Philips Cinema 21:9 LCD TV

Philips Cinema 21:9 LCD TV

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Specs:
* Dynamic contrast - 80,000:1
* Resolution - Full HD (2560 x 1080p)
* Response Time - 1ms
* Frame Rate - 200Hz
* Viewing Angle - 176º vertical and horizontal
* Connectivity - 4 x HDMI 1.3, 2 x Scart, USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11g
* Speakers - 2 x subwoofers, 2 x dome tweeters
* Features - Net TV, Ambilight, Pixel Perfect Engine, Anti-reflective glass

How much does it cost?: £4,500

First Impressions

The first thing you notice is that it's big. It's really big, and it looks even bigger because it's such a long, narrow shape. Think carefully before you buy it because it takes a special room to accommodate it properly. A dedicated cinema room will probably be the home of the bulk of Philips Cinema 21:9s sold.

You get used to the shape in minutes and when you turn back to a standard widescreen, it'll look boxy as hell.

The Cinema 21:9 is just that. It's a cinema screen and once that's in you head, it's a very comfortable watch.

Features

The best, and most Philipsy, feature of this set is the Ambilight Spectra 3 system. For those unfamiliar, it's a system of LEDs at the back of the panel that projects the colour of whatever it is you're watching onto the wall behind. Philips says it extends the picture. I'm not sure about that but it is a really cool effect and I'd opt for a TV with an Ambilight if you can. It really brings a sense of atmosphere.

The anti-reflection glass and the eight-day EPG are worth a mention while we're here. The former works. There's not a lot more you can say about it. I was never aware of a reflection problem. No glare at all. The latter is smooth, clear and well implemented.

The whole menu system on the Cinema 21:9 is in line with the same house style of all Philips products. There's a Symbiam 60ness about it. It's straighfoward and easy to navigate around all the menus of the set and it's largely icon based; on the friendly side but without going too far into the relams of cartoon. You've paid too much money for this to look childish.

The last point I'll mention is the sound. Now, it's unlikely that anyone buying this TV isn't going to go the whole hog and invest some more cash in a proper home cinema set up, but if your amp goes on the fritz or your surround sound speakers pop, you'll be perfectly happpy with what the Cinema 21:9 can offer while you get it all fixed. It's got good clear top end and nice, rich, heart-pounding base.

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