Govee DreamView T1 Pro TV Backlight review: The best ambient lighting kit for your TV or gaming rig

Govee has slowly but steadily risen in statute in the smart home lighting category over the last three years on the back of interesting products that offer great value for money. We've already reviewed the Govee Immersion TV backlight and the Flow Pro lightbars, and the DreamView T1 Pro (previously called the Immersion Kit) bundles these two together in a convenient package. 

Retailing at $150, you also save a little bit of cash versus picking up the products individually ($167), and right now, the Immersion Kit is on sale at Govee's site for $120.

The DreamView T1 Pro contains two lightbars, an LED lightstrip that covers TVs up to 65 inches, a control box, and a 1080p ColorSense camera that analyses the colors on-screen and mimics them. So let's take a look at how the DreamView T1 Pro holds up in day-to-day use, and whether you should pick it up for your TV or gaming rig.

Govee DreamView T1 Pro: Price and availability

The Govee DreamView T1 Pro TV Backlight debuted in December 2021 for $150, and is now available in all markets where Govee has an official presence. Given that it's been out for a few months, you can get your hands on the lighting kit for $120 — $30 off its retail price.

Govee DreamView T1 Pro: Installation

One of the biggest drawbacks with ambient lighting kits is the installation, and with the DreamView T1 Pro, Govee made it as effortless as possible to set up and use the kit. The box comes with all the accessories you need to mount the lightstrip and lightbars, and installation takes just over 10 minutes.

The box contains two lightbars, one lightstrip, a ColorSense camera, a control box, wall plug, and the requisite mounting hardware. The lightbars don't need much in the way of installation; just slot them into their mounting stands on either side of your TV and you're good to go. Govee notes that the ideal position for the lightbars is in line with the TV screen and 20 inches to either side.

The lightstrip is designed to go on the back of the TV, covering all four sides. Govee is positioning the DreamView T1 Pro as a TV lighting solution, but I decided to use it with my wife's gaming rig. The LED backlight that comes with the package is designed for 55 to 65-inch TVs, so we cut it to length for the 27-inch monitor. The lightstrip has 3M adhesive, and after two months of usage, it is holding up just fine.

The ColorSense camera is designed to be positioned as a webcam, but you can mount it at the top or bottom of your TV or monitor. Govee provides orange foam squares that you need to affix to the edges of your TV; these are designed as markers for the camera and let you calibrate it so that it covers the entire screen.

I didn't have to use these as I mounted the camera on a 27-inch monitor and was able to see via the camera view within Govee Home that it covered the entire monitor, but if you're considering the DreamView T1 Pro for a 65-inch or larger TV, you may want to use the squares. Know that the squares have an adhesive, so you'll have to be careful when removing them off the TV screen.

Once you set everything up, you'll need to connect it all to the control box. The lightbars and lightstrip connect over USB-C, and the ColorSense camera uses full-size USB-A. All you need to do now is connect the wall plug to the control box and switch it on.

If you're using the DreamView T1 Pro with a TV, you can mount the control box on the back of the TV and use the Govee Home app to control the lighting effects. I found that it's a good way to easily switch the lights on and off, so I left it on the table.

You'll interact with the lights mostly via Govee Home. The DreamView T1 Pro connects over Bluetooth and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi; like most lighting products, it doesn't have 5GHz connectivity. 

Once you install Govee Home on your phone (it's available for Android and iOS), you'll need to add a new device, and the app will initiate a scan. It should find the DreamView T1 Pro within a few seconds listed as H605B. Once paired with the app, you can control the lights with Google Assistant or Alexa.

Govee DreamView T1 Pro: What you'll love

The best feature of the DreamView T1 Pro is the Video mode within Govee Home. In this mode, the ColorSense camera analyzes the colors on the screen and projects the same to the lightbars and lightstrip in real-time, and the effect is incredibly cool. The mode shines for gaming or movies where there's a lot of action, and the camera does a good job rendering on-screen colors.

There's also a Music mode that uses the device's built-in mic to listen to sounds and change color effects accordingly. You can adjust the sensitivity of the mode, and it is fun to see the lighting change in tune with music playing in the room.

If you want traditional ambient lighting, you can individually pick colors for the lightbars and lightstrip, use the pre-installed scenes, or set up your own effects. Govee Home has a lot of customization options, and that makes the DreamView T1 Pro that much more exciting to use.

Govee Home gives you extensive options to control and set up the lights to your preferences. You get the ability to manually adjust the colors for individual sections (there are 48 in total for the kit), and the interface is easy to navigate. 

Finally, the DreamView T1 Pro works with Google Assistant and Alexa, so once you set it up within Govee Home, you'll be able to use voice controls to switch off the lights, change scenes, and more. 

Govee DreamView T1 Pro: What needs work

Honestly, there's very little at fault with the DreamView T1 Pro. The only downside that I can think of is that the camera juts out considerably, so if you have it installed on a gaming monitor, it detracts from the overall look. 

There are a few instances where the camera doesn't quite manage to project the same color onto the lightbars and lightstrip, and I've noticed that this is the case with cooler tones — the colors definitely skew warmer. 

Govee DreamView T1 Pro: The competition

The DreamView T1 Pro TV doesn't have much in the way of alternatives. If you want a similar solution from Philips, you'll need to buy the Play HDMI Sync Box. This product delivers better colors as it directly feeds in HDMI connections for your media devices. 

The downside is the cost; the box itself costs $230, and that doesn't include any lights. So to get a similar configuration as the DreamView T1 Pro, you'll be shelling out more than double the price. 

And if you're looking at a gaming-focused solution, I like Corsair's LT100 Lighting Towers. It doesn't have dynamic lighting effects that change color in real-time, but it is a good addition if you've already invested in Corsair's gaming accessories. 

Govee DreamView T1 Pro: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if:

• You want ambient lighting that syncs with what's playing on the screen
• You need a lighting kit that's easy to set up and use
• You're looking for a lighting solution with a broad range of effects
• You need Google Assistant and Alexa integration

You shouldn't buy this if:

• You don't want a camera jutting out of your TV or gaming monitor

Overall, the DreamView T1 Pro is one of the best smart home lighting products you'll find today. It provides diffused lighting that makes a lot of difference when watching movies and TV shows, and it makes gaming that much more immersive. 

The dynamic lighting in particular is the standout feature here, with the ColorSense camera doing a great job projecting on-screen colors to the lighting kit. There are plenty of other modes to play around with as well, and considering what you're paying here, the DreamView T1 Pro is an easy recommendation.