Phillips 60PP9910/17 on Ebay for $900.00

[robotec]

I have the opportunity to purchase this HDTV on Ebay for $900.00. Does anyone familiar with this model consider this a good buy? Or is this too good to pass up?

[edtyct]

Is this the one in Illinois for pick-up only (the only way that I'd buy a CRT RPTV on ebay)? It's funny how Philips TVs don't really have much of profile in this country, though apparently not for want of trying. For a while, back in the late 20th century (I love saying that), they were among the better brands. Then, for some reason, the empire couldn't seem to make it work here. Maybe it was the competition. Even Magnavox, Philips' American brand, dropped out of serious electronics contention.

It's hard to find any critical information on this set, though I'd imagine it to be a competent performer. However, it's definitely too heavy to lug home on speculation and then bring back to the seller if it doesn't work properly. I'd check it out carefully at the seller's place--trying all inputs with DVDs and broadcast. Dim the lights; watch some HD and some SD on it. The difference should be obvious. Make sure that you can see detail in dark areas, with no distortion or hot spots on the screen. Adjust the basic parameters yourself to see whether they have normal play. You might even bring DVE or AVIA along with you to evaluate black level and color to your satisfaction. If anything at all bothers you about what you see, don't buy the set, and don't allow the seller to talk you into it. This is a huge purchase. If the seller balks at any attempt to evaluate the TV, a red flag should go up. But if all goes well, you should be getting a good TV (a 2005 model?). The price certainly seems reasonable for a CRT of that size and vintage.

[superpanavision70mm]

I wonder ...just wonder...if the decline of Philips in the U.S. had anything to do with other brands sounding the same. Philips, Panasaonic, Pioneer....too many "P" names out there and I think that the reliability factor surrounding Magnavox was always that they make 'decent' mid-fi stuff, but the market was oversaturated with it and it just didn't seem to work. I remember having a Magnavox stereo system circa 1989 that was pretty decent...it was one of the few systems that included 2 tape decks, 5 CD changer, record player, tuner etc...along with massive speakers. It wasn't the greatest system, but boy was it loud!

[edtyct]

Hi SuperP,

Magnavox was actually a respected name in hi fi when I was growing up. My family had a Magnavox record changer back in the 60s with a massive mono speaker inside a beautiful mahogony cabinet that made my early rock n' roll albums sound better (and louder) than anything else that I heard at the time. Even as late as the 80s, in the early brash days of CD, Magnavox, along with the Philips nameplates, were the CD players to buy for reasonably good sound at a modest price. Even many high-end audio companies used Philips components in their own players. Philips TVs also had some cachet in the halcyon laserdisc days. I had one and was very happy with it. I don't know whether the demise came because of a profusion of "P"s, but competition certainly had something to do with it, as well as Philips' decision probably to concentrate more on the European market where the company really is an empire.

[robotec]

I paid a visit last night. The picture looked decent in the room with the lights dim. Not so good with the two lamps on each side of it turned on. I'm looking to have this in my basement for watching movies and sports. I didn't get a chance to hook up DVD players and all of that, but I'm looking to use the HDMI input from a DVD player and hook it up to the DISH.

[edtyct]

Not looking so good with the lights on is a common trait of CRTs. All things being equal, for movies in a dim room, you should be in heaven.

[robotec]

Well, I think I'm going to pull the trigger and purchase the 900.00 Phillips 60PP9910/17 RP CRT. But just before I do, I am still looking for input from someone who knows about this particular model and or Phillip's TVs in general. Help please.