I bought a Philips 42PFP5332D/37 last week and so far I have been very happy with it. Only one issue so far - it turns itself on at night.

The odd part is the TV itself is not on, just a black screen. Anyone else have this issue? I figure I can get around this by hooking it to a switched outlet, but if there is a more permanent fix it would be a great help. Otherwise this plasma is working great.

I bought a Philips 42PFP5332D/37 last week and so far I have been very happy with it. Only one issue so far - it turns itself on at night.

The odd part is the TV itself is not on, just a black screen. Anyone else have this issue? I figure I can get around this by hooking it to a switched outlet, but if there is a more permanent fix it would be a great help. Otherwise this plasma is working great.

My 42PF9976/37 does the same thing. A friend of mine who has the same plasma as I do has noticed this issue as well. It's not a problem with the plasma though. I was told that the display does a demagnetizing of the screen…

I just bought the 50PFP5332D. So far haven't read anything about that happening.

Also, does anyone know what the knobs on the back and also the 4 drilled holes are for? I know mounting, but can you mount using either of the options?

I bought a Philips 42PFP5332D/37 last week and so far I have been very happy with it. Only one issue so far - it turns itself on at night.

The odd part is the TV itself is not on, just a black screen. Anyone else have this issue? I figure I can get around this by hooking it to a switched outlet, but if there is a more permanent fix it would be a great help. Otherwise this plasma is working great.

Just a shot in the dark but I bet it's your "On Timer" settings, Menu -> TV Menu-> Features -> On timer. Check to see if it's set to come on.

I just bought the 50PFP5332D. So far haven't read anything about that happening.

Also, does anyone know what the knobs on the back and also the 4 drilled holes are for? I know mounting, but can you mount using either of the options?

Yes, you can use any of the eight mounting holes. I originally had mine mounted with the 4 holes that are inside the holes with the mounting "knobs". I removed the knobs and used those outside holes to set the TV up 2" higher on my mount. Kinda had me wondering too because the instructions were pretty vague about the rear mounts.

BTW, So far I am pleased with the TV. It's taken awhile getting the settings right and my crappy satellite feed isn't helping much.

I bought a Philips 42PFP5332D/37 last week and so far I have been very happy with it. Only one issue so far - it turns itself on at night.

The odd part is the TV itself is not on, just a black screen. Anyone else have this issue? I figure I can get around this by hooking it to a switched outlet, but if there is a more permanent fix it would be a great help. Otherwise this plasma is working great.


I have a similar problem with my 42PFP5332D/37. But my problem is that I was watching TV and suddenly, the Plasma have a black screen with the TV on. I turned off and the next day turned on and still black screen. I cant do anything. Anyone have this problem? Im about to returned to SAMs since I only have it for less than 30 days.

I have a similar problem with my 42PFP5332D/37. But my problem is that I was watching TV and suddenly, the Plasma have a black screen with the TV on. I turned off and the next day turned on and still black screen. I cant do anything. Anyone have this problem? Im about to returned to SAMs since I only have it for less than 30 days.

Black Screen problem, upgrade your firmware.

I bought a Philips 42PFP5332D/37 last week and so far I have been very happy with it. Only one issue so far - it turns itself on at night.

The odd part is the TV itself is not on, just a black screen. Anyone else have this issue? I figure I can get around this by hooking it to a switched outlet, but if there is a more permanent fix it would be a great help. Otherwise this plasma is working great.

I have 3 - 42FW9220/37 and all three at 4:30 AM click on with a black screen momentarily and then turn off. I was told that this is normal as the plasma is degaussing itself.

Degaussing is the process of decreasing or eliminating an unwanted magnetic field. It is named after Carl Friedrich Gauss, an early researcher in the field of magnetism. Due to magnetic hysteresis it is generally not possible to reduce a magnetic field completely to zero, so degaussing typically induces a very small "known" field referred to as bias. :):):)

I bought a Philips 42PFP5332D/37 last week and so far I have been very happy with it. Only one issue so far - it turns itself on at night.

