Smart Lighting

[mace¬]

I'm looking ot get a TV backlight and then link it up to a couple of extra lights in the room for extra effect.

I've found the Philips Hue stuff that would do the job
TV Sync box
Light Strip
Bridge
2x Iris lights
1x floor lamp

This is quite expensive route to go so was looking at Govee as I see mention of them doing a sync box for the TV but I can only find a gaming one which I assume is different and I don't want their camera based system.

Any other less expensive alternatives to consider?

 

[Matt Cup]

I’m pretty impressed with Govee stuff, and have the Backlight 3 .

Doesn’t require a link box as it uses a camera to get the colours and it all works through a pretty slick app.

 

[mace¬]

Can I then buy some floor lamps and sync them to the TV? I've looked on line but it seems to be mixed opinions? I'm not sure why I've set my heart on a sync box over a camera tbh.

Bit of a further update. I can use the Govee gaming sync box for apps like Netflix and Prime etc if I run them through the Xbox as they need a hdmi signal, apps through the TV wouldn't work.

Still think the Philips Hue lamps look nicer though....

 

[Matt Cup]

The hue box was useless for us as we mainly use the native apps on the TV so they wouldn’t work anyway. For the sake of £40 for the Govee it does a pretty good job at what we needed it for.

 

[Nickw88]

I second the Govee stuff. They had a good sale on recently, not sure if it's still going though. I'll find some pics/videos and post them up

 

[Nickw88]

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

View attachment 1721882

Upvote because cat.

Lighting thing looks incredible... [to Google I go....]

 

[Nickw88]

Took a bit of tweaking to get the colour matching set up correctly, but works well and I’m really happy with them. Although I will admit that more often than not I just have set colours as mood lighting rather than the reactive lighting. As cool and effective as they are, sometimes it can be a bit intense when you’re just trying to relax with a film 😂

 

[Nickw88]

Oh and for reference, this is what I purchased:

 

[mace¬]

Ok, Govee it is.

I didn't realise the Hue sync box needed the HDMI input as well.... I thought it would work for the TV apps.

I'm looking to get similar to @Nickw88 with a further lamp behind the corner sofa where it curves round.

I was thinking these instead of the tall floor lamps but cost wise I can do the whole living room for not much more than the Hue sync box and tv lights. Saving around £550.

Hue Iris Table Lamp Silver Special Edition | Philips Hue UK

Set the mood in any room with the Hue Iris Silver special edition lamp. With a light that both washes the wall with colour and offers a gentle backlight.

www.philips-hue.com

 

[Robbie Corbett]

View attachment 1721882

Does this positively add to your experience or is it just a gimmick? Looks like it might get a bit annoying/tiresome after a while? Or is it really good in the flesh?

 

[Greeny.]

I kinda like the idea of this as I only have a solid warm white backlight atm but as above it does look like abit of a gimmick and could just end up being quite annoying after a while?

 

[Nickw88]

Does this positively add to your experience or is it just a gimmick? Looks like it might get a bit annoying/tiresome after a while? Or is it really good in the flesh?

Completely depends on the mood I’m in. If I’m watching a horror or something with lots of tension or action going on then it adds a much greater depth to the experience, especially when the surround sound is blasting out. Sometimes though it just gives me a headache or is too much for the mood I’m in. I don’t rate it for gaming though, definitely too much going on for that.

Like I said further up though, just to have a nice ambience from them is good and there’s endless colour combinations as well as moving scenes etc. It’s also pretty good for parties when you stick it on music mode.

 

[Matt Cup]

The backlight is a pretty good extension of the TV giving the effect of a bigger screen. We don’t use ours all the time but when sticking a film on it makes it a bit more immersive.

 

[Nickw88]

This is how I have it 90% of the time. It’s on an automation so comes on just before I get home from work and goes off at bedtime (in the winter). Got a few other automations set for when I’m on holiday etc too

 

[Nickw88]

Bit of a boring video, but gives more of a demo of their capabilities

 

[realnumber 1]

Philips Ambilight TV's with some extra Hue lights (blooms etc) is by far the best solution but not the cheapest.

If you need/want a new TV it might be a good idea.

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Didn't you mess about with WLED not long ago or am I thinking of someone else @mace¬ ?

 

[mace¬]

Didn't you mess about with WLED not long ago or am I thinking of someone else @mace¬ ?

Yes was me, did the office but as the Mrs will be seeing this in the living room I wanted a straight out of the box solution.

Take that to mean the office lights are not in a great state. I did watch a WLED YT and it is possible, just beyond my skill set.

