Philips Hue’s sibling brand unveils a rival HDMI sync box for way less

One of the best ways to sync your smart lights with the images on your TV is with Philips Hue’s light-syncing but loftily priced HDMI box. Looking spend less? Look no further than Philips Hue’s sibling brand, which just unveiled its own cheaper alternative.

Signify-owned WiZ Connected has just announced the WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight, which—similar to Hue’s own Play HDMI Sync Box 8K—syncs your smart lights with the signals coming from an HDMI-enabled video source.

The HDMI Sync Box comes with a segmented LED light strip (versions for sets between 55-65 inches and 75-85 inches are available) that attaches to the back of your TV on three sides.

The box can also connect with your other WiZ smart lights via Wi-Fi, and an unlimited number of smart lights is supported. The only limitation is that all the lights must be on the same Wi-Fi network, and they must support both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Signify

The device offers four preset sync modes—Cinematic, Vibrant, Relaxation, and Rhythmic—or you can customize the brightness, color saturation, and intensity manually. There’s also a built-in microphone that lets the WiZ box sync your lights with music from nearby audio sources.

Finally, there’s the price: just $89.99, a fraction of the $349.99 list price for the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K.

So, what’s the catch? For starters, there’s the whole 8K thing—specifically, the HDMI 2.1-enabled Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K supports 8K video at 60Hz, as well as 4K images at 120Hz, ideal for use with current-generation gaming consoles like the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox Series X. The WiZ HDMI Sync Box, in contrast, is limited to HDMI 2.0, and thus supports a top resolution of 4K at 60Hz.

Another drawback of the WiZ device is that it only has a single HDMI input, versus four for the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 4K. That means the WiZ device can only handle one video input at a time, although you can boost that number with an outboard HDMI switch.

Still, the WiZ HDMI Sync Box does support HDR, including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, making it a solid choice for those looking to add an extra dose of immersion to Netflix, Max, or Disney+ binge-watching sessions.

Besides the WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight, the brand is also announcing two other new smart lighting devices, both of which could be paired with sync box.

First comes the WiZ Gradient Floor light ($89), a tall, thin, floor-standing smart light that splashes swaths of color on the wall, similar to the Philips Hue Signe Floor Lamp.