It had been announced for a long time, but now the time has come: If you use the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, you no longer have to use the Hue Sync App to control it. With the update to version 4.31, the functions have been integrated into the Sync section of the Hue app.
I was able to tell you a few weeks ago that Philips Hue is planning to kill off the Sync app as well, following the end of the Bluetooth app. Instead of a separate app for the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, the entire functionality is to be integrated into the normal Hue app.
For some time now, Philips Hue has been working on making its separate apps redundant. Since the end of February, it has been possible to pair Hue lights within the Hue app via Bluetooth and no longer have to use the separate Bluetooth app. Back in March, I reported that Philips Hue had also started work on integrating the Sync Box into the regular Hue app.
With the latest update to version 4.13 of the Philips Hue app, the Eindhoven-based manufacturer allows Bluetooth lamps to be paired directly in the “normal” Hue app for the first time. Soon it should also be possible to transfer your lamps paired with the Bluetooth app to the main app as well, to make the switch even easier for existing users.
At the beginning of the month, Philips Hue announced it, and now, according to official statements on various social media platforms, the time has come. Although there is still nothing to be read in the release notes, which are never updated very quickly – it should, however, be possible to use the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box with a refresh rate of 120 hertz with the latest firmware update.
In addition to the many new products and the launch of the new Spotify integration, Philips Hue has even more in store today. Not only are there two more new features for the Philips Hue app, but there’s also an update promise for the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box that will especially please PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners.
With the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, our favourite manufacturer launched an exciting new product two years ago, which was supplemented last autumn by the Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip. The perfect combination to be able to offer something like Ambilight on any TV with external sources. There is only one problem with the whole thing: the “Hue Ambilight” is only three-sided.
Two products are especially popular in combination with the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box: the Philips Hue LightStrip Plus and the Philips Hue Play Lightbar. Both can be easily attached to the back of the TV thanks to the double-sided adhesive device.
In a press release around yesterday’s update Signify writes: “The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box now also reacts to common infrared TV remotes or the Logitech Harmony universal remote control”. Especially regarding the Harmony integration I have received countless questions in the past hours. Therefore, I want to create a little guide today.
Actually, this should have been the case by the end of 2019, but finally there is a highly official announcement and probably an update soon: the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box finally gets further improvements. First and foremost concern is the connection to infrared remote controls.
Fabian
Mel