Anyone fit ambilighting to their non Philips TV?

[TameRacingDriver]

I've been looking about for something like this but it seems that half of the stuff that appears in articles doesn't really exist in order to buy, or it does but is very expensive, almost to the point where you may as well just sell the existing TV and buy a Philips TV.

Just wondering if anyone has fitted anything like this to their TV set, how much did you pay, and did you enjoy the results?

[SlimJim16v]

You need one of these
https://www.philips-hue.com/en-gb/p/hue-play-hdmi-...

and these
https://www.philips-hue.com/en-gb/p/hue-hue-bridge...

and then whichever lights you want to use on the TV.

[DoctorX]

I was interested in one of those HDMI devices, but the caveats about the pass through and Netflix/Amazon etc put me off:

https://www.techhive.com/article/3451822/philips-h...

I just have a Hue light strip taped to the back of the TV and a colour cycling scene from Hue Labs in the app. Doesn't react to the source, but looks good.

[TameRacingDriver]

Thanks both.

I was aware of the Phillips option but I think it's too much Wonga to justify, as the article said you're up to £400+ to get it set up and you can get a new Phillips TV 65" for 700 and could probably sell mine for a few hundred...

That said I'm not sure I'm willing to go through the hassle or pay that much so will probably just look into a lower tech/cost solution.

[NWMark]

If your up for a bit of tinkering this can be done for around £50 with a raspberry pi - simple HDMI capture device and a strip of LEDs (length depends on TV size)

Look up hyperion software - there are many guides out there but this youtube video is as good as any.

DrZzs Hyperion Guide

I don't have this on a TV but do my computer monitor (you don't even need the HDMI device for this as there is a windows app) used 2m of LED's and it works amazing well - you can even control it with the Hyperion phone app, if you don't want ambilight and just a specific colour or effect.

Edited by NWMark on Tuesday 29th September 12:44

[Gompo]

Is the general consensus that the effect of Ambilight is worth the expense on a new television, and/or retrofitting to an existing set up? Is it not a bit of a gimmick?

[walamai]

Gompo said:

Is the general consensus that the effect of Ambilight is worth the expense on a new television, and/or retrofitting to an existing set up? Is it not a bit of a gimmick?

I've got a cheap strip of RGB LED's which run off 5V USB. So just plugged into a spare USB port on the TV and they turn on and off with the TV. They're just set to a single colour. Dug out the order, it's these ones: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B072MZFW81/


Having some light in the room helps the blacks on the TV look more black (without going to the expense of an OLED TV!). Nicer to have these on for a bit of ambient light (pun slightly intended) than to have the lights in the room on.

[SpeckledJim]

Gompo said:

Is the general consensus that the effect of Ambilight is worth the expense on a new television, and/or retrofitting to an existing set up? Is it not a bit of a gimmick?

Ambilight was the reason we recently chose Philips, but we'd already decided to get a new TV.

I like it. After a little while you stop actively noticing it, but then turn it off and suddenly the picture seems a bit boring, and you realise that you were getting some benefit from it.

Onto a grey wall it struggles a bit to create a great match for the colour on the tv, but I suppose that's inevitable on anything but a white wall.

[croissant]

Gompo said:

Is the general consensus that the effect of Ambilight is worth the expense on a new television, and/or retrofitting to an existing set up? Is it not a bit of a gimmick?

I had a 42" Philips TV with this a few years back and rather liked it at the time. I changed TV for one that's amore appropriate size for the room and I don't miss it.

It's a gimmick but a good one

[TameRacingDriver]

I’ve already got a white led strip at the back of the TV which is decent but I just fancied something a bit more flash

If I get anything it’ll probably just be a souped up version of what I have now

[ARHarh]

NWMark said:

If your up for a bit of tinkering this can be done for around £50 with a raspberry pi - simple HDMI capture device and a strip of LEDs (length depends on TV size)

Look up hyperion software - there are many guides out there but this youtube video is as good as any.

DrZzs Hyperion Guide

I don't have this on a TV but do my computer monitor (you don't even need the HDMI device for this as there is a windows app) used 2m of LED's and it works amazing well - you can even control it with the Hyperion phone app, if you don't want ambilight and just a specific colour or effect.

Edited by NWMark on Tuesday 29th September 12:44

I followed this guide and have it running on my tv. Already had a spare rpi and LEDs so didn't cost me a lot