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46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I bought cheap but was very impressed!, July 18, 2009
I did not buy this TV because I read reviews or studied the features. I bought it because Target had it on sale mid-June 2009 for around $750, when the only thing you can touch for that price is a Visio. I really wanted the VGA port feature (which this does not have), but couldn't find a TV equipped with one for under $1000. Since my PC DVI->HDMI adapter doesn't provide audio, I can *see* the computer, but must use different speakers. However, this is a "computer geek" problem that most people won't care about. I just want to watch Netflix on-demand, ok? :)
-- NOTE -- I have since discovered (by reading the manual LOL) that audio inputs on the back coordinate with HDMI and allow me to plug in the computer while using HDMI1 only. I got a 1/8" to RCA male adapter and I'm happy now! Computer on TV!! WITH AUDIO!!
Enough fluff... here's my review:
Picture: VERY nice. This TV is replacing the Toshiba Regza 42". My Regza had 15000:1 contrast... this one floors me with the 30000:1. It really is impressive how black is black and the colors POP. I only have an upsampling DVD, so I can't comment on anything beyond digital cable and DVD, which both look GREAT from 8-10 feet away
Sound: Very nice. This TV is louder than my last. Will I ever go beyond 50% volume? No. But my Toshiba would require the volume at about level 55 for some movies. This Philips typically doesn't go above 35. AND... this has an auto-volume feature that allows a very basic compressor/limiter to level your volume. When commercials come on... I kid you not, they are not NEARLY as annoyingly loud. I really like this feature. To clarify for the non-audio geeks, you conceivably can leave your volume in the same spot when the loud commercials come on, or when a movie suddenly has a dramatic moment. This feature levels out the audio. As a former recording-studio engineer, I find this a bit impure... but the benefits outweigh the audio purity gained by turning this feature off. Auto-volume is a GO!
Other features: Not many. This is a very basic TV... but is that a bad thing? I really never used the 15 different preset picture quality controls on my Toshiba. This TV has some presets and some color customs. I can play with the aspect ratio and some other stuff... but I really just plugged it in and left it as-is. I tried to find any practical features that really *did* anything and the audio is all I found. I say this as a positive, though. I really like the simplicity of this TV.
Ports: My Toshiba had 4 HDMI, this has 3. I think I'll cope, especially since my computer doesn't have audio via HDMI and is bound to become unplugged and placed elsewhere in the house. It has a USB port that claims to display pictures. I plugged in a few USB drives I have sitting around and it didn't do anything. This is a feature that most people won't really care about, me included. The manual describes certain compatability... either with number of characters or FAT / NTFS or some little fussy restriction. I personally believe that TVs shouldn't try to do computer functions and should just display a great picture. I believe this one does.
OVERALL:
I really can't get over how well the black tones look on this TV. I feel this was WAY more than a bargain-basement TV. I would not hesitate to buy this TV, provided the features match your needs. I have mine hanging on a TV stand so I can't speak for the included stand (it's still in the box), but I like the way it looks. The screen is dull-coat and not overly glossy. The bezel is obnoxiously glossy, but your eyes seem to forget it when the TV comes on. And just to reiterate... I LOVE the auto-volume leveling feature.
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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Service Issues Override Anything Else, November 1, 2009
The same weekend I received my TV, it broke for the first time. It would only display the Philips logo and never an actual picture. After talking to their service center, it was going to take weeks to fix the problem. Then, a couple of days later as I was deciding whether to return the TV or have it repaired, it worked again. The same problem came up every few weeks and would take an hour or so of reset before working properly.
Then, a couple of months after I bought it, the picture tube went out.
When it worked, the picture and sound was fine, but what good is a TV that breaks a few days or months after you buy it?
Nothing could convince me to buy another Philips product based on my experience. I bought this TV based in part on the good reviews here, but I was very disappointed with my purchase.
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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Grand Tv, May 8, 2009
I went searching for a HDTV, it had to be 1080p and it had to be 42 inches and over.
I orginally purchased a Vizio which was a great 42 Inch for 200$ less than this tv. I then happened to go back to that same store and I took a look at the Phillips 42 Inch, this tv had atlest 10 extra features other tv's didnt have and it also just happened to be a better brand and to look better
At that time I returned the Vizio, and paid 200$ more to get the Phillips 42inch, it is perfect.
Im 100% satisfied with this tv, its has all the new features, and the picture quality is excellent.
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