The Philips Ambilight kit adds ambient backlight effects to televisions to compliment on-screen video content. The kit is part of a broader TV backlight market.
These can sometimes detect whats on the screen to provide the best TV ambient lighting, but cheaper models rely on you changing the color manually.
Here are some of the best TV backlights and Ambilight alternatives.
1. LEDGlow Million Color Home Accent Lighting Kit
LEDGlow Million Color Home Accent Lighting Kit LEDGlow Million Color Home Accent Lighting Kit Buy Now On Amazon $59.99Specifically engineered for home theater use, the LEDGlow Million Color Home Accent Lighting Kit spices up any TV panel. Its 30 ultra-bright, wide-angle SMD LEDs offer plenty of color and brightness options. Plus, theres a wireless remote and receiver with color scan adjustment, sound, brightness, and fade activation.
Youll find a generous eight primary colors here, too. This kit features two 15-inch light tubes and two nine-inch light tubes with four five-foot mini-USB connections.
You can set the LEDGlow accent lighting to switch between its eight primary color modes or the million color fade mode, which gradually cycles through the entire color spectrum. The remote allows you to vary the speed, sleep, and memory features. A 120-volt power supply powers the LEDs.
All these features make the LEDGlow the best TV backlight for a home theater. While it isnt the cheapest option, the kit comes with everything you need to set up ambient lighting for your TV.
2. Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting
Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting Buy Now On Amazon $25.29The Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting is a great TV ambient light kit. Its compatible with TVs up to 70 inches and adheres to the back of monitors with 3M adhesive tape. This makes installation simple, easy, and long-lasting. Theres a wireless remote, as well as an on/off switch on the LED string.
Luminoodle uses 15 colors, three fade modes, and ten brightness levels. For power, Luminoodle has a USB-powered color lighting strip. As such, its incredibly simple to hook up to any television, game console, or other multimedia device and makes cable management a breeze.
3. Hamlite LED TV Backlight
Hamlite LED TV Backlight Hamlite LED TV Backlight Buy Now On Amazon $29.99If you want an effective Ambilight kit alternative that doesnt cost a lot, try the Hamlite LED TV Backlight. It comes in three different lengths to fit all the main TV screen sizes. There are 18 colors to choose from, so you can get the right ambiance to fit your mood.
The RF remote that comes with this backlight is very well-designed. Not only can it work in a 360-degree angle, but it also works up to distances of 60ft. When you want to change the lights, just pick up the remote and set the color and light pattern from where youre sitting.
4. Nexillumi LED Strip Lights
Nexillumi LED Strip Lights Nexillumi LED Strip Lights Buy Now On Amazon $14.98Fancy controlling an ambient TV lighting kit with your phone? Then check out the Nexillumi LED Strip Lights. You can control the color from an app and choose from 16 million different colors to get that ambiance just right.
Its also quick and straightforward to install on the back of your television. The strips use tough 3M adhesive to ensure they go up and stay up. The light strip is easy to bend, so you can comfortably weave the wire around the back of your television.
There is just one length to choose from, but theres a good reason for that. The bendiness of the wire allows you to bunch up or spread out the wire according to the space you have to work with. This makes the Nexillumi a great one-size-fits-all solution for ambient TV lighting.
5. CPLID USB Powered LED Strip Lights
CPLID USB Powered LED Strip Lights CPLID USB Powered LED Strip Lights Buy Now On Amazon $27.99If you have difficulty finding TV ambient lighting that fits your screen size, take a look at the CPLID USB Powered LED Strip Lights range. It covers the majority of screen sizes between 24 inches and 70 inches, which makes these strips perfect for every screen size.
Due to its USB power source, the lights can turn on and off with the TV, thus saving energy in the long run. The addition of a remote control makes these strip lights easy to operate.
6. Bason TV LED Backlight
Bason TV LED Backlight Bason TV LED Backlight Buy Now On Amazon $22.99If youve been considering TV ambient lighting for a bedroom screen, you may not like the idea of a brightly-lit wall when youre trying to sleep. The Bason TV LED Backlight, however, has a few key features that make it the best TV LED backlight for bedroom use.
For one, you can change how bright the lights are via the remote. There are eight different brightness levels for you to try out and see which one is to your liking. When its time for bed, you can use the power button on the remote to shut the lights off.
If you enjoy watching TV while you drift off, you can use the sleep timer feature. This automatically shuts off the lights after 30 minutes, so they dont interfere with the quality of your sleep.
7. Emotionlite Bias Lighting LED Strip
Emotionlite Bias Lighting LED Strip Emotionlite Bias Lighting LED Strip Buy Now On Amazon $16.97The Emotionlite bias lighting LED strip backlight is another spectacular ambient light strip for TVs. Like many Ambilight kits, its super easy to install. Just stick it to the back of a monitor with 3M adhesive, and plug in the USB port for power.
Theres a wireless remote for changing colors and patterns, and it fits TVs up to 60 inches. Add to this its critical acclaim with customers, and its easy to see why Emotionlites Ambilight kit is a fantastic addition to any media room.
8. Adalight DIY Ambient Lighting Project Pack
Although many Ambilight kits come ready to install, Adafruits Adalight DIY Ambient Lighting Project Pack is perfect for DIY buffs. Whereas many ambient lighting packages are plug and play, Adafruits DIY set up makes use of open-source tools.
Additionally, if you plan to go the DIY route, you can opt for Hyperion. Its a phenomenal means of adding ambient backlighting to your Recalbox retro gaming arcade on a Raspberry Pi. Ultimately, do-it-yourself ambient lighting is a rewarding and feasible project idea.
Making the Most of Your TV
Theres a lot of choice out there if you want to ambient TV lighting to your setup. However, the options weve listed are among the best, and a great place to get started.
Once youre set up, if you want to improve the picture quality of your TV, check out the best HDMI cable for TVs.
Read the full article: The 8 Best TV Ambilight Kits for Pleasing Background Lights