» Philips 17PF8946 17-Inch LCD Flat Panel HDTV-Ready TV

Philips 17PF8946 17-Inch LCD Flat Panel HDTV-Ready TV Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Poor Quality/Warranty
Comment: After we have had this TV at about a year and a half, it developed a 2 inch wide transparent green stripe that runs from top to bottom (vertically). Took it to a repair shop and said it would cost appx $200 to repair. I can buy a new TV for that and obviously at that point it is out of warranty. Buyer beware!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Flat Panel Television
Comment: I purchased this television to put in a cabinet in the kitchen of my home. I am very pleased with the color, sound and quality of the unit. I have it mounted on a roll out shelf and I purchased a mount so the television can be folded up for storage. The only small problem is that the controls are on the top of the set and I sometimes activate them when I am trying to put the television away.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: If you're looking for HD gaming...
Comment: ...you almost certainly would do better with the Viewsonic 20.1" widescreen LCD, model VX2025WM.

I purchased the Philips 17" LCD Flat Panel HDTV-Ready TV for two reasons: to connect it to my XBOX 360 for High Definition gaming, and because the price was right. I had to return it to Amazon (which is prefectly courteous and professional with such matters) twice: the first set had a nonfunctioning headphone jack (no sound through headphones or any speaker I attached to it), and the replacement set would not display the HD output from my console. I have read of faulty HDAV cables being shipped with XBOX 360 consoles, so I wanted to make sure: I tested three separate consoles, and 3 separate HDAV cables. I tested all the available settings through the console's dashboard. The picture was the same: a screenful of distortion (the sound was fine).

The sound on this TV impressed me. It is not as good as you can get with even a $50 set of desktop speakers, but it is deep enough and loud enough that you wouldn't necessarily need any addition to enjoy what you're watching - something that surprised me, considering what we're told to expect from flat panel TVs.

For regular television, the picture quality is only moderately good. I appreciated the range of adjustable settings, and although the picture is generally very sharp, the colors generally didn't seem very well defined or realistic. The same held true for gaming through the AV components. Watching DVDs was definitely the best aspect of my experience with this product (both iterations thereof). Had I not purchased it primarily as a monitor for my XBOX 360, I may even have been tempted to keep it and be spared the nuisance of returns.

I intended not to star this review, because my encounter with the above two defects in this product was probably singular (although they occured on two different units). I have always had a mixed impression of American-market Philips products, and this unit will just be logged away with the others. The stars are there because the website forces it.

Enter the Viewsonic 20" widescreen LCD, model VX2025WM. You can attain HD-pedigree resolutions on an LCD monitor. The XBOX 360 dashboard automatically adjusts its display options to accomodate your screen. You would have to acquire the HDVGA cable - go with Monster; the Microsoft cable results in the oft-cited "washed out effect". Connect a pleasing $50 set of speakers (Creative Labs makes those), and enjoy your HD games in widescreen - your 4:3 games and DVD programs are accomodated as well. The picture is excellent, and it is Big! If you are primarily interested in HD gaming, and DVD viewing through your console or computer, and perhaps replacing your existing monitor while you're at it - and your immediate plans do not include installing HD Television in your home - the Viewsonic 20" Widescreen LCD, model VX2025WM is what you should get, and Amazon has it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Philips 17PF8946 17" LCD Flat Panel HDTV-Ready TV
Comment: You can't beat the low price on this 17" LCD TV. The picture quality with HDTV or DVD-Progessive Scan sources is excellent. Built-in stereo speakers and FM tuner are handy features, but sound quality is mediocre, so recommend using with home theater audio system for your audio. Generous variety of video inputs. However, only one handles true high definition sources, a standard 15-pin VGA input which accepts either (1) the in-the-box included cable which has the VGA connector on one end and the three component video jacks (standard color-coded RCA type) at the other end, or (2) a cable with VGA connectors at both ends (not included) for hookup to a PC. For more than one high-definition source you'll need a switchbox (I bought one from an electronics store to connect my satellite HDTV and DVD-Proscan player), or a VGA splitter (for two PC's). All in all a great bargain.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Philips 17PF8946 17" LCD Flat Panel HDTV-Ready TV
Comment: I'm the type of person who is usually comfortable with electronic equipment that is on the verge of obsolescence. That being said, I'm pleased with the Philips Flat Panel HDTV I purchased with the intent of using it as a computer monitor/TV to sit on a fragile desk in my bedroom. I have watched a total of three movies on it. The sound and picture quality were impressive especially considering I haven't made any adjustments to the factory settings. In fact, I've only had to make a few decisions after being prompted by menus that automatically appear on the screen. The Philips is definitely user friendly.

There are only a few drawbacks to the set which I hate to mention because I'm using it primarily as a monitor when it was really intended to be used as a TV. The screen is prone to etching when images, such as the Menu bar on a desktop, remain static for long periods of time. The speakers also don't work with the computer. Maybe they do with a PC but I had to have a VGA to DVI adapter cable to connect the Mac Mini to the Philips Flat Panel TV.

I still give the Philips 17PF8964 17" model five stars because I was able to connect a progressive scan DVD player to it without reading the instructions. The VGA to DVI adapter cable was also inexpensive and easy to find. And the instruction sheet allowed me to focus on only those few diagrams that pertained to my particular compatibility issue. The set is also very light compared to CRT monitors and TVs with 17" screens. Plus, the sound and picture quality easily surpass that of the "nice" TV bought for the living room years ago. As for the quality of the HDTV component, it'll be at least 5 years before I decide to use the feature...

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