الوسم: Streaming Tip

When it comes to smart home setups and home entertainment systems, we often lean towards wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth, Thread, and Z-Wave. However, many smart devices actually rely on good, old-fashioned wired Ethernet to function at their best.

Take the Philips Hue Bridge, for instance—it requires an Ethernet cable to operate efficiently. Similarly, while an Apple TV can connect via Wi-Fi, using an Ethernet connection enhances performance. Smart hubs also see a significant boost in reliability when paired with Ethernet. For avid gamers on platforms like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, a solid K/D ratio practically requires a wired Ethernet connection.

However, the number of Ethernet cables and ports can quickly become overwhelming. Most Wi-Fi and mesh routers typically offer only a few Ethernet ports—often just one additional connection.

This is why I’ve started investing in Ethernet switches. My top choice, an unmanaged 5-port gigabit Ethernet switch from TP-Link, is currently available for just $13 during Prime Day, offering a 35% discount. There are several other options as well, including an 8-port gigabit switch for $27.99 (30% off), a 16-port switch for $59.99 (33% off), and a 48-port model for $179.99 (25% off).

In my smart home setup, I have three of the 5-port TP-Link switches. One is located under my desk and connects my PC, Philips Hue Bridge, and HDHomeRun over-the-air TV tuner. The link port connects to my mesh router, while the fifth port connects to… yet another Ethernet bridge.

The second bridge is tucked away in a steel cabinet in my office, serving my four Raspberry Pi devices. These boards run various locally hosted applications, including HomeBridge—which brings non-HomeKit smart devices into the Apple Home app—Home Assistant, an open-source platform I’ve been experimenting with, and Plex, which functions as my personal media server compatible with my HDHomeRun tuner. While my Raspberry Pi setups could connect over Wi-Fi, a reliable Ethernet connection significantly enhances their performance, especially for media streaming.

Lastly, my third TP-Link switch is hidden behind my TV in the living room, where it connects to my Apple TV 4K, PlayStation 5, and Denon AVR-x1600H. This setup guarantees smoother streaming, reduces gaming lag, and prevents audio dropouts during AirPlay music streaming.

Setting up these TP-Link switches is incredibly straightforward. Since they are unmanaged—meaning they don’t assign IP addresses—connecting the link port to a nearby router or mesh unit and plugging in your Ethernet devices is all it takes. You can daisy-chain multiple Ethernet switches if needed, and an AC adapter powers the unit.

I’ve been using these TP-Link switches for years and have encountered zero issues. I highly recommend them if you’re short on Ethernet ports in your smart home or home theater—more connections can only enhance your experience.

Grab a TP-Link TL-SG105 5-port gigabit Ethernet switch for just $12.99

Amazon Prime Day is taking place over four days this year, wrapping up on July 11. To enjoy the discounts, you’ll need a Prime membership, but you can sign up for a 30-day free trial if you haven’t yet.

Don’t forget to check out our Amazon Prime Day Tech Deals 2025 hub for more fantastic sales across various tech categories.

Hey there, TV enthusiasts! I often wish I had more time to indulge in my passion for television, but between work and everyday commitments, finding a moment to watch something interesting has become quite rare for me.

When I do manage to carve out an hour, I often find myself spending most of that time just searching for something to watch. By the time I find a show or movie, my available time is nearly up!

That’s why I’ve started using Streamin. This free AI tool instantly suggests shows or movies tailored to my tastes.

I simply choose the desired categories, such as genre, type, and duration of the content, add a brief note about what I’m looking for, and hit “Get recommendation.” In moments, I receive a solid suggestion complete with a synopsis, cast details, and where I can stream it.

Here’s the format I typically fill out…

For instance, when I specified: a medium-length historical TV show and mentioned, “I enjoy the series Vikings,” I received this fantastic recommendation.

Dominic Bayley / Foundry

And that’s it for this tip! I hope Streamin helps you reclaim some of that precious free time as it has for me. If you’re interested in more handy tips, be sure to sign up for our Try This newsletter. We send out two tech tips every week to help you explore and experiment.

You’ve probably seen those colorful LED light strips that change colors in harmony with your TV screen. Personally, I’m not a fan. While they might be visually striking, they often become quite distracting—especially when they malfunction, which is more common than you’d think. These lights can alter the perceived color of your picture and they’re also quite pricey.

If you’re looking for a more effective and budget-friendly solution to enhance your TV viewing experience, I have a great recommendation: the Scenic Labs LX1 Bias Lighting strip. I’ve been using it for several years now and can’t recommend it enough.

