30 in Widescreen HDTV - $320-$388 shipped, Philips Outlet

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dafoomie

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http://www.outlet.philips.com/b2c_r.../41907ABB9A6F008D00000000828BD472&shop=OUTLET
http://www.electronicsnation.com/en/products/show_product/category/2131

Electronics Nation will pricematch the Philips Outlet (they're an affiliate, or an authorized reseller, or something, and are reputable), and they offer extended warranties for extra cash.

Before you make a major purchase on an HDTV, do your research at:
http://www.avsforum.com/

Here are the pros and cons on the 3 major models usually found at Philips Outlet:

30PW850H: $359
0003784993574_215X215.jpg

Pros:
Fewer problems overall, more likely to get a working unit without any problems
2 component inputs
Has both the 3D comb filter and 'eye fidelity' (480i to 480p upscaling)

Cons:
No HDMI
Can not adjust aspect ratio except on 480i, non widescreen will be stretched.

Avsforum thread: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=366742&page=1&pp=30


30PW8420: $388
43361EBF325F00D700000000828BD472.jpg

Pros:
HDMI port
3D comb filter

Cons:
Somewhat more prone to certain issues, minor hum, geometry, and broken units
Only 1 component input
No 'eye fidelity' (480i to 480p upscaling)


30PW8402: $320-$350
118246-2212p147-4b.jpg

Pros:
HDMI port
2 component inputs
'Eye fidelity'

Cons:
Least reliable, most prone to problems, such as speaker interference with the screen, geometry, and DOA
No 3D comb filter

Other models:
30PW8520 - Picture in picture, 2 component inputs, no HDMI. Not often available
30PW9xxxD - Built in OTA tuner, but analog signals look like crap, often more expensive.


Don't take my word for it, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BUY! I will not be responsible if you are unhappy with your purchase, and neither will Philips Outlet. Their return policy on refurbs is 30 days, on site repair, shipping back to them at their expense if required, but no refunds, exchange for identical item only. They will only refund your money if they no longer have your model in stock.
 
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[quote name='russtophiles']Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured, after popping in Matrix Reloaded, Gladiator, and Dawn of the Dead. It all makes sense then, I was just thinking that WS TVs used the whole screen even for movies, guess that makes this TV a rousing SUCCESS. Now to hope that it stays that way.[/QUOTE]

Question for you - how is the geometry on the set? Do the lines all look straight? When you turn on CNN, for example, does the bottom scrolling area look straight or does it bow in and out at the edges?
 
[quote name='russtophiles']I can't see any undue waviness in the picture, and it maintains it's straightness right to the edges. Heres a sorta crappy pic of the TV in action with my ADVANCE COPY OF LEGEND OF ZELDA FOR THE GAMECUBE SAY WHAT? I didn't photoshop any TV logos out. Nope. http://us.f3.yahoofs.com/users/41e08564zf51b9276/f3ca/__sr_/4fd3.jpg?phT9uVCBDeqbQdLY[/QUOTE]

The pic isn't coming up for me. But that's great that there's no variation in the straightness of the lines. That's one of the big reasons I'm paranoid of buying a tube TV. Almost every tube TV I've seen has geometry problems. But now maybe I'll consider giving your TV a purchase once it comes back in stock online.
 
I just checked my tracking # again. The package is Miami right now, ready to be delivered Monday at 5pm according to the tracking info on eaglegl.com. I live in West Palm Beach and I almost want to drive down there and pick this bad boy up now. I guess they don't ship on saturdays. Monday at work is sure going to be a long day thinking about ballin in HD. BTW, on the site its says the freight weighs 133 pounds. Dam!! Uh, I think I'm going to need some up putting it on the tv stand.
 
Went to "Costco Home" in Kirkland, WA today. When I walked in and saw all the expensive items: bedframes, HUGE flower pots, couches and recliners, etc... I figured I had no shot. But I looked around, and toward the back of the store they had a HUGE section of Plasma and other big screen TV's.

