This box is a cheaper way to get a Philips Hue-style TV lightshow
Phlips Hue has enabled you to sync your lights with your TV for a little while now but it can be an expensive system.
Hue's cheaper stablemate from owner Signify is Wiz. The company also does a truckload of smart lights sat a more modest and it's now turned its attention to the TV with a similar product to Hue's HDMI Sync Box (now also available in a tasty high-end 8K flavor).
The HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight is a cheaper alternative to the Hue Sync Box available in two sizes for £80/€90 (55-65in TVs) or £100/€110 (75-85in). It comes with an LED lightstrip that you add to the back of your TV to produce an Ambilight-style effect.
The Sync Box is basically like an HDMI switcher between your devices – like a set top box or streaming stick – and your TV. The Sync Box reacts to what's coming to your screen and changes your lights accordingly to match the colors and brightness of your TV. Unlike some products such as the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror, you don't have a camera pointed at your TV.
Everything is controlled via the Wiz app so the Sync Box will 'know' where your Wiz lights are and be able to adjust colours accordingly to what's on the screen. You're also able to control the lights with Google or Alexa voice control and there's a remote control for the box, too.
The Wiz HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight supports HDMI 2.0 and works with pictures up to 4K 60Hz with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. The lightstrip is three-sided and is designed for easy mounting on the back of your TV.
Sadly even Philips Hue no long syncs with Philips Ambilight TVs out of the box now (they're made by different companies). So even if you have a 2023 Ambilight TV or later you need an alternative solution.
The HDMI Sync Box works with any WiZ color-capable light that supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. You can link as many lights to the Sync Box as you like as long as they're on the same Wi-Fi network.
A built-in microphone can also capture audio playing from any source and make your lights change color and brightness along with music playing in the room.
Hue has also debuted new Gradient Light Bars and a Gradient Floor light (check it out below) that can be used to 'wash' your walls in light to match your TV.
Play
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Stuff.tv
an hour ago
- Stuff.tv
New Gemini smarts aren't the only reason I'm excited for Google's latest Chromebook Plus laptops
Google has just kicked its Chromebook Plus program into high gear, courtesy of all-new MediaTek silicon that promises to bring some of Gemini's AI smarts out of the cloud and onto your lap. First in line is the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, which launches today from $599/£599 – and after seeing one in the metal at a pre-launch preview, I'm going to need to rethink what it means to be a budget laptop. Each new Chromebook Plus notebook I've seen has somehow managed to feel more and more premium; Lenovo's effort goes even better, with a largely metal build that's barely 16mm at its thickest point. The silver finish really helps it play the part of a pricier device, and I like the subtle Chromebook badging on the lid. There's still room at the sides for two USB-C ports – one on the left next to a single Type-A port, and one on the right with the 3.5mm headphone port. It's great to see a fingerprint reader underneath the keyboard, too; using an Android phone with Smart Lock is a slick way to skip the ChromeOS lock screen, but this is even quicker. The 5MP webcam promises clear video calls, with Google's usual on-device background blur and appearance effects on offer if you need 'em. Weighing a paltry 1.15kg, this laptop looks ideal for on-the-go working, and it's also completely fanless. That means silent running, whether you're replying to work emails or getting your game on via the Play Store. A 1920×1200 OLED screen further sets this machine apart from lesser Chromebooks. Perfect blacks, impeccable contrast and vibrant colours were all on display during my demo, along with excellent viewing angles. 400 nits brightness is promised, along with 100% DCI-P3 colour coverage for creative types. It'll be available as a touchscreen, too. Dolby Atmos sound is then Chromebook first, with two woofers and two tweeters delivering down- and up-firing audio to match the luscious visuals. It should eat up anything you can throw at it, thanks to the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra chipset. Eight ARM cores apparently deliver 18% better CPU muscle and 40% better GPU performance than the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U found in a handful of current Chromebooks. 50% less power consumption, too – so much that Lenovo reckons you'll see up to 17 hours of battery life from a single charge. It's paired with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. AI processing sees the biggest gains, with a dedicated NPU delivering as much as 50 TOPs of processing grunt. On-device Gemini Nano processing should be 32% faster than previous-gen Chromebook Plus laptops, but also 44% more efficient. That's handy, as Google has moved even more of Gemini's AI processing onto the Chromebook itself for 2025. The image gallery can now intelligently cut out subjects from their backgrounds, or expand them if you've cropped in too tightly. Cloud-based image generation can now be found in the Quick Insert menu (accessed with the Caps Lock key), and the 12 Months of Google AI Pro Plan you get free with purchase includes Google's eerily clever Veo 3 video generation tool. Smart Grouping is exclusive to the Chromebook Plus 14, taking related apps and windows to a new virtual desktop to save you from a nightmare of alt+tab swapping. Select to Search with Lens is the laptop equivalent of your phone's Circle to Search. Tap and hold – or press a shortcut key combo – and you can drag a box around any onscreen text. A window then pops up from the corner of the screen with relevant info, without taking you away from your current app, and contextual tools appear based on what you've selected. Highlight a party invitation image and it'll offer to add the event to your calendar; highlight a photo of spreadsheet and it'll let you import the lot into Google Sheets, formatting and all. The non-exclusive features will make their way to existing Chromebook Plus laptops, but you'll need to pick up the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 to get AI image editing in the gallery app and smart grouping. It's on sale right now, with prices starting from $599/£599.
