You’ve decided on an LCD over a plasma, measured the viewing distance in your room to determine your screen size, calculated your HDTV subscription costs and read a dozen “How-to set up an HDTV” guides. But with over 34 brands competing in the worldwide LCD market (according to Jonathan Cassell, iSuppli Corp.), many of them sharing identical parts from overseas suppliers, where do you begin when it comes to selecting a brand?
According to Patrick Pondaven, general manager of Retail Consumer Electronics at Philips Canada, there are three primary areas that differentiate one HDTV from another: the processor, the design, and in Philips’ case – the lighting. The famous Ambilight line, launched by Philips in 2003, makes their mark obvious. These LCD and plasma televisions with illuminating bars located on the back of the set create a more intense viewing experience and help reduce eye strain.
Depending on the model, you can have a light emitting from just the right and left sides, the top as well, or from all four to create a “floating” effect. “Using the colour information provided by Active Control, the lights can actively match over 10 million on-screen colours or create 10,000 static colours including 6,500 degrees Kelvin,” says Yulia Kovalchuk, marketing manager of Consumer Electronics at Philips Canada. (6500 degrees K is the colour temperature of natural daylight). There are two operating modes: one automatically adjusts the lighting colours to compliment the picture on your screen, while the other allows you to set one particular colour for a constant glow. There are also two speed settings: dynamic for those blockbuster movie nights, and relaxed for dosing off on the couch to late-night television.
While some refer to backlighting as gimmicky, the benefits of this feature go beyond simple colour coordination. Philips claims that Ambilight technology emits lighting designed to compliment both your programming and your vision. With appropriate lighting, your pupils don’t need to excessively expand and contract as they would in a dark room, and this significantly reduces your eye strain. Yes, you can strategically place lamps around your room or use a dimmer on your overhead, but nothing beats having a set that simply incorporates the right balance, height, and placement of light for you. There is also something to be said about setting the right mood, and complimentary lighting really does the trick.
Philips is introducing 15 new LCD HDTVs this year, all equipped with either 720p or 1080p native resolution; five of these incorporate Ambilight technology, with pricing starting at $1299. Pondaven says speakers have improved enough that it no longer makes a difference whether they are placed on the sides or at the bottom of a set, so Philips merged the two right and left speakers into one horizontal bar below the screen, giving all models a sleeker appeal. The new models also feature the glossy piano black finish and come equipped all the inputs and outputs you would expect and/or need, including three HDMI inputs for high-def equipment. USB ports are also included for plugging in flash cards and listening to MP3s or watching JPEG slideshows. There is a memory card slot for quick access to Compact Flash, Memory Stick, SD, and Smart Media cards. The models are also Digital Cable Ready, and include a slot for a CableCARD. The Pixel Plus 3 HD processor enhances each pixel to create a sharper and more vivid picture, and the Clear LCD technology increases motion sharpness. (A quick tip on testing the sharpness of your screen, says Kovalchuk, is to watch a golf game and see whether you can clearly read the logo on the ball.) The new models are also more energy-efficient.
A good example of Philips’ new branding strategy – keeping technology simple – is apparent in the settings assistant, which you use to set brightness, colour and contrast. One sample image is displayed on your screen, which is divided in half. For each setting, all you have to do is look at the picture and decide whether you like the left or right side better. No lingo, no bars, no numbers. Just look at it.
Complimenting the simplicity of Ambilight design is the Ambisound SoundBar: a single unit, five amplifier speaker that produces multi-channel surround sound. The SoundBar measures 37” wide and is designed to sit discreetly below your set. You have the option of resting it on a table or mounting it to the wall, and hardware for both is included. The obvious benefit here is the lack of multiple speakers and their wires running all over and around your room, while keeping the same quality sound as a 5.1 channel system.
The SoundBar has a built-in DVD player, which plays most formats out there including Video CD/SVCD, DVD+R/+RW and DVD-R/-RW. The player will upscale to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p. Philips is still waiting for Blu-ray technology to improve before adding it to the SoundBar and would prefer to keep the unit at a reasonable cost. (The SoundBar is currently priced at $999; a high-def player would significantly raise this price.)
Other features of note include USB Direct, which allows you to plug in your USB flash drive to listen to music files (MP3 and WMA) and view photos, an integrated AM/FM tuner, and an MP3 line-in for connecting your MP3 player. An iPod dock is also included (with adapters for various models) so you can view content directly on your TV. The Smart Sound feature automatically detects audio encoding and adjusts your surround settings accordingly, so you don’t have to fuss around every time you go back and forth between listening to stereo music and watching a DVD.