Looking on opposite sides of their home theater "section", I found two different TV stands made by something concepts or something. One was made for 36" TV's I think (was about 38" wide) with smaller shelves underneath the top. The other was about 43" wide, and had similar shelves that run the full length of the unit. There is a third "post" on this unit, but I thought it "broke up" (not *literally*) the front just right so it looks really sharp. And though this one is "too" wide, I figure by the time I put my Logitech 680 speakers on either end of the set, the center channel on top of or below the set, and then get the sub places somewhere... it should look pretty tight.

To better describe the stand, it's silver with three metal posts on the front, and clear glass. About 22" tall, 24" deep, and 43" long. Should match the Philips nicely. ;)

And since I finally ordered my 12" component cable from Buy.com for $5.99 on Friday, sometime next week I should have a sweet gaming environment set up, that will just be waiting on a USB2 HDTV tuner. ;)
 
Well it looks like I found out why my TV was refurbed, the right speaker is pretty much blown. It works its just sounds like crap with a ton of fuzziness. Right now I'm thinking about not sending it back because I pretty much use my reciever for everything sound related, and sending it back and getting another would probably take a very long time. The only real probem I could see this posing is if I ever try to resell my tv, but that probably wont happen for a long time. I've tweaked the sound balance temporarily so most of the highs go through the working speaker. I've been playing SC:CT on it with some monster HD cables (picked these up for $10 at GS) and its great looking. I'm actually using this to replace my sanyo ( http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2601425 ) which never really looked right (the picture is always uncentered and the TV has no option for picture adjustment) on everything except for the HD broadcasts
 
[quote name='Pratt75']Hutno, did you buy the phillips TV??

Tomorrow I should receive mine. I can't wait till I get off of work.[/QUOTE]


Right now I have both the phillips and the sanyo the picture on the phillips is great with my xbox and the 700 sanyo is going back as soon as I get a chance
 
So it was the sanyo you received with a blown speaker?? I was thinking it was the phillips you ordered and was thinking the worst upon receiving my set. Whichever tv it was that sucks.

I have the xbox high def pack ready to go upon arrival.
 
[quote name='Pratt75']So it was the sanyo you received with a blown speaker?? I was thinking it was the phillips you ordered and was thinking the worst upon receiving my set. Whichever tv it was that sucks.

I have the xbox high def pack ready to go upon arrival.[/QUOTE]

It was my phillips that has the blown speaker, all I can say to anyone reciving this set, is to test everything out, tv's are refurbs for a reasonand stuff can fall through the cracks.
 
[quote name='scdoanintendo']Does any think they may restock. I was looking to buy two sets but then they were sold out.[/QUOTE]

If you want to pay a little more they have another 30 inch HDTV for a hundred more.
 
You guys all getting calls made this little ol' CAG feel left out :p So, I gave Eagle a call to check up on the Tracking #, to see if they got the address correct and such, and the nice lady told me that it should be here tomorrow, Wednesday, between 11 and 3. Awesome :D
 
I never got a call, I had to make the call like you to setup the appointment. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow!!! Thats when its arriving between 12 and 4.
 
I never got a call either, it says I'm supposed to get it today but I decided to call anyway and they tell me that its should be delivered tomorrow. Someone will call me and schedule a time. I just hope this is worth the wait.....They should have shipped UPS or FedEx...
 
[quote name='Santurio']Damnit, I wish this would come back in stock!![/QUOTE]
It's not coming back, its been discontinued. Maybe the next model up will see a price drop sometime in the future, but I dunno.
 
The Philips site indicated my set should have been delivered today, but I figured it wouldn't when I hadn't received a phone call. Sure enough, they called this afternoon and wanted to schedule for Thursday between 1-5. But no one will be here after 2pm, so they were gonna call us back and let us know if they could make it earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, I'll just mention the deal I found on component cables....

