Create Immersive Entertainment Experiences on the Mac

Smart lights pair nicely with the Apple Studio Display

Nature Video on YouTube synced with Philips Hue Play Light Bars | Image courtesy of author

I’m not sure if I’m ready for the brave new world that is the Apple Vision Pro, but when En Kelly demoed its Mount Hood movie viewing experience during the WWDC23 Apple Keynote I decided it was time to give immersive lighting a try. I’d already been primed for making that decision by a TechCrunch article that detailed how Portal’s Mac app integrates with smart lights. which according to Portal Labs “adds depth and realism to your immersive experience.” Obviously, immersive lighting pales in comparison to the Vision Pro’s capabilities, but paired with a Studio Display and HomePods it would bring entertainment experiences on my Mac to the next level. After ignoring smart lights for over a decade I was finally ready to take the plunge.

I quickly settled on Philips Hue lighting, selecting a Hue Bridge and two Play Light Bars for $220. In addition to the hardware, I needed to download the Hue app to my iPhone and the Hue Sync app to my Mac mini. Setting up the smart lights for syncing was fairly straightforward. After plugging in the lights and the bridge I set up an “Entertainment area” within the Hue app’s settings tab. This allowed me to position the light bars relative to my Studio display. After that, I only needed to configure the Hue…