If you had told me in April that I would become a huge fan of RGB lighting systems over the next couple of months I would have laughed (politely - I’m not a Demogorgon) and asked you to tell me another joke. Over these past few months, however, I’ve been testing out some of the great products from Govee and my opinions on this topic have shifted significantly. I first reviewed Govee’s excellent Hexa Light Panel and was blown away at everything from design to control. That was followed up by the new DreamView G1 Pro Gaming Light Kit, which also exceeded my expectations.
It seems like the good folks over at Govee are at it again with the introduction of the RGBIC TV Backlight Kit with Camera for big-screen TVs. It hopes to capture the same immersive experience as the DreamView G1 but on a much grander scale. Throw in some fun custom backlight scenes themed after one of my favorite shows (Stranger Things that is) and you might just have a recipe for success. How it all works out in real life? Well, that’s what these tests are for. So grab that coffee, kick back and check out our review of the Govee RGBIC TV Backlight with Camera.
Specifications
- Current Price: $89.99 (Walmart)
- Model: H6198
- Color System: RGBIC Colored Lighting (16.8M Colors)
- Camera: ColorSense 1080p HD Camera
- Controls: Voice and App Controls (free download from the app store)
- Supported Voice Controls: Alexa, Google Assistant
- Modes of Operation: Music, Video, Color, Scene
- Power: 24W
- Voltage: 12V DC
- Cord Length: 2.29ft (Left/Right) and 3.93ft (Top/Bottom)
- TV Size Tested: 60 inch (Designed for 55-65inch TV)
High Caliber Design
The RGBIC TV Backlight design is one of simplicity and quality. The kit comes with ColorSense 1080p camera, RGBIC lighting strip on a spool, calibration pads, power and a simple controller interface. The devil is in the details and this is where Govee’s design really shines through. For example, most lighting strips have a simple adhesive on the back for attaching the strip light. In the case of the RGBIC TV Backlight, there are also additional adhesive clips that reinforce the strip ones it is attached.
Additionally, at each corner Govee has included a six-inch extension cable so as to make wrapping the lights around the TV a clean and simple affair. With the lights pre-wrapped on the included wire spool, installation can essentially be done in phases. This means less time wrestling with the whole strip light and more time installing. The camera also comes with adhesive pads and is designed to work for both top and bottom mounting. This allows for further customization and the ability to tuck the camera behind a soundbar if you have one at the base of your TV.
One thing to note about the strip light is that it is not just your average RGB light. As with Govee’s other products, the light strip is lined with RGBIC(Independent control) chips. Unlike traditional RGB tech, which essentially is one synchronized panel of tiny lights, the RGBIC chips allow for direct control over each individual light in the strip. This gives the user or software far greater control over what each light can do allowing for a much more creative and immersive experience. It’s not a gimmick either, it’s some pretty great technology that raises the bar on what RGB lighting can do.
Another design feature of note is that there is enough cable at the end of the light strip, camera and power bar to allow for cable management when routing them all to the controller box as well. It's a nice little touch that allows you to keep a clean-looking setup for your home theatre. As with the other Govee products I’ve reviewed this attention to detail is what makes their products stand out in a sea of well-lit competition.
My only note on design has more to do with my TV than the product itself. I have an older 60inch TV. As a result, the thickness of my TV is more than the standard Flatscreen tvs of today. The camera mounting bracket ended up being a little narrow for my TV but thankfully the mount has adhesive on both the top and side. This allowed it to still be mounted securely despite the age of my TV.
Setup Made Simple
One of my favorite features of the Govee products I’ve reviewed is the simplicity of setup. The whole process from start to watching a show was about 20 minutes, 5 of which was me deciding what to watch(for the record I went with the Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 2 trailer). The aforementioned light strip is sectioned off and a simple map within the app shows you how to actually install it on your TV. The process really couldn’t have been simpler.
The camera and controller both attach to the top (or bottom) and back respectively with adhesive strips and communication and power are fed from the controller. Once the hardware is installed, you simply open the Govee app and select the “add device” option. The app picked up the TV Backlight almost instantly and then walked me through a 2-minute setup and calibration process.
Like the DreamView G1, calibration is an easy process. Simply attached the calibration pads to the edges of your TV as shown in the app and let the camera do the rest. Once completed the app allows you to adjust the scan area to maximize the viewing experience and you’re done.
The whole process was simple, seamless, and done in 15 minutes. This is something I have really come to appreciate about the Govee products. Each is well designed, easy to set up, and feels great to use. In the case of the TV Backlight, I appreciated a couple of design choices. The aforementioned extension cable at each corner of the strip light made it easy to install. The spool made managing the strip light simple and quick. The longer connection cables on each part of the kit allowed for clean cable management. Finally, as with all of the Govee products I’ve reviewed, setting it up in the app is amazingly simple.
Experiencing The Magic
Great hardware is one thing, but if the software can’t support it then you’ll still be left in the dark. Thankfully the Govee app has it all under control. The app itself is easy to use and offers a ton of great features for you to tweak and adjust to your heart's content. The standard modes like music, color, and scene are all present. Timers and an effects Lab are also present allowing for additional customization.
The TV backlight also supports the DreamView Sync feature which allows you to actually synchronize supported Govee devices during a video-watching experience. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to test this feature due to only having one of the supported kits but it would be a pretty interesting feature to try out at some point.
The one feature though that makes the Govee RGBIC TV backlight shine brighter than the competition is the ColorSense Camera. This device is what makes the magic happen. The camera is exceptionally responsive and has no trouble registering, in real-time, what colors it should display. I was seriously impressed with just how quickly it could change the color scheme based on what was happening on screen. In the video below I intentionally recorded a trailer video because of the very nature of how trailers are cut together. It exposed the ColorSense camera to a wide range of colors quickly.
The results? Pure awesomeness. Check out the video sample below and see for yourself.
Up to this point, I’ve been talking about the TV Backlight but this isn’t just any TV Backlight. In celebration of Stranger Things Season 4, Govee added threw in a little extra. So what makes it so special? Govee has introduced 12 unique lighting scenes to the RGBIC TV Backlight that are all themed around Stranger Things. These themed scenes can only be accessed with this version of the Backlight. Some of the Lighting Scenes included are “The Gate”, “Demogorgon”, and “Mind Flayer”, to name a few. “Joyce’s Lights” is a personal favourite and brings back all the nostalgia of the first season. It’s a fun way to add a little extra something for fans and is a great addition to the already amazing BRGIC TV Backlight kit.
Interested in what these scenes look like? Check out the video sample above.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking to step up your home theatre experience I would like to recommend the Govee RGBIC TV Backlight with Camera as a great option. Everything from its smart design to the installation process makes it a great kit to set up. The Govee app is both simple and powerful to use for even the most novice lighting enthusiast. Finally, the ColorSense camera and RGBIC lighting strip make your viewing experience next-level immersive. Priced at $89.99, the Govee RGBIC TV Backlight with Camera is a great addition to any home theatre setup.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
