CES 2009

Philips' flagship BDP7310 Blu-ray player is BD-Live enabled and features DivX and WMV playback.

(Credit: Philips)

With Funai licensing the Philips brand in 2009, things have gotten a little confusing about just what's going on with Philips home audio and video products. But it appears that all the products that Philips announced at CES 2009--including three new Blu-ray players--are true Philips products. Philips had already planned out its 2009 line and Funai Electric will be taking over the production of that line this year.

The three models include the BDP3010 ($229.99), a profile 1.1 model, and two BD-Live capable players, the BDP5010 ($249.99) and the BDP7310 ($299.99). We say capable because the BPD5010 is upgradable to BD-Live, while the BDP7310 will be a Profile 2.0 or Live-enabled out of the box. The BDP7310 also offers DivX and WMV playback. We suspect all of them will carry street prices of less than $200 when they're released this spring.

Note: Philips also announced the HTS-5100B, a home-theater system with a built-in Blu-ray player that's due out in June. No word on pricing of that model.

The Philips 7000 series FlatTV line features a new design.

(Credit: Philips)

With Funai licensing the Philips brand in 2009, things have gotten a little confusing about just what's going on with Philips home audio and video products. But it appears that all the products that Philips announced at CES 2009--including the new 7000 series Flat TVs--are true Philips products. Philips had already planned out its 2009 line and Funai Electric will be taking over the production of that line this year.

Thus far, details are scant on just when the new 7000 series LCD TVs will be released and how much they'll cost. However, they do have a new design that features an ultrathin bezel surrounded by a rounded acrylic edge. The 120Hz, 1080p sets will range in size from 32 to 52 inches and they have a fast 2-millisecond refresh rate.

The press release also notes these models feature the proprietary "Halo-Free technology, which removes the faint halo accompanying fast moving action." This new video processing technology allegedly helps eliminate artifacts "that are prevalent in LCD technology."

As we said, we're still trying to get the lowdown on pricing and availability, but for the time being we'll leave you with a quote from the umbrella company, P&F (Philips and Funai), that now is the exclusive manufacturer and distributor for Philips televisions and home-theater products in the U.S.

"The new design and superior technology in our FlatTV line will strengthen our offerings in the fast-growing, large-screen HDTV market," says Todd Richardson, senior vice president of sales and marketing for P&F. "The ultrathin frame design differentiates Philips from other sets on the market and the technology inside is certain to win over even the most discerning HDTV consumer. Consumers can look forward to an unparalleled viewing experience, thanks to the unique combination of exceptional picture quality and design at an attractive price level."

We'll add details as we get them.

The HSB2351 has an integrated DVD player and subwoofer for $349.99.

(Credit: Philips)

Philips doesn't have a big presence at CES this year but it does appear to have some noteworthy products, especially when it comes to its new line of home-theater sound bars. The company's announced four new sound-bar packages, each geared to a slightly different target consumer.

Here's the rundown of the various products:

Model: The HSB2351

*All-in-one sound bar features integrated DVD player and subwoofer with 300 watts of total power

*Space-saving sleek design fits easily on an entertainment center or can be mounted on the wall

*Dolby Virtual Speaker for theater audio experience and HDMI 1080p with video upscaling

*MP3 Link for music playback from portable media players, USB 2.0 for media playback from USB flash drives, and a built-in FM tuner

Available in April with a suggested retail price of $349.99

Model: The HSB2313

*Ultra-thin speaker system with wireless subwoofer for a streamlined look

*Dolby Virtual Speaker for theater audio experience and HDMI 1080p with video upscaling

*Triple HDMI in and aux-in to connect TV, Blu-ray player, or set-top box

*MP3 Link for music playback from portable media players, High speed USB 2.0 for media playback from USB flash drives, and a built-in FM tuner

Available in May with a suggested retail price of $399.99

Model: The HSB2303

*Super narrow sound bar fits perfectly under your HDTV or on a table stand. Features an external subwoofer for an enhanced sound experience.

*Dolby Virtual Speaker for theater audio experience and HDMI 1080p with video upscaling

*MP3 Link for music playback from Portable Media Players, High speed USB 2.0 for media playback from USB flash drives, and a built-in FM tuner

Available in March with a suggested retail price of $299.99

Model: The HSB3280 (Philips is calling this the "Ultimate Gaming" system)

*Super sleek sound bar with ultramodern, exposed speakers and front AV inputs for ultimate convenience. Wireless subwoofer eliminates extra cables.

*Triple aux-in connects TV, DVD player or set-top box in one simple step

*Dolby Prologic II and Dolby Virtual Speakers technology for theater audio sound

*Special game-effect sound settings (Shooting/Sports/Action/Arcade) to enhance the gaming experience.

*Smart remote control system--one remote for system and TV

Available in January with a suggested retail price of $299.99

Philips' ultimate gaming option, the HSB3280, has a suggested retail price of $299.99.

(Credit: Philips)

(Credit: Philips)

The Philips universal remote line has a new top dog. The Prestigo SRT9320 combines a 2.8-inch color touch screen on the top half with hard buttons on the lower portion. The screen handles both channel favorites (replete with familiar icon logos) and customized commands. The SRT9320 can control up to 20 devices, and it's completely programmable as-is--including learning modes and multidevice macros--without the need to connect it to a PC. (A USB port is included only for future software updates--presumably things like additional channel icons.)

