Plasma TV Reviews: Plasma TV for Less

Reviews

First of all, I'm NOT an Electronics Fan, I'm a Broadcast Professional with over 25 years in Network Engineering and Broadcasting. Here's the deal on the E-box:After $8000 for an FD9955 and a FTR-9964 E-Box, we have come to find that if you want to purchase or integrate this e-box into your system, AND have one button access to your input sources, YOU CAN'T. Let's say you want to watch your HD DBS (Direct TV-HD), and then switch to a DVD. A High-End aftermarket remote with Macro features would allow you to press ONE button and have the Receiver change sources, and modes, then switch the E-Box to the right source. Not here! There is NO direct button to do this. You have to toggle through the various VIDEO inputs until you get to the right one. How do you train a remote control to figure out what Video source your're on, and which one you want to go to next? There is no Lexicon, Crestron, or RTI remote that can accomplish this. Oh, and every time you turn off the E-Box and TV, the Default Video Input is Video 1, not where you left it. So you have to toggle through 3 Sources before you get to the HD input. (Think about it. It's like a wristwatch that you have to wind through 24 hours & 18 days to get the date you want, rather than a function to take you right there. It's a loose correlation but I hope you get the idea) One Button -One Source - and One IR code will solve the issue for each input. We are in discussions with Philips about this, and I believe that they will do NOTHING, and don't care. I am the consulting installer, and the client is livid. He has had roughly the same response that I have been given. The company line, "That's the way it is". Quite arrogant in my opinion. I hope to be proven wrong, AND if I am, I WILL RE-POST a conclusion to this VERY POOR DESIGN FLAW with the outcome. I am rooting for Philips but so far, I'm NOT impressed to the tune of $8000.

Reviews

I lose sound switching from analog to digital.... but that might be in my offbrand hdmi cable.... tv is nice, picture is awesome, sound not the BEST, but works good.

I love my 42" tv I purchased it from my local Sam's club at first I was against buying a plasma and until I got it home didn't even know I had bought one (smile) until we had the tv on the bed putting the stand together. I said hey this says plasma.... da* I thought we had goten an LCD so I called Sam's Club and ask to speak a sales associate and ask him do they have the LCD in Philips. he said no only in the plasma.. So I said well I'll keep it now. The only problem is, it gets hot when your near the tv or in the room (bedroom), but the picture quality is great.. plus I got a hell of a deal and warranty through Sam's Club tv was $899.00 warranty was maybe $100.00 or less but I got a 5yr warranty through Sam's and the 2yr through Philips.. What a deal (Smile)

I am on my third 42 inch phillips ambilight. Thank God for the Best Buy service plan. Yes, that's right. 3 Phillips Tv's in 3 years. All get a red streak vertically right down themiddle of the picture. Never again. Want ambilight. Turn on a lamp.

Save yourself a headache and avoid this product and all Philips Plasma's. If you take your chances and buy a Philips plasma, you might as well buy the extended service contract as you will likely need it. I purchased the Philips 42in Plasma TV a little over a year ago and it started showing a thin red line vertically in the middle of the screen at about month 11. It was still under warranty and called customer service. The repair shop picked it up a few days later. This was in the beginning of December. It is now March and they have replaced several parts without fixing it. Here is the current workflow. 1. Repair shop orders a part from Philips. 2. Philips reviews the order to decide whether or not to give permission to ship the part since it is under Warranty. 3. Philips reviews the order and eventually gives permission to send the part. (this seems to take 3 weeks each time) 4. The part arrives 7-10 days later. Part doesn't fix the TV and it starts all over. Customer service has no way to track the status because it is in a different system. The repair shop has no way of tracking it because philips has to give them an Order number and this doesnt happen until they give permission to ship the part. Anyhow, when you call customer service, their only function is to tap dance around until you get aggravated and bored and get off the phone. They may promise callbacks, but it never happens. I even got one of their supervisors to admit that they provide service, but not good service. I have a friend with the comparable Samsung that he got at about the same time and it works fine. Also I have anotehr friend with the Sony and it works pretty well, but pricier. I have never had a TV break in the less than a year, but this one did and a neighbor purchased one as well and it lasted only 15 months was too costly to fix.Picture actually wasnt bad. just poor quality.

I bought this TV in Brandsmart USA 3 months ago for $799. I own an LG and a Samsung (both HDTV) and the picture of this TV it's very superior to the other two (really natural image). The menus are very easy to understand, and the sound is great. The quality of this TV is equal or even better to other TV's that cost you hundreds more. I really, really recommend this TV.