The Philips Hue Sync Box 8K lets my Philips Hue lamps change colour with my TV. You can also play games in 120 Hz at 4K image quality.
I tested the Philips Hue HDMI Sync Box 8K, which lets you change the colour of your lamps with your TV. I have had Philips Hue lamps in my home for a while, but had never connected them to my TV before.
I opened the box and immediately felt like I had a quality product in my hands. The Sync Box has a sleek finish and feels heavy and solid. It is smaller than I expected, but this is an advantage for me.
I scanned the QR code on the packaging, after which I was guided through the installation. I connected the HDMI Sync Box to my TV with the supplied HDMI cable. In the Philips Hue app I set up the Sync Box further and assign an entertainment space. This way you let the app know where the lamps in your room are in relation to your TV.
The Sync Box has 4 HDMI inputs. I only use 2 of them. I use the Google Streamer 4K, the successor to the Chromecast, and a Playstation 5. I immediately go to Netflix and turn on ‘Our Planet’. I expect to be able to test the Sync Box well with this colorful nature series.
I have a number of Philips Hue White and Color E27 lamps in the living room. I have a Philips Hue Solo Lightstrip under the TV. The lighting fills the space and colors beautifully. With action films such as ‘Top Gun’ it gives extra dynamics. With Philips Hue lamps from the Play line I could have gotten even more out of it. Maybe I should replace my Lightstrip with a Gradient variant after all.
The big advantage of the new Sync Box is that it supports 120 Hz at 4K. I tried this with a Playstation 5. This went effortlessly and gave a nice smooth image. I do not have an 8K TV, so I was not able to test this image quality.
I am impressed with the Philips Hue Sync Box 8K. The installation was easy, and it makes even the simplest movies or series more fun to watch. Keep in mind that you only use separate input devices in combination with the Sync Box, such as a Chromecast or console. So you do not use the apps that are on your smart TV. Do you really want this? Then check whether your TV is suitable for the (paid) Philips Hue Sync app.