Introduction

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. Read here what the TV can do and what its competitors offer in response.

Picture Technology

Philips has decided to use exclusively liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) until further notice - the last plasma TVs disappeared from the Dutch company's range in 2008. The 42-inch (1.06-meter) display uses conventional cold-cathode-tubes backlight and runs at 100 Hertz. This, combined with the motion-prediction technology "HD Natural Motion", should mean objects in the picture remain clear during motion.

With "Pixel Precise HD", the manufacturer attempts to make TV and DVD pictures appear more detailed. Experts will know that this isn't possible: You cannot reconstruct information that isn't present in the original signal. Still, it's easy enough to trick the human eye -anyone who's experimented with a program like "Photoshop" knows that you can increase an image's impression of sharpness.

What do we think about it? For conventional TV pictures in the traditional PAL resolution, Pixel Precise HD can bridge the gap between standard and high definition TV. The display already has to scale the pictures up for its high-definition panel - if there's an option to make the image look crisper at the same time, it can't be a bad thing.

But, the user should make their own decision when sitting on the couch: If, from there, the picture doesn't look too aggressive, leave the technology switched on. If you dislike the results, however, simply deactivate Pixel Precise HD in the menu.

If the TV is already displaying HDTV pictures from its tuner (see also the Tuner section), or from a Blu-ray disc, an HD camcorder, or a digital camera, purists should switch Pixel Precise HD off.

The 42 PFL 8404 comes with a full HD screen - the TV can therefore display all 1,920 x 1,080 pixels that high-definition TV signals can deliver. At this screen diagonal (1.06 meters), HD resolution still makes sense, since you'll be able to see the additional detail from the usual viewing distance. You can find details on the ideal viewing distance and optimal screen size in our "TV Buying Guide".

"Ambilight" TV Lamp:
As we've already mentioned: Philips fits many of its TVs with the high-tech "Ambilight" TV lamp - in the PFL 8404 H, this is known as "Spectra 2". Ambilight illuminates the wall behind the TV with the colors of the current picture - in an aerial camera pan across green fields, for example, the grass seems to spread beyond the edges of the screen.

Based on our experiences with the system, this genuinely makes TV-viewing more fun and relaxing. Of course, Ambilight is powerless to improve the TV's objective picture quality, and some customers prefer to set the lamp to a fixed color, instead of having it vary to match the picture's current content.

In fact, you don't even have to use the lighting system at all: If the TV isn't standing against a wall, or if the room is bright - or you simply want to save power - you can turn Ambilight off altogether.

Additional Features

Traditional TV is a thing of the past - with this series, Philips promises customers the chance to enjoy videos and photos from the Internet as well as their own clips, photos, and music on the big screen, all from the comfort of their couch.

Let's start with the Internet:
If connected to the World Wide Web via a router and broadband connection, the TV can access content on an online Philips portal using the "Net TV" system. Offers include YouTube videos and clips from local news-broadcasters. Philips manages this portal, but the content comes from third-party suppliers.

The basis for all services is CE-HTML, a page-description language optimized for typical living room situations. Philips puts popular services for the relevant country into the so-called "Favorite" positions. The user can then sort and alter the services as they choose, as well as adding further CE-HTML-based offers.

There's even more: If this isn't enough for you, the Philips doesn't disappoint: The TV also has a built-in Internet-browser that allows you to view any website of your choice. In many cases, however, the 42 PFL 8404 H is unable to display multimedia content such as embedded videos in web-pages.

Nevertheless, this is a practical feature: If you want to check something quickly online during an ad break, you don't have to boot up the PC. It can be a little awkward to tap in Internet addresses using the TV's remote control, but it's do-able. And, no matter what the limitations here, you should bear in mind that other Internet-capable TVs don't even have a browser at all.

