LCD TV Reviews

Samsung televisions were not very famous for their design; they used to be very bulky and ordinarily designed. But today, they are the manufacturers of top quality televisions with latest technology and alluring design. Samsung used the LCD and LED technology to the fullest by their innovative ideas and technology. Both LCD and LED televisions of the Korean multinational company are very popular for their unique features and ultra slim design. Samsung UE46D5000 is one of their latest launches in the LED range of televisions. It became famous due to their low price, as it costs almost equal to 46 Inch LCD television without LED backlight. It has almost all the features of a Full HD LED television. This really shows how Samsung is bothered about sustaining their position in the television race with their rivals. Samsung UE46D5000 can really give a tough competition among the best sellers.

Sleek and Elegant Design

Samsung UE46D5000 widescreen LCD television is specially designed to decorate the living room. However it could fit well even with a large master bedroom. The Full HDTV looks attractive even if it is wall mounted or kept with its stand. The colour is charcoal black and it looks really like a 46 inch digital photo frame when mounted on a white coloured wall. The slim and sleek design would really bring neighbor’s envy. There is a transparent post connects the base of the stand with the television. It really adds elegance to the television when its kept standing, but it gives a bit of unsteady feeling to the grip of the television, as the television is pretty weightless and fragile, it could be disturbed easily even by little shakes. When it is wall mounted, it’s all set to add extra elegance to the living room. The bezel is slightly wider than the higher end Samsung LED televisions. Over all Samsung made no mistake in the design of this 46 Inch LED HDTV.

Sharper Black and Vibrant Colours

Samsung UE46D5000 46 Inch Edge LED television is widescreen television with full high definition resolution. It could support up to 1080p resolution with aspect ratio of 16:9 which is the standard widescreen ratio. The picture produced in the 46 Inch widescreen in UE46D5000 is almost flicker free. It has the scanning frequency of 100 Hz. It could enhance the viewing experience of F1 race, soccer and action movies with added reality.

Samsung UE46D5000 Full HD television has an inbuilt Freeview tuner. So there is no need to buy a separate tuner to get Freeview channels. There are number of channels and varieties of Freeview channels may vary from place to place around the UK. The colours are more vibrant and natural in the 46 Inch HD widescreen display. The blacks are sharper than any other LED televisions in its class. However, the 3D feature is missing, as it makes the television little bit outdated.

Salient Features

The picture in picture (PiP) feature allows viewing two or more TV programs or video from external inputs in one screen. There will be one main program and other programs or videos will be displayed in small boxes. The audio will be produced according to the main program. It is pretty helpful to watch other channels at the time of commercial breaks. The Electronic Program Guide this 46 inch edge LED television takes the information on upcoming programs and it can be checked anytime to get updates on television programs in variety of TV channels. The intelligent light sensor makes sure the external light not to affect the TV display, as it automatically adjusts the picture features according to the light in the surrounding.

Samsung Hyper real engine is another cracking feature of UE46D5000 46-inch Full HD LCD TV, it is an unique image enhancer. It enhances the picture quality of the input, and produces the best out of it in the 46 Inch LED display. The full high definition pictures are very crisper than any other LED televisions in its range. The common features like sleep timer, auto program, SCART interface and auto off are also present in this Samsung LED Full HD television.

Connect Everything

Samsung UE46D5000 unleashes the utmost power of connectivity with wide range of connectivity options. There are four HDMI ports are provided to connect four high definition multimedia devices at a time and two USB ports are given for connecting maximum two USB devices like digital camera, camcorder and mobile devices. It is little bit disappointing as there is no provision to connect to the internet by WiFi. There is a headphone jack to connect a headphone for personal hearing without disturbing others.

When it comes to connectivity Allshare plays the major role in Samsung range of LCD and LED televisions. It is a unique feature which facilitates the wireless file transfer between the television and other compatible devices. The Allshare software is available for download in Samsung website. The TV can be connected to the internet by an external Ethernet cable connected to the given Ethernet port. As it has PC interface it is also possible to use this 46 Inch edge LED television as a computer monitor. Above all, DLNA certification for connectivity for this 46 Inch widescreen LED television is the best proof for the outstanding connectivity options.

Audio

As usual, we cannot expect much over the audio which comes built-in with the television. It has two 10 watt speakers which can give only an ordinary audio output. The speaker is fitted down firing with full range. Dolby digital plus, SRS surround system and DTS 2.0 adds little bit spice to the audio when the supported input is given. Since UE46D5000 46 Inch LED television supports variety of devices, the audio experience can be enhanced by connecting external speakers or sound system.

Verdict

Above all, Samsung UE46D5000 Full HD 1080p television is one of the best releases from Samsung in their LED range of televisions. We are little bit disappointed to find there is no memory card slot, parent lock, Freesat, 3D capability and few other features. But this 46 inch full HD LED television worth its price and quality, if you are looking for LED television without 3D capability. We handpicked the best prices from popular retailers and compared them for your hassle free shopping convenience.

