Philips 7FF2FPA Digital Photo Frame

Author's product rating:   

Display quality	Excellent
Range & Quality of Features	Excellent
Durability	Good
Ease of Use	Very Easy
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	clock, power saving presets, stability, connectivity options
Disadvantages:	none

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

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In the beginning of this review I need to say that before my girlfriend's brother bought it I was not a big fan of these frames. Saw them hundred times in shops, adverts and so on and can not explain why, but was not interested. Once I saw how it works, how simple it is and what it does I have completely changed my mind.
The biggest difference between ordinary and digital frame is in my opinion simplicity. It may sound weird but yes-simplicity. In normal frame you can not put lets say hundred pictures and set them to change every 10 seconds. It is not possible to see anything when light is off. Philips 7FF2FPA does it all and allows you even to save money. When you buy normal frame or frames it cost, to place something in - means to print a picture from PC or printing shop it costs. Once you have digital frame all you need to do is to copy wanted pictures on a card supported by this device and stick it into it. Select pictures to be displayed, playing/sliding option, effect and done. As simple as that. In total darkness this frame looks really cool, quality off images displayed is really brilliant. Just imagine - can see nothing in your room except of best moments of your live or most loved people you have on this frame.
Even if you get bored with displaying images you can set it to be clock. Let's be honest - how many alarm clocks or clocks can you see at night?? Most of them you need to light up before seeing time. Or they can do it but are expensive and can not display images. This small frame does it all. Has even alarm clock.
In my opinion, the only minus is a power consumption as it is connected to power socket. It takes 4.9W. It is nothing special but always something. Even that factor I think it is still worth to have it. To reduce power consumption it is possible on this device to set time when frame should and shouldn't be on. This model has not built in battery. Every single time you disconnect it will lose all time and date settings. That another small issue. It would be much simpler to install inside cmos battery to keep most information's when without energy but in this model Philips did not do it.
High quality design and materials include a solid stylish stand; designer frame and detailed finishing that convey an impression of value and refined taste, adding shine to the photos displayed on Photo Frame.

Now it is Time to review all specifications.

Inside the box

Everything comes in a medium size box. Inside of it you will find a frame, quite have stand, USB frame to PC cable, manual, guarantee, Compact Disc with drivers and a power adaptor. All this pieces are nicely and safely packed. That is a big plus for Philips. Manufacturer included in a package all most important information's about device and cables.

Installation

This bit is very simply and does not require any special skills or knowledge. Unwrap everything, remove protective foil from the screen, attach at the back stand. Push it in and choose if you want frame to stand vertically or horizontally by twisting it. Connect frame to power socket and insert memory card with pictures into it. Job done. Whole frame has been designed to be stable and that's how it is in reality. Everything thanks heavy stand.

Measurements of whole frame are:
- Width: 20.7 cm
- Depth: 10.5 cm
- Height: 15.9 cm

Display

Philips 7FF2FPA frame has an image aspect ratio of 3:2. It is good because it is used in most of still picture cameras. There should not be problems with displaying your images. Image aspect ratio it is relation of the width of the image to the height. While you can change the size of the image, the ratio stays constant. There should not be problems with displaying your images.

Display size for this model is 7 inches. It is absolutely fair enough size. If you want to buy bigger buy bigger one. That size is I would say medium and sufficient to satisfy everyone eye.
Display format for this frame is 7200:480 pixels. It gives good quality of viewing picture and rich details. As higher resolution is as better and more detailed picture is. For this frame it is absolutely enough as pictures it display look brilliant.

Another very important point for Philips 7FF2FPA is its contrast ratio.
The contrast ratio is a measure of a display system, defined as the ratio of the luminance of the brightest colour (white) to that of the darkest colour (black) that the system is capable of producing. A high contrast ratio is a desired aspect of any display. This frame has 400:1 typical value which is really good. To compare I can say that my 22" TFT monitor has 500:1. Brightness of this device is 200 cd/m2.

Viewing angles are 120º for the horizontal plane, and 110º for the vertical plane.

All that specifications give together a great quality. When watching images on it, they look very bright, intensive and well detailed.

Software

Software with drivers is very easy in use, install and practical. Firmware upgrades are available online. Same with drivers if you will lose CD. Philips provides good customer service help on website. If have any troubles with your frame you should go straight there without hesitation.

Connectivity and capacity

Philips 7FF2FPA has a built in 16 Mb flash memory. This is not a lot but sufficient enough for beginning. You can easily expand it by connecting memory cards. This model complies with following memory types: Compact Flash Card type I, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multimedia Card, SD Memory Card, xD-Picture Card, and SDHC Memory Card. It has two slots. Some of them you will be able to connect thanks adaptors only which are not included.
Philips does not say what the maximum supported capacity is. I can say that supported my 2 GB SD card.
Frame supports all JPEG photos up to 10MB or 13 Mega pixels. That is quite impressive. That is very unlikely that you will want to display bigger pictures than that. Even if it will lose the point as that frame wont be able to show maximum of this image. That limit is absolutely fair.

Options and features

- This digital photo frame has 7 control buttons. They are all signed, easy to use and comfortable to press. What is most important - they are not hidden and tiny.
- It has three available playback modes: Full screen browse , Slideshow , Thumbnail browse
- photo edit options are: copy, delete and rotate
- there is option to change colours of displayed images to black and white
- what is really important and useful you can change slideshow settings to Random , Sequential or Transition effect
- Another nice function it is changing background settings. You can adjust them to your room colour or own preferences. You can choose out of three: Black , White , Gray
- Setup function are: Brightness adjustment , Language , Status , Beep on/off , Set time and date , Clock display enable/disable , Alarm , Auto on/off
- System status: Firmware version , Remaining memory
- Connected media status: Connected media , Remaining memory
- On-Screen Display languages: Danish , Dutch , English , French , German , Italian , Russian , Simplified Chinese , Spanish , Traditional Chinese

Altogether

I saw this frame and had an opportunity to play with. It is really amazing little thing. This digital frame is a good solution for your own home or to give someone as a gift.
He bought it for £30 from PC World on special offer. In other shops are available from about £70. I think it is a value for money as memories and places you keep them are extremely important and priceless.
I can recommend it to anyone as it is a very nice, stylish, very good image quality digital picture frame and clock. It is a Very useful device with interesting functions and connectivity options.

Please rate my review and leave a comment possibly
I do hope my review helped you

Thank you