GoKawiilPhilips Hue cuts entertainment sync prices with new $150 box and $120 camera
Philips Hue unveiled two cheaper ways to sync its smart lights with TV content: a scaled-down Sync Box 4K priced at $150, well below the $385 8K version, and a new camera-based Play Screen Sync at $119.99. Both debuted at IFA in Berlin and are available for purchase now.
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Philips Hue has long charged a premium for entertainment syncing compared to rivals like Govee, so these lower-cost options could help it compete for budget-conscious smart-home buyers. The camera-based system also extends sync support to streaming apps built directly into TVs, a gap the HDMI-only boxes couldn't cover.
- Sync Box 4K costs $150, less than half the $385 8K model, but drops to one HDMI input and 4K/60Hz via HDMI 2.0.
- Play Screen Sync at $119.99 is Hue's first camera-based system, using a fisheye lens and auto-calibration to match on-screen colors.
- Camera-based syncing can react to any content, including built-in TV apps, while HDMI boxes remain more accurate but limited to connected devices.
Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box — This is the box that makes the magic happen: it reads what's coming through HDMI from your console or streaming device and pushes matching color to your Hue lights in real time. Pair it with Hue color bulbs or light bars and movie nights suddenly spill off the screen and onto your walls.
See Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: theverge.com — Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, 2026-09-03
Published there as: “Philips Hue adds more affordable options for syncing smart lights with your TV”
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