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CES 2023: Philips Hue Line Gains New Outdoor Bulbs, Sync TV App Comes to Samsung TVs

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Philips Hue parent company Signify today announced that it is introducing a paid Philips Hue Sync TV app for Samsung TVs. The partnership will allow those with Samsung smart TVs to link their Hue bulbs and lighting products to their televisions, so the bulbs can change colors based on what's on the screen.

sync-tv-app-philips-hue.jpg

Syncing lights to media content typically requires the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, priced at $250, along with a streaming device like the Apple TV that connects to the Sync Box. The Samsung TV integration will let Samsung TVs interact with Hue lights directly for a lower $130 price tag, and it will work with all image formats and TV content, including native apps like Netflix.

The Philips Hue line is also gaining new PAR38 floodlight bulbs in white and color ambiance in the United States, allowing for white and color light in backyards and walkways.

philips-hue-par-38-bulbs.jpg

The Hue Tap dial switch is also available with a new round mini mount that is an alternative to the regular wall mount.

hue-tap-switch-mini-mount.jpg

The Philips Hue Sync TV app is available on 2022 and newer Samsung QLED TVs in the Q60 and higher range, and it can be purchased from the Samsung TV app store for $130 starting on January 5. The Philips Hue PAR38 White and color ambiance bulbs will be available starting on March 14 for $80, and the Philips Hue Tap dial switch with mini mount will be available on March 14 for $50.

Article Link: CES 2023: Philips Hue Line Gains New Outdoor Bulbs, Sync TV App Comes to Samsung TVs
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/01/04/ces-2023-philips-hue-sync-samsung-tvs/
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As a current Sync Box owner, this will be exciting if this allows me to get rid of the box and clutter. I just hope that the app can work with connected HDMI devices and makes it way to other TV brands. But did I read that correctly? The app will cost $130? Even when the PC app is free? 🥴
 
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I always think those colors syncing to your tv look good as static images, but how well do they actually work while watching tv? By that I mean, I think I would find constant changing colors on my wall to distract me from what is happening on the screen, i.e. not be a good overall experience.
 
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And still no updated bridge with more capacity. Still no ability to backup and restore one to another. Still no realistic multi-bridge support as a workaround.

Their whole ecosystem is like Windows 3.1 - we used to describe it as an elephant (Windows) standing on an egg (DOS)...Hue is about in the same boat.
 
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G5isAlive said:
I always think those colors syncing to your tv look good as static images, but how well do they actually work while watching tv? By that I mean, I think I would find constant changing colors on my wall to distract me from what is happening on the screen, i.e. not be a good overall experience.
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To be honest it would be very distracting to watch a movie and have the walls around the 4K TV be full of color. I can see some likening the effect but not a film enthusiast IMHO. Has anyone ever seen this done at a commercial cinema? :)
 
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Every bulb in my house is a Hue, I have a bridge and like 10 buttons/switches. I also have purchased around 50 bulbs + accessories for family and friends. I'm making this company a lot of money!

I love the product. What else in your house hasn't been updated in 100 years basically?

Any advice on what other hue products I should explore? I guess all my exterior lights are still old school.

130 bucks to force me to stay with Samsung? No thanks! Maybe you guys can convince me?
 
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G5isAlive said:
I always think those colors syncing to your tv look good as static images, but how well do they actually work while watching tv? By that I mean, I think I would find constant changing colors on my wall to distract me from what is happening on the screen, i.e. not be a good overall experience.
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Yeah when I see pics of entire walls lit up I think it would be distracting. But I use ambilight dimmed, just glowing on the edges and it is immersive and not distracting at all. But id never put the brightness up to 100% and connect with other lights around the room.
 
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Kylo83 said:
omg I need this so can sync lights with built in apps but I have lg oled so upset its just Samsung
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Wouldn't surprise me if it came to LG sets (but probably only the current / next gen versions to entice people to upgrade). I'd love an Apple TV integration as 90% of my screen viewing is through that device, but I can't see it happening as Apple wouldn't allow that deep integration into TvOS as a piad App Store App and would likely never give Philips the kind of cash they would likely ask for.

