Philips 42PFL7432D

Pros: Sharp detail / Colorful images / Blackbar formatting

Cons: Audio needs a "boost"

Summary: Just a few clarifications to the editors review.

I own this set. Like most of you, I researched this extensively online and in-store before purchasing.

So having lived with it for about 4 months, let me correct many of the inaccuracies stated in this review by Mr. Katzmaier.

I will try to make my comments in the order of the review as you read it.

1. The weights of the TV (stand / sans stand) listed are backwards.

2. The 42PFL7432D uses multiple LED lights for its Ambilight technology NOT cold cathode fluorescent bulbs as stated by the reviewer.

3. The Philips LCD TV being reviewed is a 42PFL7432D NOT a 42PFL9732D, that set does not exist.

4. Pressing the MENU key with any menu screen up on the Philips removes or "exits" the current on screen menu. It's on page 9 of the manual for reference.

5. My guess would be that less than 1% of the CNET readers watch an ISF "calibrated" picture.

6. If you think about it (CNET readers; please ask your friends), I'd guess that over 90% of all people do not adjust the picture on their TV; typically they just take it out of the box, connect it and watch it. With that knowledge, two reviews should be done...one in "out of the box" and one for the "tweeks"...of which the majority of CNET readers are not. Not looking to get flamed here...just stating obvious facts.

7. 480i and 480p input signals offer 6 picture format settings; Automatic, Superzoom, 4:3, Movie Expand 14:9, Movie Expand 16:9 and Widescreen. Unscaled is not available with 480i and 480p signals.

8. From what I have experienced, Philips uses an "active backlight control" to adjust black levels. Seeing how most consumers don't know what Backlighting does for a TV, it seems like a smart way to approach the setting. Personally, Philips should offer both. Ship the set in Automatic Backlighting, but offer a manual override. That'd at least make the reviewers happy.

9. Perfect Pixel HD Engine in the menu makes a big difference when turned ON/OFF. Pause the picture and turn it ON/OFF, the difference is pretty big. David I know you wear glasses from watching your videos, did you have them on when you were testing this set?

10. Color Enhancement DOES affect the picture, pause the picture and look at it.

11. Dynamic Contrast; turn it off and you get the poor black levels he is referring to. Leave it on and the black levels are very strong.

COMMENT / EDITORIAL: I find it odd that some reviews (depending on the brand being reviewed) turn OFF the manufactures picture processing during the review and then complain about the results. I thought these processing tools were designed to make the incoming picture better? So wouldn't turning everything off be counter-intuitive and provide a negative result? I am glad Mr. Katzmaier doesn't write for the auto industry. If he did you might read things like..."after removing the engine, we found the pickup on the vehicle to be sluggish when compared to others with engines...OR...after de-activating the vehicles on board computer this caused erratic behavior while driving...OR...when the front tire was removed, we found it performed very poorly in the slaloms..." Sorry, had to get that out.

12. Settings Assistant from what I can tell is a "consumer" adjustment setting. It appears to me that the images you are looking at are "over emphasized" to make you chose. If they were just slightly different, people couldn't see the differences.

13. TV has 3 format modes in HD: Automatic which REMOVES black bars in 4x3 up-converted content contrary to what the reviewer says. The other 2 modes are Widescreen & Unscaled. NOTE: When viewing true HD content (CSI in HD, Heroes in HD..etc.) and using the Automatic format mode, the picture performs exactly like the Widescreen format mode EXCEPT it stretches out the Black Bars on 4x3 up-scaled content. The only time the 4x3 up-converted picture will not format and remove the bars is if there is a logo in the black bar area.

14. Connectivity: I found out reading at the AVS Forum when I was researching this set that the 3 HDMI inputs and 2 Component Video inputs support 1080p @ 24, 30 and 60Hz. From what I read, this means the set is ready for pretty much any set top box present or future. I have an older X-Box without HDMI and can connect it via Component Video with the X Box set to 1080p…love it!

15. PC Connectivity: Yes, this TV is missing a VGA or RGBHV input. However, you can connect your PC or Laptop with a DVI or HDMI output to the set via one of its HDMI inputs. I have a PC with DVI out and a MAC that display computer information beautifully on it.

16. Performance: The reviewer complains about the picture performance here and quite a few times through the whole review. Once again I have to remind the readers that he has turned OFF all the picture processing. What does he expect? For the record, my black levels are fantastic.

17. Ambilight: David Katzmaier does not like Ambilight. David Katzmaier does not like Ambilight. David Katzmaier does not like Ambilight. If you don't like it, have somebody else "neutral" review this part of the TV for you. In researching this TV, I came across other reviews by this editor. With regards to Ambilight, his comments stand true for each Philips model he has reviewed…it’s almost a “cut and paste” from one review to the next. By the way, I am a photographer and utilize a light meter where necessary. In one of the Ambilight menu settings Philips offers 10,000 independent settings for Ambilight. Using that menu, I metered my Ambilight set out to 6,550K...so I don't know what they were doing unless the screen they were reflecting it off of was not really "white". Bottom line, if you use Ambilight, then take it away...you'll want it back. The picture just looks better with Ambilight on.

18. Juice Box: The 42PFL7432D I have uses between 0.4 and 0.6 watts in the standby mode. I have one of those "Watts Up?" power analyzer meters and when I hooked it up to the set, I found his standby number to be incorrect, also.

So what don't I like about the set. It's audio performance as a stand alone unit. Philips needs to “pump up the volume” on this TV. To overcome that, I use the Digital Coaxial output into my Dolby Digital Stereo system and the problem is solved. A nice thing about the Philips Digital Coaxial output is that all audio sources are converted to the digital output...even the Analog input (I have a Wii connected via the side input) comes out of the Digital Coaxial output.

Well, I hope my comments are helpful for you folks wanting to read the rest of the "correct" story.

Enjoy