Is my new Philips 47PFL7642D/12 faulty?

blueplatinum · 08-11-2007, 00:22

Today I took delivery of a Philips 47PFL7642D/12 LCD television. It is 1080p compatible and has a 47" screen (fab).

I have conected it to my SKY+ 160 box via RGB (SCART 1) - I do not have an HD source at present.

Although in the main the picture seems great I have noticed a lot of pixelation/blocking causing a blurring effect around complex objects especially people's faces. I have also noticed that areas where one might expect to see a single colour are often blocking between two close shades of that color. Action sequences also suffer from bad blocking too.

I also notice these affects when watching digital terrestrial broadcasts via the built in tuner.

I previously had a small (26") Firstline LCD and never noticed any of these problems.

Can someone please comment on whether my new TV is faulty or is there a reasonable explanation for what I am seeing.

Nigel Goodwin · 08-11-2007, 09:58

I would suggest it's because you're viewing from much too close? - moving from a 26 inch to a 47 inch means you should move much further back. What distance are you watching from?, you really need to be at least ten feet away for SD.

timmillwood · 08-11-2007, 10:19

1. it's a 1080P TV and you are watching SD
2. it's a big TV and you are watching SD
3. it's LCD and more often than not they do this
4. it's phillips

There are your problems

blueplatinum · 08-11-2007, 12:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmillwood

1. it's a 1080P TV and you are watching SD
2. it's a big TV and you are watching SD
3. it's LCD and more often than not they do this
4. it's phillips

There are your problems

Well I still have the option to return it. Would I be better to go for a Sony or Samsung do you think?

Are you saying with an HD signal the problems would go away ? I thought with more pixels it should be able to make "the best" of an SD picture. I am going to get a SKY HD box at Christmas. Will it's ability to "upscale" SD eliminate these problems?

Thanks for the advice all.

Nigel Goodwin · 08-11-2007, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueplatinum

Are you saying with an HD signal the problems would go away ? I thought with more pixels it should be able to make "the best" of an SD picture. I am going to get a SKY HD box at Christmas. Will it's ability to "upscale" SD eliminate these problems?

No, like I said you're watching it from too close (or the TV is too big), with actual HD programming it will be fine, and you need to be close to get the benefit. Your TV already upscales the SD pictures, it's the upscaling which causes the artifacts (or at least exaggerates them).

sancheeez · 08-11-2007, 12:26

The bigger the TV gets, the worse the SD picture will look.

Upscaling can only do so much (and then depends on how well the individual set does it).

You still haven't mentioned how close you are to the TV, if you are too close, thats going to make these problems even worse.

The Sky HD box will help (very) slightly I suspect as it will go in via HDMI which should give you a better picture than SCART but HD channels (especially some of the cheapo ones) will still look pretty nasty on a TV that size.

blueplatinum · 08-11-2007, 16:47

We are watching from about 10 feet away.

I have been trying to watch as many different progs. as possible. Movies seem a lot better than, say, Coronation Street which can be a bit blocky on indoor scemes especially skin tones.

I am actually quite impressed with the picture on movies now.

irvin38A · 08-11-2007, 19:39

You're in Gran Canaria and watching Corrie?!?!?!

timmillwood · 08-11-2007, 20:44

I would say get a lg or samsung plasma they are less money and better, or treat yourself and get a panasonic or pioneer plasma.

The picture will look a lot better then.

Gilson · 08-11-2007, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by irvin38A

You're in Gran Canaria and watching Corrie?!?!?!

I agree - are we in the UK watching anything under the same conditions as you??

IMHO on UK domestic sources Philips medium to upper models give without doubt the best SD from UK Freeview and SD on Sky/Virgin that I have seen* This is notwithstanding other problems with Philips LCD's e.g. no user backlight setting.

* There may be others who are as good but on straight out of the box in local showrooms they win hands down. But getting a decent demo of an LCD on Freeview or other SD sources is of course in the UK like gold-dust.

