Play of light with Hue Play
25.11.2019
Translation: machine translated
When switched off, they are inconspicuous, but at the touch of a button they unleash their colourful magic: the Ambi lights "Hue Play" from Philips turn your wall into a canvas and accompany videos, games or music with the right play of light.
Has the wall behind the TV always been this grey-white and bare? Probably. But it's only since I dismantled the "Hue Play" that I've really noticed. I had no particular expectations of the three elongated plastic lights when I integrated them into my Hue system as a test. So far, I've only used warm white light, so a little splash of colour can't hurt. That was my approach.
As has long been the case with all Hue products from Philips, nothing works without Bridge - and everything is quite simple with Bridge. Plug in the lamps and integrate them into the app. Then assign them to a room or, as in this case, the entertainment area and you're ready to go. The basic sets always include a power supply unit, extensions without a power supply unit are available separately.
One power supply unit for three Hallelujahs
Since up to three Hue Play can be operated on one power supply unit, there is no need for additional plugs. I take advantage of this because I have three of the lightweight Lightbars in my test pack. I only need one power socket for this, and these are in short supply in the entertainment area. Very good. At the same time, I'm cursing a total of six metres of cable that need to be hidden and will sooner or later end up as a tangle that's almost impossible to untangle. I don't know how this happens, but it always does.
The cables end at the plastic lights, which are a good 25 cm long. From a purely visual point of view, these things need a good hiding place; when switched off, they are not a highlight. They shine indirectly, from behind the scenes. That's what they are designed for. Their milky plastic glass diffuses the light in a pleasantly soft way. With 16 million colours and colour temperatures from 2000 to 6500 Kelvin, everything is possible, and you can give them commands with Alexa, Siri, Cortana, Google Assistant, IFTT and Samsung Bixby. On paper, nothing is left to be desired. But what does it do in practice?
I play around a bit with the Hue Play and light up my Mexican Alebrije, which you can see in the pictures, in all the colours of the rainbow. At some point, that's too much of a good thing. More colour than I can handle. Even though the colours can be mixed wonderfully, I don't want to leave the lights on the table. It's better hidden behind the sofa. The Hue Play creates a pleasant atmosphere.
The best place for them is around screens
Nevertheless, I quickly come to the decision to use them for their main purpose and install them behind the TV. After all, Philips has been using Ambilight for years to ensure that what's happening on the screen is also reflected on the wall. Depending on what is playing on the screen, the surroundings are bathed in the right colour light. And Hue Play is something like the to-go version of this.
The lights can be positioned vertically or horizontally, depending on how you mount the supplied stand. And with the included adhesive surfaces, they can be easily attached to the back of a TV. I place one on the left and one on the right behind the device and stick one across the centre. It looks more spectacular than expected when I click through the standard light settings in the Hue app. Sunset? The screen is framed by a glowing red corona. Northern lights? Blue-green veils on the wall. I no longer know where to look. At the screen or next to it.
Hue Sync: The diversions via the PC or Mac
Installed in this way, the lighting is very attractive and can be controlled in 1001 ways, but is still only semi-smart. Without the new Sync Box, you have to install the Hue Sync software on your PC or Mac and make it the video or audio source so that Hue Play reacts to what is happening on the screen. Only if you mirror the content from your computer to your TV can you, as a classic couch potato, also enjoy real light shows on your TV. Whether HDMI, AirPlay, Chromecast or Miracast - in theory, any connection is possible. In practice, the HDCP copy protection used by many streaming suppliers prevents Hue Sync from analysing the signal correctly. A similar experience was made by Community member Loris.polenz:
Experimenting, swearing, looking for solutions - all things I don't necessarily want to do after work. That's why I move the Hue Play from the TV to my laptop and focus on music. A monitor is the second logical hiding place for the lights; gamers in particular might enjoy it. I try out how the lightbars react and start the first Spotify playlist that promises beats. As Hue Sync can't tap into a colour scheme for music, you have to choose the colours yourself in this case. The intensity can also be adjusted. This is what the light storm looks like at its brightest when you don't hide the Hue Play, but look directly at it.
Conclusion: Hue quality for the Hue price
The Lightbars are well made and the light really creates a wow effect on the wall. I was already impressed by the standard scenes. If you just want to bathe your potted plant in green light, the price is a little high. If you make full use of the indirect lighting options and tap into audio or video content via Hue Sync, they are worth the investment.
Happiness is fleeting, so I keep moving. On the bike, on the ball (size and color do not matter) and in everything that comes from the imagination of two children. I love to live out my play instinct and give coincidences a chance.
