Typical price: £2,200
What is it: 1080p LCD TV with LED backlight and Ambilight Spectra 2
What we think: A great TV with beautiful styling, fantastic sound and an innovative LED backlight
What you need to know
Reviewed on: 4 December 2008
Tags: Philips, Philips 42PFL9803, LCD, reference, explosions
We like:
Styling; sound quality
We don't like:
Picture isn't as good as it could be; needs quite a bit of tweaking to get good results
Also known as:
Philips Cineos 42PFL9803H/10
You might also need:
HDMI cables; HD material on Blu-ray
CNET UK judgement:
We like the 42PFL903 a great deal. The styling alone makes us want to own one, and with the LED backlight, Ambilight and excellent picture processing modes it should be a real winner. For us, the price is too high for a TV that doesn't match the performance of the similarly priced Pioneer Kuro plasma. This is far from a bad TV, it just doesn't stack up well against the competition at this price range
Full review:
The Achilles' heel of LCD TVs has, for a long time, been the backlight. In an LCD TV the image is created by a panel that is illuminated from behind. For most uses this is fine, but when you are trying to reproduce black, or something dark, it has an impact on the depth and reality. Mostly, truly deep and rich blacks will come off looking washed-out. Continue Reading...
Philips 42PFL9803 History
5 Aug 2009 in Reviews
You no longer have to compromise on screen size or performance to get the eco-friendly TV of your green dreams. With sets that turn off automatically when you leave the room and more energy-efficient backlights, it's increasingly easy to cut your bills, save the planet and enjoy yourself at the same time
Others to consider
Latest user reviews
March 16, 2009
Posted by: Peterppp
"Hotter than a heatwave"
December 18, 2008
Posted by: duncanc
"Just shoot me now"
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