Philips' Ambilight demystified

Philip Wong | Jun 15, 2006

It is not uncommon for consumers to brush aside the Ambilight feature sported on the Dutch manufacturer's flat-panel TVs as most are obsessed with the figures such as resolution and contrast ratio. However, this capability has far-fetched effects on our sight which is priceless to our health and wellbeing.

Research conducted at the Light Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has shown that watching glaring television in poor lighting conditions can result in eyestrain over extended periods of viewing. This can be alleviated by surrounding illumination the likes of the Ambilight technology offered by Philips.

It is now available in three different flavors ranging from mono to stereo, to full surround. The latest iteration found in its upcoming 9831D series LCD TVs offers four-sided lighting coupled with adaptive color management which not only varies with onscreen images but also creates an attractive extended floating display.