Philips
Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White)
2019
82
/ 100
From $249
VS
Home Assistant Green wins by 11
Nabu Casa
Home Assistant Green
Local-first · open-source · plug-and-play
93
/ 100
From $99
Specdex verdict
Home Assistant Green takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White) lands at 82 and Home Assistant Green at 93. That puts Home Assistant Green ahead by 11 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White) if…
- ✓Matter/Thread support (modern SKUs)
- ✓App-based setup
- ✓Works with major voice assistants
Pick Home Assistant Green if…
- ✓Runs everything via integrations
- ✓Completely local
- ✓Active community
Score breakdown
Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White)
82 ecosystem 82
local 70
ease 84
features 80
Home Assistant Green
93 ecosystem 98
local 100
ease 80
features 96
Specs side-by-side
Spec
Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White)
Home Assistant Green
Release year
2019
—
Color
White
—
CPU
—
Rockchip RK3566
RAM
—
4 GB
Storage
—
32 GB eMMC
OS
—
Home Assistant OS
Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White)
Pros
- +Matter/Thread support (modern SKUs)
- +App-based setup
- +Works with major voice assistants
Cons
- −Subscription sometimes required
- −Cloud dependency on many
- −Ecosystem lock-in
Home Assistant Green
Pros
- +Runs everything via integrations
- +Completely local
- +Active community
Cons
- −Config still has a learning curve
- −No Matter radios built-in (add dongle)
- −Updates can break things
FAQ: Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White) vs Home Assistant Green
Which is better, Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White) or Home Assistant Green? +
Home Assistant Green scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 11. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White) worth the price? +
At $249, Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White) delivers a Specdex score of 82 — strongest in ease.
Is Home Assistant Green worth the price? +
At $99, Home Assistant Green delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in local.
Does Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box (White) or Home Assistant Green last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.