Sharknado 2 gets custom hue "light soundtracks"

You might think that sharks getting caught up in tornados wouldn't need any more drama in your living room, but Sharknado 2: The Second One will actually be the first TV event to get its own Philips hue-based "light soundtrack". Added as part of the Syfy Sync app, the so-called light track will automatically recognize different scenes in the movie and adjust the lighting colors of the hue bulbs in your living room to suit. However, you don't have to wait for Sharknado 2 to try it out.

That's because Philips and Syfy have also cooked up a light track for the original Sharknado. That's available in various on-demand locations, including Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, and since the recognition system is source-agnostic it doesn't matter which your streaming platform of choice is.

Syfy Sync, the network's second-screen app, already used audio to pinpoint which part of a movie or TV show was playing, and serve up related content on an iPhone or iPad. What's new is bridging that with the hue platform and the use of a preset light "soundtrack".

hue had already gained integration with Philips' Ambilight technology in an upgrade last year, allowing the bulbs to be synchronized with the LED lighting embedded behind select TV sets. However, the Ambilight system relies on color-matching: taking the dominant colors on-screen and then recreating them with the bulbs.

In contrast, light soundtracks will be able to contrast with the on-screen tones as well as match them, opening the door to immersive experiences in a different way. A feeling of persistent storm clouds could be created in the room as a whole, for instance, even as the on-screen action changes, or alternatively the deep blues of being underwater.

Sharknado 2: The Second One airs on Wednesday, July 30 at 9PM EST on the Syfy channel, while the new Syfy Sync app is a free download from the App Store. You'll obviously need a set of hue bulbs in order to take advantage of the lighting system; check out our review of the hue BR30 bulbs to find out more.

MORE SyFy Sync