According to Patrick Pondaven, general manager of Retail Consumer Electronics at Philips Canada, there are three primary areas that differentiate one HDTV from another: the processor, the design, and in Philips’ case – the lighting. The famous Ambilight line, launched by Philips in 2003, makes their mark obvious. These LCD and plasma televisions with illuminating bars located on the back of the set create a more intense viewing experience and help reduce eye strain.
Depending on the model, you can have a light emitting from just the right and left sides, the top as well, or from all four to create a “floating” effect. “Using the colour information provided by Active Control, the lights can actively match over 10 million on-screen colours or create 10,000 static colours including 6,500 degrees Kelvin,” says Yulia Kovalchuk, marketing manager of Consumer Electronics at Philips Canada. (6500 degrees K is the colour temperature of natural daylight). There are two operating modes: one automatically adjusts the lighting colours to compliment the picture on your screen, while the other allows you to set one particular colour for a constant glow. There are also two speed settings: dynamic for those blockbuster movie nights, and relaxed for dosing off on the couch to late-night television.
While some refer to backlighting as gimmicky, the benefits of this feature go beyond simple colour coordination. Philips claims that Ambilight technology emits lighting designed to compliment both your programming and your vision. With appropriate lighting, your pupils don’t need to excessively expand and contract as they would in a dark room, and this significantly reduces your eye strain. Yes, you can strategically place lamps around your room or use a dimmer on your overhead, but nothing beats having a set that simply incorporates the right balance, height, and placement of light for you. There is also something to be said about setting the right mood, and complimentary lighting really does the trick.
Philips is introducing 15 new LCD HDTVs this year, all equipped with either 720p or 1080p native resolution; five of these incorporate Ambilight technology, with pricing starting at $1299. Pondaven says speakers have improved enough that it no longer makes a difference whether they are placed on the sides or at the bottom of a set, so Philips merged the two right and left speakers into one horizontal bar below the screen, giving all models a sleeker appeal. The new models also feature the glossy piano black finish and come equipped all the inputs and outputs you would expect and/or need, including three HDMI inputs for high-def equipment. USB ports are also included for plugging in flash cards and listening to MP3s or watching JPEG slideshows. There is a memory card slot for quick access to Compact Flash, Memory Stick, SD, and Smart Media cards. The models are also Digital Cable Ready, and include a slot for a CableCARD. The Pixel Plus 3 HD processor enhances each pixel to create a sharper and more vivid picture, and the Clear LCD technology increases motion sharpness. (A quick tip on testing the sharpness of your screen, says Kovalchuk, is to watch a golf game and see whether you can clearly read the logo on the ball.) The new models are also more energy-efficient.
A good example of Philips’ new branding strategy – keeping technology simple – is apparent in the settings assistant, which you use to set brightness, colour and contrast. One sample image is displayed on your screen, which is divided in half. For each setting, all you have to do is look at the picture and decide whether you like the left or right side better. No lingo, no bars, no numbers. Just look at it.
Complimenting the simplicity of Ambilight design is the Ambisound SoundBar: a single unit, five amplifier speaker that produces multi-channel surround sound. The SoundBar measures 37” wide and is designed to sit discreetly below your set. You have the option of resting it on a table or mounting it to the wall, and hardware for both is included. The obvious benefit here is the lack of multiple speakers and their wires running all over and around your room, while keeping the same quality sound as a 5.1 channel system.
The SoundBar has a built-in DVD player, which plays most formats out there including Video CD/SVCD, DVD+R/+RW and DVD-R/-RW. The player will upscale to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p. Philips is still waiting for Blu-ray technology to improve before adding it to the SoundBar and would prefer to keep the unit at a reasonable cost. (The SoundBar is currently priced at $999; a high-def player would significantly raise this price.)
Other features of note include USB Direct, which allows you to plug in your USB flash drive to listen to music files (MP3 and WMA) and view photos, an integrated AM/FM tuner, and an MP3 line-in for connecting your MP3 player. An iPod dock is also included (with adapters for various models) so you can view content directly on your TV. The Smart Sound feature automatically detects audio encoding and adjusts your surround settings accordingly, so you don’t have to fuss around every time you go back and forth between listening to stereo music and watching a DVD.
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