Other practical functions:
Apart from Internet access, the 42 PFL 8404 H offers various practical functions: If the TV is connected to a home network, it can play back MP3, PCM, and WMA music files from a PC, as well as JPEG photos and videos in the formats MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4. This includes both AVI clips with DivX content and H.264/AVC.

The PC must be running a DLNA server - this could be simply a current version of Media Player (on Windows PCs), for example, or "TwonkyMedia Server" (about 18 GBP). The Philips can also play back Windows Media Videos (WMV 9 / VC 1) and MPEG program streams. All of these formats also play back from a USB stick.

Tuner/Video-processing

For terrestrial- and cable-TV viewers, the 42 PFL 8404 H is equipped perfectly. The TV has tuners for both analog and digital signals - the latter also in HD, where broadcasts exist. Great news for cable users: The tuner also supports cable's forthcoming "CI Plus" encryption system. If you use a dish to receive your TV signals, you'll need an external receiver with the PFL 8404 H. With video connections, on the other hand, the Philips is very cosmopolitan, accepting video signals in the formats PAL, Secam, and NTSC.

Connections

Video recorder, DVD player, camcorder - over the years, the typical household collects all sorts of devices. Thankfully, therefore, this TV's connections panels cater for both traditional and modern technologies. Both Scart sockets on the rear of the 42 PFL 8404 H are RGB-capable. This means you can input pictures from DVD players or conventional, digital, satellite-TV receivers in the best possible quality. Neither of the Scart sockets supports S-Video - if you're still using an S-VHS recorder (Philips itself also used to make these), Scart will not therefore give you the best picture.

Three HDMI inputs on the back of the unit should cater for users that want to hook the TV up to Blu-ray players, HD satellite receivers, and PCs. The 8404 H also has a VGA socket for connecting to older PCs and laptops, while a set of cinch sockets independently caters for YUV component-video signals. Finally, the rear panel has an analog, stereo audio-output (cinch), a further cinch socket for digital audio, and a stereo mini-jack for inputting audio from a PC.

The left side of the TV houses another connections panel. Here, you'll find cinch and Mini-DIN sockets for composite or S-Video signals from digital cameras and camcorders, as well as a mini-jack headphone output. A further HDMI input - for HD camcorders, for example - and the aforementioned USB socket are also found here.

Operation

Televisions.com was already able to get a first impression of this TV's menu and remote control. The menu's structure is clear, and the text is attractive and easy to read, even from the usual couch distance. Menu pages cover large parts of the picture, but shrink when the user activates individual entries. This makes it easy to check the effect of various picture settings.

Philips has kissed goodbye to the wheel it used to provide for menu navigation - and good riddance! In the previous generation of Philips TVs, the user had to navigate using a sort of dial. This reacted so sensitively that it would often select the wrong option, which could be extremely irritating.

The PFL 8404 H's remote control reverts to the classic cursor-cross - this should provide more sure-footed operation. The remote control looks handy, and the important buttons for channel changing and volume are sufficiently large.

Design / Model Variants and Pricing

The 42 PFL 8404 H only comes in black.

Recommended pricing for the UK:

42 PFL 8404 H (black), 1,200 GBP.

Alternative models: A brief comparison

as of: May 27, 2009

LG 42 LH 5000, from 900 GBP.

Here, with 200 Hertz technology, LG uses the most sophisticated process so far to provide accurate motion with clearly defined edges - particularly important in sports broadcasts, of course.

The built-in tuners receive digital signals, but only DVB-T - this also in high-definition where such broadcasts exist. Apart from that, this Korean TV will only accept analog cable signals; if you want to watch digital signals via cable or satellite, you'll need an additional set-top box.

In terms of multimedia, the LG 42 LH 5000 cannot compete with the Philips: On the one hand, it can play back MP3 music and JPEG photos, as well as various video formats from USB sticks. The LG accepts DivX (versions 3.11 to 6), XviD, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 (H.264, AVC). On the other hand, the LH 5000 lacks the Ethernet socket needed for connecting to computer networks or the Internet.

