Philips 37PF9731 (37-inch LCD)

By Philip Wong
Nov 3, 2006

We first chanced upon the 9731- and 9831-series LCD TVs during Philips' Ambilight event held in Belgium earlier this year. Then, both models were centered on a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution panel, plus a whole slew of new and enhanced in-house technologies.

Fast forward to July and the latter was deprived of its ultra-high resolution badge due to mounting concern over high production costs. This left the Dutch company's 37PF9731 as the only 1,920 x 1,080-pixel model in its flat-panel stable amid the barrage of new 1080pers churned out by its Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese competitors.

Design
The 37PF9731 is one of the few panels we have came across which are both handsome and functional. The choice of an all-round black piano frame gives the set a special touch of class, while the frosted glass pedestal stand matches perfectly with the glossy facade. For easy accessibility, the quick-access inputs, twin USB port and multislot card reader are conveniently situated on the chassis's left. Right on the opposite end is a bank of TV controls for impromptu channel selection and volume adjustment.

Unlike the 42PF9831 reviewed earlier in August, the 9731 comes with only a three-sided version of the Ambilight Surround system. This dynamic ambient lighting system is centered on arrays of lamps which are integrated flush within the left, top and right sides of the cabinet. Though it is hard not to assume its impact on the width of the TV, we are glad to report that the extra components contribute little to its overall bulk which stands at 770 x 991 x 114mm. These measurements are pretty much in line with most other 37-inchers found in the market.

	A stylish remote to go with the sexy LCD panel. (Click for larger image)

To match the eye-catching panel, Philips has shipped an equally sexy remote in the bundle. The clear acrylic-wrapped stick features a set of well-spaced buttons, as well as a large tactile five-way navigation wheel. Besides the ergonomic form factor, the remote also ranks high in versatility, capable of controlling up to four Philips A/V boxes. Our only gripe here is the lack of dedicated input buttons. In their places is a dedicated key which calls up an onscreen scrolling list for user selection.

Initial setup of the TV was a breeze, thanks to an intuitive onscreen picture-based configuration. Fine-tuning was via a selection of photos, videos or music tracks representing the various A/V parameters. All that was required was to make a choice between the options based on one's personal preference. For amateurs and advanced users, Philips has also thrown in a comprehensive suite of settings comprising a fair mix of basic and advanced variants. These are annotated with a brief description of their functionality for clarity, just in case you are out of reach of the well-written user manual.

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