Philips 42PF7621D 42 inch HDTV LCD Television Review
Philip’s journey into the LCD market has admittedly been a rocky road, so when we got our hands on the huge 42” 42PF7621D LCD, we didn’t know what kind of performance to expect. Design |
| Philips usually manage to impress with their attractive TV design, and the 42PF7621D hasn’t let us down. The high-gloss, black frame just oozes with masculinity, and is capped by two 15-watt speakers at either end. The front of the TV is moderately cluttered with logos, and, in our opinion, is teetering on the edge of being too busy. It’s a good job the TV is so handsome, as the two main features that we always consider, are the stand, which is ugly in this case, and equally as ugly as the stand, is the remote. In fact, if there were an award for the world’s longest remote control, the 42PF7621D’s would win it hands-down. You’ll find a few discrete grey control buttons down the side, and a few connections, but the majority of connectivity is to the rear. The pedestal stand comes with the 42PF7621D in the box, but you can pay a bit extra for a floor stand. |
| Features |
Philips know that they have to provide some impressive technology in order to compete in the LCD market, so we were excited to see what they had given the 42PF7621D to work with. Being HD-ready, and boasting a 1366 x 768 native resolution, this LCD has all the right stuff. Philips have provided a digital tuner, alongside a plethora of image enhancing tools including Pixel Plus 2 HD, which claims to boost detail, improve motion handling, enhance edges, and optimise colours. We were happy to learn that the 42PF7621D is an eye-friendly LCD too, with a light sensor feature to adjust the amount of light the TV gives out, which in turn reduces eyestrain. Sound is taken care of by the virtual Dolby Surround Sound system and Dynamic Bass enhancers. This set-up expertly gives you the surround sound experience, without the need for an additional sound system. Whether you wall mount this little beauty or sit it on a stand, you are guaranteed a good view with a wide 176-degree viewing angle. |
| Connectivity and Set-up |
We were over the moon to find that the 42PF7621D is another one to bite the plug-and-play dust! From getting the TV out of the box, we were only playing around for about 8-minutes before it was up and running and auto-tuning our programmes on our behalf. In fact, we’ve never seen as many auto-tuning features on one TV. With auto-programming, auto-channel naming, auto-channel installing, automatic tuning systems, and auto-store, you couldn’t possibly need to do anything manually. We must warn you to watch your back when you get this beast out of the car, as it weighs in at a whopping 31.5kgs. Philips have made the 42PF621D futuristic in terms of connectivity, with 2 HDMI connections and 2 scarts, you could plug in the cat and dog as well. Other bits and bobs include component video input, digital audio input/output, finally – a solution to dodgy lip synching situations. There’s a PC VGA input, CAM slot, S-video, and USB input. Finally you’ll find a composite video input, stereo audio input/output, RF jack, and headphone jack. |
| Performance |
| With some shady past performances, we just didn’t know what to expect from such a large Philips LCD. So we were surprised to be faced by a great all-round performance. The Pixel Plus HD 2 is the star of the show by far, making all sources gorgeously smooth with plentiful detail. Hooked up to the Xbox360 and Panasonic’s DMR-EX85EB-S DVD Player simultaneously, so the lads played on the (apparently) wicked Viva 2007, before describing the performance as breathtaking. The DVD performance was smashing, watching the animated film Robots, we were faced with some greatly robust colours and almost perfect motion handling. Black levels were above average too, especially on HD TV. The HD programme Planet Earth is a great test for any screen, and the 42PF7621D handled it superbly. We were pleased to witness no sign of sketchiness or noise, even on Freeview and terrestrial programmes. We were equally as impressed by the 42PF7621D’s sonic performance too. It performed well above average, with superb vocal handling and powerful 3D sound. It reached wall-shaking volumes, but did struggle with the bass slightly. |
| What's In The Box? |
· TV · Table top stand · RF cable · Power cord · Quick start guide · User manual · Registration card · Warranty certificate · Remote control |
| Overall Opinion |
For a 42-inch LCD, the 42PF7621D is a great all-rounder. With tomorrow’s connectivity, superb picture performances with all sources, and a smart design, we have put the 42PF7621D right up there with the top performers. The price isn’t bad either, at a reasonable £1800 you’re guaranteed to be impressed. Check out our selection of buying guides: By Lisa Malyon |
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Pros + HD-Ready + 1366x768 resolution + 2 HDMI + 2 Scart + Pixel Plus HD 2 processor + 42” LCD + Sophisticated design + Optional floor stand |
Cons - Unattractive table-top stand - Unsuitable remote control - Lacks bass in areas |
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Sound Quality 9/10
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Picture Quality 9/10
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Connectivity 10/10
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Future Compatibility 10/10
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Ease Of Use 9/10
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Overall Rating 
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31/10/2006 at 11:03:80am
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