How To Sync Philips Hue With TV Without Sync Box

Do you want to have fantastic lighting effects while watching TV?

This article explains:

• How to achieve lighting effects while watching TV without a Philips Hue HDMI Sync Box, which can be expensive.
• An alternative method to achieve the same effect is by using Philips Hue lights with an Amazon Firestick.
• A step-by-step guide to set up the alternative method.
• The article suggests an affordable alternative to Hue lights, the Govee LED TV Backlight kit, which includes smart lights and a camera that mounts to the top of the TV to scan the TV screen and create lighting effects.
• The advantages and disadvantages of not using a Sync Box.

It is possible to do with a set of Philips Hue lights and a Hue HDMI Sync Box, but can it be done without a Sync Box?

Yes, it can.

What Is a Philips Hue TV Sync Box?

A Philips Hue Sync Box is a device that will take all of your Philips Hue lights and have them sync up with whatever is playing on your TV. It works by detecting what’s playing and triggering the appropriate light effects.

So, for example, if you’re watching a horror movie and the room is dark, the lighting will flicker on as the film progresses and become more vivid as things become scarier. If you’re watching an action movie and the room is bright, the lights will stay off until you hear gunfire or explosions, and then they will flicker on to become brighter and faster until they’re at their brightest during the action scenes.

It is a really cool effect and helps immerse you into your entertainment. Some like to think about it like “”visual surround sound.””

The problem is that it can be out of some people’s budgets. If it is something that you do not want to spend money on, there are other ways to get the same effect without a Sync Box.

Does Philips Hue Work Without A Hue HDMI Sync Box?

Yes, Philips Hue lights can work with your TV without a Sync Box. However, you will need an alternative piece of hardware to get it to work. Luckily, the option I mention below is a lot cheaper!

How to Sync Philips Hue With TV Without Sync Box

What You Will Need

For this to work, there are a few things that you will need:

• Philips Hue lights. For this purpose, I would recommend the Philips Hue gradient light LED strip.
• Philips Hue bridge.
• Amazon Firestick.
• Philips Hue Light app.
• Philips Hue Stream app.

Got everything ready? Follow these steps to set everything up:

Note – I am recommending the Firestick as the alternative to the Sync Box for this demonstration. However, since the Firestick is an Android device, you should be able to also use an Android TV box or Android-powered smart TV to do the same thing without the Firestick.

Advantages Of Not Using A Sync Box

The most significant advantage is that this setup will save a lot of money – assuming yuo already have the Philips Hue lights and bridge. Philips hue HDMI sync box is expensive, so this is an excellent budget option. 

Disadvantages Of Not Using A Sync Box?

There are a couple disadvantages to note with this setup:

• You have to watch your content through the Amazon Firestick. While this isn’t a disadvantage, it still may be for some because they would instead just use the apps built into their smart TVs.
• A couple apps, such as Netflix, do not work with this setup.
• You cannot use other applications like Google Assistant to control the lights while they are in use with this setup. You must stop streaming from the Hue Stream app to regain control.

Philips Hue TV Sync Box Alternative Options

Here are a few recommendations to use instead of a Sync Box to get the same lighting effects as your television.

Already Own Hue Lights And Bridge? Get An Amazon Firestick

If you already own a bunch of Hue lights, I recommend the setup I showed above. It is inexpensive, and since you already have your lights and the bridge, it’s the best option if you don’t want to spend much money.

Don’t You Have Hue Lights? Get A Govee LED TV Backlight Kit

The Govee LED TV Backlight kit is an excellent affordable alternative to this. The kit includes the smart lights (a gradient light strip) for the back of your TV, the base unit, camera, etc. Everything you need to quickly set it up.

It works by using a camera that mounts to the top of your TV to scan your TV screen and create lighting effects.

Conclusion

Setting up reactive lighting on your television is an excellent way to enhance your TV and movie-watching experience. It can be pretty expensive to buy a Phillips hue HDMI sync box, but you can use alternative options to achieve the effect with less money.