AVS › AVS Forum › Display Devices › LCD Flat Panel Displays › Philips Quitting US LCD Market
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Philips Quitting US LCD Market

post #1 of 12
4/9/08 at 12:54pm
Thread Starter 
Sort of.

Not succeeding with the brand in the market segment they desired, they are giving in and will license the name and let Funai have the lcd business in the US.

"Royal Philips Electronics, the Dutch consumer electronics giant, said it would no longer manufacture televisions for sale in the United States or Canada. Philips-branded TVs will still be sold, but the sets will now be made under license by Funai Electric for at least five years. While not a well-known consumer brand in the United States, Funai, based in Tokyo, already sells Emerson, Sylvania, Symphonic and other lower-priced brands in the North American market.


Full NY Times story here.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 12
4/9/08 at 1:53pm
They are a huge company. I wonder what kind of "looking forward vision" scared them so much as to make this move?
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 12
4/9/08 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HDGreg View Post

They are a huge company. I wonder what kind of "looking forward vision" scared them so much as to make this move?

Well from what I read from various sources it's that they don't have the Sony name to command a premium price. With Sony also taking their Bravia line into Wal-Marts and other department stores it's hard to fight for shelf space. Philips also can't compete price wise with Vizio for the low end market. Basically they were in the middle and getting the squeeze. It's sad because the new 08 line got some very good press at CES this year. I would have at least thought they'd see how these models did before pulling out. Best Buy after what's left of the current lineup will stop carrying the brand.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 12
4/9/08 at 4:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bpmurr View Post

Basically they were in the middle and getting the squeeze. It's sad because the new 08 line got some very good press at CES this year. I would have at least thought they'd see how these models did before pulling out. Best Buy after what's left of the current lineup will stop carrying the brand.

I wouldn't call them in the middle either.
Every time I saw a Philips next to a Vizio at a Costco or Sam's Club, the Vizio blew away the Philips & I don't consider the Vizio to look all that great either.

Even with there newest models coming out, they won't be offering an option to adjust the backlight!
I mean what the hell is that? Every LCD in the past 3 years had been offering options to lower backlight for better black levels, it just seems Philips couldn't compete with low end brands, high end brands or even the average in-between brands.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 12
4/9/08 at 4:30pm
I was just beginning to start to like their "Ambilight" gimmick, too...
I believe that was their high-end line of LCDs, iirc.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 12
4/9/08 at 4:52pm
IMHO The title is a little bit misleading since only the manufacturing is shifted. We'll still see Philips with Ambilight on the market, just that they will be made by Funai. Even iPhone, macBook air and PS3 are made by a contract OEM called Foxconn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn) I don't see any problems for Philips.

As for the status of Philips I highly doubt if it's "middle of the pack", I agree with bpmurr and wtfer Vizios have better PQ and they are less expensive.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 12
4/9/08 at 5:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wtfer View Post

I wouldn't call them in the middle either.
Every time I saw a Philips next to a Vizio at a Costco or Sam's Club, the Vizio blew away the Philips & I don't consider the Vizio to look all that great either.

Even with there newest models coming out, they won't be offering an option to adjust the backlight!
I mean what the hell is that? Every LCD in the past 3 years had been offering options to lower backlight for better black levels, it just seems Philips couldn't compete with low end brands, high end brands or even the average in-between brands.

The backlight in Philips sets are tied to the Contrast and Brightness.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 12
4/9/08 at 5:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MKL View Post

IMHO The title is a little bit misleading since only the manufacturing is shifted. We'll still see Philips with Ambilight on the market, just that they will be made by Funai. Even iPhone, macBook air and PS3 are made by a contract OEM called Foxconn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn) I don't see any problems for Philips.

As for the status of Philips I highly doubt if it's "middle of the pack", I agree with bpmurr and wtfer Vizios have better PQ and they are less expensive.

Two things, one I do not think Vizios have better picture quality. These new 7603/7403 sets from CES reports hang with the big boys. The second thing is Ambilight is not going to be in the U.S. market anymore either. See article below.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/08/p...ions-to-funai/
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 12
4/12/08 at 7:37am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MKL View Post

IMHO The title is a little bit misleading since only the manufacturing is shifted. We'll still see Philips with Ambilight on the market, just that they will be made by Funai. Even iPhone, macBook air and PS3 are made by a contract OEM called Foxconn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn) I don't see any problems for Philips.

From Philips press release, it sounds like they are giving up some or all of the product design, all of the marketing, distribution and support responsibilities to Funai, this is more than a contract manufacturing arrangement.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 12
4/12/08 at 10:41am
Saw to many Philips and they looked identical to Vizios. One reason could be they both use LG panels. I have always thought Philips was junk, cause everyone I have known with them it died.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 12
4/12/08 at 12:16pm
had two philips tv's. one refurb died within 8 months
and a new one that ultimately underwhelmed me after having it for a couple weeks and was returned (less inputs than a cheaper brand and missing basic adjustments).

the ambilight was ok, i started to get used to it but the lack of features, inputs really ate away at me.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 12
4/14/08 at 6:19am
I have a 9631 Philips plasma so I can't speak to the newer Philips LCD models (though the threads here seem to indicate the 1080p has lots of fans). My 9631 has outstanding HD and great SD; Ambilight is excellent, and the AUTOMATIC stretch feature is the best of any I've seen.

The Philips might not be what the state-of-the-art and AVS Top 1% crowd here would prefer, but as a 1st HDTV or a good quality set with lots of user-friendly features (as opposed to a 3rd or 4th HDMI port which most people won't use), it's a good set.

As for reliability, not as good as Pioneer or Panasonic, but nowhere near the horror stories painted here.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: LCD Flat Panel Displays

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Display Devices › LCD Flat Panel Displays › Philips Quitting US LCD Market