Dutch company Philips is an old hand in the TV business. And, when flat-panel TVs arrived, Philips was on board from the start: The first Philips plasma TV appeared in Europe at the end of 1996 - for the trivial sum of approx. 9,000 GBP. It's not just the prices that have changed since then: The manufacturer now uses LCD screens exclusively - if it's a Philips, it's an LCD.

Philips LCD TV: Series 8000
The 8000 series occupies the upper mid-range of the Philips catalog. In this price range, the customer can already expect quite a lot - the standard features you find in the cheaper candidates are, of course, also present here: HD digital tuner with CI Plus and optional satellite receiver PFS 0001, USB connection with varied multimedia playback, Full HD screen, 1080p support for all common frame rates (24, 30, 50, and 60 hertz), 100-hertz technology, and concealed loudspeakers.

On top of that, the 8000 series is the cheapest Philips series with an Ambilight - Philips' high-tech version of the "TV lamp". These lamps at the left and right sides, on the back of the screen, illuminate the wall behind the TV in the colors of the current picture content - if, therefore, for example, the screen is displaying grass in a football stadium, the wall glows green.

Furthermore, Philips' 8000 series also adds a couple of extra portions of multimedia: These TVs not only play back more file types via USB than the cheaper series; they can also connect to PC networks via an Ethernet cable. Once hooked up, the TV can access and play back the same list of file formats from a PC in the network. There's one prerequisite for this, however: A computer in the network must be running DLNA-server software.

Formats supported by the 8000 series include music in the formats MP3, PCM, and Windows Media Audio (WMA, versions 2 to 9.2), as well as digital JPEG photos and video clips. The video clips can use one of a number of formats: MPEG-1, -2, or -4, AVI, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG program stream (PAL, used by hard-disk recorders, for example), or Windows Media Video 9/VC 1. The 8000 series even feels at home on the World Wide Web - the "Net TV" system allows you to access the Internet on your TV. Read more about this feature in our article Internet on your TV.

We've produced extensive product-analyses of the 32 PFL 8404 H, 37 PFL 8404 H, 42 PFL 8404 H, and 47 PFL 8404 H based on their technical specifications. These previews also compare the TVs with models from competing manufacturers.

Philips LCD 32 PFL 8404 H

Smart network and Internet functions, an integrated "Ambilight" lighting system, and an up-to-date digital TV tuner - Philips is aiming for satisfied customers with the 8404 H series. The series slots into the Dutch manufacturer's hierarchy at about the upper mid-range, which promises the best price/performance ratio.

Philips LCD 37 PFL 8404 H

This flat-panel LCD is more than just a TV: The 37 PFL 8404 H also has Philips' "Ambilight" system, the high-tech equivalent of the TV lamp, as well as various other features that put it ahead of its competitors.

Philips LCD 42 PFL 8404 H

When Philips promises a glowing TV picture with this TV, you'd better believe it. The Netherlands-based company is the inventor of "Ambilight" - a high-tech relative of the old TV-lamp. But this upper-mid-range TV offers many more features that put it ahead of the competition.

Philips LCD 47 PFL 8404 H

The Dutch don't just make brightly colored tulips; their TVs also - literally - glow in bright color. Netherlands-based company Philips invented a so-called "Ambilight" system, the high-tech relative of an old TV-lamp. But these TVs offer many more features that put them above the competition.

Philips LCD 32 PFL 8404 H, 32 inches (81.3 cm), 800 GBP
Philips LCD 37 PFL 8404 H, 37 inches (94 cm), 1,000 GBP
Philips LCD 42 PFL 8404 H, 42 inches (107 cm), 1,200 GBP
Philips LCD 47 PFL 8404 H, 47 inches (119 cm), 1,400 GBP

At the time of writing, the Philips LCD 40 PFL 8664 H is brand new. It provides all the features of the 8000 series, but uses LEDs arranged around the edge of the screen ("Edge LED") instead of fluorescent tubes as a light source. This allows the TVs to be yet slimmer and to save yet more energy. The black is a bit deeper, but cannot compare to that of models with Local Dimming technology, such as the TVs in the 8704 H series.