Quite surprised they are charging this much - I would have thought that this integration would shift a lode more light strips / Hue systems, but they obviously want compensation for the 'lost' HDMI sync box sales.
 
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I had to make an account just to comment on their faces in this picture. LOVE IT 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I prefer not to have the lights in my entire viewing room swinging all over the place. I have a nice D65 white point backlighting on my LG so I can let the image take me where the colorist and director wanted me to go.
 
Philips have ambilight TV and lights not distracting and it looks great, my parents have one. I dunno how it be like with Philips Hue bulbs around room syncing with TV though. Can’t tell if it be distracting or not but lights from ambilight TV aren’t distracting and it part of whatever you watching colours match whatever on screen around edges.
 
Simgar988 said:
Every bulb in my house is a Hue, I have a bridge and like 10 buttons/switches. I also have purchased around 50 bulbs + accessories for family and friends. I'm making this company a lot of money!

I love the product. What else in your house hasn't been updated in 100 years basically?

Any advice on what other hue products I should explore? I guess all my exterior lights are still old school.

130 bucks to force me to stay with Samsung? No thanks! Maybe you guys can convince me?
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Exterior 100% I change with the holidays, my kids love it.

I also have Hue motion sensors to kick off night lighting. Pantry door also Hue light and motion sensor, open light on turns off after a minute. Great way for temperature tracking as well. Seems like a lot of people caught on to that and now they are $60 instead of $40.
 
Here's what I'd rather see:

- Better integration with Home app: sync lights and rooms back and forth in either direction
- Back up and restore lights and rooms
- T-connectors sold separately (if needed)
- Power brick with more than 95W capacity
- Cables longer than 16ft
- Much brighter outdoor lights
- Bridge with more than 50 light capacity
- Flood light with motion sensor built in
 
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I’ve had a Philips ambilight TV be it was super annoying having the lighting change so frequently.

Even if this was a good idea, $130 for a TV app just fails to the price people expect to pay for software these days. What can I get on the App Store that or from microsoft for that kind of money?
 
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akurosawa said:
Exterior 100% I change with the holidays, my kids love it.

I also have Hue motion sensors to kick off night lighting. Pantry door also Hue light and motion sensor, open light on turns off after a minute. Great way for temperature tracking as well. Seems like a lot of people caught on to that and now they are $60 instead of $40.
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Yes, and thank you. Motion sensors and bulbs for outdoors were my next go to! Thanks for the input.
 
Philips has its own line of TVs, which have Hue support included for free. I bet the $130 price tag results from a precise calculation factoring sales of their own TVs, app revenue and improved sales of Hue lights by letting in the competition into the Philips ecosystem.
 
So a super expensive tv backlight system now requires a super expensive app?

There are other options. Not as elegant maybe but a lot cheaper.

I get this is a niche product. Of dubious benefit but their pricing model on Hue is whacked.
Plenty of competition these days.

The smart lighting we have is never great after a blackout.
Either comes on if plugged in and stays on (as happened while on holidays - the neighbours wondered what the all night green flashing glow was for two weeks) or it doesnt come on until reset properly. The built in memory setting helps somewhat but it is nowhere near old physical switches yet.
 
G5isAlive said:
I always think those colors syncing to your tv look good as static images, but how well do they actually work while watching tv? By that I mean, I think I would find constant changing colors on my wall to distract me from what is happening on the screen, i.e. not be a good overall experience.
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly
 
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wbeasley said:
So a super expensive tv backlight system now requires a super expensive app?

There are other options. Not as elegant maybe but a lot cheaper.

I get this is a niche product. Of dubious benefit but their pricing model on Hue is whacked.
Plenty of competition these days.

The smart lighting we have is never great after a blackout.
Either comes on if plugged in and stays on (as happened while on holidays - the neighbours wondered what the all night green flashing glow was for two weeks) or it doesnt come on until reset properly. The built in memory setting helps somewhat but it is nowhere near old physical switches yet.
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Agreed in general with Philips/Hue. Decent stuff. But, way overpriced. I originally bought Hue stuff back in the day. But, stop adding as it was just too costly and not that much better than many other products on the market now. Oh yeah, failed anyway. So, didn't want to shell out more at those prices.
 
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