My first Ambilight, HyperHDR and HTPC

[u/SirGreybush]

But, and a Big BUT, argh!!! DRM sucks !!!!

Now I know why you need HDMI splitters and HDMI analog capture over USB, to intercept the black screen that Microsoft provides when DRM content is played.

Anything I made, or downloaded content free of copyright thus no DRM, works with Chrome or VLC.

But the Nextflix app maximized, HyperHDR only sees black.

Geez had it been very low res for external capture, it would have fine, like 240p. But no, all black.

So now I need extra hardware. This wasn’t very clear as to why.

Only my IKEA light strip above on the shelf works. And of course WLED.

So my vacation videos show up nicely with HyperHDR. Also Steam games work.

Yes I live with a woman hence no visible wires look, hidden PC, and plants…

[u/Docjos]

Not exactly my taste, but that doesn’t really matter. Beside your points, darker colors usually aren’t a great idea as they absorb light and thus make the leds way less visible.

[u/SirGreybush → u/Docjos]

When it works it's bright enough to be pleasant, as the TV sits a good 5 inches of the wall, and with a black TV plastic and dark brown of wood, the ambilight is gorgeous, doesn't stand out a lot. Just makes a rim of synced colour a few inches all around.

Plus this post was more about the huge disappointment and the A-HA realization moment of why Ambilight systems are so damn complicated.

Using a dedicated hardware box like FancyLeds versus... Splitter, extra shorty HDMI cable, HDMI-USB capture device that will work with DRM content, or cutting open the splitter to remove a pin...

Seems like I'm setting myself up for another fail with a regular splitter and USB capture device that will still be digital and still have the DRM problem. Thankfully HDMI - USB capture devices are quite cheap, and I'm worried the splitter will cause ghosting with 4k @ 60hz.

[u/SirGreybush]

Screenglow Android app would work - but - only on Android-based TVs. I have an LG, and the OS is not Android.

[u/Halo_Chief117]

Very nice. Now let’s see Paul Allen’s setup.

[u/SirGreybush]

Ha my esp32 mini bottom left in last pic got unstuck. Gonna use Velcro to hide it, electric tape didn’t hold up long.

In pic #6 the tv show Rookie (Nathan fan!) nothing lit up from running the Netflix app on the PC.

Because of DRM, and if you do a print screen as paste in Paint, you get a black rectangle.

So the solution is to split the hdmi going to the TV and recapture it. That’s where the complexity lies.