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=90136364&loc=111&sp=1

These are the same as "Python" component cables you'll find elsewhere for much, much more. I ordered a AC Adapter for my 12" PowerBook at the same time, got the cable for 99 cents and free shipping. Not too bad a deal. ;)

If anyone is looking for a Dual Tuner PCI card for an HTPC box, the Hauppauge 500 (which is Windows MCE 2005 compatible) is back in stock for $137 at Buy.com as well.

More about my set when it arrives, but it sounds like most of you will get yours first.
 
Nice deal on the component cables, Merk. Although, I have a set that I bought for my last TV, which had component-in, but no HD capability whatsoever. They were fairly pricey, so they're of pretty good quality.

I'm actually setting up the stand, getting the component switcher and everything else hooked up so tomorrow I can plop the TV down and begin gaming. That is, barring any problems with the set, but I'm hoping for the best, as is everyone else. It's pretty exciting, considering at my last house, I never planned on surround sound, new TVs, or anything of the sort, so I had a big rat's nest of wires back there, speaker wire literally duct taped to the wall around the room. It's nice, now, to be prepared for it all. I'll post pics of the set up once I get everything done, so you guys can marvel at how lame I truly am. :razz:

I wish you all a happy (H)D-Day tomorrow, and Merkman a happy one on Thursday or whenever he can get it delivered. Remember, patience is a virtue. Only wish you have more than I do! :rofl:
 
Got my TV this morning, they called at 6am and asked if I wanted it early. Everything looks fine, theres a few scratches on the top of the plastic case, but thats ok, its nothing serious. I'm watching HDTV and playing Xbox on it now.
 
That is great to hear the good news about your set dafoomie. I get off at noon to go home and axiously wait for mine to arrive. As modium said in an earlier post, Happy HD Day to all!! This is awesome!! BTW, I look forward to those pictures of your setup.
 
Well it's only fair Defoomie and the rest get it before I do. I think I came in fairly late on this deal, and I'm AMAZED I actually got in on it. Thanks again big D!

As for patience, I started a new job about 45 days ago. I have a commute either way, I'm hoping to buy a house soon, and have been a little overwhelmed the last couple days. So the idea of having to wait for the TV doesn't have me TOO stressed out. ;)

My TV stand had a bad screw in the box. THAT is a little annoying, because the screw in question installs on the bottom side of the TOP of the TV Stand, with a "post" around it. I think I'll have a HELL of a time installing it, IF and WHEN "Corporate Image" get around to sending me one.

Suppose if I'm smart, I'll go ahead and stop by Home Depot or Loews tonight... pick up a screw, install it, get the glass shelf installed the way I want it, and have the whole thing ready for the TV.

For those who have received them, did the TV come in a box? And did the guys delivering it help you "place" it? Or did they drop the box and run? Not a big deal, whatever the case. As long as it doesn't have too many scratches and works like new, they could leave it in the center of the entryway till I get home and deal with it. Though at 120 lbs, I suppose I'll need some help. ;)

Keep the updates coming... I think I'm getting myself excited talking about this. :)
 
[quote name='merkman']Well it's only fair Defoomie and the rest get it before I do. I think I came in fairly late on this deal, and I'm AMAZED I actually got in on it. Thanks again big D!

As for patience, I started a new job about 45 days ago. I have a commute either way, I'm hoping to buy a house soon, and have been a little overwhelmed the last couple days. So the idea of having to wait for the TV doesn't have me TOO stressed out. ;)

My TV stand had a bad screw in the box. THAT is a little annoying, because the screw in question installs on the bottom side of the TOP of the TV Stand, with a "post" around it. I think I'll have a HELL of a time installing it, IF and WHEN "Corporate Image" get around to sending me one.

Suppose if I'm smart, I'll go ahead and stop by Home Depot or Loews tonight... pick up a screw, install it, get the glass shelf installed the way I want it, and have the whole thing ready for the TV.

