Anyone have a Philips HDTV w/Ambilight?

[Yzzim]

Looking at getting a Philips 42" Plasma w/Ambilight and was wondering how the Ambilight feature is. Does it get annoying? How does the TV know what colors to show? Do you still use the feature after you've owned the TV for a while? Does it really add anything more to the viewing experience?

Thanks!

 

[Falloutboy]

seemed like a gimmik to me

 

[Caesar]

Check avsforum. PhilipsPhanatic overe there may be able to help you out.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: CaesaR
Check avsforum. PhilipsPhanatic overe there may be able to help you out.

I'm sure PhilipsPhanatic will give me an unbiased review of a Philips TV

 

[boomerang]

My understanding is that subdued backlight is supposed to be the hot ticket. Now backlight that changes colors, well, I don't really know. Maybe you can lock it in one color?

 

[Caesar]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: CaesaR
Check avsforum. PhilipsPhanatic overe there may be able to help you out.

I'm sure PhilipsPhanatic will give me an unbiased review of a Philips TV

Actually he will give you a close to unbiased review. Besides you need someone with experience with the tv. I own a panasonic and I say Philips is sh1t and all but that won't help you.

 

[skywhr]

Why would you want a tv that produces ambient light? This feature will kill the blacks in the movie/show you are watching.

 

[TheCanuck]

Looks overpriced for a 42" and the reviews aren't the greatest:

Cnet Review

"False contouring visible in some scenes; inaccurate color decoding; cannot change aspect ratios with HD sources; no independent input memories; no dedicated PC input; relatively large."

The Panasonic TH-42PX60U is probably one of the more popular ones in that size. Panasonic is also offering a $200 rebate on shipping / installation till the end of December. So you could pick it up fairly cheap. If you go to Best Buy tell them you want the Cable HD deal and they'll give you $300 off and then charge you $200 installation. Then just send in the rebate to Panasonic for installation.

Or you could get it online even cheaper from a place like TVAuthority

 

[StevenYoo]

Originally posted by: skywhr
Why would you want a tv that produces ambient light? This feature will kill the blacks in the movie/show you are watching.

hey, don't be racist.

 

[StevenYoo]

it's not worth anything now, but it might be worth a bit more years down the road when the DC becomes even more of a cult hit than it is now

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
it's not worth anything now, but it might be worth a bit more years down the road when the DC becomes even more of a cult hit than it is now

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: skywhr
Why would you want a tv that produces ambient light? This feature will kill the blacks in the movie/show you are watching.

When you have all the lights off, the relative brightness between the TV and darkness is huge. This strains the eyes, especially since the relative area of the TV compared to the darkness is so small. Some ambient light helps reduce this strain.

Projectors generally aren't affected by this problem because they're not as bright as flat panels and take up a larger percentage of what you can see, so the contrast between the bright screen and darkness isn't as big a problem.

EDIT: fixed a typo.

 

[alfa147x]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo

Originally posted by: skywhr
Why would you want a tv that produces ambient light? This feature will kill the blacks in the movie/show you are watching.

hey, don't be racist.

some one help me Busta' Kap!

 

[StevenYoo]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
it's not worth anything now, but it might be worth a bit more years down the road when the DC becomes even more of a cult hit than it is now

oops, posted in the wrong thread!

 

[Snakexor]

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: skywhr
Why would you want a tv that produces ambient light? This feature will kill the blacks in the movie/show you are watching.

When you have all the lights off, the relative brightness between the TV and darkness is huge. This strains the eyes, especially since the relative area of the TV compared to the darkness is large. Some ambient light helps reduce this strain.

Projectors generally aren't affected by this problem because they're not as bright as flat panels and take up a larger percentage of what you can see, so the contrast between the bright screen and darkness isn't as big a problem.

qft, nailed it on the head. it really does reduce eye strain. i sell them all the time to people who are looking for bedroom tvs.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: CaesaR

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: CaesaR
Check avsforum. PhilipsPhanatic overe there may be able to help you out.

I'm sure PhilipsPhanatic will give me an unbiased review of a Philips TV

Actually he will give you a close to unbiased review. Besides you need someone with experience with the tv. I own a panasonic and I say Philips is sh1t and all but that won't help you.

Correction:
For the price, I have concluded with many others that Panny is hte way to go if you are looking for a 42" plasma.

Want something balls deep, give me a Pioneer 1080P plasma!

Oh, and the backlighting sounds like the dumbest thing ever if you are a purist.

EDIT: OK, for a bedroom, maybe. For a home theater, no way!

 

[Caesar]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: CaesaR

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: CaesaR
Check avsforum. PhilipsPhanatic overe there may be able to help you out.

I'm sure PhilipsPhanatic will give me an unbiased review of a Philips TV

Actually he will give you a close to unbiased review. Besides you need someone with experience with the tv. I own a panasonic and I say Philips is sh1t and all but that won't help you.

Correction:
For the price, I have concluded with many others that Panny is hte way to go if you are looking for a 42" plasma.

Want something balls deep, give me a Pioneer 1080P plasma!

Oh, and the backlighting sounds like the dumbest thing ever if you are a purist.

EDIT: OK, for a bedroom, maybe. For a home theater, no way!

I believe the same and thats the reason I got the 42" panasonic. In fact for the price even the 50" panasonic kicks butt. Pioneer is definitely better but costs a lot more.

 

[Yzzim]

42" Panasonic can be had for cheaper (though not local) and I've heard of the horror stories of Philips Tech Support. Thinking Panasonic might be the way to go...?

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Yzzim
42" Panasonic can be had for cheaper (though not local) and I've heard of the horror stories of Philips Tech Support. Thinking Panasonic might be the way to go...?

I've been very happy with my 42" Panasonic, although I'm disappointed that it now costs half of what I paid for it just 6 months ago.

 

[biggestmuff]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: CaesaR

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: CaesaR
Check avsforum. PhilipsPhanatic overe there may be able to help you out.

I'm sure PhilipsPhanatic will give me an unbiased review of a Philips TV

Actually he will give you a close to unbiased review. Besides you need someone with experience with the tv. I own a panasonic and I say Philips is sh1t and all but that won't help you.

Correction:
For the price, I have concluded with many others that Panny is hte way to go if you are looking for a 42" plasma.

Want something balls deep, give me a Pioneer 1080P plasma!

Oh, and the backlighting sounds like the dumbest thing ever if you are a purist.

EDIT: OK, for a bedroom, maybe. For a home theater, no way!

Pwned by the bias light.

 

[Fritzo]

I was going to say...
I thought you needed ambient light for home theater.

Another know-it-all pwned

btw- posted from my Wii!

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I was going to say...
I thought you needed ambient light for home theater.

Another know-it-all pwned

btw- posted from my Wii!

Where do you get to the Opera browser at? I just got my Wii online and went through a couple updates....but don't see the internet browser...?

edit: think I found it. Another download :|

 

[Yzzim]

First post from my Wii

 

[tomt4535]

I bet you can turn the feature off. If it is a nice panel and a good price, get it. If you dont like the ambi light, turn it off.

 

[The Stigenator]

ambilight can be turned off, stuck on one color or left in dynamic (which adjusts as per screen changes).

So if you are watching football, you feel you are in the game, cause teh walls will be greenish too.