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New Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box Lets You Sync Your Lights to Your Apple TV

Does this fix the HDCP issue with iTunes content on a Mac Mini?

When I try to play a movie now and use the app it breaks because iTunes stupidly thinks it’s some sort of copy protection thing.
 
MacRumors said:
Signify says the box will work with any HDMI device that you have to take your content "to the next level with surround lighting."
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The next level? Soooo....take a couple of steps back, to when there was no Dolby Vision or HDR10+, then a small step forward. I don't think they understand that the phrase "next level" has a certain meaning.
A different level...yes. Next level...definitely not.
 
Doesn't a dark room light up to the colors of the TV naturally? I don't really see the point of this.
 
230$ for a no passthrough full HDMI switch? why even say this is for the appletv that supports dolby vision then. Yea sure let me take away quality from the picture to feed it moving lights. no thanks.
this might be worth 50-100$ if the switch was passthrough for all source. Until then im okay with one single color of my choosing :p
 
oneMadRssn said:
That's a huge omission. The kind of folks that would spend $500+ (this box plus a couple of lights) on active bias lighting are the same folks that care about HDR10 and DV.
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I have 30 Hue lights and I don’t even know what HDR10 is so my tv probably doesn’t have it anyway.
 
What an inelegant solution this looks to be. It seems obvious that a software-based solution is the way to go... so this is something Apple needs to fix.
 
martinlk said:
What an inelegant solution this looks to be. It seems obvious that a software-based solution is the way to go... so this is something Apple needs to fix.
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Apple needs to fix a 3rd parties product? Weird.

Seems about as elegant a solution as possible. Couple features short and on the pricey side though.
 
WTF Philips?! I've been wanting this for years but this is probably the worst time to release it. As soon as I saw the headline I thought "I bet that is only HDMI 2.0 rather than HDMI 2.1" which it is which is a shame, but the fact that Philips didn't consider DV/HDR10+ a must is also shocking. Hopefully a v2 box comes next year with HDMI 2.1 and cheaper price.
 
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Just hook up your Apple TV to an HDMI splitter/amplifier. One HDMI output to the TV, the other to this box. Then no loss of signal quality or introduction of lag.
 
clayj said:
The omission of HDR10+ and Dolby Vision is definitely a problem. I am using a Sony ES receiver (which does support HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos) -- I'm wondering if I can connect this box to the SECOND HDMI output on the receiver and let it do its thing, while the first HDMI output goes off to the TV without the signal being messed up.
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Yes, basically.
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ConnorCDM said:
This is what I plan on doing. Also reduces the chance of video lag.
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Although probably increases the chance the lights are out of time with the video...
 
dannys1 said:
Only on MacRumors have I heard Philips products continually referred to as by "Signify" is this an American thing? Philips is a pretty big brand over here in the UK, we just call these Philips products.
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Yes, it's a little annoying. The brand is still Philips and Philips Hue. Signify is the parent company and isn't really consumer-facing.

It's like saying Kelloggs have released a new flavour of Pringles. It might technically be true, but its needlessly confusing.
 
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martinlk said:
What an inelegant solution this looks to be. It seems obvious that a software-based solution is the way to go... so this is something Apple needs to fix.
Click to expand...

Yeah but it's not just Apple is it - it's Microsoft with Xbox, it's Sony with Playstation, it's Sky with their Sky box, it's Blu-Ray players, it's the Nintendo Switch, it's and endless amount of HDMI devices, you're never going to get them all to support a third party protocol.
 
The price is excessive, but Hue products go on frequent sale at Best Buy. Right now, Hue BR30 bulbs are currently on clearance, for anyone in the market.

Not a sponsored post, just looking out for the community.
 
jdnewhouse said:
Just hook up your Apple TV to an HDMI splitter/amplifier. One HDMI output to the TV, the other to this box. Then no loss of signal quality or introduction of lag.
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So we should have to buy an already expensive hdmi switch capable to pass the correct signal because this 200$+ device does not offer it. Yea let me dish out another 100$ to get this gimmick a try.
[doublepost=1568759321][/doublepost]Y
Asarien said:
The price is excessive, but Hue products go on frequent sale at Best Buy. Right now, Hue BR30 bulbs are currently on clearance, for anyone in the market.

Not a sponsored post, just looking out for the community.
Click to expand...
you too sweet
 
clayj said:
The omission of HDR10+ and Dolby Vision is definitely a problem. I am using a Sony ES receiver (which does support HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos) -- I'm wondering if I can connect this box to the SECOND HDMI output on the receiver and let it do its thing, while the first HDMI output goes off to the TV without the signal being messed up.
Click to expand...
ConnorCDM said:
Im so excited for this. Wish it didnt have so many HDMI ports to reduce cost. And truthfully if you cared that much about Dolby Vision you would have a receiver with multiple HDMI outputs and wouldn't rely on the Passthrough.
[doublepost=1568732257][/doublepost]

This is what I plan on doing. Also reduces the chance of video lag.
Click to expand...

I had the same exact thought because I was concerned about possible video lag and the lack of DV support. However apparently the device will pass DV and HDR10+ through just fine, but it won’t decode it and the Hue box won’t do anything with the lighting while being fed those two formats. So basically even with this work around, it will be sitting there doing nothing if you watch those formats very often. It’s already an expensive product and this makes the value proposition even worse.
 
I wonder if this would still work if I used the second HDMI out of my receiver so I didn’t have to deal with lack of full HDR support.
 
MacRumors said:


philipshuesyncbox2-800x533.jpg

Isn’t that TV is way too small for that space?

I used to despise large TVs, so perhaps I get that they don’t want it to be the center of the room. Happy 50” owner now and my TV is 10 feet from the couch, which seems reasonable.

I’m sure it’s for the lighting ad but still seems odd.
Click to expand...
 
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