Customer Reviews

Philips 19PFL3403D/27 19-Inch LCD HDTV

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Pros: Great picture, good sound.

Cons: Most of these televisions do not work properly. To date, it seems no one has figured out the root cause. Even the "REFURBISHED" units have this problem.

Summary: I HAVE FOUND AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. You see, the video processor is mounted under a shield "can" on the mainboard. It gets very hot during normal operation and will cause the set to shut down, squeal through the speakers, not turn on after a few hours and so forth.

All of this can be mitigated by removing the shield can and installing a small 12VDC fan to the heatsink. Don't worry, removing the shield doesn't effect tuner operation or cause undesirable operation.

I used self-drilling screws, taking care to remove all aluminum bits with a few blasts of compressed air. #6 screws fit perfectly between the fins on the heatsink. 12V is available on the main board (it is actually labeled on the power supply). Note that the 12V drops to 11.4V when the set is turned "off", so the fan runs continuously. If you buy a quiet ball bearing type you will likely never hear it running. If it's still too loud, install a 10 ohm 2W resistor inline with the positive lead of the fan. It will run more slowly, but still move adequate air. Cover the resistor in heat shrink tubing (and shrink it) to avoid shorts to the mainboard.

You might even be OK just removing the can without installing the fan, but I didn't try this.


ENJOY!!

I purchased one in June 2008 .. had problems with it .. plug in .. play for a few days .. then no power .. unplug .. work for a while .. then start all over again. Returned to Walmart in July .. no problem with return since it was within the 30 day. They said they'd had no problems with returns so I got another one on their recommendation .. BIG MISTAKE. It is now four months later (we JUST threw out the packing box thinking we were FINALLY safe) and now again the same problem .. no power no matter how many times we we plug in or what we try. We give up .. $350 down the drain! The cost of shipping and the hassle of it all .. lesson learned! I'm going out today to buy another one for the kitchen .. just not a Phillips!

I bought this TV to replace the one in our bedroom, that was destroyed by a surge during a recent storm. (Dumb me, I didn't have a surge protector on it!) The old TV was a 13 inch screen and this one seems huge in comparison. It's the perfect size for the bedroom and has exceptional picture and sound quality. It fits with any decor and I absolutely love it. I would recommend it to anyone who asked! DON'T FORGET THE SURGE PROTECTOR!

I bought two of these tvs (from Walmart) and both had the same problem. Neither TV would stay OFF! I have yet to find another review stating this problem, but after two, I will be buing something else.

Sad too. Our 32" Philips is great.

Had 2 of these in my home in the last 30 days,both had the same problem.Works great for the first 4 or 5 days.Then it will not come on if it is off for a few hours.I have found if it does not come on-unplug it from the wall for about 5 min.,plug it back in and it works again.

This TV started acting up from day 1. Sometimes it would turn on, sometimes it wouldn't. If I unplugged the TV and left it unplugged for a few hours, it would work again, but eventually it would not turn on again. This TV is in a location that is only used during the summer months and was nearing the end of the warranty period. I contacted Phillips and they are sending out a replacement TV. They seem to be well aware of the problem. Hopefully the new model won't have the same issue.

I was looking for an inexpensive Flat screen TV/computer monitor. Found this one, picture was great when I could get it to turn on. But after 2 days it just stopped working. Customer service was great though, Tech for Less took it back and gave credit back on purchase, no questions asked. I would buy from them again.

Bought August 2nd, 2008. Dead December 23rd, 2008. Just stopped working. Doorstop or boat anchor. When it worked, it was great. But an HD set should last some years.

TV power board died after one year of use. Wasn't economic to replace. TV repair shop said to buy Panasonic or Samsung next time. Very disappointing.

I bought this Philips 19" LCD TV (the new model for 2008) and had the same odd problem as the other reviewer. Had it for a two weeks or so and then out of nowhere it wouldn't turn on. The little power light would flicker almost like it couldn't get over the first hump of a power draw. Anyway, I returned it without any problems and got a replacement (although this time with a two-year extended warranty covering everything - even damage I caused - for about $30 from Walmart). That way if there is that power issue you again I'm covered past the receipt return period. That being said, I still would recommend this TV over any other 19" LCD. The specs are better than almost everyone else and it is a very good looking (body), well made TV that has an amazing 720p HD picture. Even with regular over-the-air (or over-the-cable via the QAM) digital channels without a cable box. Don't let the sporadic power issue you prevent you from buying this as even with that issue I still highly recommend this TV if you want a 19". Also keep in mind that this (and probably most) TV doesn't save your settings if you unplug it.