Exactly 20 years ago, the first Philips TV with integrated Ambilight was presented at IFA 2004. Since then, 35 million TVs have been sold and 80 percent of buyers do not want to do without the backlight on their next TV. I feel the same way, so today I would like to take a look back and ahead.
Today 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.
The blog Toengel, which specialises in Philips TVs, published an interesting report yesterday: the new Philips TVs with the model year 2023 will only offer “normal” Ambilight integration across the board, while the popular Ambilight+Hue function will be dropped completely. This was officially confirmed to me this morning by a spokesperson from Philips’ TV division.
Years after the launch of the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, it’s still a very popular feature of Philips’ Ambilight TVs: extending the TV’s backlighting to the whole room with Philips Hue bulbs. Hueblog reader Michael asked me a question about this topic: I bought the Gradient Lightstrip Ambiance and connected it to my Philips TV.
It’s a topic I’ve stumbled across again and again in the past. Be it on social media or in emails to me: again and again people ask after a new purchase of the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box and a Gradient Light Strip why the apps on their TV are not compatible.
It’s time again for the Community Question of the Week – and today we would like to answer a question from Lars. As always, you are welcome to send me your questions by e-mail or leave a comment under an article. And here is Lars’ question: I have fulfilled a dream and bought an 86 inch TV.
Unfortunately, last week’s Community Question had to be cancelled – I had a little rest in the Netherlands. This week, however, it continues again – and this time I would like to clarify a question from Sandra that reached me by email a few days ago: As far as I know, the Philips Hue Play Gradient Light Strip can also be controlled as a separate light via the Hue App when the TV is off (not as a colour gradient, but at least as a single-colour lamp).
In the past few weeks, I have repeatedly received a few enquiries on the subject and I also keep stumbling across it on social networks: The “Ambilight+Hue” function of Philips TVs. In principle, the whole thing works very simply: in the settings of the TV, a connection to the Hue Bridge is first established and then the lamps that are to extend the Ambilight in the room are selected.
I wouldn’t want to live without my Philips TV with built-in Ambilight. And Philips Hue is also high on my list of favourites, of course. But to make a common cause with these two “Philips” products is by now anything but recommendable. On no other topic have I received so many letters, comments and questions in the last week.
Actually, it sounds pretty great: you can easily expand the Ambilight of your Philips TV with Philips Hue light sources. You don’t even need the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box to do this, instead you just click through the TV menu a bit and you’re ready to go. What sounds so simple, however, currently seems to be causing big problems again.
Fabian