No, it's NOT turning itself on -- that's why I incorrectly thought you had BSOD problem.

The TV is 'clicking on' but you will NOT see the Green Light ON. It's doing a maintenance check.

Ignore it.

I have a similar problem with my 42PFP5332D/37. But my problem is that I was watching TV and suddenly, the Plasma have a black screen with the TV on. I turned off and the next day turned on and still black screen. I cant do anything. Anyone have this problem? Im about to returned to SAMs since I only have it for less than 30 days.

What did you do. Did you get a replacement or return it for a diffent model? What did you pay for it. I can get one for $900 sounds like a good deal.

I have the Philips 42PF9976/37 and have been trying to find any Firmware updates for it. If there is any where should I go and also how do I figure out what FW is installed. Thanks

I have the Philips 42PF9976/37 and have been trying to find any Firmware updates for it. If there is any where should I go and also how do I figure out what FW is installed. Thanks

Even if the the 9976 did have a firmware update how would you update it? Using what port?

There is a service port on the TV, looks like it could be a USB port but is labled service

There is a service port on the TV, looks like it could be a USB port but is labled service

You are correct... I had not seen that port until you pointed it out. It's not your typical USB port. As for firmware I have not seen it. In fact there is little information regarding these Phillips plasma's with this model number.

there are no magnets in flat panel displays

there are no magnets in flat panel displays

Who said that plasma’s had magnets? The discussion was demagnetizing the phosphor within the plasma screen. Just like a CRT the plasma use’s phosphor.


If you're familiar with the technology behind plasma televisions, you know that the gas contained in each individual pixel receives a charge from a set of electrodes and produces ultraviolet light photons. These light particles hit a phosphor coating on the pixel's walls. If the same picture remains on the screen long enough the phosphors will age prematurely and they will produce a less intense light and color. The phosphor's continuous light will also burn the screen itself, leaving a ghost of an image. This burning of the screen, and the residual image it creates, is called burn-in. Older CRT monitors, as well as ATM machines, are prone to burn-in. This was the reason behind the invention of screen savers having a randomly shifting image displayed whenever the picture was constant for a certain period of time helps prevent burn-in.

Burn-in occurs in 2 steps: premature phosphor aging and screen searing. A still image will create an unchanging electrical current in each plasma pixel. The resulting continuous flow of photons forces the television's phosphors to release the same hue of light and this, when maintained for a long enough period of time, will damage the phosphors' ability to produce this color light. They will become conditioned, and will never stop producing a weak shade of that same color light, even when no charge is being sent through the pixel. This affects other images that require a change in the pixel's color. Screen searing is the dim, ghost-like image that literally gets burned into the glass of your screen. During a still image, the screen is bombarded with a specific spectrum of light from the phosphors. Since it's given no time to rest, the screen develops a shadowy copy of the image which was frozen on the screen. We most often see this at the ATM, when remnants of the main menu remain on the screen throughout your transaction.

Now that you have an idea what burn-in is, you should know some ways to prevent it from occurring. The root cause of burn-in is a static image. Most newer model plasma televisions have added functions to automatically prevent burn-in. However, owners of older model plasma televisions should be aware of the danger of burn-in and should follow a few simply tips to extend the life of their television. You can avoid static images by turning off your plasma television when you're not watching it. Also, you should steer clear of pausing a movie or a video game for an extended period of time and leaving the television on.

Burn-in is no longer a serious concern with newer plasma televisions thanks to a technology called pixel orbiter. The pixel orbiter subtly shifts static pictures to continuously keep the plasma screen's phosphors working. By never resting, there is little chance of burn-in. Creating more work for the display may seem like a poor decision with regard to the lifespan of the unit, but keeping the phosphors fresh and changing actually helps the plasma screen last longer.