Views on Philips Ambilight?
Discussion
Hi all,
Thanks to my idiot offspring having a temper tantrum with an Xbox controller, my trusty 50" Panasonic plasma from 2011 needs replacing.
I'm looking at 55" OLED TVs at the moment, and like the look of the Philips OLED804, which is currently £1,399 pretty much everywhere (making Richer Sounds a no-brainer with their 6 year warranty). The reviews I've seen for it are all decent enough, but not quite as good as for the identically priced LG C9.
I really like the idea of the Philips Ambilight, and at the moment, this is likely to swing it, but before spending that much cash, I just wanted to check from anyone who has actually owned one if the Ambilight is as good as it sounds? The TV will be on a white wall, which I guess helps, but the roof slopes, so the top of the TV will only be about 9 inches below the angle of the wall/ceiling. I'm wondering if that's going to have a negative impact, eg, leaving a sharp line of colour?
Thanks to my idiot offspring having a temper tantrum with an Xbox controller, my trusty 50" Panasonic plasma from 2011 needs replacing.
I'm looking at 55" OLED TVs at the moment, and like the look of the Philips OLED804, which is currently £1,399 pretty much everywhere (making Richer Sounds a no-brainer with their 6 year warranty). The reviews I've seen for it are all decent enough, but not quite as good as for the identically priced LG C9.
I really like the idea of the Philips Ambilight, and at the moment, this is likely to swing it, but before spending that much cash, I just wanted to check from anyone who has actually owned one if the Ambilight is as good as it sounds? The TV will be on a white wall, which I guess helps, but the roof slopes, so the top of the TV will only be about 9 inches below the angle of the wall/ceiling. I'm wondering if that's going to have a negative impact, eg, leaving a sharp line of colour?
I bought a 65 inch Philips TV with Ambilight earlier this year. I think it's stunning. It really does add to the experience; it somehow adds atmosphere and depth and looking at a normal TV without it is a real let down now. You can adjust the light to suit the colour of the back wall if it's not white (though it does have to be a light shade of course). It's part of the setting up process.
I wouldn't want to go back to a TV without it now.
I wouldn't want to go back to a TV without it now.
Same here.
I bought a 46 model years ago with Ambilight and absolutely loved it.
When the time came to add a TV (the above one moved upstairs), I bought the 55POS9002 which is the predecessor of the 55OLED803. It has an OLED screen, 4K, Ambilight and then a host of other things that I don't care about.
It is absolutely brilliant (mind you, I don't use its speakers as I have a home cinema setup).
Both TVs have been without issues.
I also wouldn't get another TV without Ambilight.
I bought a 46 model years ago with Ambilight and absolutely loved it.
When the time came to add a TV (the above one moved upstairs), I bought the 55POS9002 which is the predecessor of the 55OLED803. It has an OLED screen, 4K, Ambilight and then a host of other things that I don't care about.
It is absolutely brilliant (mind you, I don't use its speakers as I have a home cinema setup).
Both TVs have been without issues.
I also wouldn't get another TV without Ambilight.
Downward said:
Yep love my ambilight it’s in the alcove so it does bring some light to the darkness
Synced with the kitchen hue strip lights too and the living room lights although this isn’t the best.
Is through the ones with Android TV?Synced with the kitchen hue strip lights too and the living room lights although this isn’t the best.
I'm almost about to pull the trigger, but can't decide on their in-house Saphi interface or the Android TV one. I already have an Nvidia Shield, so I'll have Android regardless, but I'm interested in the Alexa integration on the higher end ones. Didn't know they integrated with Hue as well. How does that work?
h0b0 said:
You can add Ambilight to most TVs with an eBay kit.
I did look at some of those a while back before I needed a new TV. I couldn't find a single one that actually included video of what it looked like with moving images on screen rather than just fixed photos. I suspect there would be just enough lag between colours changing on screen and on the LEDs to make it infuriating rather than experience enhancing.I don't have one but am committed to getting one next, haven't seen anyone who owns one who says it's crap and not worth it.
Philips are releasing a new product in January called the Hue Sync. It's a box that sits between your external units and your TV and allows non-ambilight TVs to be ambilight. However it will be around £200 initially, and not include lights. It won't work on internal TV apps either, only for feeds going through HDMI. Just something to consider if you have a high budget and not sold on Philips TVs. I think the ambilights still have enough of an advantage to stick too though.
If you really want to be impressed look for their Ambilux TVs. They were out in 2016, but they seemed to give up on it. Rather than LEDs on the back, they have projectors, so the on screen image is projected behind the TV. I don't think they sold many in the UK so difficult to find second hand.
Philips are releasing a new product in January called the Hue Sync. It's a box that sits between your external units and your TV and allows non-ambilight TVs to be ambilight. However it will be around £200 initially, and not include lights. It won't work on internal TV apps either, only for feeds going through HDMI. Just something to consider if you have a high budget and not sold on Philips TVs. I think the ambilights still have enough of an advantage to stick too though.
If you really want to be impressed look for their Ambilux TVs. They were out in 2016, but they seemed to give up on it. Rather than LEDs on the back, they have projectors, so the on screen image is projected behind the TV. I don't think they sold many in the UK so difficult to find second hand.
Tyre Tread said:
58"Ambilight 58PUS7304/12 on offer at Costco which will include their 5 year guarantee
Down by £156 to £480 - Good deal?
Yeah, 55" is IPS panel and best avoided, the 58" only comes with a VA panel and is good. Down by £156 to £480 - Good deal?
The P5 processor does add quite a bit of sharpening to the image that you can't turn off, well you can in Monitor mode, but then you can't set the colour temp to warm, so image looks too blue.
But I'm being really picky here, a great set and that is a fab price.
I find the warm white to be too white, the Android versions allow you to adjust the RGB values, I presume the OLEDs are the same.
I have always had a light behind my TV, well for the last 20 years or so, hate not having one now.
I don't however, agree it needs to be 6500k like some on the avforums do, far too clinical.
I prefer a warm glow.
Philips Hue 'white' bulb is good, 2700k. Cheap as chips and has 10 brightness level settings.
Will work with their bluetooth app and nothing else needed, will hook up to the usual suspects too like Alexa etc.
I have always had a light behind my TV, well for the last 20 years or so, hate not having one now.
I don't however, agree it needs to be 6500k like some on the avforums do, far too clinical.
I prefer a warm glow.
Philips Hue 'white' bulb is good, 2700k. Cheap as chips and has 10 brightness level settings.
Will work with their bluetooth app and nothing else needed, will hook up to the usual suspects too like Alexa etc.
caduceus said:
Tyre Tread said:
58"Ambilight 58PUS7304/12 on offer at Costco which will include their 5 year guarantee
Down by £156 to £480 - Good deal?
I'm in the market for a new tv and I do like the look of the amblight.Down by £156 to £480 - Good deal?
Think I might plump for that one. Thanks Tread.
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