Philips LCD 40 PFL 8664 H, 40 inches (102 cm), around 1,500 GBP

Philips LCD TV: Series 9000

Cinema 21:9:
This is surely the most spectacular new development on the TV scene in 2009 - with the wide(st)-screen TVs from the Cinema 21:9 series, Philips hopes to appeal to movie fans that are fed up with black bars on Cinemascope movies. The screen runs at 200 hertz, and Perfect Pixel HD and HD Natural Motion are supposed to provide sharp pictures with precise edges during motion. We've already carried out comprehensive testing of this TV - read our full TV review on the Philips Cinema 21:9 56 PFL 9954 H.

Philips LCD 56 PFL 9954 H

The Philips Cinema 21:9 is a daylight-suitable LCD TV in extravagant CinemaScope format, with an excellent feature list and powerful sound. Weaknesses include the high price and average contrast. Also, it's often hard to set the correct aspect ratio.

Philips LCD 56 PFL 9954 H, 56 inches (142 cm), 4,500 GBP

Philips LCD TV: Series 1000
The 1000 series currently consists of a single model. It's a compact, portable TV that runs without a mains-electricity supply. The tuner receives terrestrial digital signals (DVB-T), and the TV can play back MP3 and WMA music, JPEG photos, and DivX and MPEG-4 videos - from either a USB stick or an SD memory card. The built-in battery is supposed to provide three hours of continuous viewing.

Philips LCD PVD 1079, 10.2 inches (26 cm), 300 GBP

Philips LCD TV: Series 3000
Series 3000 is the entry-level series among Philips' LCD TVs. The pricing is relatively low, and the feature set is correspondingly basic. Only the largest model in the series offers the full HDTV resolution.

The 19 PFL 3404 H has a DVB-T tuner that will also receive HDTV in places where such broadcasts exist; the tuner in the 22 PFL 3404 D model is only suitable for DVB-T in standard PAL resolution. Without the help of extra devices, the other TVs will only receive analog signals. With one Scart and one HDMI input, the connection-panels are basic, but at least the devices accept 1080p in all common frame rates - that is, at 24, 30, 50, and 60 hertz.

Philips LCD 19 PFL 3404, 19 inches (48.3 cm), 230 GBP
Philips LCD 19 PFL 3404 H, 19 inches (48.3 cm), 250 GBP

Philips LCD 22 PFL 3404 D, 22 inches (55.9 cm), 300 GBP

Philips LCD 26 PFL 3404, 26 inches (66 cm), 350 GBP
Philips LCD 32 PFL 3404, 32 inches (81.3 cm), 360 GBP

Philips LCD 42 PFL 3604, 42 inches (107 cm), 590 GBP

Philips LCD TV: Series 5000
The 5000 series of Philips' LCD TV range presents a significantly better list of features than that of the 3000 series; the superior series' handsome price-performance ratio will appeal to many customers.

All of the models provide up-to-date tuners for digital TV via antenna or cable, and will receive HDTV signals for both types of transmission - where HD broadcasts are available, that is. The TVs already support the CI Plus encryption system, and should therefore work without a set-top box in all European cable networks. Whether or not accessing the networks in this way is legal depends on the terms laid out by the various operators - in the United Kingdom, for example, it's not permitted. Satellite-TV viewers can buy the add-on satellite receiver PFS 0001 (pricing as yet unknown). This attaches discreetly to the rear of the TV and can be operated using the usual TV remote control.

Apart from the 32 PFL 5404 H, all the 5000-series TVs have Full HD screens - that is, a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. With "Pixel Plus HD", Philips promises an outstanding impression of sharpness. The devices accept 1080p in all common frame rates: 24, 30, 50, and 60 hertz. Via USB, the TVs in this series can also play back a variety of multimedia files: MP3 and PCM music, JPEG digital photos, and MPEG-1/-2 and H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video clips.

