inch to 30-inch

Like the 2 reviewers before me, I too had this set delivered, hooked it up and tried to turn it on and NOTHING! I started to freak out and was plugging and unplugging the set, pushing the remote buttons and the on off button on the TV to no avail until finally, out of a sheer desperation, I started to play with the manual channel/volume control disc on the top of the set while I puhed the on off button repeatedly and although I don't know what the magic combination of channel up, volume down, on/off button was, it suddenly came to life! The power light illuminated, the screen lit up, a picture appeared and I half expected an angel to fly out of the back end! Ever since, I've never had a problem turning it on or off and I think the reason is that this TV has about 5 "channel inputs" in the back, (DVD, Cable, VCR, HDTV etc) and I think that initially, the set was "stuck" on one of those channel inputs instead of the TV input and only manually changing the channel with the power cycled it through the inputs and "revived it" (The reason I think this is that now, when I turn it on, there is a 10 - 12 second delay before a channel/picture comes in because the TV is cycling through the different inputs internally determining which input you have currently selected.)

Now that the TV was on, and the cable was working I plugged in my Progressive scan DVD player to the back HDTV input with such excitement, anticipating the amazing HDTV image that was about to be the projected in my humble living room, awaiting the Ooohs and Ahhhs of my friends as they oogled the depth, color and clarity that is HDTV. I switched the TV channel to HDTV input, powered up the DVD and hit the play button...

The TV, now in 16:9 HDTV mode with black bars superimposed on top and bottom of the screen to simulate the widescreen experience (a mandatory sizing of the HDTV channel) began to show a crystal clear picture of high definition perfection, like the light of the pearly gates of Heaven, true HDTV started emanating from my TV screen. I gazed upon it with joy and amazement until my utter excitement was marred by a strange 1/2 inch purple and white dotted line which appeared across the top of the film image right at the upper black bar.

I adjusted the picture, DVD player, tried another disc, repowered on and off, channeled through the inputs, rechecked the monster cables, nothing would obliterate that strange, eery, pulsating purple and white demon light across my screen.

I called the Philips customer support and after speaking with many unknowledgable buffoons, I finally reached the HDTV genius who told me, "Oh yes, that happens due to the additional data tracks stored on most DVD's. It's normal for this TV to read the data track as light images and project them onto the edge of the screen between the image and the black bar on top due to the additional lines in HDTV projection. No need to return it for repair!"

I could not return the TV to Amazon, Philips told me it was normal (in their later manuals, they actually include a microscopic note on page 70 something about the mysterious HDTV light-line and that it is "normal" for this set.) (If that is normal, I'm afraid to see abnormal...) I myself, found the HDTV channel unwatchable with that horrid line, so have since, hooked the DVD player up to the regular component input on the back of the set and watch TV in regular definition. The picture and sound are perfectly clear, just not HDTV and for the $999 I paid for HDTV, I could have bought a regular Philips 27" TV for $379. Alas, I chose to just eat my losses and deal with this TV for a few years until i decide to replace it with a widescreen or LCD/Plasma TV. Until then, I shall try to remember the few brief moments of heavenly HDTV purity I viewed before the devil line took it all away...;8^)

I really can't understand how you got a tv dead out of the box and even made an attempt to repair it. That sounds fishy to me. Ok, so their service sucks. Everyone is aware now.

On the actual tv. I bought this as an open box buy so I saw my same tv working in the store. The picture is superb and you can plug a computer into the tv also via the vga input on the back. If you are buying this as a bedroom tv, the sound is really amazing and does a good job of simulating spaciousness.

Whether or not its worth the high price I'm not sure but its defintely worth the open box price I got it for.

I promised an update. Still no TV. The customer service is atrocious. My credit card company is now trying to help me out with this problem. Buyer beware.....Amazon beware. This product/company is far to poor to be sold on this web site. I have never had a problem with Amazon. They are always curteous and genuinely want to help. Philips is full of rhetoric and B.S. No responses to e-mails, a dozen phone calls, and still no action. Next stop.......Better Business Bureau.

P.S.

Stay tuned