Positive test findings confirm enhanced viewing experience with Philips’ Ambilight technology

December 08, 2004

Eindhoven, Dec 08, 2004 - Philips’ innovative Ambilight technology has been found to have a highly positive effect on the overall television viewing experience, according to a recent research study carried out at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). The research study was carried out at the request of Philips, which approached the TU/e through the Foundation for Research into Light & Health, whose primary task is to prepare and initiate scientific research and to disseminate and apply the resulting knowledge. The researchers found that Ambilight created a much more relaxed viewing environment, reducing eyestrain and introducing a new and positive dimension to the viewing experience.

Matching viewers’ personal preferences

Ambilight enhances the TV viewing environment by projecting background lighting from the rear of the TV set onto the wall behind the set. The result is a perfect blending of the TV into the living room decor, with an improvement in the perceived picture quality in terms of contrast, colors and detail. Ambilight works by analyzing the incoming TV signals in real time and producing background lighting that matches the images displayed on the screen. The Ambilight feature consists of four fixed presets and two special active preset modes: a ‘Relaxing’ mode and a more ‘Dynamic’ mode that responds faster to the action on the screen.

Content-related improvement in the viewing experience

Responsible for performing the research were Prof. Dr. S.H.A. Begemann and Ir. A.C. Westerlaken of the TU/e’s Lighting Science, Engineering and Design department, part of the Faculty of Building, Architecture and Planning, who developed test procedures designed to scientifically validate the claims made by Philips for its Ambilight technology. Using 87 test persons (two-thirds of them male), viewing experiments were conducted in a test room with ‘neutral’ living room conditions and a representative viewing distance.

The results showed that under typical home cinema viewing conditions (darkened room with 7 lux lighting level), Ambilight reduced eyestrain in 60 – 70 per cent of the test subjects, depending on the Ambilight setting and the nature of the program material being viewed. In particular, Ambilight was found to provide a content-related improvement in the overall viewing experience. At the same time the ‘Relaxing’ active preset mode was found to offer the possibility of adding a new and positive psycho-physiological experience when viewing specific kinds of programs.

More favorable contrast ratio

The reduced level of eyestrain is explained by the fact that Ambilight creates a more favorable relationship between the picture, the immediate surroundings at the side of the set and the overall wall luminance. Using the ‘warm white’ Ambilight preset, this relationship was found to closely approach the ideal ratio of 10:3:1, which represents much lower contrasts in luminance than those encountered under typical viewing conditions.

The psycho-physiological enhancement of the viewing experience was found to be greatest with program material characterized by relatively slow changes in the background and overall picture brightness and brightness distribution. Under these conditions the ‘Relaxing’ Ambilight setting was found to create a very positive overall viewing experience. For example the test subjects reported an enhanced feeling of excitement when watching material such as sports, and a higher degree of relaxation and feeling at ease when watching a film about nature.

These test findings confirm the overall enhancement of the viewing experience that Ambilight creates. They also confirm the subjective impressions that are reported by numerous viewers based on their own impressions of watching a TV with Ambilight technology.

Based on consumer insight

Ambilight technology is the re-sult of detailed consumer insight into how people watch television at home. Initial consumer testing of Ambilight revealed that more than 70 per cent of consumers immediately found lighting around the TV set contributed to a more relaxed viewing experience and a better perceived picture quality in terms of contrast, depth and color vividness. Colored Ambilight made an even bigger difference. The SMTPE (Society of Television and Motion Picture Engineers) also recommends backlighting displays for maximum TV performance.

Ambilight is available in three new Philips LCD-based FlatTV™ sets introduced in 2004, the 32 inch (81 cm) 32PF9986, 37 inch (94 cm) 37PF9986 and the 42 inch (107 cm) 42PF9986, as well as two exclusively designed plasma sets, the 42 inch 42PF9966 and the 50 inch 50PF9966 (127 cm).

+ More information about Active Ambilight
+ More information about FlatTV™ sets with Ambilight

CE Communications Department
Philips Consumer Electronics

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About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a global leader in healthcare, lifestyle and technology, delivering products, services and solutions through the brand promise of “sense and simplicity”. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 125,800 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 27 billion in 2006, the company is a market leader in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring systems, energy efficient lighting solutions, personal care and home appliances, as well as consumer electronics. News from Philips is located at
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