Philips launches 9600 Ambilight LCD TVs in UK

by Steven Kim posted Jun 4th 2008 at 8:01AM

Just because Philips has hit some rough water with its TV products and even handed over the US production to Funai, that doesn't mean it's given up. Getting rolled out in the UK is the Ambilight 9600-series LCD TVs. While we're not fans of the Ambilight, the other improvements to the panels sound good to us. An updated Pixel Perfect HD system promises better black levels and contrast, and 100Hz (double the UK 50Hz mains frequency) Clear LCD wizardry should help minimize motion blur; at least as much as 120Hz does here in the US. If you need even deeper blacks, the new backlight can be dialed right down to 5-percent. If sunglasses are your thing, the torch mode on the backlight has been increased by 10-percent. Sounds good, but we'd like to see Philips bring its higher end models like these to the states for our peepers. The models we've seen over here don't exactly stop us in our tracks. Available in 32, 37, 42 and 47-inch sizes for £999, £1499, £1799 and £1999, respectively.

Filed under: Displays, Philips, LCD

Tags: 9600, Ambilight, LCD, Philips, UK

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Godskitchen @ Jun 4th 2008 8:20AM

Yes well done philips, an LCD with even more light/brightness, just what we need.

I would be realy interested to know who buys these piles of crap, how stupid do you have to be to be fooled by a TV with flashing lights.

I bet the owners of this piss poor excuse of a TV think it has good contrast. Dumb ass, its the Disco around the edge of the TV thats making you think that, you still cant see whats going on in dark scenes.

Philips are laughing all the way to the hash cafe with this one!

Highest Ranked

tony @ Jun 4th 2008 4:41PM

I love when idiots start spouting off about something that they know absolutely nothing about. Have you ever seen a Philips TV in person? Have you ever seen Ambilight in a home setting at night (not in a store)? If not then you should keep your ignorant comments to yourself and stick to what you know (which probably isn't much).

While Philips does have some issues with contrast and artifacts in dark scenes, generally speaking the picture is pretty decent. However, their Ambilight feature is the real deal. I never want to go back to watching TV without it. The depth enhancement is real. And the fact that you can watch TV in a dark room, with no other lights on, and not strain your eyes like you would without Ambilight, is totally kick-a$$.

And while you can create an ambient lighting situation by just putting a lamp behind the TV, that doesn't even hold a candle to Philips' feature because Ambilight automatically adjusts the light level of Ambilight to match what's going on onscreen, and it changes color to match what's onscreen as well so the ambient lighting effect is dynamic, unlike a lamp which puts out constant, harsh white light.

The Ambilight system rocks and if you've never seen it in real life and you make comments bashing things that you know nothing about, then all you've done is made yourself look like an idiot. Good job.

Neutral

Godskitchen @ Jun 4th 2008 4:59PM

I have seen ambishite many times, I not only worked in high end electronic retail for many many years, I am still friends with most of the people I worked with who are still in the game................and guess what their view is on ambishite....................well it wont take you long to guess.

As for the whole concept, the aim of any good TV is to make you feel like you are part of the action, immerse you in the image. Now if ambishite does that for you then all well and good, I would love to be in your world when you go to watch sports/films/whatever and have flashing lights around your eyes mounted on glasses. If philips were to market these glasses would you buy them. The world will judge you by your answer.

Its a con, simple as.

"While Philips does have some issues with contrast and artifacts in dark scenes" understatement of the decade, to be fair though its not just philips.

Neutral

Truth Teller @ Jun 4th 2008 10:31AM

A nice little 'daylight' lamp placed out of sight behind your LCD TV
(and with no reflecting surfaces interferring, so that it provides
only 'ambient' light, not direct lighting)
does exactly the same thing for your eyes & the perceived contrast
benefit for just a couple of £/$.

It's supposed to be easier on your eyes and have a little bit of an
improving & amplifying effect on your perception of the contrast level(s).

Done for a few £/$ it's well worth trying (I reckon it's worth
it)......

.......but if the 'price' was that you had to buy a Philips LCD TV?

No thanks.

It's been way a long time since too many reviewers thought they were
on the leading edge.

Neutral

plonk420 @ Jun 4th 2008 2:24PM

is that a simulated image? or is that from some movie?

Neutral

Steven Kim @ Jun 4th 2008 4:44PM

It's a press photo from Philips for its 42PFL9603D/10 model.

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