While the Prestigo SRT9320 has a premium $249 price tag, it's missing such high-end niceties as RF control and a charging cradle. And while Philips touts the fact that you don't need a PC to program the SRT9320, we've found that to be a big advantage when dealing with sophisticated multidevice macros (something the task-based Logitech Harmony models handle with aplomb). By comparison, the Logitech Harmony One also has a touch-screen/keypad design (and a rechargeable battery), and it can be found for less than $200.

The SRT9320 will be available in the first quarter of 2009. In the meantime, a trio of more affordable Philips Prestigo models are currently available, all of which include a color LCD screen: the SRU8008 (controls 8 devices, priced below $100); the SRU8112 (12 devices, scrollwheel, also sub-$100); and the SRU8015 (15 devices, scrollwheel, wider form factor, under $180).

The Philips Streamium NP2500 (front left) and NP2900 (back right)

(Credit: John Falcone/CBS Interactive)

Philips' line of Streamium products was one of the pioneers in the network audio realm, but it never really clicked with consumers (at least in the U.S.), even as competitors like Sonos and Logitech's Squeezebox began carving out their own niches. But Philips is hardly throwing in the towel: the company has unveiled two new models, the Streamium NP2500 and the Streamium NP2900.

Both models offer the same basic features of the earlier Streamium NP1100: streaming non-DRM audio files from networked Windows and Mac PCs, as well as the ability to stream Rhapsody content (subscription required) and thousands of Internet radio stations (free) over a wireless home network. The new models distinguish themselves from the NP1100 with built-in color screens for navigation and album art and larger remote controls. Furthermore, the NP2900 includes built-in stereo speakers, so it doesn't need to be connected to an external stereo or amplifier.

Both the NP2500 ($229) and NP2900 ($329) are available now. But even without reviewing them, they feel a bit underfeatured and overpriced. Consider the Logitech Squeezebox Boom. While the $300 boombox-style audio streamer lacks the color screen found on the Philips products, it offers a much wider range of both free (Pandora, Last.fm, Slacker, Live Music Archive) and subscription (Sirius) in addition to the same Rhapsody and Internet radio options found on the Philips. Thankfully--like the Logitech--the upgradeable firmware on the Philips allows the potential for such additional services to be added down the road, when and if Philips signs them up.

Read the CNET review of Philips Streamium NP1100.

The only "Philips" you'll see at CES 2009 will be at the Funai booth.

(Credit: CNET)

Philips will not be exhibiting at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show. The Philips brand, however, will still be on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center, thanks to the expanded presence of Funai--the Japanese company that will be producing TVs sold in North America under the Philips name starting later this year.

A Philips representative confirmed to CNET that the Dutch electronics giant will not have a presence on the show floor at the mammoth Las Vegas trade show, verifying rumors that had surfaced earlier this year.

Traditionally, the Consumer Electronics Association's massive January event is used by industry stalwarts to highlight emerging trends and key products that will be introduced over the course of the subsequent year and beyond. Philips' exit from that high-profile showcase comes in the wake of its recent announcement that it's outsourcing TV production to Funai for Philips- and Magnavox-branded sets sold in the North American market.

Indeed, Funai is doing its part to fill the void left by Philips' exit from the show. A spokesman for the Consumer Electronics Association, the industry group that runs CES, had this to say:

Philips has been a pioneer in the consumer technology industry, and a well-known brand for consumers in the U.S. and around the world. The recent license agreement between Philips and Funai was a strategic business decision between two consumer technology companies. CEA respects the strategic decisions that all of our 2,700 exhibitors make regarding their business model and the International CES. We look forward to welcoming the Philips brand back to the 2009 CES in a new way, through its partnership with Funai, which has significantly increased exhibit space for the 2009 show to approximately 10,000 net square feet.

Keep in mind that 10,000 square feet may sound like a lot, but it's small potatoes compared with the megabooths that house major manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, and--up through last year--Philips.

While not having to pay for all that space on the show floor will undoubtedly save Philips considerable expense, it will also mean forfeiting the publicity and intangible buzz that comes from being at the center of the industry's biggest annual event. Just last year, for instance, the company snagged the Best of CES award for its energy-efficient Eco TV (though its admittedly impressive low power consumption couldn't overshadow the middling picture quality evident when we reviewed the final product).

The company could still use the show as a springboard for new product announcements, however: it's all but certain Philips will still have some personnel on hand at CES for meetings with journalists, analysts, retailers, and other industry insiders. And plenty of CES no-shows still crank out the press releases during that week--with the seemingly endless list of gadget blogs and tech sites covering the show, all a company really needs is a product photo and a descriptive blurb to get some virtual ink.

To be sure, skipping CES doesn't necessarily confine a company to also-ran status. Nintendo and Apple, two of the hottest names in the industry, have long since spurned the Vegas show. Likewise, Onkyo and Yamaha have opted out in recent years. Furthermore, Philips is quick to point out that the company is still producing, selling, and marketing all of its own non-TV products for North America. And it will continue to produce TVs for other global territories--most notably Europe--where its brand remains stronger.

Still, when one considers that Funai already produces electronics that are sold under the labels Sylvania and Emerson, you have to wonder: is Philips on the road to joining those once hoary companies as a ghost brand--a holding company that just licenses its Western name to give better brand cachet on store shelves to an anonymous Asian manufacturer? Maybe, maybe not. But skipping the world's biggest consumer electronics show doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

What do you think: Is the Philips brand in decline? Does Philips' no-show mean CES is losing some of its luster as the consumer electronics industry's ultimate sneak preview? Or is this just more "inside baseball" industry gossip that will have little impact on the future of consumer electronics? Share your thoughts below.