For those who have received them, did the TV come in a box? And did the guys delivering it help you "place" it? Or did they drop the box and run? Not a big deal, whatever the case. As long as it doesn't have too many scratches and works like new, they could leave it in the center of the entryway till I get home and deal with it. Though at 120 lbs, I suppose I'll need some help. ;)

Keep the updates coming... I think I'm getting myself excited talking about this. :)[/QUOTE]
It was actually double boxed with padding. They brought it down the stairs for me and made sure it turned on before they left. Make sure you keep your boxes and packing material in case you need to return it, they will ask you if you want them to throw them away.
 
I received my set today. It was boxed with a ton of padding in it. Everything with the set appears to be fine except I'm trying to figure out how to use the dam remote. The screen is scratchless and the speakers appear to be fine. I hooked up the xbox and its pretty awesome. I've noticed when you put a game in and it loads, in the upper left corner of the tv displays what level of HD the game is in. It quickly flashes the channel and 480 p. Thats pretty cool. As of now everything seems and great and I am very happy I jumped on this deal. Thank you CAG and everyone is this thread for all your input here!!! Now I am off to have a all day gaming session.
 
Well mine should be here tomorrow between 12-5 PT. I might need a new entertainment center depending if I can modify my existing one or not. I'm also glad I jumped on this deal from the sounds of it everyone's happy. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow.
 
Yeah, I got mine today too, around 2:30 PM. They sent over 1 old guy all by his lonesome to deliver a TV to a 3rd-floor apartment. So, we decided to just sign for it as the guy made it known every 90 seconds how much of a hurry he was in. So, me and my mom, former contruction worker, lugged it up the stairs, and I've been trying to finish setting everything up now.

And, luckily, my set seems perfectly fine. No surface damage that I can see, and I tried out a bunch of stuff on my Xbox, PS2, and DVD player. Everything seems to work well, and the only slight problems I have are with the design of the set itself, in regards to the fact that you can't change thw AR of a Progressive display, and the zooming feature leaves something to be desired. Otherwise, it's a great set. Nice and sharp picture. Hell of a deal. I'm glad it came through, not only for myself, but also for Pratt, Dafoomie, Russ and anyone else that's gotten one. Merk, LinkinPrime, things are boding well for you. Everyone, enjoy your sets. :D
 
Ok it just hit me...I'm getting my set tomorrow and I dont know what cables I need to watch my DVD's in progressive mode or what I need to watch HDTV channels. I know i need the HDTV cable box which I'll get soon and I know what cables for xbox that I need. Is there any thing I need for my GC and PS2? Does the TV come with all the necessary cables for tv viewing? Thanks in advance.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']Ok it just hit me...I'm getting my set tomorrow and I dont know what cables I need to watch my DVD's in progressive mode or what I need to watch HDTV channels. I know i need the HDTV cable box which I'll get soon and I know what cables for xbox that I need. Is there any thing I need for my GC and PS2? Does the TV come with all the necessary cables for tv viewing? Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]

I'm pretty sure HDTV Cable Boxes come with a variety of connections - usually HD cables or HDMI or something along those lines. Just like how you can connect a regular cable box to your TV using either s-video or composite cables. The HD cable box will probably come with all the cables you need.

Your PS2 is going to need these : http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=900352. Or, at least, something similar.

Your Gamecube is only going to be s-video. I know they do make component cables for Gamecubes, but they're impossible to find and very expensive. You're probably better off sticking with s-video.

But your TV won't have all the inputs needed for all your stuff, so you'll need to get one of these : http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/238745.asp
 
Well fellas, we all knew the party had to end sometime. In the midst of my endless barrage of demo discs I was throwing onto this TV just to ooh and ahh at the picture, I decided to turn of progressive scan on my DVD player and set it to 4:3 display to see if there was any difference. Let me tell you, I saw a TON of overscanning on my set. What this is, AFAIK, is that it's kind of stretching the signal furthur than the borders of the set itself, essentially cutting off the edges of the picture. Going back and forth, I was able to tell that it was cutting quite a bit off all 4 sides in 480p. Now, the truth is, I hadn't even noticed this, as I'm sure most of you didn't. Not until I did a side-by-side comparison did I see what was getting cut off. Now, the truth is, a lot of people wouldn't even care, as it's really only a small bit of the picture being cut off. I, however, am anal.

