Philips 32-Inch, 720p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV is a Must-Buy TV

Before we bought our new Philips HDTV, we had a 37-inch, off-brand, tube television. It was a good TV, but unfortunately, it recently passed away. We would turn it on, and the screen was completely green.

So we went shopping for a new TV. My Mom said she did not want another huge television taking up a ton of space, so we were going for a decent size LCD. My Dad and I went to our local Best Buy and looked at the LCDs in our price range. The one that stood out to us was the Philips 32-inch 720p LCD HDTV.

With a price tag of around $600 and excellent picture quality in the store, we decided this was the TV we wanted. It came with its own stand as well, so you didn't have to spend extra money to buy a wall mount.

We headed home with our brand new TV, and set everything up when we got there. It was very easy putting the TV on the stand, you pretty much just slid it right in. We then stood it up on our old stand, and it looked awesome. The TV itself is really appealing, and it has a very nice look to it.

We turned it on, and it asked us several questions pertaining to audio quality (like which sample we thought sounded best) and picture quality. It took only a couple minutes, and then it found all of our channels and was ready to go.

The picture quality is great, especially if you are running in high-def. I have my Playstation 3 hooked up to the TV with component cables and it is running in 720p. There are also a couple composite inputs (the yellow, red, and white plugs) for standard picture.

Sound quality is also good, but then again nothing amazing. Of course that should be expected with built in speakers, but nonetheless, it sounds nice.

There is also a headphone input on the side, but it's a little awkward. I tried it once, and the volume on the TV was still there in addition to it being in the headphones. After turning off the volume for the TV, I couldn't adjust the volume for the headphones. There might have been an option for it in the menu, but I did not check. I wish the volume in the headphones (when plugged in) could be changed by the remote.

Speaking of the remote, I find the controller to be very nice. It is light weight, but seems pretty durable. I have already dropped it from a considerable height onto a very hard floor with no ill effects. It fits comfortably in your hand, and the buttons are very easy to push and are laid out well. My only complaint is not really with the remote, but when you enter numbers for a channel it is sometimes hard to see on the screen. Depending on the background will make it so you might not even see what you're entering. This is nothing too major though, but definitely noticeable.

So far I have explained that the TV itself looks awesome, the picture quality is great, the sound is good, and the remote is really nice. But I have one complaint about the TV.

After you hit the power button, it takes about 10-15 seconds for the screen to actually come up. I know it's the TV, and not a technical issue. It seems like it has to boot up, and while nothing to make you want to return the TV, it is definitely noticeable.

Having said all that, I can safely say that this TV is a must-buy. If you are on a budget and are looking for a good HDTV that saves a lot of space, this is for you. Even if you want a TV in your bedroom, this is for you. A great TV with amazing picture quality, good sound, and (in my opinion) an awesome remote.