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+---- Thread: DreamScreen on Kickstarter, stand-alone ambilight clone for all HDMI sources (/showthread.php?tid=257844)
DreamScreen on Kickstarter, stand-alone ambilight clone for all HDMI sources - RockerC - 2016-01-26
What do you guys think about this ambilight clone device concept, the company, and their campaign on Kickstarter? Do you believe in the quality of it at this price?
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/237916976/dreamscreen-smart-led-backlighting-for-any-hdmi-tv/description
The concept is to use a HDCP compatible HDMI splitter with any (HDMI) video source, connect one of the outputs to an FPGA board (or embedded computer), averadge the data and convert to RGB data and output that to a RGB LED strip attached on the back of any TV for achieve the same real-time responsive color backlighting that Philips popularized with their Ambilight technology.
What makes a solution like this somewhat unique as a commercial product is that it supports all HDMI 1.4 / HDCP 1.2 sources, just like an original Philips ambilight television. No PC /HTPC required.
I would be very surprise though if from a year from now there are not several other commercial clones of this type of device as complete finished products. The techology behind it is not that complicated to copy, and this perticular product is perhaps based on the Neppielight open source project:
http://zerocharactersleft.blogspot.se/2015/04/diy-fpga-based-hdmi-ambient-lighting.html
https://github.com/drxzcl/neppielight
Like for myself, I do not have a Philips ambilight television, but I have PS4, a Xbox 360, and Kodi boxes (to a AV--reciever), and I would love to have ambilight for all those, and not just for Kodi on a computer.
You can build this concept yourself using HDMI-splitter, a HDMI to composite video converter, a Linux compatible composite video recorder, and a Raspberry Pi (even with the Zero model), but the parts alone come to about the same as the finished DreamScreen product. The trick to make it commerrcial is to put all those functions inside a single device. Just checkout these lists of all the parts required to build similar DIY projects here:
http://randyhammons.com/ambilight-build/
Main advantage would building your own DIY ambilights solution is that you can add many more LEDs for not that much greater cost, allowing 100-200 LEDs or more.
RE: DreamScreen on Kickstarter, stand-alone ambilight clone for all HDMI sources - RockerC - 2016-02-12
After having read a little more about DreamScreen and the people behind it I have decided to back this Kickstarter now.
But have to add I'm already looking more forward to their next-generation of it with WiFi support then their first.
Also looking forward to others copying this idea to create new reactive light HDMI products that improve on the concept.
RE: DreamScreen on Kickstarter, stand-alone ambilight clone for all HDMI sources - RockerC - 2017-05-11
DreamScreen 4K is a new Kickstarter now as a second-generation which include WiFi support and 3-port HDMI switch which supports CEC
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/237916976/dreamscreen-hd-and-4k-led-backlighting-for-any-hdm
I think the 'old' DreamScreen works great so I think that I can safley recommend DreamScreen 4K too!