So, if you're anal like me, and want to try to get a little more mileage out of your new set, here's a little info. You'll have to go into the Service Menu for it, which can be very risky if you're not EXTREMELY careful. Here's a thread that will show you how to get into the Service Menu, and what everything's default setting is: http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htst...6076&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=186&fpart=1 And, here's another good thread that shows the problem one guy was having, and how he was able to fix it: http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/570489/an/0/page/0#570489

Now, what I did, was enabled the service menu, then hit the AV button on my remote until I got to input 2, which is my DVD player (input 4 is also component, I have my consoles in that one). Then, I went down to the Geometry section. Now, I would only recommend this if you're extremely careful, once again. I made a mental note of each setting, then, adjusted it bit by bit until I understood what it did. Then, I set it back, and went to the next one. If you look at the EW. Width and Vertical Aplitude, and turn them up or down, you'll be able to see a bit more picture, if your set is like yours. The trick is, to keep playing with the settings and then setting them back to what they were before until you find one that helps you get a more accurate picture. Takes a while, and a steady hand, but I think I've gotten it nearly perfect on my set. Still tweaking though.

And yes, I know that some (most?) of you probably won't care. But, for those of you who do care, I hope this helps you get started on the right track. If anyone has any other questions, I'll be glad to help answer. Keep in mind, I'm a complete noob myself, but I did get a little experience tinkering with my set. But, hey, I'll give it a shot.

Other than this, I'm still very satisfied with this set, and the deal. It's a frickin' steal. Thanks again Dafoomie for posting, and everyone else for pitching into the discussion :p
 
Well, I finally spoke to the delivery company today. They called this evening, apologizing for not calling back yesterday. They knew we had a limited window for tomorrow, but were pretty busy themselves.

I made it easy on them, and suggested they deliver it Friday. After all, it sounds like they are a good group of guys... willing to bring the set in, unbox it, and turn it on to test it before they go. Sure hope they don't try pulling what they did on Modium. I probably will still be at work, and no one at the house is well enough to help them move a 120 lb. set. (Damn flu!)

Anyway, I bought a couple packages of screws today, and finished the basic installation of my TV stand. Gonna go back in shortly and setup the glass shelf, then things will basically be ready for the new TV. Should be SWEET. ;)

BTW, I was worried that since this set didn't have a HD cable tuner, it wouldn't work with Comcast cable. But I guess you guys are suggesting that the Comcast boxes have progressive scan output, and we can use that? If so, I may have to pay for the upgrade soon. ;)

In the meantime, I ordered a ATI HDTV Wonder "refurbished" from New Egg today for $116 shipped. Since I already had the ATI DVI to Component "dongle" for my computer, I should be all set to watch HDTV shows on my TV using OTA broadcasts. Looking forward to trying that out as well.
 
Thanks for the info mmn and modium, if I have any progressive scan problems I know where to go. Looks like were the only ones left merkman. Lets hope it all goes fine like everyone else.
 
Well, if you're like me, you've been playing those Progressive Scan games that aren't in widescreen in plain ol' 480i. You may have also noticed they look jaggy and terrible in this mode. After still more digging, I've found out this is because they jack the sharpness way up, and you CANNOT adjust it when using a component input. You can do it, however, using the service menu, and the guy in the avsforum post I linked to above, describes how[font=verdana, arial, helvetica] right here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3411125#post3411125 [/font][font=verdana, arial, helvetica]I tried this, and he's right, it makes a huge improvement when playing 480i games. Highly recommended to everybody who doesn't want to play these games all stretched out.

Also, if you have any Pixar, Star Wars, or any THX-Certified DVDs, you notice they come with THX Optimizer. I'd recommend using this if you don't have any expensive calibration software. Also, in the TV's Menu, under Features, there's an option to adjust "Rotation." I didn't even notice before messing with mine, but its balance way WAY off. Mine's set to 16 right now, and everything's even, but your setting will probably be 'normal' at another number, so mess around until it looks right.