Philips LCD 32 PFL 5404 H, 32 inches (81.3 cm), 500 GBP

Philips LCD 32 PFL 5604 H, 32 inches (81.3 cm), 550 GBP
Philips LCD 37 PFL 5604 H, 37 inches (94 cm), 700 GBP
Philips LCD 42 PFL 5604 H, 42 inches (107 cm), 800 GBP
Philips LCD 47 PFL 5604 H, 47 inches (119 cm), 1,100 GBP
Philips LCD 52 PFL 5604 H, 52 inches (132 cm), 1,300 GBP

Philips LCD TV: Series 7000
The 7000 series provides all of the features of the 5000 series and is the cheapest of the Philips series to offer 100-hertz technology. Instead of "Pixel Plus HD", the TVs have "Pixel Precise HD" - this variety of the sharpness enhancer is, according to Philips, optimized for 100 Hz. To make motion look particularly fluid and judder-free, Philips equipped the 7000 series with "HD Natural Motion". With four HDMI inputs, the 7000-series models offer one more than their 5000-series colleagues.

In terms of sound, these TVs offer something a bit special: The speakers hide invisibly in the back of the TV, emitting sound through a thin groove around the edge of the screen. This series of Philips LCD TVs will also accept the optional PFS 0001 satellite receiver, which attaches to the rear of the display and can be controlled using the TV's remote control.

Philips LCD 32 PFL 7404 H, 32 inches (81.3 cm), 700 GBP
Philips LCD 42 PFL 7404 H, 42 inches (107 cm), 1,000 GBP
Philips LCD 47 PFL 7404 H, 47 inches (119 cm), 1,300 GBP
Philips LCD 52 PFL 7404 H, 52 inches (132 cm), 2,000 GBP

Philips LCD TV: Series 9000
The 9000-series models are Philips' current flagship TVs. The details vary strongly from one model to another, so Televisions.com will examine them individually. Nevertheless, the basic setup of the 9000 series is identical throughout.

These TVs have a future-safe HD tuner for DVB-T and DVB-C, with support for CI Plus. The add-on PFS 0001 satellite receiver is also available for the 9000 series - this hooks up to the unit via HDMI and can be controlled with the TV's remote control. All the TVs in the series have a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels - the full HDTV resolution - and accept 1080p signals in all common frame rates (24, 30, 50, and 60 hertz).

The 9000-series models also pack quite a punch with multimedia and networking functions: Either from a USB stick or across a network with a DLNA server, they'll play back MP3, PCM, and WMA music (the last in versions 2 to 9.2), as well as JPEG digital photos and video clips.

The TVs accept video in the following formats: MPEG-1, -2, and -4, AVI, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG program streams (PAL, as recorded by hard-disk recorders, for example), and Windows Media Video 9/VC 1.

The Net TV function of the 8000 series is also present here, but the 9000-series TVs can connect to the Internet and PC networks wirelessly, as well as via cable. With no less than five HDMI sockets, the flagship Philips models stand well equipped even for extensive AV setups.

Series 9604:
These TVs run at 100 hertz, and the "Perfect Pixel HD" technology is supposed to increase the impression of sharpness. At the same time, "HD Natural Motion" aims to make motion appear more fluid.

The Ambilight system here is the "Spectra 2" version, in which the lights on each side of the TV glow independently of one another: If the right of the picture is predominantly red, therefore, the Ambilight on the right of the screen will also glow red.

Philips LCD 32 PFL 9604 H, 32 inches (81.3 cm), 900 GBP
Philips LCD 37 PFL 9604 H, 37 inches (94 cm), 1,200 GBP

Series 9664:
The models from the 9664 sub-series also have the Spectra 2 Ambilight, but the display panels run at 200 hertz instead. With Philips TVs, this means that 100 images display per second, with the same number of black frames in-between - the latter are supposed to improve contrast. With a particularly slender casing, the 9664 models also differ visually from the 9604 series.

