Hi,

Has anyone heard anything about the UK release dates for the Philips 4K Android TV's that were announced at CES?

I'm guessing there's nothing confirmed yet as I've had a look around online.

I love the Ambilight function, but I've read a lot of reviews which slate the current models "Smart" capabilities..

The new android tv's are supposed to be appearing in Quarter 2 - so could be anytime from April onwards.

More information on the new models here:
4K
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php...&id=1426602210

1080p
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php...&id=1426655434

Worth bearing in mind that Philips gear has been very hard to physically purchase in the UK the last few years so who knows what models will actually be released here ...

More details on the specific UK models:
http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/phili...1503194032.htm

Mainly because their poor quality, poor reliability and appalling service have caused sales to plummet

Thought you might like to know that I have a 28PW6006 which is still used regularly, gives an excellent (CRT) picture even by modern standards, and has never shown the slightest problem. Can't comment on recent models, nor on Philips service as I have never needed to use it.

As always, a sample size of ONE isn't statistically significant in any way

The high unreliability of Philips TV's even bankrupted the nationwide service organisation they used at one time for warranty service.

But apparently Philips Ireland are doing reasonably well?, and there were plans to move the guy who ran it to the UK.

I am guessing you are aware that Philips tv division has been taken over by TP Vision - it is pretty much a rebadge by them utilising Philips picture processing and ambilight.

You seem to be under the impression that everybody except Sony make faulty sub-standard products for some insane reason ...

Yes I'm aware of the deal, but it remains to be seen if the gear is any better (or worse) than the actual Philips product.


Not at all, merely passing on what is widely known in the TV trade - and almost all retailers dumped Philips due to their poor reliability record.

However, you are correct that Sony and Panasonic make the most reliable and best made sets

The rate at which smart TVs and blu ray players are made obsolete after a couple of years makes me wonder at the logic of an Android powered TV?

I'm sure it'll be fine for a couple of years until some update renders useless most of the useful smart features as happens time and time again with many smart devices released in the last 3 or 4 years.

I agree, but that's the way things are done now - the Sony Android sets are due any time.

'Hopefully', as such devices use the Android OS you will be able to download any apps you want, just like a tablet?.

The Sonys will also have YouView as well which means that platform will have a long shelf life. http://www.youview.com/news/2015/02/...y-and-youview/

So basically to sum up you have absolutely no idea how the current android based 2015 tv.s from Phillips/TP vision will perform and you are basing your findings on a completely different set up and indeed different company ... Nigel I have to be honest I respect your input on this thread and no doubt you have a lot to add to the forum but I imagine in this instance your input would need to be taken with a rather large dose of salt.

I am a Panasonic (plasma) owner but given they and Sony are largely sourcing their panels from either LG or Samsung I highly doubt they are producing any better than those 2 given they have had to start competing in price and no doubt they are paying a slight premium to whoever is supplying their panels.

Once Panasonic gave up their plasma division they simply became another OEM like Phillips and indeed Sony - things move on ...

I think that's a good point. At one stage the most reliable manufacturers would have been different. Things are moving fast at the moment and I think a lot of reviewers place LG and Samsung in the same quality threshold as Panasonic and Sony.
Certainly, Sony's TV business has changed out of all recognition over the last few years as it has evolved more into a design/marketing business with outsourced assembly and buying in its key components.
However, it is possible that the two Korean suppliers do not offer the same spares and support service as their Japanese rivals do. I'm not in the trade so only someone who is can assess this.

I think the trouble is that Philips/TPVision has been squeezed by the retailer own brands and hasn't been able to get up there amongst the more premium brands of Sony, Panasonic, LG and Samsung. It's not unique - most of its peers have suffered the same and have all sold or licensed their brands to other manufacturers or are in the process of doing so.
(Sharp to UMC of Slovakia, JVC to Dixons UK/AmTRAN in the USA, Toshiba to Compal, Hitachi to Argos.)

All you can base opinions on is past performance, I see no reason to imagine a cheap obscure manufacturer is going to be any better than Philips were - although I'd be pleasantly surprised if that turns out to be the case.


I can't comment on Panasonic, but (as far as I'm aware) Sony don't currently source their panels from either of those two? (and haven't for a good many years) - but even when they did the sets were far more reliable and performed better than the LG or Samsung sets, the panel is only one component in a TV.

But having said that, by FAR the most common failure in a Sony TV is the LCD panel - I presume it's the same with other makes?, as we get plenty of other sets coming in scrapped due to faulty panels.