Still, I'm very impressed with this set, especially for the price. With a little tweaking, it's a stunning TV. :D
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I'm thinking maybe I got the wrong remote control because I can't even pull up the menu when I hit the button. Am I missing something? Do you have to configure the remote the first time you it or something? BTW, the remote looks different from the one in the instruction manual I received.
 
[quote name='Pratt75']I'm thinking maybe I got the wrong remote control because I can't even pull up the menu when I hit the button. Am I missing something? Do you have to configure the remote the first time you it or something? BTW, the remote looks different from the one in the instruction manual I received.[/QUOTE]
remotenshlagen.jpg

That's what I got. Actually, it was a little beat up, and has weird 'spots' on it. heh.

Also, I got 3 or 4 manuals that were just for Philips TVs, not this specific model, and all the manuals were in different languages.
 
Thats definately not the remote I got. No wonder it doesn't work. Its not that big a deal though. I'm just happy the tv is in good condition. I can just use a universal remote or get off my a$$ and do it manually.
 
Greta post Modium, I've had my TV for about 2 years now, and because of your post I'm sure it'll look even better.
 
Aye, thanks all for the updates, etc. I finished assembling my TV Stand just moments ago. Watched Ocean's Twelve tonight after getting home from work, and just came in to check e-mail, etc.

What with the big day tomorrow, it should be exciting to see the set when I get home. And my 12' Component cable came from Buy.com today, so I'll have that available to hook up a PC to the TV in the near future. :)
 
Got mine yesterday, wont be able to set it up till Saturday though, I need to modify my entertainment center. I havent taken it out of the box yet, I just looked through the manual, I'll check for blemishes and problems once I install.
 
Could more people who ordered this the first time give their impressions on their sets they recieved? I read one where the speaker was blown, one had scratches.... Everyone elses good? Any not work?
 
[quote name='puddytay']Could more people who ordered this the first time give their impressions on their sets they recieved? I read one where the speaker was blown, one had scratches.... Everyone elses good? Any not work?[/QUOTE]
I only had a few minor scratches on the plastic case, the screen is perfect and everything works 100%. I would buy it again.
 
Can't give my opinion yet. The set was delivered yesterday, while I was at work. Though the gentlemen were friendly, and carried the set right into the room it will be used in... they DID NOT open the box, plug in the set to confirm it works, or test the unit in any way.

To make matters a touch less grand, I had a sore throat yesterday morning when I got out of bed. Figuring I was in trouble, I pounded O.J., tried to remain in good spirits, and wish the thing away. But in the end, it looks like I may have the flu. My folks had it for a week and a half before I finally got it, and had it BAD. Think mine MAY be less dramatic, but my nose feels twice it's regular size, and my throat is a mess. Yuk, yuk, yuk.

So, we'll see if I can get the thing open sometime Saturday and see how it looks. But at this point I'm up at o-dark thirty, and I'm not sure I'll even get out of bed today. :(
 
[quote name='puddytay']Could more people who ordered this the first time give their impressions on their sets they recieved? I read one where the speaker was blown, one had scratches.... Everyone elses good? Any not work?[/QUOTE]

I ordered the tv and really couldn't be happier about it. The set is great. The screen has zero scratches and both speakers work properly. There are 2 little, very small smudges on the top of the set but thats nothing in the grand scheme of things and who is ever going to notice that anyway. I'm using my xbox on it and am loving it. The only problem I have with the set is that I was given an incompatible/wrong remote control. That is my only problem with the whole deal but I can live with that since the tv works flawlessly.
 
Here's a question to those that have this TV - and your answer will make or break if I decide to buy it or not...

When you watch regular cable TV, do you get those black bars on the left and right? Does the TV have some kind of feature to stretch the picture to fit the whole screen? If it does, is it a "zoom" feature where you get the tops and bottoms cut off of something like CNN (with the news headlines at the bottom) or ESPN (with the sports scores at bottom) ?

Thanks.
 
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