- Ambilight is integrated lighting that follows the on-screen action
- New Roku-powered TV is is available from 43 to 65 inches
- 4K resolution and HDR10, but no Dolby Vision or HDR10+
Philips' Ambilight technology to the US in a new Roku-powered TV, and I'm really pleased for my American pals: I'm in the UK where Ambilight has been available for a long time, and it's one of my very favorite bits of TV tech.
If you're not familiar with Ambilight, it's a system of colored LED lights that are built into the TV's rear. Those lights follow the on-screen action in real-time – so if you're watching a movie or playing a game, the colors extend beyond the boundaries of your TV and into your room. Here's a video of it in action, though on a different set:
It makes your TV feel bigger than it is, which is great if you're on a budget or have size restrictions in your room, but would love a more immersive screen. It's also kind on the eyes, and apparently helps with perceived contrast levels on-screen, too.
It's essentially the same thing as a Philips Hue Play Sync Box and lightstrip, but more convenient and considerably less expensive. And because it's built into the TV, it works with anything you're getting video from: your PS5, your 4K Blu-Ray player, your smart TV apps, and anything else.
Why I'm excited about Ambilight coming to the US
Roku unveiled the Philips Roku TV Featuring Ambilight (yes, it's a mouthful) today, 1 October, and it comes in four sizes: 43 inches, 50 inches, 55 inches and 65 inches.
We're lacking some key information about this TV to work out exactly how tempting it'll be – first of all, price. We expect it be an affordable model, given that it seems to be a standard LED TV and lacks Dolby Vision support, and 120Hz support isn't mentioned.
But we know it's a 4K TV with standard HDR (HDR10) and full Roku OS support, including Apple AirPlay connectivity. We also know that's it's available to buy at Sam's Club exclusively – more details should follow shortly.
Ambilight is actually quite old tech – it launched in 2004 – but it never made it across the Atlantic because it belongs to TP Vision, a company that makes TVs under the Philips name in Europe, but that doesn't sell TVs in the US market.
I think US TV buyers have been missing out, because Ambilight is really good fun: colored lighting sounds gimmicky, but it makes your TV feel massive and it's surprisingly subtle when you're watching things like TV dramas – although it's quite capable of keeping up with the likes of Borderland 4's brightly-colored madness too.
TV Business Nerdery Corner
Matt Bolton, Managing Editor for Home Entertainment:
I'm crashing Carrie's article to go deep on the behind-the-scenes TV nerdery that's gone into this product, because I know there's plenty of you out there who, like me, are curious about the details.
As Carrie alluded to, Philips doesn't make its own TVs these days. The name is licensed to other TV makers, and in Europe that's TP Vision. In the US, the Philips name is currently used by Skyworth.
TP Vision not selling its products in the US is a shame not only because Ambilight rocks (I have an Ambilight TV at home, and I don't know if I could go back now), but also because it makes some truly fantastic OLED TVs, such as the Philips OLED809 that I own, or the Philips OLED909 with built-in Bowers & Wilkins sound.
Because Ambilight is exclusive to TP Vision, I was kind of blown away to see it appear on a US TV set. Look at it this way: the Ambilight-owning version of Philips doesn't have the right to sell in the US, and the US version of Philips doesn't have the right to use Ambilight. So what's happening here?
My understanding is that this set is manufactured by TP Vision, but is being distributed in the US by Skyworth, which is why the tech from the European version of Philips is able to appear under the US Philips' brand. The two companies behind the name have formed a supergroup for one night only.
Will this mean that Philips' European OLEDs with Ambilight will come to the US in a similar deal? I wouldn't hold your breath – right now, this seems to just be a trial. But if it sells well and the money's right for everyone involved, it's definitely possible for this deal to expand.
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