One of the grudges that customers have against Philips is that most of their products are overpriced, which prevents potential customers from approaching them. This resentment in particular applies to the much revered 9703 range, which is far too expensive for most people to afford. There is good news of late though, as Philips seeks to address this dilemma with the launch of an exclusive new range, the 7603 which by every account is a much better value for the money. The Philips Cineos 42 PFL 7603D is a part of this range and is all set to carve out a niche for itself.

The design of the device is both novel and an aesthetic one, while its unique configuration endows it with some distinct technical advantages, especially the audio output. The Philips 42PFL7603D comes integrated with a USB interface like most modern televisions, which facilitates you to entertain yourself with music and photos that can be sourced from the memory sticks. One glaring drawback however hinders your moment of enjoyment as there is no video support on this particular model.

Then you also get to have the in-demand Ambilight which is a two-sided version, but is not as interactive as the three-sided version. Nevertheless the feature provides you with a similar set of options such as the ability to manipulate the response speed, the extent of illumination, and the liberty to choose a solitary color to throw on the wall.

The Freeview option is another important addition but its performance lacks the punch that you would have loved. The feature actually ends up irritating you with its macro blocking which is a part-and-parcel with low-bitrate digital TV. Nevertheless supported by a good incoming signal the 7603 manages to produce a decent picture quality.

Philips in recent times has come up with two affordable models to accompany the expensive Philips MCM906 Heritage series hi-fi set, which is the company’s flagship model. The Philips MCM772 hi-fi sits pretty between the two extremes. The design of the unit is a bit laid back, with traditional and conservative touches clearly visible. The gadget comes adorned with a two-way drive system that delivers some stimulating audio sound measured at 50W.

The device digresses from its cousins in the sense that the amplifier is all solid-state, with no signs of any valve whatsoever. The sound tends to twitter a bit when heard in very high volume, but that is no cause to discourage you as the sound levels otherwise is quite vibrant and sufficient for a home-setting.

The device is build of brushed aluminium separates and boasts of chunky silver knobs which elegantly complement the speakers. In fact the aesthetics of the Philips MCM 772 may prompt you to use it as a decorative element in your bedroom, a fact that is also supported by its other specifications. One aspect that may leave you dissatisfies is the unimaginative LCD display, which for the major part looks out of sync with device.

The compact build quality of the device is another nice thing, and so are a host of connectivity options that enable you to optimise its output. Meanwhile, the hi-fi device scores a lot of good vibes also because of its user friendly attributes as you can avail most of the services that the model has to offer with the minimum of fuss.

One of the latest home cinema systems to have come out of Philips, the HTS6515, is a very decent bet if you by its specifications. The product offers you the appealing prospect of listening to some soothing music via the 2.1 speaker system that is imaginatively connected to a central DVD player and controller.

Special care also been taken to ensure the aesthetic appeal of the unit, and is replete with a wall mountable solution thereby doing away with the more conventional boxy under-the-TV systems. The focal point of the Philips unit is the innovatively designed central controller unit which acts as a sleamline top-loading DVD player.

Other important specifications of the system include a large subwoofer and two front “horizontal” speakers. It is however a bit disconcerting to find the system covered in wires, especially considering the amount of emphasis given on design, which on a few occasion create a repelling effect.

Another peculiar situation you may encounter is the system is bereft of any optical connectivity option, which is a necessity to connect the controller unit to the TV and bring back the audio from the TV. Nevertheless, you are saved of facing a nightmarish situation by the incorporation a 3.5mm jack. Moreover, the Philips HTS6515’s video quality is also something to look forward to, as it has been provided with the capacity to upscale average DVD contents to high-definition levels.

Connectivity of the system is rather solid with the prominent among them being an HDMI input, Component video or Scart which comes is handy for old TVs.

The Philips 42PFL9803 has fixed one of the major drawbacks of the LCD format, namely the backlight, which until now has been the bane of this otherwise no-nonsense format. The backlight problem usually remains in the background for the most part, but once you try to reproduce black, or for that matter something dark, it plays a repelling effect on the final output with images appearing drained out and lifeless. Philips has attended to the problem by using an array of more than 1,000 LEDs behind the LCD panel to illuminate the picture.

The design of the unit is quite an appealing one and comes decorated in a brushed aluminium one. The front of the Philips 42PFL9803D is kept simple and uncomplicated and is bereft of any hidden buttons. The front nevertheless has a large Philips logo and a thin LED strip beneath the screen that it reminds you when the TV is on.

