Philips 17PF8946 17" LCD Flat Panel HDTV-Ready TV

Philips 17PF8946 17-inch HDTV-ready flat-panel LCD TV is more than just great looks. The perfect size for a small space, the 3.1-inch-thick display provides an excellent audio/visual experience with features like Crystal Clear III, Active Control, Virtual Dolby Surround, and unique flat speakers. It even has a built-in FM radio tuner so you can listen to all your favorite radio channels, and up to 40 station presets make sure you tune in fast.

The high-definition (HD tuner not included), 1,280 x 768 WXGA LCD panel uses the latest panel technology, such as Philips' proprietary Crystal Clear package of innovations featuring a 3D digital comb filter (eliminates dot crawl and color bleeding, enhancing fine detail, cleaning up image outlines, and removing most extraneous colors), Dynamic Contrast for deep blacks and pure whites, and green and blue color enhancement. The high 400:1 contrast ratio gives you better subtle color details and the ability to see the picture in bright light conditions, and the 25-millisecond response time means it's capable of handling fast-moving action without image blur or lag.

Active Control delivers the best picture setting, any time, from any source. The incoming signal is automatically analyzed and key picture settings, like sharpness, color, and contrast, are adjusted. The 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio is the best for viewing HDTV and DVDs so you can have a more realistic cinema experience, but the TV has zoom modes for viewing 4:3 analog broadcast TV and pan-and-scan-formatted video.

Built-in flat speakers (4 watts per channel) sit on either side of the active-matrix TFT LCD, giving you full stereo sound without needing to connect to an external speaker system. Virtual Dolby Surround sound support simulates cinema surround sound effects without the need for rear speakers. Philips' Smart Listening auto volume leveling eliminates drastic volume spikes while changing channels or when channels go to a commercial break.

Other features include fantastic 176-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles, 100 preset channels, Autostore for easy tuning, Auto Picture (five modes give you picture settings for different types of programming), Auto Sound (four modes to tailor the TV sound to enhance what you're watching), multilanguage onscreen display, sleep timer, integrated NTSC tuner and RF jack for terrestrial reception, ergonomic remote control, and an antireflective screen.

Want to do more than just watch TV? The 17PF8946 has an FM antenna connector for getting better reception, a rear composite input, and a component input that helps minimize digital and line-scan artifacts during DVD playback. And, because the TV is progressive scan, it can take advantage of the more filmlike images produced by progressive-scan DVD players. It has a VGA input too, which receives the signal from your PC so you can use it as a TV and a PC monitor. A set of side jacks has a composite A/V input with S-video, a mini headphone jack, and an audio in for using the TV's speakers with your PC.

What's in the Box
17-inch HD-ready LCD TV, stand, remote control, 2 AA batteries, user's manual.

1 Good things come in small packages
HD in a little package.

That's exactly what this LCD is.
To get the most of this monitor, you must play HDTV games or TV shows on this. Games,DVD, cable, and satellite are the primary uses for this one. The built-in speakers are OK, but get the job done.

It has a 1280x768 which it a little unusual, since most LCD TVs are either 1024x768 OR 1280x1024. But in retrospect, I think its a lot better.

If you are short on cash, you can get one of these for free at:

http://tinyurl.com/8rg58

In conclusion a very good LCD monitor for its price.

2 Awesome Picture
Got the Phillips 17inch HDTV LCD after buying a Sony 42 inch rear projection HDTV. Got the Phillips for my office so I could take advantage of HD up there as well. Ordered 2 Comcast DVRs as well, the Motorola 6412 dual tuner. I am in heaven.

The biggest plus for the Phillips is its picture quality. It is great on the digital channels and awesome on the HD ones. The analog channels are just OK as is the case with any high quality high definition TV.

One cautionary is that the HD component hookup uses the same input as the VGA monitor. A funky kind of cable is included with a VGA like plug on one end and a 3 cable component collection on the other. So if you plan to use HD and VGA without a manual cable switch forget it. You can do a VGA and plain digital, but this is an HD ready TV. I did not buy the TV as an extra monitor so I don't care, but thought I'd throw this in for those that are.

The speakers are what you might imagine for an integrated unit...i.e. OK. I have a small set of Cambridge Soundworks speakers (2 satellite speakers and a subwoofer) that plug into a headphone jack. Its not theater sound, but its way better than my 13 inch Sony or my PC for that matter. I believe this is the result of the Dolby virtual surround sound. Probably the best sound you can get without a true surround sound theater system.

I have a Sony progressive scan DVD player hooked up to the component inputs and the picture is just great. Its not as good as my HD progressive scan DVD player with DVI connection hooked up to the 42 incher downstairs, but pretty darned good. I got the digitally remasterd Star Wars trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed watching it on this TV...sound was pretty awesome as well. For me the only improvement might be a DVI interface.

In summary, this is the perfect TV for an office/small room. If you want HD in a small space...this is it.