Still, the connectivity is anything but sparse: With four HDMI inputs and two Scart sockets, the Korean and Dutch rivals are equally matched. The 42 LH 5000 will not, however, accept S-Video signals - neither via Scart nor via the side-mounted AV input - so this TV can't relay the best playback-quality from older camcorders. More irritating for many users will be the lack of a headphone socket.

Panasonic TX-P 42 G 15, on pre-order from around 1,100 GBP.

This plasma TV costs around 200 GBP more than the Philips through online retailers. Satellite users will be happy to pay the extra - thanks to a built-in, HD-capable, digital satellite tuner, you can do away with an external receiver and second remote control. The TX-P 42 G 15 also receives DVB-T and digital cable (DVB-C), both in high definition.

In many countries, however, Panasonic doesn't advertize the digital cable tuner. The reason: The TV lacks support for the CI Plus access system - it remains unclear if, or to what extent, this TV will be able to receive encrypted or pay-TV channels in the future.

The manufacturer currently advertizes 600-Hertz picture technology - but this is actually simply a consequence of the way a plasma screen works. In reality, the rate corresponds to the same 100 Hertz offered by many of today's TVs.

In terms of Internet access, this TV offers similar features to those of the Philips. Like Philips, Japanese company Panasonic manages a web-portal ("Viera Cast"), on which interested providers display their content. Unlike the Philips, however, this Panasonic doesn't offer a web-browser.

Over the home network, the TV plays back various photo and video file types, including DivX/MPEG-2 videos and JPEG photos. The TV lacks a USB connection - this is a real shame, since this could have allowed playback of the same formats from memory sticks.

The connectivity on this Panasonic is a fair match for that of the Philips: Two Scart sockets (both RGB, one S-Video) should be enough to accommodate older devices such as a VHS recorder or DVD player.

The three HDMI inputs on the back of the TV are already a decent setup, and there's a fourth HDMI under a small flap on the front, along with a camcorder connections panel offering a socket for S-Video (Mini-DIN) and composite-video signals (cinch). The flap also conceals an SD-card slot and a 3.5-millimeter-jack headphone output.

Sharp LC-42 DH 77 E, 1,200 GBP.

Also a 2009 model, this LCD TV from Sharp hit the market just before the Philips 42 PFL 8404 H. The Sharp's tuner only accepts analog cable and DVB-T, meaning, in this respect, the Philips offers more for your money.

Televisions.com has already tested the LC-42 DH 77 E. Pictures from the DVB-T tuner are impressive, but the analog tuner's pictures lack some detail and show more noise than on other TVs. On the other hand, the TV's sharpness is perfect via Scart.

One positive surprise: For an LCD, the TV displays a very rich black. Movies in the original 24p frame rate display accurately, but the 100-Hz technology has little effect in pictures recorded on a video camera, such as sports broadcasts. You always notice a slight, lilac tint, but the patchiness seen in large areas is less obvious in practice.

The handy remote control's buttons are clearly arranged but a little too small, and various buttons crowd important controls, such as those for volume and channel changing. Furthermore, the tiny menu text is almost impossible to read from usual viewing distances.

The Sharp's three HDMI inputs are sufficient for most purposes, but the Philips offers more certainty with four. Both models offer two Scart sockets and a headphone connection, and both the Sharp and the Philips are equipped for conventional camcorders, thanks to an S-Video socket. Here, however, the analog component video input (YUV) is forced to share the VGA socket (via an adapter) - this isn't always practical. The LC-42 DH 77 E can display digital photos via USB, but offers no other multimedia or network functions.

Sony KDL-40 W 5500, 1,200 GBP.

This 100-Hertz LCD TV from Sony also stems from the 2009 model-year. And with Sony, it shows: The tuner, for example, is bang up to date. It accepts analog TV, digital terrestrial TV (DVB-T), and digital cable TV (DVB-C). Where there are high-definition broadcasts, the Sony will also display these, and thanks to CI Plus technology, the 40 W 5500 will also support forthcoming cable-TV access systems. Like the Philips, the Sony has no satellite-TV receiver - those using a dish will still need a set-top box.