 

[mace¬]

Ordered the T2 after checking the differences between the 3 Lite, amazed they never offered the same light density on the 3. Also proper weird how they then give the add ons as just product codes that you need to go look up to see what they are, but got the 2m strip light to go under the floating unit. Waiting on the light bars to come back into stock that I'll try before deciding if I want/need the floor lamps either side and will then order the floor lamp to go behind the sofa.

Great work again on here in providing the advice. If I wouldn't have asked I would have piled a shed load more into Philips because I liked their lamps and not realised it needed a HDMI signal to work.

 

[Nickw88]

Hope you’re happy with them once they’re all set up. Might have a few headaches getting them all synced and colour matching at first though as it was a bit of frustrating job for me. That said, I am a bit OCD and they had to be precise, so most people probably wouldn’t be as fussy 😂

 

[mace¬]

Turned up today, Mrs is treating me like a 8 year old and even though I've paid for them they are for me from her and the klds for Christmas so I can't have them yet. Some logic that is.

So, this has given me a bit of time to get some more gear together. Lyra lamp ordered, waiting for the light bars to come back into stock and then this got me thinking. Do the house.

Can't see a UK Govee option for smart light switches though? all seems very app based or alexa, with the Mrs and kids they'd want to just walk in the room and press something physical and the lights come on, I clearly don't want them switching it off at the light switch all the time as that defeats the point. Now I've commited ot Govee I want it all under one app but products seem limited.

Edit: Really like the look of the Hue dimmer. Might keep the living room as my toy and go Hue everywhere else.

 

[Matt Cup]

Turned up today, Mrs is treating me like a 8 year old and even though I've paid for them they are for me from her and the klds for Christmas so I can't have them yet. Some logic that is.

So, this has given me a bit of time to get some more gear together. Lyra lamp ordered, waiting for the light bars to come back into stock and then this got me thinking. Do the house.

Can't see a UK Govee option for smart light switches though? all seems very app based or alexa, with the Mrs and kids they'd want to just walk in the room and press something physical and the lights come on, I clearly don't want them switching it off at the light switch all the time as that defeats the point. Now I've commited ot Govee I want it all under one app but products seem limited.

Edit: Really like the look of the Hue dimmer. Might keep the living room as my toy and go Hue everywhere else.

Check out Hibbert home tech on YouTube for all your smart home stuff. Hue is expensive and quite frankly rubbish (I have some of their stuff) and wished I went for an alternate brand.

 

[c4pob]

I’ve got a couple of Ambilight TV’s. I use the backlighting for everything and set to Game mode so it’s as dynamic as possible. Absolutely love it.
If you want to go the TV route, try and not buy the low end ones. They UI is poor and laggy but noting a third party device like a games console, sky box, fire stick etc can’t sort.

All processing is done in the TV so it works with everything.

 

[realnumber 1]

Check out Hibbert home tech on YouTube for all your smart home stuff. Hue is expensive and quite frankly rubbish (I have some of their stuff) and wished I went for an alternate brand.

You can't come out with a statement like that without telling us what the "superior" product is? lol

 

[Matt Cup]

You can't come out with a statement like that without telling us what the "superior" product is? lol

There are loads of alternatives that seem to surpass hue nowadays for a fraction of the price. I’m just saying Hue isn’t everything.

Also I’m mildly annoyed at my setup at the moment as I have a hue lamp that has a mind of it own and turns on whenever it pleases instead of when the rest of the lights in the room come on and my lights trip s**t itself.

 

[realnumber 1]

There are loads of alternatives that seem to surpass hue nowadays for a fraction of the price. I’m just saying Hue isn’t everything.

Also I’m mildly annoyed at my setup at the moment as I have a hue lamp that has a mind of it own and turns on whenever it pleases instead of when the rest of the lights in the room come on and my lights trip s**t itself.

I've yet to see one with a better ecosystem thats as stable yet so I'll stick to my Hue in that case (with a few tradfri spots in the kitchen) . Mines worked fairly flawlessly in the 10+ years I've had it.

 

[AdDaMan]

Philips Ambilight TV's with some extra Hue lights (blooms etc) is by far the best solution but not the cheapest.

If you need/want a new TV it might be a good idea.

it cant be matched imo. I only buy Philips tv's as i cant go back

 

[Neil Clio 182]

Recently bought some on recommendation, I got the nanoleaf 4d for the 55" TV not tried it yet it's under the tree.
I also have some Govee Gaming Lights, I'm playing with SimHub ambient lights. Also got a Wifi Govee bulb, can't get it to connect to simhub though.