Linkind ET6 Smart TV Backlight (with HDMI 2.0 Sync Box) Review

Linkind ET6 Smart TV Backlight with HDMI 2.0 Sync Box: Introduction

Companies like Govee and Nanoleaf offered the first low-cost alternatives to Hue’s Sync Box, but both of these systems come with caveats. To sync your actions with smart lights, you’ll need to use a camera pointed at the screen.

Along with the ET6, Linkind offers an HDMI 2.0 sync kit that promises the same plug-and-play light show without camera failure, at an unbeatable price.

Similar to the WiZ HDMI Sync Box launched earlier this year, the Linkind ET6 combines a control box with a light strip that sticks to the back of your TV.

The idea is simple. Everything happening on the screen is reflected behind the screen in real time, saturated with color. There’s no need to calibrate or hang a camera in front of the display, just an HDMI input, HDMI output, and lights to match the action.

So how does Linkind’s effort compare to WiZ, Govee, Nanoleaf, and the more expensive Hue boxes?

Read our review of Linkind ET6 Smart TV Backlight with HDMI 2.0 Sync Box to learn more.

Design and installation

The Linkind box itself is a little thicker than the WiZ one, but it feels nice to the touch and looks premium, plus it has physical control buttons on the top so you can switch between modes without reaching for your phone. This is useful when your guests are done and you want to show it off without getting too bored.

It also includes an HDMI cable, which isn’t included with all rivals. Additionally, it comes with the usual adhesive back light strips and mounting clips.

Unlike rival three-sided designs, Linkind’s setup sits on all four sides of the TV and powers two separate 10-foot strips via USB from the control box.

The 20-foot length of the light strip supports TVs up to 90 inches, and the extra length can be trimmed, so you don’t have to worry about unnecessary length ruining the effect.

Corners are always difficult to work around in this kind of setup, but the ET6 ships with some easy-to-bend corner brackets to make the job easier.

It’s a bit fiddly and doesn’t allow you to direct the light beads completely outward, but it eliminates those dreaded dark corner gaps.

The strip also runs along the bottom of the TV, making the whole thing look more immersive, especially if the TV is wall-mounted or mounted on a stand.

Connecting to your TV is very easy. Simply connect your set top box, console, or streaming stick to the ET6’s single HDMI input and connect it to your TV. The box requires an HDMI feed, so smart TV apps running natively are not supported.

Pairing it with the AiDot app (Linkind, Orein, Welov, and Winees are all under the same umbrella) was more troublesome than I expected.

On both Android and iOS, I had to try turning off 5GHz Wi-Fi a few times before getting stuck. However, once connected, you can add other AiDot bulbs to the mix and assign their position relative to the TV for a fuller room effect.

There is one caveat. If you only have one HDMI input, you’ll need an external HDMI switch if you want to keep multiple sources connected (consoles, set-top boxes, streamers). Hue still has the edge here with four inputs, but you’re paying more than three times the price.

Features

Once you’ve completed all the pairings in the app and stuck the light strip to the back of your TV (and added any other bulbs you might need), you’re ready to go.

Linkind has six sync intensity modes, including Smooth, Medium (TV), and Strong (Game), all of which do exactly what they say.

There are also 6 presets, 4 music sync modes and, of course, 16 million colors with manual control if you just want ambient lighting.

Voice assistant support for Alexa and Google Assistant is touted. In practice, I couldn’t activate TV sync mode with my voice, but the standard smart light commands (on/off, brightness, color change) worked fine.

If you’re hoping to trigger a movie’s time sync by shouting into the speakers, you’ll probably be disappointed (I couldn’t seem to do that unless I figured out the correct command).

Under the hood, we’re looking at HDMI 2.0b (which means 4K up to 60Hz, HDR, and Dolby Vision).

There are no HDMI 2.1 features such as 120Hz gaming, VRR, or ALLM. If you’re after buttery smooth next-gen console output, you should still be coughing up an 8K box from Hue.

The AiDot app is a little easier to navigate than the Wiz and Govee apps, and the TV sync options are less buried in menus. Hue isn’t smooth, but it gets the job done.

performance

This is where the ET6 really impresses at its price. Color accuracy is pretty good overall, blending is actually a little better than WiZ in my experience, and lag is basically OK.

The blue hues were predominant, and I struggled a little with the yellows and greens, but not enough to make me uncomfortable.

This bottom strip really adds the punch. It’s subtle when watching brightly lit scenes, but with darker content or action movies, everything feels more enveloping.

For me, it improved the overall experience compared to WiZ’s 3-sided setup.

Like WiZ, ET6 works best when its brightness and intensity are adjusted to maximum. This can be done with a physical button on the app or on the box.

It does occasionally stumble during fast-moving sequences, and I noticed the odd miss when compared to Hue’s tighter sync, but that’s to be expected at this price point.

Music syncing is also surprisingly solid, but this feels more like a party trick than a reason to buy the kit.

Overall, for casual gaming, sports, or movie nights, the ET6 keeps pace with the WiZ while offering a richer, more consistent glow thanks to its four-sided strip.

final opinion

Linkind isn’t reinventing the HDMI sync box here. It’s still limited to HDMI 2.0, locked into a single HDMI input, and still a bit fiddly to pair for the first time. But what WiZ has done is refine the budget formula it started.

The physical buttons, easy-to-bend brackets, and full four-sided strips aren’t gimmicks. These truly enhance the experience and make the ET6 feel like a more complete package. Hue Play is still the gold standard, but you’ll be paying hundreds of dollars for the privilege.

If you’re shopping for immersive lighting on a budget and can live without 120Hz gaming, the Linkind ET6 is right up there with the WiZ as one of the best value boxes on the market. Probably the smarter choice if you want some shine on the bottom.

Test method

When we publish a review, you can rest assured that it is the result of long-term testing.

Robot vacuums typically exist in an ecosystem, or a variety of products that all work in harmony. It is also designed to offer a variety of cleaning options. Therefore, it is impossible to use a robot vacuum cleaner for a week and give a verdict.

We test smart home kits all day every day, so we know what’s important and how a particular smart vacuum compares to the alternatives you’re considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and unbiased, and of course we don’t receive direct compensation to review devices.

For more information, read our guide on how to test robot vacuums.