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Introduction
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01.Tour & Design
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02.Blacks & Whites
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03.Color Accuracy
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04.Motion
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05.Viewing Effects
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06.Calibration
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07.Remote Control
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08.Connectivity
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09.Audio & Menus
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10.Formats & Media
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11.Power Consumption
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12.Vs RCA L40FHD41
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13.Vs Panasonic TC P42S1
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14.Vs Sony KDL 40S5100
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15.Conclusion
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16.Series Comparison
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17.Ratings & Specs
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18.Comments
Philips 42PFL3704D/F7
Previous: Page 11
Power ConsumptionNext: Page 13
Vs Panasonic TC P42S1
RCA L40FHD41 Summary
• Similar picture quality.
• The Philips has better audio quality.
• The Philips has a USB port for music and photo playback.
• The RCA is cheaper by about $300.
Value Comparison Summary
The Philips manages to do as well or slightly better than the RCA, and has significantly better speakers. The downside is the RCA is significantly cheaper. If you're willing to scale down a few inches, the RCA makes a better deal.
| Comparison Specifications | ||
 |
 |
|
| Philips 42PFL3704D/F7 | RCA L40FHD41 | |
| Size | 42 inches | 40 inches |
| Price | $930 | $598 |
| Type | LCD | LCD |
| Format | 1080p | 1080p |
| Other | USB | N/A |
Blacks & Whites
The RCA had a deeper black, but wasn't as bright. The Philips had the better overall contrast ratio.
| Blacks & Whites Comparison Chart | |
 |
|
|
Philips 42PFL3704D/F7 Score: Black Level: 7.43 Peak Brightness: 8.67 Contrast: 7.69 |
RCA L40FHD41 Score: Black Level: 8.23 Peak Brightness: 6.65 Contrast: 7.28 |
Color Accuracy
Both TVs had similar color performances: very inconsistent color temperatures, average color representation, and equally off color gamuts.
| Color Temperature Comparison | |
 |
|
| Philips 42PFL3704D/F7 Score: 6.11 | |
 |
|
| RCA L40FHD41 Score: 6.90 | |
| RGB Comparison | |
   |
|
| Philips 42PFL3704D/F7 Score: 7.07 | |
   |
|
| RCA L40FHD41 Score: 7.83 | |
| Color Gamut Comparison | |
 |
|
| Philips 42PFL3704D/F7 Score: 4.16 | |
 |
|
| RCA L40FHD41 Score: 4.43 | |
Motion
The Philips bests the RCA on both our motion tests. It had significantly less artifacting.
| Motion Scores | ||
| Philips 42PFL3704D/F7 | RCA L40FHD41 | |
| Motion Smoothness | 6.25 | 5.00 |
| Motion Artifacting | 7.38 | 4.75 |
Viewing Effects
Neither TV had an impressive viewing angle, but the Phillips was slightly larger than the RCA.
| Viewing Angle Comparison | |
 |
|
| Philips 42PFL3704D/F7 Score: 4.87 | RCA L40FHD41 Score: 3.70 |
Connectivity
The Philips only has one component video input, which is a bit limiting. It does have a USB port though, for music and photo playback.
| Connectivity Comparison | ||
| Philips 42PFL3704D/F7 | RCA L40FHD41 | |
| HDMI | 3 | 3 |
| Component | 1 | 2 |
| Composite | 2 | 2 |
| S-Video | 2 | 1 |
| VGA | 0 | 1 |
| Analog Audio In | 4 | 4 |
| Digital Audio Out | 1 | 1 |
| Analog Audio Out | 1 | 1 |
| USB | 1 | None |
Shop for the Philips 42PFL3704D/F7
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