Sony can also access Internet services, and display these along the edge of the screen. But the KDL-40 W 5500 restricts itself to so-called RSS feeds - free news tickers available on many websites. It's a bit awkward to set this feature up using the remote control, since the generally long addresses are tedious to type in. Once you've set "AppliCast" up, though, it works like a charm. If the news tickers contain photos, the TV displays these too, but unlike the Philips, the Sony cannot access normal websites or photo/video portals.

In terms of network functions, however, the Dutch and Japanese TVs are equal: If there's a PC running connected to your network and running a DLNA server, the Sony can also play back photos, videos, and music.

The connections panels of the KDL-40 W 5500 and the 42 PFL 8404 H are also very similar: The Sony lacks an S-Video socket for camcorder signals, but otherwise both candidates offer an equally large number of equally practical connections. Those opting for the Sony will, of course, have to live without Ambilight, and without two extra inches (5.08 centimeters) of screen diagonal.

Toshiba 42 ZV 635 D, from around 900 GBP.

More Hertz, less networking is the simple comparison of the 42 ZV 635 D with the Philips 42 PFL 8404 H. This model from Japanese manufacturer Toshiba offers 200-Hertz technology, which aims to improve motion depiction, keeping the ball and players crisp during football games, for example. On paper at least, Toshiba's "Resolution +" detail-enhancer is reminiscent of Philips' Pixel Precise HD - "Resolution +" also promises to process fine details in the picture more precisely.

But, when it comes to tuners, the Japanese company must admit defeat to the Europeans: The 42 ZV 635 D's tuner accepts analog TV, DVB-T, and digital cable TV. This Toshiba does not have CI Plus, so its support for encrypted cable channels is limited. Both the Toshiba and the Philips lack a satellite-TV receiver.

The audio setup offers a practical extra: The new "Dolby Volume" technology will attempt to eliminate irritating volume changes between movies and ad breaks, as well as the volume differences between individual TV channels. The Audyssey equalizer, revered by home-theater fans, is supposed to help this flat-panel produce top sound.

The connections panel on this Toshiba TV lacks none of the important features: It has two Scart sockets (one RGB capable, the other S-Video), four HDMI inputs, and a side-mounted connections panel. The side panel hosts cinch and Mini-DIN sockets for composite or S-Video signals from a camcorder, as well as a headphone output - all the same as the Panasonic.

On the other hand, this Toshiba lacks network access. In consolation, however, its multimedia functions are comparable with the Panasonic's: JPEG photos, MP3 music files, and DixV videos play back via USB or from an SD (or SDHC) memory card.

For perfectionists, this TV offers excellent options for accurate adjustment: You can, for example, set the TV to display only one of the three primary colors (red, green, and blue). With corresponding test DVDs or Blu-ray discs, therefore, even novice users will be able to set up the colors perfectly.

About our product previews

Experienced experts produce these product preview pages using manufacturers' specifications, along with test data we've produced for other models and subjective assessments of the product's market chances.

We comprehensively research the information we use, but data of this kind quickly becomes out of date as a result of day-to-day variations in the market and the appearance of new products.

The information in our own tests is more reliable, especially statements relating to quality or comparisons with other TVs. Since we cannot test every single device, however, and because we're interested in your opinion, we're grateful to receive any user ratings or user opinions for this TV - especially if you own the model yourself, but also if this preview provided enough information for you to form your own judgment.

Many thanks in advance!

The team behind this product preview:

The following people were involved in producing this article on the Philips 42 PFL 8404 H:

Author(s): Karl-Gerhard Haas
Editor in Chief: Florian Friedrich

Photos: Manufacturers

Last updated: May 27, 2009