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Outfitting your home theater space with automated lights is a great way to add entertainment value and personality to your setup. Investing in a pack of smart bulbs or LED light strips is an awesome way to start, and lighting brands like Philips Hue have a wide range of devices to choose from. One of the most immersive products the company makes is the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K, which was discounted to $289 at the time of writing.
When paired with a Hue Bridge (sold separately), the Sync Box 8K allows you to sync Hue lighting products to your favorite movies, shows, and video games, as well as your go-to music playlists. You’ll even be able to use the Hue app to control and customize everything from colors and brightness to strobe patterns. Additionally, the Sync Box 8K can also be controlled by Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.
The Sync Box 8K features four HDMI 2.1 inputs that you can connect your AV components to (e.g., cable box, game consoles, streaming devices, etc.). You’ll then run a single HDMI from the output on the Sync Box to an input on your TV or projector. The device comes with an AC power adapter, too, so you’ll need to make sure you have a free outlet available.
The Philips Hue Play Sync Box 8K is nothing without a Hue Bridge
Impressively, the Sync Box 8K is able to emulate the colors and patterns of on-screen content without a camera or sensor dangling in front of your TV. Much like an AV receiver or a good soundbar with HDMI inputs, the Sync Box handles HDR decoding and surround sound processing, too. It even supports Dolby Atmos, so you’ll want to make sure you’re using HDMI 2.1-rated cables (Ultra High-Speed, 48 Gbps).
HDMI 2.1 connectivity is always good news for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X or S owners. As its name would indicate, the Sync Box 8K can transmit video up to 8K at 60 Hz, but it also supports 4K at 120 Hz, along with gaming features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). We’re assuming that Alexa and Google Home households will want to use voice commands to control various Sync Box features, which makes investing in a Hue Bridge all the more essential.
Not only are voice assistants locked behind the add-on, but so is Hue Sync — the very technology that makes all the light and color matching possible. To that end, Philips does offer a “Create a starter kit” combo on its site that lets you add a Hue Bridge to a Sync Box 8K order for only $65. It also looks like you’ll be able to purchase the Bridge on Amazon, which was marked down to $44 at the time of writing.
