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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
-
Sleek and sexy
I bought the Philips 17pf9936 because the slightly higher spec model (17pf9945) was no longer available. I use it for watching DVDs and as a game console screen (using the HDTV component video input) and as a computer monitor.
Overall, I'm happy with this TV. Picture quality is good, bright, and contrasty. My only complaint is that the backlighting seems strong -- blacks are never really 100% black, but always a little lighter. It's not very noticable, but once you do, it bugs you a bit.
As a computer monitor it is very good -- except I cannot figure out how to get it into WXGA mode (1280x768). Philips web site claimed it was possible, as does the spec sheet on Amazon, but the manual only lists 1024x768 (4:3), 1280x960 (4:3), or 1280x1024 (5:4) (which all work).
Three things keep me from giving it a full five star rating: Not having got it to work in WXGA mode yet, the not-quite-black-blacks, and the quality of the remote control, which feels cheap and is confusing.
Rating: -
maybe a keeper?
Just unboxed this set yesterday and hooked it up to our HD cable box. Now, the cable company only has HD programming on 2 channels. One of which is pretty much 24 hour playback of the 2002 SLC olympics (yawn). I had the same problems as the other reviewer in using the 800 number; getting non-sensical messages that they do not subscribe to something. Finally got through by calling their plasma folks. The positives for this TV are that the set is very compact and stylish, and the HD display is amazing. Normal brodcasts look fine. The negatives are that there are a LOT of cables to hook up; the P,Pr,Y connectors, R&L audio, power, and a 75ohm co-ax. I assumed the HD connectors would carry the other signals from the cable box when not in HD; not the case. The multi-cultural manuals are challenging, and poorly describe the features. Some features in the manual don't seem to exist at all on my set (e.g., DNR picture adjustment control). There are maybe hundreds of arcane features available to you, with little if any explanation of what they do. Finally, and most importantly, there is a quarter-sized area mid-screen that looks like a smudge. The pixles in this area glow dimmer than the rest. When viewing continuous backgrounds such as snow or green grass, this variant is very apparent and annoying. Enough so that I am returning the set to SEARS. BTW, this may be a good reason to buy this or any LCD TV at SEARS or COSCO, stores with no questions asked return policy. I called Philips and (after several calls) was told to send the set to an authorized dealer who would judge whether the pixle anomaly is outside of specs. In fact, Philips does not consider this to be a defect unless a certain minumum number of pixles fail. This in my opinon is unacceptable.
Rating: 
-
Flawed design and support
I am lowering my rating of this set. This is an HD set however when powered on it always wakes up in analog mode and you must manually switch it to HD mode. Customer service says that is by design and cannot be fixed.
Tried to resolve this via the web site - no help on line. Sent e-mail & two days later got e-mail response suggesting I call the 800 number. Called and went through the menu to get a recording that I had been routed to voice mail but "the person at 3901 does not subscribe to this system. Good bye."
I bought this to use in a home office. It sits next to my PC monitor with the analog computer output to the TV and the digital PC output to the PC monitor. This doubles my monitor real-estate when the TV is in PC mode. There is an adjustable size and position picture-in-picture function (not HDTV) in the PC mode so you can watch TV while using the TV as a PC monitor.
Good things: great picture, lots of adjustments, 1080i HDTV input, component video (DVD) input, 3 sets of AV inputs, analog VGA input from PC, sound is richer than expected with such small speakers, output for powered sub-wolfer, nice FM radio with 40 presets.
Bad things: height not adjustable, no wide screen PC vidio modes like 1600 x 1024 (max is 1280 x 1024), universal remote could be more universal, requires external FM antenna, non-standard remote usually cannot be learned by non-phillips universal remotes.