Connectivity of the unit is one of its most impressive facets and is equipped with no less than four HDMI inputs. A VGA connection is there as well that facilitates you to source data from your media centre PC or Xbox 360, along with a pair of Scart sockets that enable you to connect the deck to much older standard-definition images.

Adding to your flexibility is the presence of an S-video input and composite video in, which are essential components when you are connecting the deck to a camcorder or digital camera.

The deck being a premium Philips TV has on-board the customary Ambilight feature. The two-sided Ambilight Spectra 2 that has been included in the deck however compares poorly against the three-sided Spectra 3 system included on the 9703 range. Philips has also included its indigenously build Perfect Pixel HD engine, which does a more than decent job in processing the vast amount of picture information in video signals and present it on-screen in the best possible way.

Most people tend to get cold feet when the time arrives to make the digital crossover, as there is a misconception that this transition is very expensive. The truth however is not that bitter as it is made out to be, and it is not at all mandatory to dump your old analogue TV for a brand new flat-panel set to access the Freeview experience in its full glory. Moreover, Freeview PVRs and HDD/DVD recorders are also no perquisites to enjoy this spectacular experience. All you need to do is pick up a cheap, easy to use Freeview receiver, and connect it to your existing system, and the programmes burst into life.

It is however important that you follow discretion while buying a receiver set so that it consists of the features and functions you are looking for. Considering the situation one model that should fit the bill is the DTR220/05 from Philips, which is replete with a number of user friendly features apart from being delightfully compact.

The back panel of the unit has been inscribed with customary features like RF input/output and twin SCART outputs, in addition to coaxial digital output for piping stereo sound to your amp digitally. More importantly, the unit is endowed with the capacity to send raw bitstream to your receiver in case Dolby Digital broadcasts is included in the Freeview fold. The Philips DTR220 is bereft of an RF modulator, connoting that you can’t watch digital TV pictures through your TV’s RF input. This is however, not a problem with present generation TVs which are capable of doing without this archaic feature.

There are two SCARTs as well that can be simultaneously connected to TV and video recorder, thereby opening the floodgates of various possibilities. Now, you can have a choice between RGB, S-video (Y/C) and composite (CVBS) from the ‘TV’ SCART, and S-video or composite from the ‘VCR’ SCART, each of which is selectable via the setup menu.

The Philips HTS6100 Soundbar Home Cinema System, the latest offering from the company’s HT series, is significant in the sense that it is specially designed to be compatible with 37inch TVs; unlike its cousin the HTS8140, which was intended for 42 inch TVs. To start with, the unit lacks some of the features that were available in the HTS8140, the most notable being the Faroudja DCDi video processing, in addition to an integrated iPod dock. The reason for this is simply because it is a budget player and has therefore done away with some of the less critical and essential features.

Despite missing on these two important features, as the title indicates, the best part of the system is the inclusion of soundbars, the company’s indigenous production, which are by far the best looking on the market. Aesthetics is another synonym of the Philips HTS6100 as it is jealously stylish, with the translucent panel on the front being the most riveting. You will, however, miss the touch screen controls functions which were an integral part of the earlier model, as they are replaced by a row of small silver buttons on top.

Connectivity of the Philips unit is another solid aspect as you are provided with comprehensive input and output options. Sockets are there on both the soundbar unit and subwoofer. The soundbar, in addition, plays host to an HDMI output that is capable of providing a continuous series of upscaled images, usually 1080p, 1080i, 720p and 576p or 480p, to a competent TV set. Moreover, it’s ably supported by an RGB-capable SCART output and component video output, in addition to a stereo audio input that usually comes into play when playing external sources through the system.

Playback compatibility is also a colorful one as it competently dishes out a wide range of formats including DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, Video CD, Super Video CD and CD-R/-RW. More importantly, the unit also supports DivX Ultra), MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MP3, WMA and JPEG files making it a true live wire. There is however no support for AAC, just like its big brother.

The much awaited LCD TV, the Aura II from Philips, is finally out on the market. If a TV’s aesthetic is an important factor in making a buying decision, then you must go for the Philips Aurea II.

This one is like a rising star and completely supports 1080p. It has been beautifully designed and the contours are crafted with the utmost precision. The best part of this TV is that instead of tweaking the display inside the frame, the frame itself looks like a part of the whole picture using the Philips Ambilight technology.

