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  • Tour & Design

  • Performance Features

  • Connectivity & Media

  • Controls, Menu & Remote

  • Conclusion

  • Tour & Design
  • Performance Features
  • Connectivity & Media
  • Controls, Menu & Remote
  • Conclusion

Tour & Design

The Phillips 47PFL7704D has a very thin black bezel that runs its way around the LCD screen. The bezel is much smaller than last the one featured on last year's models from Phillips. This small frame also makes the frame appear a bit larger. At the bottom center of the panel a small lip juts out and displays the Phillips logo. This bump also houses a light-sensor that will automatically dim the screen based on the lighting condition in the room.

The 47PFL7704D has a 47-inch LCD screen.

**Back**

The TVs Phillips had on display at CES were all wall-mounted, so we couldn't get a good picture of what the back looked like. Phillips did send us display charts of how the ports are organized and we have that information in the Connectivity & Media section of the review.

**Sides**

The on-TV controls on the 47PFL7704D are located on middle of the right side of the set. The left side of the television has a few ports for easy-access connectivity: a headphone jack, Composite AV-input, S-Video input, HDMI input and USB port.

The right side of the 47PFL7704D has on-TV controls.

**Stand/Mount**

As we said before, all the TVs Phillips had on display at CES were wall mounted, so we couldn't get a look of the stand featured on the 47PFL7704D. The thin bezel definitely gave the TV a good wall-mounted appearance.

 

**Aesthetics**

According to Phillips, the frame on the 47PFL7704D is 45% thinner than the previous design. The black bezel has a gray finish around the edging, which helps make the TV blend into the wall when mounted. This design is quite attractive for an LCD television and we must say the thin frame makes the screen appear larger than it is.

Performance Features

Display Size & Technology

The Phillips 47PFL7704D has a 47-inch LCD screen. The 7000 series is also available in 32-inch, 42-inch, and 52-inch models.

The PS80 series comes in 60-inch and 50-inch sizes.

Format & Resolution

The 47PFL7704D supports full HD 1080p format and has a wide screen aspect ratio of 16:9. The TV has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080.

Brightness, Blacks & Contrast Ratio

Phillips didn't release any specs about brightness, blacks, or contrast ratios on the 47PFL7704D. One feature they showed us was a proprietary dimming technology that automatically reduces the LCD panel backlight depending on the lighting conditions available (i.e. in complete darkness, the screen will dim slightly). This feature is designed to reduce power consumption and help consumers save energy. According to Phillips the 42PFL7704 features a 59% reduction in power consumption compared to its predecessor, the 42PFL5352D. The new TV also reduces standby power by 80% compared to last year's model.

The 47PFL7704D didn't appear to have the brightness of other LCD televisions, specifically models from other manufacturers that feature LED backlighting. When we get a TV into our labs for complete testing, we'll run extensive power consumption tests as well as analysis on brightness, black level, and contrast ratio.

Refresh Rate & Motion

The 47PFL7704D features a 120Hz refresh rate. Many manufacturers, however, are releasing LCD HDTVs with 240Hz refresh rates in 2009. That said, the 47PFL7704D in Phillips' booth at CES had excellent motion reproduction. No artifacting or blurring was noticeable and the images looked smooth, clear, and sharp. Phillips lists their Halo-Free technology as helping to enhance the motion performance and reduce blur on the 47PFL7704D. According to Phillips, the Halo-Free technology is part of the TVs video processing system.

Viewing Angle

Phillips didn't release specs about viewing angles for the 47PFL7704D, but we noticed some slight distortion and loss of brightness when the TV was viewed at a 35-degree to 40-degree angle. We specifically noticed a dimming of the image on the far side of the panel.

Color

As we said earlier, a bit of color distortion could be noticed on the set when the screen was viewed at hard angles. Colors appeared darker and a bit washed out at these angles, but this is relatively normal for LCD televisions.

Connectivity & Media

Audio & Video Ports

We didn't get to take a look at the back of the 47PFL7704D, but Phillips sent us a diagram of what the ports look like on the back of the panel. On the back, the television features 3 HDMI inputs on the back, two Component Video inputs with audio, one Composite Video input with audio, an S-Video input, a Digital Audio output (SPDF) and an analog audio input. The TV doesn't offer a VGA input for connecting a PC, which is an input that is often present on new HD televisions.

A diagram of the ports located on the back of the 47PFL7704D.

The left side ports on the 47PFL7704D

 

There's also a small collection of ports on the left side of the television: one Composite Video input with audio, an S-Video input, an HDMI input, a USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. This is a good amount of ports to be featured on the left side of the television—the headphone jack in particular should interest some consumers. The left-side ports could be a little easier to access, as they are too far behind the panel to get a free pass from us.

**Media & Other Connectivity
The Phillips 47PFL7704D doesn't offer any wireless capabilities or internet streaming features as introduced by some other manufacturers this year. Phillips pushes simplicity on televisions and they feature a 'how-to' sticker on the back of the television to assist users with connecting devices to the set.
**

The **47PFL7704D does feature a USB port on the left side of the television, but it is unclear if the TV has internal software that will allow you to play music or photos from an external USB device.
**

 

Placement

As we discussed earlier, the left side port cluster could be easier to access. The ports are hidden a bit to far behind the panel for them to be considered within easy to reach.

Audio

The 47PFL7704D offers an invisible speaker system, which is a feature also found on televisions from other manufacturers. The speakers are hidden behind the television's frame so they don't alter the sleek, flat design of the TV. According to Phillips, the sound on the **47PFL7704D is powered from the back and outputted around the edging of the screen's frame. This design is meant to produce a surround-sound effect.
**

Controls, Menu & Remote

Remote

We didn't get to look at the remote control for the Phillips 47PFL7704D at CES, but we'll write a whole section about the remote when we bring the television through our testing labs.

Controls

The 47PFL7704D has a column of six on-TV controls on the middle right side of the television. The buttons are round, small, and are comfortable to press. The controls from top to bottom are: volume up, volume down, menu, channel up, channel down, and power.

The on-TV controls on the 47PFL7704D are located on the right side of the television.

Menu

We didn't get to see the full menu for the 47PFL7704D, but Phillips gave us a tour of their easy setup system. The feature, which begins automatically when you first hookup the TV, walks the user through the setup process. It also customizes the picture settings by displaying a variety of images and allowing the user to choose which picture looks better to them. This setup feature can be changed any time and recalibrate to produce a desired look.

Conclusion

The Phillips 47PFL7704D is a basic television with a graceful, tight design. It doesn't have special media features that other manufacturers are slapping on their TVs in an effort to make them unique. It's also a step behind other manufacturers when it comes to refresh rate (only 120Hz instead of 240Hz), LED backlighting, and port connection (no VGA input). On the other hand televisions with those features will likely be priced significantly higher than the 47PFL7704D's $1799 MSRP.  We also noted that still, images and motion looked crisp and clear when we took a look at the 47PFL7704D at CES, despite the fact that it didn't have overwhelming specs. We'll have to see if that stands up in the lab. Phillips will be making the product available to consumers in April.

Meet the tester

Alfredo Padilla

Alfredo Padilla

Editor

Alfredo Padilla is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

See all of Alfredo Padilla's reviews

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