Philips LCD 42 PFL 9664 H, 42 inches (107 cm), price unavailable at time of writing
Philips LCD 47 PFL 9664 H, 47 inches (119 cm), price unavailable at time of writing

Series 9704:
The panels in the 9704-series models also boast 200-hertz technology. Ambilight is on board, this time as the "Spectra 3" version, which adds a further lighting module above the screen. This also varies its color and brightness depending on the picture content. The display's backlight is similarly high-tech, consisting of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) whose brightness can be varied in more than 200 individual sectors of the screen depending on the picture's contents. This "Local Dimming" aims to eliminate the weak blacks of conventional LCD screens.

Philips LCD 40 PFL 9704 H, 40 inches (102 cm), availability and pricing unconfirmed
Philips LCD 46 PFL 9704 H, 46 inches (116 cm), availability and pricing unconfirmed
Philips LCD 52 PFL 9704 H, 52 inches (132 cm), availability and pricing unconfirmed

Aurea:
For three years now, Philips has offered a special variety of Ambilight under the "Aurea" name: Not only does the TV light up the wall behind it, but the frame actually glows in the colors of the current picture - Philips calls the system "Active Frame". A grand total of 252 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are responsible for producing the effect.

LEDs are also responsible for making the screen's picture visible. Unlike in the 9704 series, however, the light sources are not behind the screen but, rather, around its edges - this makes it impossible to dim individual areas. The TV uses 100-hertz technology, and the "Perfect Pixel HD" and "Perfect Natural Motion" promise sharp images and fluid motion respectively.

Philips LCD 40 PFL 9904 H, 40 inches (102 cm), price unavailable at time of writing

Cinema 21:9:
This is surely the most spectacular new development on the TV scene in 2009 - with the wide(st)-screen TVs from the Cinema 21:9 series, Philips hopes to appeal to movie fans that are fed up with black bars on Cinemascope movies. The screen runs at 200 hertz, and Perfect Pixel HD and HD Natural Motion are supposed to provide sharp pictures with precise edges during motion. We've already carried out comprehensive testing of this TV - read our full TV review on the Philips Cinema 21:9 56 PFL 9954 H.

Philips LCD 56 PFL 9954 H, 56 inches (142 cm), 4,500 GBP

Discontinued models can be a real bargain as second-hand or clearance stock, and often offer only slightly inferior features to those of the current product generation. If, therefore, you're interested in reading reviews or technical details of such models, follow the links listed below.

Philips LCD 37 PFL 9632

- this Full HD model from the year 2007 impressed overall but tripped up with Blu-ray movies.

Philips LCD 37 PF 9641

- this model from 2006 scored well with Ambilight and, for an LCD, relatively deep blacks.

Philips LCD 42 PFL 7662

- this neatly put together, Full HD model delivers excellent TV pictures.

Philips LCD 42 PF 9831

- we were impressed with the picture on this TV from the 2006 model-year. The Ambilight scored it some extra points, but the far-out casing design drew mixed reactions.

Philips LCD 47 PFL 9703 D

- this model from 2008 offers plenty of strengths: excellent pictures from its built-in tuner, Full HD resolution, decent sound for a flat-panel TV, and an Ambilight. We disliked the overly sensitive "rotary key" on the remote control, however, and the imperfect playback of Blu-ray movies.

Philips LCD 52 PFL 9703 D

- the strengths of this 2008 model include excellent contrast, decent sound for a flat-panel, and network capabilities. But the picture quality depends too strongly on viewing angle, and movie-playback from Blu-ray discs falls short of perfect.

Philips LCD 52 PFL 9632 D

- the picture on this TV from the "Cineos" series shows rich contrast and accurate colors, and the Ambilight scores plenty of plus points. The 52-inch screen did, however, show some motion blur.

The following were involved in producing this article on Philips LCD TVs:

Author(s): Karl-Gerhard Haas
Editor in Chief: Florian Friedrich
Photos: Manufacturer and AV T.O.P. Messtechnik GmbH
Last updated: September 2009