Wiz follows in the footsteps of Philips Hue in an attempt to create an alternative to the popular Philips Ambilight mood lighting system.
The solution from Wiz resembles the solution from Philips Hue, which makes sense given that both brands are owned by Signify.
It involves an HDMI sync box that sits between an external player and the TV. It reads the colors in the video signal and adjusts the colors in the LEDs to match.
Pros and cons
The advantage of sync boxes like these from Wiz and Philips Hue is that they work with all external players and all TVs. The downside is that they do not work with the TV's built-in apps and tuners.
You should also note that the Wiz box is limited to HDMI 2.0, i.e video formats up to 4K 60Hz with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. If you own a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X game console, 4K 120Hz and VRR will not pass through. If you own an Apple TV 4K (2022), QMS will not pass through.
Also read: Philips Hue app now available for newer LG Smart TVs
This stands in contrast to Ambilight, which most Philips TVs come born with. Ambilight works with both internal and external sources without limitations, and offers a range of additional features such as Lounge mode.
A lightstrip is included with the Wiz HDMI Sync Box. Photo: Signify
Extendable in the living room
When you buy the Wiz HDMI Sync Box, a LED lightstrip is included that can be mounted on the back of the TV to project mood lighting on three sides behind the image.
The mood lighting can be expanded with all Wiz LED bulbs that support both WiFi and Bluetooth, via the Wiz app. There is no limit to the number of add-ons, according to Signify. There is a built-in microphone so the lighting can also sync to the rhythm of music tracks.
The Wiz HDMI Sync Box with an included TV lightstrip costs 90 Euro / 90 USD for 55–65" TVs and 110 Euro / 110 USD for 75–75" TVs. The product goes on sale in May.
