Philips Hue’s new, cheaper Sync hardware leaks with ‘Camera’ and ‘Box Lite’ [Gallery]

The Philips Hue Sync Box lets you match up your smart home lighting to what’s on your TV, but it’s not cheap. A new “Lite” version is coming, though, which cuts the price drastically by only having a single HDMI input, while a “Sync Camera” simplifies the setup for TVs without additional inputs.

Spotted by HueBlog on a retailer’s website – where it’s still live – the “Hue Play Sync Box Lite” promises the same core functionality as the standard Sync Box 8K that launched last year. It acts as a middleman between your device and your TV, taking signal from the HDMI input to sync your room’s lights to the content on screen.

The difference with this model is that it only supports a single device. Where the standard model supports up to four inputs, this only has a single HDMI port for input, then another for output to the TV. This model is also limited in terms of performance – 4K60 or 1080p120.

At £109.99, it’s roughly a 60% drop in price compared to the £299.99 Sync Box 8K. In the US, it should land somewhere around $140-150, based on the 8K’s current $385 price tag.

HueBlog also previously reported on another potentially more affordable Sync solution from Philips Hue, a “Sync Camera.” This TV-mounted device watches the actual TV screen to process lighting effects, doing away with HDMI altogether. While less elegant, this also comes with the benefit of being able to sync content from the TV’s own built-in apps, rather than relying on external hardware.

Pricing on the “Sync Camera” is unknown.

It’s possible both devices could arrive as soon as next month, with the IFA trade show set for early September.

More on Philips Hue:

• Philips Hue debuts table & floor lamps with TV sync, new candle bulb
• Philips Hue rolling out ‘Sports Live,’ syncs your lights to the World Cup – here’s what you need [Gallery]
• The Philips Hue Wall Washer is a versatile but pricey way to fill a room with color

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