When Philips launched its Pixel Plus 2 image processing system, it was justifiably proud of the hefty number of improvements it incorporated over its predecessor. Which makes the new 32PW9309 seem bizarre, as it employs the first version of the technology.

Look deeper, though, and the 32PW9309 does actually make sense. The key lies in its price. While Philips' 32in Pixel Plus 2 CRT TV is currently selling for around £1,100, the 32PW9309 will set you back just £800.

The body built to contain this 'old-gen' technology (not that it's really fair to call Pixel Plus 'old') is pretty and modern; all glinting silver and curved edges.

The connections are decidedly dated, however. Equipping such a home cinema friendly TV as this with a measly two Scarts - only one of which can take RGB - seems stingy, even at this price.

The 32PW9309's features list is, of course, dominated by Pixel Plus. This gives you the same sort of fine detail and smoother motion improvements as its sequel.

But in fairness to Pixel Plus 2, we should briefly cover a few of the tricks Pixel Plus cannot give you: enhanced 2D and 3D Digital Noise Reduction; a new 3D comb filter for removing moiring and composite dot crawl; a new dynamic contrast mode that delivers approximately 30 per cent more contrast; colour transient improvement for correcting the 'ringing' effect caused by Pixel Plus 1's slight desaturation of colours next to strongly contrasting edges; improved jagged line suppression and Digital Natural Motion.

Features that the 32PW9309 does have include Philips' Active Control automatic picture optimisation system; and 100Hz, 'Double Line' and 'Movie Plus' alternatives to Pixel Plus (Movie Plus addresses the original Pixel Plus problem of shimmering around moving objects by reducing the processing level in areas where it detects motion).

Happily for the 32PW9309, while Pixel Plus 2 undoubtedly delivers better pictures, Pixel Plus still stands up extremely well.

The 32PW9309's colours are sensational, enjoying a vitality, brightness and purity of saturation currently not bettered by any other brand. Colours are immaculately contained, a fact that further contributes to the perception of sharpness in the 32PW9309's pictures.

The colours couldn't get as full-on as those of the 32PW9309 without a cracking black level response, and so it's no great surprise to discover it producing some of the most profound true blacks that we've seen.