Verdict
Taking the input from all of your entertainment kit, the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K tracks the on-screen action and then synchronises your Hue lights with it. With support for 8K at 60Hz and 4K at 120Hz, every modern device is supported properly. It might be expensive, but the extra atmosphere it brings is well worth it.
Pros
- Brilliant fun
- Works with any Hue Lights (Bridge required)
- Four HDMI 2.1 ports
Cons
- Doesn’t worth with integrated TV apps
- Expensive
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Entertainment lightsReads the incoming video signal and makes your Hue lights react for full immersion. -
Supports 8KWorks with 8K (60Hz) and 4K (120Hz) inputs.
Introduction
The second generation of its entertainment syncing box, the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K adds 8K video support and 4K support up to 120Hz, making it compatible with the latest games consoles and PCs.
As with the original, this box is designed to synchronise your Hue lights with the onscreen action, bringing entertainment beyond the TV screen. It works brilliantly, and I found it more reliable than the original box.
Design and Features
- Four HDMI 2.1 inputs and one output
- Requires a Philips Hue Bridge
- Works with any Hue lights
The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K looks very similar to its predecessor and looks much like a standard HDMI switch. This one has an HDMI 2.1 output that should connect to your TV/monitor/projector, and four HDMI 2.1 inputs.
That’s a big upgrade from the older Play HDMI Sync Box, which had HDMI 2.0 ports only, limiting 4K to 60Hz. With HDMI 2.1, there’s 8K support at 60Hz, plus 4K and below at 120Hz. The new box is fully specced and ready for Dolby Vision out-of-the-box rather than as a subsequent firmware upgrade.
Installing the box is easy. Turn it on and pair it with the Hue app, and then follow the instructions to add it to your Wi-Fi network.
The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K controls your Hue lights using the Hue Bridge, which talks to the lights using Zigbee; if you don’t have a Bridge, the box won’t work.
After that, it’s a matter of creating Entertainment zones, which consist of the lights that you want the box to control. You can create multiple Entertainment zones, letting you run multiple Sync Box devices, move the Sync Box around or simple use different lights depending on whether you’re gaming or not.
For standard Hue lights, you need to follow the simple setup procedure to place the lights in relation to the screen you’re using, including position and height. That lets the Sync box accurately match the on-screen movement with where the lights are located.
There’s also the option of TV Play gradient lightstrips for larger TVs (55-, 65- and 75-inch versions available), which connect to the back of your TV acting a bit like Ambilight does on Philips TVs.
The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K can be set up to automatically switch input, and to start syncing with lights automatically.
If you don’t like this idea, then you can use the app to switch input, or you can programme your TV remote to operate the Sync Box via its IR input on the front.
There’s also a button on the front that cycles through the HDMI inputs in order. That’s handy at a push, but it would have been easier if Philips had just bundled a small dedicated remote control.
Synchronisation has three modes: Video, Music and Game. And there’s a a choice of four intensity mode and you can adjust brightness. It’s worth playing with all of these settings to get the mode that you like the best, based on what you’re doing.
I had some issues with the original box, where it would sometimes black the screen out for a few seconds before coming back to life, but the new box didn’t do that and seemed more reliable. Running the latest HDMI standard obviously helps.
HDMI eARC is supported, provided the device you’re connecting is hooked up to HDMI 4. In my case, I didn’t need to do this, as I used the eARC port on my TV to connect directly to the Sonos Arc.
The only real restriction is that the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K only works with devices that have an HDMI input, and you won’t get synchronised lights if you use your TV’s built-in apps.
Performance
- Brilliant fun
- Adds atmosphere
The overall experience with the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K is similar to that with the original box. As the box decodes the HDMI signal, it can perfectly match light colour with the source. This is particularly noticeable with the Gradient lights around the screen.
These go from subtly expanding what’s on the screen to intensifying explosions and flashes in action films.
The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K works brilliantly with standard Hue lights, too. I also set the system up in my office, and used it for gaming at 4K/120Hz from my PC. I played the opening of The Last of Us Part 1.
Walking around at the start, it’s incredible how much detail the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K adds to the game, even in subtle ways. For example, there’s a bedside lamp in the bedroom. Turning around, my Hue Gradient Signe Floor Lamp would light up to match the relative location of the lamp to my character.
My Hue Centris lights added deeper effects, adding atmosphere, such as when driving past the burning house in the opening car scene.
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Should you buy it?
You want to use your Hue lights for entertainment
If you’ve got Hue lights in the same room as your TV or projector, the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K is a great way to add atmosphere to films and games.
You don’t have Hue lights
If you don’t have Hue lights already, this is an expensive way to add interactive lights to your TV or PC. For gamers, the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit might make more sense.
Final Thoughts
It’s expensive, but the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K is a brilliant add on for anyone with Hue lights that wants to inject a bit more excitement into their entertainment. And, it’s a great HDMI switch box in its own right, too. It’s far easier to set up and more accurate than the rival Govee Immersion Kit Wi-Fi TV Backlight + Light Bars, which use a webcam to watch what’s on screen.
The original Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is still available and is slightly cheaper, but I recommend the latest version as it has modern HDMI ports.
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FAQs
This box will work with any HDMI device that goes through the box; it doesn’t work with a TV’s integrated apps.
The box connects to the Hue’s Bridge and controls the lights directly from that.
