The Ambilight feature is still a unique selling point of Philips TVs; no other manufacturer equips its devices with smart LEDs on the back of the device. However, there is now a strong competitor in Govee, offering a low-cost retrofit option.
The Govee Dreamview T1 TV Backlight is just for less than 50 euros offered. It is for TVs with the popular formats 55-65 inches suitable. If you have a bigger TV, you can get that too Version for 75-85 inches* display.
The version for larger TVs is currently available only 64.99 euros Reduced by 35 euros and therefore a real bargain.
The affordable Ambilight alternative for retrofitting
The principle of the Govee Dreamview T1 is simple but brilliant. A small camera that is attached to the television records the colors of the screen and transmits them to smart LED strips that you attach to the back of your TV in advance. All you have to do is connect it to the power and the whole thing is set up.
The camera is so fast that it can transmit the colors of the screen in real time, achieving almost the same effect as Philips Ambilight. This works surprisingly well, but Govee doesn’t quite come close to the Philips original. Especially if the screen is highly reflective, the camera may experience problems and not always reproduce the colors 100 percent accurately.
The system comes without much cable clutter and can even be used Control via Alexa and offers a practical app with which the Govee Dreamview T1* easy to use. You can also use the practical lighting Govee light bar Make it even more exciting so that you have an even more harmonious atmosphere the next movie night.
You can get the Govee Lightbar 30 percent cheaper if you activate the coupon on the product page.
The Philips retrofit option
Philips also offers an Ambilight for retrofitting, but you’ll have to dig deeper into your wallet. You need one for this Sync box*that you connect to the TV via HDMI and a suitable copy Light strip*. The advantage is that the data is displayed accurately via HDMI, giving you accurate color reproduction.
But the Philips system also has disadvantages: for example, content that you play directly via your smart TV system is not synchronized. The effect is also not entirely comparable to the latest generation of Ambilight that is pre-installed in Philips TVs. It is still a great added value for your home theater.