08-11-2007, 00:22	#1
blueplatinum Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,604	Is my new Philips 47PFL7642D/12 faulty? Today I took delivery of a Philips 47PFL7642D/12 LCD television. It is 1080p compatible and has a 47" screen (fab). I have conected it to my SKY+ 160 box via RGB (SCART 1) - I do not have an HD source at present. Although in the main the picture seems great I have noticed a lot of pixelation/blocking causing a blurring effect around complex objects especially people's faces. I have also noticed that areas where one might expect to see a single colour are often blocking between two close shades of that color. Action sequences also suffer from bad blocking too. I also notice these affects when watching digital terrestrial broadcasts via the built in tuner. I previously had a small (26") Firstline LCD and never noticed any of these problems. Can someone please comment on whether my new TV is faulty or is there a reasonable explanation for what I am seeing.

08-11-2007, 09:58	#2
Nigel Goodwin Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Derbyshire Posts: 41,789	I would suggest it's because you're viewing from much too close? - moving from a 26 inch to a 47 inch means you should move much further back. What distance are you watching from?, you really need to be at least ten feet away for SD.

08-11-2007, 10:19	#3
timmillwood Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 631	1. it's a 1080P TV and you are watching SD 2. it's a big TV and you are watching SD 3. it's LCD and more often than not they do this 4. it's phillips There are your problems

08-11-2007, 12:13	#4
blueplatinum Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,604	Quote: Originally Posted by timmillwood 1. it's a 1080P TV and you are watching SD 2. it's a big TV and you are watching SD 3. it's LCD and more often than not they do this 4. it's phillips There are your problems Well I still have the option to return it. Would I be better to go for a Sony or Samsung do you think? Are you saying with an HD signal the problems would go away ? I thought with more pixels it should be able to make "the best" of an SD picture. I am going to get a SKY HD box at Christmas. Will it's ability to "upscale" SD eliminate these problems? Thanks for the advice all.

08-11-2007, 12:16	#5
Nigel Goodwin Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Derbyshire Posts: 41,789	Quote: Originally Posted by blueplatinum Are you saying with an HD signal the problems would go away ? I thought with more pixels it should be able to make "the best" of an SD picture. I am going to get a SKY HD box at Christmas. Will it's ability to "upscale" SD eliminate these problems? No, like I said you're watching it from too close (or the TV is too big), with actual HD programming it will be fine, and you need to be close to get the benefit. Your TV already upscales the SD pictures, it's the upscaling which causes the artifacts (or at least exaggerates them).

08-11-2007, 12:26	#6
sancheeez Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,762	The bigger the TV gets, the worse the SD picture will look. Upscaling can only do so much (and then depends on how well the individual set does it). You still haven't mentioned how close you are to the TV, if you are too close, thats going to make these problems even worse. The Sky HD box will help (very) slightly I suspect as it will go in via HDMI which should give you a better picture than SCART but HD channels (especially some of the cheapo ones) will still look pretty nasty on a TV that size.

08-11-2007, 16:47	#7
blueplatinum Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,604	We are watching from about 10 feet away. I have been trying to watch as many different progs. as possible. Movies seem a lot better than, say, Coronation Street which can be a bit blocky on indoor scemes especially skin tones. I am actually quite impressed with the picture on movies now.

08-11-2007, 19:39	#8
irvin38A Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 760	You're in Gran Canaria and watching Corrie?!?!?!

08-11-2007, 20:44	#9
timmillwood Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 631	I would say get a lg or samsung plasma they are less money and better, or treat yourself and get a panasonic or pioneer plasma. The picture will look a lot better then.

08-11-2007, 20:51	#10
Gilson Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,145	Quote: Originally Posted by irvin38A You're in Gran Canaria and watching Corrie?!?!?! I agree - are we in the UK watching anything under the same conditions as you?? IMHO on UK domestic sources Philips medium to upper models give without doubt the best SD from UK Freeview and SD on Sky/Virgin that I have seen* This is notwithstanding other problems with Philips LCD's e.g. no user backlight setting. * There may be others who are as good but on straight out of the box in local showrooms they win hands down. But getting a decent demo of an LCD on Freeview or other SD sources is of course in the UK like gold-dust.

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Is my new Philips 47PFL7642D/12 faulty?