Ambient TV backlights have become a popular way to boost immersion. These kits try to mimic Philips’ Ambilight TVs. They allow the on-screen colors to bleed onto the wall in radiant synchronicity, creating a more cinematic feel.
The FFJ TV LED Backlight is one of the latest players in this market. It provides instant color syncing, app control, and numerous other features at a friendly price.
What makes the FFJ TV LED backlight stand out
Below are the features that make this gadget outstanding:
Immersive screen sync
The FFJ kit utilizes a small clip-on sensor that reads the colors on your screen and adjusts the LED strip accordingly. This ensures every color change on the screen is reflected by the backlight almost immediately.
You’ll see the wall behind the TV light up with matching hues (green for forest scenes and red during explosions), creating a more immersive experience. Because the sensor monitors the picture directly, it works with any content you play, whether it’s cable, console, or streaming, without requiring a special HDMI adapter.
Vivid, high-quality LEDs
The standard kit includes a 14.7-foot RGB LED strip, with an optional 18-foot length for larger TVs. These are full-color LEDs with adjustable brightness and saturation. You can peel and stick the strip around your TV’s edge, and it includes cable clamps to help manage slack.
The strip is rated for up to 50,000 hours of use. This is over 10 years at 12 hours per day.
Smart app control
Control is handled through the uLamp mobile app, which is available for both Android and iOS devices. Once connected via Bluetooth, you can adjust colors, brightness, and lighting effects.
FFJ features 24 preset scene modes, including holiday themes, mood lighting, gaming effects, and 6 music-synced modes.
The app interface includes a color wheel and sliders to fine-tune hue and intensity. This gives you freedom beyond reactive sync mode, allowing you to use the backlight for decorative or ambient lighting at any time.
Easy setup
Installation is simple. You literally clip the small sensor to the top-center of your TV and stick the strip around the back. The whole process takes under 10 minutes.
Limitations and drawbacks of the FFJ TV LED backlight
The LED backlight has the following downsides:
- Sync accuracy in dark and quick scenes. Because the FFJ uses an optical sensor, very dark or high-contrast scenes can occasionally confuse it. In deep shadows or fast cuts, you might notice a lag or a brief mismatch in the LED color.
- Performance in bright rooms. In a brightly lit living room or with windows open, the backlight glow is less visible. To get the full “ambilight” feel, you really want the room fairly dim. So, if you normally watch TV with lots of lights on, you may not feel as strong a benefit.
- Visible sensor unit. The small white sensor/camera that clips to the top of the TV is exposed. This is a downside if you prefer the lighting hardware to be completely hidden.
- Connectivity. The FFJ system relies on Bluetooth to connect to your phone. That means you need to keep your phone or the IR remote in some cases, within range, and you can’t control it from far away or through a router. There’s also no integration with smart home hubs out of the box.
- Form factor limitations. This kit is optimized for flat 16:9 TVs. It won’t neatly fit a curved or ultra-wide screen. If your TV isn’t a standard flat LCD or LED, you may notice odd gaps or overlaps. Additionally, if your TV is smaller than 55 inches or the 14.7ft strip is too long, you’ll need to cut it and deal with the leftover cable.
How it stacks up against competitors
Compared to the competition, FFJ’s backlight is a mid-range budget solution. Here’s how it compares to some well-known alternatives:
Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip (High-End)
Philips Hue’s TV lightstrip is the premium leader. It can display multiple colors along a single strip simultaneously using gradient zones. It is also very bright and color-accurate.
However, it requires a costly Hue Bridge and Hue Sync HDMI box to work.
The 55″ Hue kit alone costs around $275, not counting those extras. By contrast, FFJ’s kit is much more affordable but only shows one color at a time on the strip.
Govee Immersion Backlight (Mid-Range)
Like FFJ, Govee’s Immersion works with any content and uses an app for control. The two are very comparable features-wise.
FFJ is actually cheaper at half the price of Immersion) and includes a similar length strip.
DIY and other smart strips
There are cheaper LED strip options, but most don’t do real-time screen color capture.
They might have music modes or static colors, but they can’t adapt to your movie scene unless paired with a camera or manual control. So they’re not direct competitors to screen-sync kits.
Is the FFJ TV LED backlight the best yet?
The FFJ TV LED Backlight offers strong value. It offers vibrant, reactive lighting effects and app control at an affordable price. It has a few trade-offs, like a visible sensor and the sync delay issue. However, the unit delivers an engaging experience, especially in dark rooms.
If you want premium precision and full smart-home integration, opt for higher-end, more expensive kits, such as Philips Hue. FFJ hits a sweet spot between affordability and features.
It’s not perfect, but for most people looking to enhance their screen experience, it’s one of the best budget-friendly options available.