If the PM Mr Modi can talk of a 56 inch chest, Arvind Kejriwal can be linked to a 49 day government, and Rahul Gandhi can afford to disappear for 57 days… why can’t I miss a 50 inch device that I fell in love with? Particularly if the device that I am talking about goes well beyond the Ultra HD LED experience that we are all so accustomed to now and adds the immersive decisive angle. Well, as Specky, my wife put it, ‘Even 4K is ordinary. What is distinctive is the Ambilight feature in this new range of televisions that Philips has launched.’
Yes, the days that I spent spending surreal hours with the new Ambilight revolution from Philips has literally left me gasping for it now that I am back to my old 32 inch LCD at home. So what was really so fascinating about this television from the 8600 series newly launched by Philips? Well, as I have already mentioned, the Ambilight feature is a series of LED lights fitted on the rear which creates light patterns on the wall that synchronise with whatever it is that you watching on the screen. This takes TV viewing steps ahead of what you are accustomed to with whatever technology you have in your home. I mean, the Aurora Borealis, for instance, is no longer a wonder limited to a rectangular device but magically to the wall behind and hold you spell-bound!
Well, this wonder from Philips isn’t just about Ambilight… the device is smart and has the power of 3D in its latest avatar besides being 4K compliant. Now if I say that it is powered by Pixel plus ultra HD picture quality engine, you might tell me that I am simply being as bad as any other Indian reviewer of technology who go on and just copy specifications. Well then let me tell you about what happened when I switched on this tele wonder.
Our neighbours were visiting us and the wife looked at the television and then looked at her husband and said, ‘You look less real than the image there on the screen!’ We all smiled and I told her that technology was anyway destined to overtake mortal life! But then I could see the twinkle of wonder in her eyes as she added, ‘And I must say that ambience created because of the Ambilight feature is mesmerising!’ Mesmering it is. Moreover, the television does allow one to get deeper blacks and brighter whites because of the micro-dimming feature and it creates a denser level of fascinating viewing.
This isn’t all there is to this television. There are all the usual smart features like mirroring your smartphone on the screen, browsing the internet, using skype, playing games, watching YouTube clips, tip-toeing your way through the social media, and even using an app on your smartphone that acts like the remote! Yes, technology is finally here to inspire awe in us. There is also the case of the 3D glasses that first need to be synced with the television and then they simply sprint to transcend the older versions that we expect 3D glasses to be like.
Now to tell you some more instances from my personal experiences… the television does need an expert to first tell you patiently all the features of the device as without this guidance you might not be able to find your way for days together. Fortunately, Philips does have a team of experts who are always there to help you… in person or even through the telephone, if that is convenient. I had to have a couple of long discussions to understand the tech features and they gave me all the time I needed. I am quite happy about this.
I do understand that 3D and 4K are not yet completely here and so if this is the only reason you want to spend between 155,000 and 372,500… please don’t. But if you wish to convert television-watching into a fairy tale experience, go for any of the three sizes available, that is, the 50, 58, and 65 inches sets on the Ambilight 4K Ultra HD LED 8600 series.
.
.
.
This review was first published in ‘The Education Post’ dated 11 May 2015…
2015_05_11_The Education Post_Review_Philips Ambilight Ultra HD
.
.
.
Arvind Passey
12 May 2015
