K HDMI sync box and eyeballing that new Govee one being released soon. One of them will be getting my future business.
Will the Hue Ambience Gradient Lightstrip you suggest for the bottom edge work with the HDMI sync box to match the colors on the tv in real time?
Yes, it will.
I thought only “Play” Gradient strips did that. In fact that’s why I bought the light bar for the bottom edge.