This product is indeed a light strip, but unlike the flashy color-changing versions, this one emits a steady white light at a color temperature of 6500 Kelvin—identical to the standard daylight white used by TV calibrators and professional filmmakers.

Instead of creating an elaborate light show, this “bias” light strip casts a soft glow at about 10 to 15 percent of your TV’s maximum brightness. When calibrated correctly, it’s so subtle that you might hardly notice it during an evening of binge-watching. However, this gentle illumination serves several important functions.

First, the 6500K tuning ensures that the colors on your screen appear more natural. This temperature is the standard for “white” in the video word, so by having a gentle glow behind your TV, you’ll see colors closer to what the creators intended. In contrast, those flashy color-shifting LED strips can distort the picture.

Second, using a properly tuned 6500K light strip can significantly enhance the perceived contrast of your TV’s image—especially if you’re not using an OLED screen. The soft halo from the strip makes dark areas appear more pronounced than they would in a completely dark room, providing a quasi HDR-like effect. While this enhancement may be less noticeable on OLED TVs due to their superior contrast, older models can greatly benefit from an inexpensive LED addition.

Ben Patterson/Foundry

Lastly, a white-light LED strip can alleviate the eye strain that often accompanies watching a bright screen in a dark environment. By providing a modest amount of ambient light, this subtle glow helps to ease the harsh contrast between a bright screen and a dark room, giving your eyes a much-needed break and reducing the chances of discomfort like soreness, watery eyes, or headaches.

The Scenic Labs LX1 Bias Lighting strip—my top choice and also a TechHive Editors’ Pick—is available for direct order starting at $26.95 for a one-meter strip up to $51.95 for six meters. While this may be slightly higher than some sales you find on Amazon, this strip is renowned for its precision in color tuning, and it’s been reliable for me for three years.

If you’re looking for alternatives, there are budget options like this 6500K light strip from Govee, priced at around $30 for 16.4 feet.

In any case, I wholeheartedly recommend a bias LED light strip for any TV owner—and they work exceptionally well on PC monitors too (I have a couple set up in my office).

Have you seen those colorful LED light strips that sync with your TV screen’s visuals? Personally, I’m not a fan. While they certainly grab attention, they can be quite distracting, especially when they malfunction—which tends to happen more often than you’d think. Plus, they can alter the colors you see on screen and come with a hefty price tag.

Fortunately, there’s a simpler and more affordable method to enhance your TV viewing experience while also alleviating some of the eye strain associated with watching a bright screen in a dim room. I’ve been using this alternative for years, and I can’t recommend it enough.

It’s an LED light strip, but instead of the flashy, color-syncing types, this one emits a soft white light adjusted to around 6500 Kelvin—the ideal daylight color temperature recognized by TV calibrators, filmmakers, and video professionals.

Rather than creating a vibrant light spectacle, this “bias” light strip casts a gentle glow, operating at about 10 to 15 percent of your TV’s maximum brightness. When set correctly, you might hardly notice it during an extensive Netflix marathon. Nevertheless, that subtle LED illumination serves several important purposes.

First off, because it’s tuned to 6500K (provided you choose a well-calibrated strip), the colors on your screen will appear more authentic. For professionals, 6500K serves as the standard for “white,” essential for color grading. Thus, having a gentle 6500K light behind your TV increases the chances of seeing the colors as the filmmakers intended. In contrast, those vibrant lights from synchronized LED strips can distort your perception.

Furthermore, a 6500K light strip remarkably enhances the perceived contrast of your TV images, especially if you don’t own an OLED display. The subtle aura from the strip creates a darker impression in dimly lit areas of the screen, enhancing the visuals almost like HDR without needing to splurge on a new TV. While OLEDs already possess fantastic contrast ratios, older LCD models can undoubtedly benefit from this affordable upgrade.

Ben Patterson/Foundry

Lastly, a white-light LED strip can significantly minimize the eye strain that occurs when watching bright images in a dark environment for extended periods. By slightly increasing the ambient light, the gentle glow helps reduce the sharp contrast between the dark surroundings and the illuminated screen, providing a reprieve for your eyes and preventing discomfort like blurred vision, watery eyes, and headaches.

For my setup, I prefer the Scenic Labs LX1 Bias Lighting strip, which ranges from $26.95 for a one-meter strip to $51.95 for six meters directly from the manufacturer. While this price point is slightly higher than what you might find on Amazon, the color accuracy of this model is commendable, and it has performed reliably for me over the past three years.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative, you can find a 6500K light strip from Govee for around $30 for 16.4 feet.

Regardless of your choice, I highly recommend incorporating an LED bias light strip into your TV setup—and they work brilliantly with computer monitors, too! (I have a couple enhancing my office setup).