Stuff.tv
6 days ago
- Stuff.tv
If you don't want your old Samsung account deleted, you need to do this one crucial thing
Do you have a Samsung account you haven't touched since ditching your Galaxy smartphone for another of the latest phones? Well, if that account's been gathering dust for over two years, your account might be deleted. Starting on 31 July, Samsung's going to start swinging the axe on any account that's been inactive for 24 months. That's means permanent deletion of your account and data. That includes all your Cloud backups, Galaxy Store purchases, Wallet cards, and the location data your Find My Samsung app might've once relied on. Read more: This Samsung Galaxy free upgrade finally switches on this essential feature by default If this sounds like your account's at risk, the fix is laughably simple. Just log in. Seriously, that's it. One quick sign-in before the end of July 2025 and you're safe. You don't have to go through a CAPTCHA labyrinth, or any two-factor code texts to a number you've long since abandoned. Samsung just wants to know you're still out there. Samsung isn't the first to pull this stunt. Google did the same thing back in 2023, and Microsoft's been on the deletion bandwagon too. Even X, formerly Twitter, has its own inactive account policy. So this isn't Samsung being especially ruthless – it's just the latest club on the clean-up crusade. But if there's even a sliver of a chance you'll want access to your old Samsung data again, now's the time to act. Samsung's account deletion policy kicks in on 31 July. You should've already received an email warning if your account is affected. And remember, if you want to keep access to your account, all you need to do is log in.
Stuff.tv
6 days ago
- Stuff.tv
This recent Google Pixel 10 leak has me very excited about the camera upgrade
Every year, I upgrade to the latest Pixel for one reason: the camera. I think it's one of the best phones around. Not because of the chipset. Not because of the display. Just the camera. And this latest Pixel 10 leak has me counting down the days until launch. According to a report from Android Headlines, the Pixel 10 series might gain telemacro functionality. If you're not familiar, that means the phone could use its telephoto lens to shoot crisp close-up photos. It's a trick that's been popping up in phones like the OPPO Find N5 and OnePlus 13. Instead of relying on the ultrawide for macro shots (which Google has previously done with the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9a), the telephoto lets you zoom in while still getting sharp focus on the tiniest subjects. This sounds like a small tweak, but it could be a big deal. If it works the way it should, it'll mean better close-ups with more detail, less distortion, and cleaner depth. It also means you don't need to get as close to your subject, which could be useful if you're trying to take a picture of a flighty insect, for example. Google might keep the ultrawide macro option too, switching between lenses depending on how close you are to the subject. Basically, it could be offering more flexibility, better results, and more reasons for me to obsessively photograph bugs, flowers, and coffee beans. Sure, it's a relatively minor upgrade, but it's one that has me excited to see what else Google has up its sleeve. The Pixel 10 series is expected to launch on 20 August, with shipping reportedly set for 28 August. If this telemacro upgrade is real, the camera champ might just be levelling up again. And yes, I'm already clearing space in my photo library for hundreds of macro shots. Liked this? These earbuds have a 65-hour battery life, but that's not the best thing about them