The Aurea II is one of a kind. It possesses a new design, with an impressively thin frame and curved corners. The Aurea II is also capable of handling 500 million pixels per second. Thanks to its Perfect Pixel HD engine which renders an awesome dynamic contrast ratio of 30,000:1. Aurea II has been blessed with the title of ‘World’s Fastest LCD’, since its response time is just two milliseconds, which is only a quarter of the Sony KDL-40L4000’s response time. The 42 inches Aurea II is not a complete remodeling of its predecessor. Instead, it is a slight enhancement of the original Aurea which was launched by Philips sometime back. The differences can be clearly spotted by looking at the whole new glossy finish, slimmer body, thinner frame and more curvaceous corners. That’s why the company has called it the ’slim-line silhouette’.

The Philips PET723 is launched with two clear objectives, i.e. to be a reliable and sought for tablet DVD player, and to be a digital photo frame. The unit features a 7-inch 16:9 screen, front speaker and d-pad to control the menus when the remote control isn’t within arms reach. A great thing about the model is that by using its kick-out stand you can virtually position the player just about anywhere.

It is compatible with most of the disc formats that you will come across including CD, Video CD, Picture CD, MP3 and DivX, apart from the customary DVDs. The Philips PET 723 showed a great deal of excellence while playing the discs and the screen is also customized to suit the environment that you are likely to be in. A significant addition to the scheme of things is the DivX file playback feature, particularly from a movie perspective.

Going beyond the conventional norms, i.e. DVDs, the unit gives you the prospect of playing music, viewing photos and playing movies via the SD card slot. Moreover, the inclusion of these unique features and their perfect symphony makes the accessing of files very basic. It has also done away with the unimpressive graphical presentations. One thing that the PET723 has inherited from its predecessor the PET940, is that it displays everything in a standard file tree format with file names being shown. Though there is the option of thumbnail, it just makes up the numbers with very limited practical use.

As a part of today’s global village it is important that we have a reliable companion whom we can trust and which can give us a good deal of entertainment. This is because, otherwise you will feel lost and frustrated by the various challenges and constraints that are a part and parcel of contemporary times. Concepts like high-stress levels, increased blood pressure, and the like can be attributed to the hectic schedule that we follow today, in order to keep pace with changing times and meet our absurdly high expectations.

The PET707/05 Portable LCD DVD Player from Philips is in every sense the perfect choice to be your companion, as a portable entertainer with its many innate advantages. The most significant aspect of the unit is that it features two LCD display screens! Moreover, the Philips PET 707 is designed in an unobtrusive manner and you can set things into motion with a few simple plug ins. Proper care has also been taken to ensure that the unit fits to even the most uncomfortable of places with the minimum of fuss. Then there is also an anti-shock device which negates the disturbances that otherwise would have occurred on the screen, while riding on uneven and bumpy roads.

It supports both the Dolby Digital and MP3 compression format, and the media playback formats, including CD, CD-R, CD-RW and MP3-Cd with MP3 Bit rates of 32-320 kbps. The contrast ratio is put at 250:1, which typical of portable players. Moreover, the unit comes with a host of other accessories that include an AC/DC adapter, Battery Pack AY 4389, Car kit with cigarette Outlet adaptor, amongst the most prominent.

The video play back media of the unit, on the other hand, includes DVD, Picture CD, SVCD, Video CD, DVD-R/RW, MP3-CD, CD-R/CD-RW, DVD+R/+RW and CD to give the clarity par excellence. Furthermore, it also includes the user friendly disc playback modes like A-B Repeat, Angle, disc Menu, Fast backward, and the like.

Philips has really come up with a gem of an innovation with the launch of their latest Portable DVD Player, the DCP951. The company has incorporated an iPod dock into the device! This wonderful innovation has opened the door to new possibilities and taken the concept of entertainment to an entirely different level. You will no longer feel handicapped as you can now have an unrestricted access to the in-built iPod, the source for an unprecedented collection of video clips and movies, and not to forget music.

The unit has some structural differences from your average portable players, as it resembles a tablet form compared to the conventional clamshell design, which is basically the norm. It is covered in a glossy black outfit and has a trendy feel to it.

The unit’s screen measures a reasonable nine inches diagonally, big enough to comfortably watch a movie. This factor is, however, nullified by the Philips DCP951’s not so impressive resolution capability, which at 640×220 pixels is just not good enough. Philips, it seems, in its haste to include the unique iPod feature forgot to go through the gadget’s various specifications! Then the screen is of also of poor quality, which tends to make movie watching a tad disappointing.

The unit fails to deliver in the visual respect, as the quality of images lacks the desired punch and on many occasions are unclear with minimum level of detail. The colours looks pale and drab and the brightness levels are pretty poor as well. You will feel the utmost frustration, especially when watching dark moody films like ‘The Bourne Identity’ where you will find it a terribly difficult task to make head and tail of most of the frames!