Raspberry Pi media center with DIY ambient light
Let There Be Light
© Lead Image © Nelli Valova, 123RF.com
Ambilight lights up the wall behind Philips TVs with LEDs mounted on the device to enhance the onscreen visual impression. With Lightpack and a Rasp Pi media center, every TV can be upgraded with ambient light.
The Ambilight technology, originally developed by Philips, lights up the wall behind the television set by monitoring the colors in the current image and generating the appropriate color to extend the image content beyond the monitor surface. The "extended" image is easier on the eyes, because the field of vision is enlarged for the viewer.
An Ambilight system basically comprises three components: at least three edges (left, right, and top) on the back of the TV for strips of RGB LEDs, a control unit that ensures the individual LEDs light up accordingly, and a signal to the control unit provided by software that continuously analyzes the video image.
If you don't want to buy a Philips Ambilight TV, but you already watch movies and TV series on the Kodi multimedia platform, you can upgrade to ambient lighting in a DIY project with either a Raspberry Pi with Raspbian, a Kodi distribution like Open/LibreELEC, or a Linux PC. Various preexisting solutions such as Lightpack [1], Lightberry [2], or AmbiLED [3] remove the need for further programming
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.
-
Linux Kernel 6.14 Released
The latest Linux kernel has arrived with extra Rust support and more.