Philips Ambilux 65PUS8901 review

Philips Ambilux 65PUS8901 tested: Twelve years ago the skepticism among experts was still great, as Philips patented a technology that wanted to improve the television experience by matching the colors of the picture to the wall behind the TV. In 2004 the first TV set with the “Ambilight” baptism effect came onto the market and became a hit. Philips strongly stirred the advertising drum, explained why everything was so great, and there were even scientific studies that proved that the immersion of the TV experience would increase and at the same time make seeing more relaxed.

Gigantic image impression


The many fans of Ambilight, however, did not have to convince with explanations - seeing is believing. Even the author of these lines, for whom the perfect picture quality of a TV set must be the dominant buying argument, can admire the advantages of Ambilight. There have been a mode for calibrated background lighting, which actually supports the correct color temperature of the TV display at a professional level. Ambilight is more economical and lighter than any other living room lighting. But also in the particularly effective setting, in the color and outline of the TV picture on the wall are expanded, the effect is astonishing.


Lux instead of Light


The basic idea of ​​technology illuminates. The eye actually has only a very small area in which we can really see sharp. All drummers, we perceive blurred as colors and rough outlines. So it comes that the background is actually subconsciously integrated into the TV experience. For example, if you look at a jungle scene, the wall will have a green-brown structure and you will feel surrounded by plants. So even wilderness will still be gloomy and oceans get an extended horizon.


Philips AmbiLux 65PUS8901 Unboxing - exclusive video


Of course, Philips has developed this very important technology, which can not be obtained from other manufacturers due to patents. In the first generation the wall got the average color of the TV picture, later on the right from the left (stereo), then three-sided and four-sided Ambilight came with the change of the base technology from fluorescent tubes to LED bands. In the meantime, each LED shines in a different light color to match the respective area of ​​the TV picture, which is to be carried further outwards. In order to convince the last critics, the control was made more and more variable. The effect is largely adjustable in intensity and saturation, even on wall paints. Last but not least, the intelligent Hue lamps have been integrated into the optional Ambilight scene.


Philips AmbiLux: Ambilight Projection Demo


Every idea around Ambilight seemed to have been thought of already, but as one says so beautifully: If you think, there is nothing more, comes from somewhere a light. A light like a star so clear, it will always shine on you.


And indeed, at the IFA 2017 Philips announced and demonstrated a revolution around Ambilight. The innovation, which now works with nine microprojectors, to throw much more detailed structures than before, was Ambilux. The right TV set, the 65PUS8901, should be available at the end of February and video was the first magazine to see a pre-production device in its own laboratory. Ambilux was developed at the time of the test, but unfortunately we could not perform all the measurements and tests of the picture quality since it was still in the final tuning.


Lesetipp: Philips Ambilux 65PUS8901 in the Unboxing video


First of all, we had to look for a suitable space for the tests, because in the deep black lab the brightest light does not bring anything. We found a huge white wall - well, because the effect area of ​​Ambilux extends over a width of four meters. The TV must be precisely placed in front of the wall, so that the nine projector images fit perfectly together. There is a template for this. A deep set-up is ideal to be able to fully utilize the area above the TV. To hang on the wall logically does not work. Actually, the placement was very simple and everything worked right away. The entire wall behind the TV has become an experience space, as the many settings allow the game drive a lot of space.


This video is not supported by your browser


This is the source of the Ambilux joy "video", "audio", "color" or "app". In the case of the former, for example, the control variants are "extreme", "dome", "standard", "cube", "tunnel" or "relax". They transfer the TV picture or its atmosphere to the wall in different patterns and soft drawings. In the case of sound as a source, one gets gigantic, colorful lighting effects or structures, which fit in color to the picture. The options of the Lichtschau are already very impressive, but many could be too much "Disco". At the end of the film, it may be a bit blurred (mode: "standard" or "relax"), then our tests increased the awareness of the screen without distracting attention from the action on the screen.

Lesetipp: Is the wait for 8K?


Ambilux's advantage over Ambilight is that earlier it was only possible to send narrower bands of different colors, while real structures were repeating from the TV picture. The effect is already an absolute eye-catcher and this TV has the potential to become an art icon for friends of the special. 6000 euros are also a lot of money.


The basis of this innovation is a high-quality TV chassis of the 8000 series with Ultra-HD VA LCD panel and Android TV (5.1) as the operating system. Doubles with separate CI shafts and many inputs give the valuable processed device with its slim frame a good first impression. The edge LEDs with separate "Micro Dimming Pro" improve the contrast, unfortunately was renounced in 3D. TV and FullHD benefit from the high-quality scaling ala Pixel Precise UHD and Perfect Natural Motion. Our good overall impression will not be fixed until the chassis is finalized in a future edition. This time it was only about Ambilux, and this is really a new kind of TV fun, which you should look at the dealer.


Conclusion


This video is not supported by your browser


Ambilux raises room integration into the TV experience to a new level. The many possible effects are individualized between reserved and tearful, so that everyone is involved in the scenery instead of being distracted.