The Philips Hue line of smart lights is one of the most popular smart lights out there today, largely thanks to the wide range of support the company offers. Hue lights can serve any purpose, from utility lighting in the office to immersive lighting for entertainment experiences.
The best part is that these smart lights can pull you deeper into whatever you’re doing, whether watching movies or playing your favorite games; all it takes is the Philips Hue Sync app. Although it’s called the PC Sync App, it works on Mac devices as well as on Windows. Here’s how to set it up and how it transforms your entertainment experience.
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How Hue Sync Desktop App Affects Your Entertainment Experience
Imagine that you are watching a colorful movie (probably a Wes Anderson movie.) You have Hue lights all over your living room. You might be used to tapping the light switch when you start watching a movie, but this time, turn on Hue Sync and leave the lights on.
As the screen goes from one color to another, so do your lights. A band of light around your screen can change to reflect the colors on the screen, while the individual bulbs in your living room change to create an atmosphere that pulls you deeper into the movie. .
The same thing works for video games. If you want finer, more refined control, an accessory called the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box connects directly to your TV. You can even connect a game console like Xbox. Instead of using the colors of your computer screen, the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box takes inputs directly from your console or TV and displays them on your lights.
It’s the ultimate ambient light effect, but it comes at a hefty price. You can buy one of these devices on Amazon for just under $300.
The Philips Hue smart home lighting system is a strong choice if you want to invest in high-end smart lights, but it’s not budget-friendly. It also requires Wi-Fi to work, so if you like to hardwire things and you don’t have a wireless network, the light won’t work. You can also control Hue with a smart assistant like Alexa for even more convenience – but unfortunately, you can’t activate the entertainment zones with the smart assistant. You must do this through your phone or computer.
What you need to use Philips Hue Sync
The app is free, but has specific hardware requirements. First, you’ll need a computer running macOS or Windows.
You will also need a Philips Hue light kit and a Philips Hue bridge. You can get both at the same time by purchasing the Hue Starter Kit. While any of Hue’s line of connected smart lights will work, Hue color bulbs are the best choice. If you’re going to use the Hue Sync app to enhance your living room, a strip with multiple individual lights will have a bigger effect than just a single bulb.
How to set up and use Philips Hue Sync
The Philips Hue PC Sync app is a free download from the Philips Hue website. Download here by choosing Download the Mac or PC app. In addition, you can download the app from the Apple App Store, but it has many negative reviews. It is better to download the official version from the website.
How to set up Hue Sync
Once installed, the Hue Sync app is easy to use.
- Open the Hue Sync app.
- There are two options available. For the purposes of this article, we’ll assume you’ve already set up your Philips Hue smart lights. If not, select Help me set everything up. It will guide you through the process step by step. If you have already set up Hue lights and bridges, select Search for the bridge.
- Agree to the privacy policy while the app finds your Hue bridge. After finding it, choose Link.
- Press the physical button on the top of the Hue bridge. After you do this, select the recreation area you want to use. You can always swap them out and edit them later. If this is your first time setting up the Hue Sync app, you probably haven’t set up the entertainment zones yet.
- The Hue Sync app is set up and you can now use it to enhance your space.
Understanding the field of entertainment
After opening the Recreation Area, you will see several options. You can turn the light on or off by sliding the switch next to the area name, or adjust the brightness using the slider below. You can choose the type of entertainment it reflects between Scenes, Games, Music and Videos.
The intensity of the effect is expressed in one of four settings: Subtle, Medium, High, or Extreme. This affects the color change rate and how crazy the transition is. If you’re watching a slow-paced movie, Medium is a good choice. If you are playing video games, High or Extreme would be a better choice. These options will keep up with the action better.
With Games and Videos, you can choose whether the audio affects the transition by selecting the toggle below the effect strength. Music offers its own set of options in the form of a specific palette. By selecting the plus sign below the preset palettes, you can create your own palette.
How to create a scene in the Philips Hue app
Scenes are a set of preset color combinations that will appear on your lighting setup when selected. If you only have a single bulb, you won’t see the full effect of the Scene – but multiple lights make for a much more immersive experience.
Setting opens a menu that lets you fine-tune your Hue Sync experience. You can change the default app behavior here, but editing or creating a new Hue Amusement Park requires using the Philips Hue app on Android or iPhone.
- Open the Hue app on your mobile device.
- Option Setting.
- Option Entertainment areas.
- Touch plus in the upper right corner.
- Choose whether the Entertainment area will be used to watch TV, movies or to listen to music. (To play games, select movie or TV.)
- Name your Recreation area and press Accomplished.
- Select the lights you want to use in this area and press Next.
- Use the diagram provided to position the lights according to their actual position in the room, then press Next. Position their height relative to the space and press Accomplished.
- After completing this step, you can start using the Recreation Area. Option Accomplished.
The Philips Hue app lets you get the most out of your smart lights. While it can be time-consuming to set up at first, once you’ve arranged the lights the way you like them, you can customize them quickly.