Samsung UE46D5000 46″ LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Samsung
Model Name	UE46D5000
Dimensions (W x H x D) cm	108.48 x 64.38 x 2.99 cm ( Without Stand ) 108.48 x 71.16 x 27.5 cm ( With Stand )
Weight	13.67 Kg (Without Stand) 17.23 kg (With Stand)
Colour	Charcoal Black
Display Size	46 Inch
Resolution	1920 x 1080p ( Full HD)
Freeview	Yes
Image aspect Ratio	16:9
Frame rate	100 Hz
HDTV	Yes
Speaker Type	Down Firing
Display Type	LCD
LED	Yes, Edge LED
Sound Output	10 W x 2
3D TV	No
PiP(Picture in Picture)	Yes
Hyper Real Engine	Yes
Dolby Digital Plus and DTS 2.0	Yes
Allshare (DLNA)	Yes
Features	Freeview HD Allshare HyperReal Engine Intelligent light sensor SRS surround system EPG Auto Off
Connectivity	4 x HDMI 2 x USB-in 1 x DVI audio-in 1 x PC audio-in 1 x Scart In 1 x Ethernet Port 1 x Headphone Port 1 x In Composite
FreeSat HD	No
Game mode	Yes

Samsung Electronics is one of the trusted manufacturer of consumer electronics. Their quality and worth for the price products earned them an unique name for innovative and technology among the people around the world. Since the LCD era started to boom in the market, Samsung stays in the top as one of the best brand for LCD televisions. Although their rivals give very tough fight in the race, the South Korean multinational keeps up its own popularity among their customers. All new Samsung LE40C654 LCD television adds more beauty to its range of televisions and be a great contender among the other LCD televisions. This 40 Inch LCD television comes with many exclusivity than the previous models in the Samsung LCD series of televisions.

Design

The Ultra Clear Panel comes with most of the Samsung LCD Full HD televisions. They are very attractive to look and it adds more beauty to the living room. The black bezel gives royal and rich look to this 40 Inch LCD television. The Crystal Design is most latest trend among the LCD TV designs. The Samsung LE40C654 40″ LCD TV is built with Crystal Design, in which the extreme edges of the bezel are bordered with a transparent layer of fiber. It looks similar to glass, unless it is seen closer and the built quality is awesome.

There is an indicative light in the bottom of the screen, as it could be more helpful to find out whether the TV is turned on or off. Nowadays the back panel of televisions are being made out of plastic, where the fashion of having a metal back is gone. But, this Freeview LCD television comes with a metal back cover.
Although the design have some ups and downs, Samsung did a great job with the design of 40 Inch LCD TV.

Display and Picture Quality

The bezel is glossy and it has superior quality LCD display which makes Samsung LE40C654 Freeview HD LCD TV, an  Ultra Clear Panelled television. We are in an era of IPS displays, where the latest televisions are mostly built with IPS displays and they popular due to its quality. Anyhow, we cannot expect it in a low priced LCD televisions. Although Samsung LE40C654 lacks in IPS display, it has the best VA based display than any other VA based televisions. But IPS LCD televisions could be more expensive than a normal LCD televisions. Sometimes the television causes some reflections in the screen when its kept in a very bright room. The blacks are more sharper and deeper. Picture quality is pretty alluring and better than their rival brands’ television in its class. Most of the LCD televisions will not produce deeper and sharper black in darkened room, but its amazing that LE40C654 gives the best than all other competiting televisions in the market. The aspect ratio equals to the latest standard of 16:9.

This concludes that, we cannot say that all SPVA Panelled LCD televisions are same and cannot produce better black than many other televisions. The 40 Inch LCD television can support up to 1080p, the full high definition where no matter what input is given, it tries to deliver the best quality picture to the viewer. The Samsung HyperReal engine is an interesting and unique feature, where it tries to enhance the input and give the best out of the given input. The 3D realisation which adds little bit 3D impression to the ordinary 2D input. But there is nothing more to expect out of this feature, as we all know that an original is always the best. These days many LCD and LED televisions gives these kind of features, but it cannot be compared with the picture quality of real 3D input. When it comes to Full HD, LE40C654 doubles the resolution of a normal HDTV. Overall, the picture quality of this 40 Inch Full HD television is the best in its range of 40 Inch LCD televisions.

Speakers and Audio

The speaker system in Samsung LE40C654 TV is down firing. There are two speakers with the sound output of 10 watt. Dolby Digital Plus powered sound system gives the confidence that the sound quality will not disappoint. Obviously, expecting a great sound like a music player is almost like expecting something imposible. Music lovers may want to connect a home theatre to get a better loud sound.

Features and Convenience

Samsung and their products are always famous for their features. All the features are just for the convenience of the customers and to make them happy with the quality and features of the product they bought. The 40 inch Full HD LCD television comes with an inbuilt Freeview tuner, where there is no need to spend on an external FreeView tuner. It has many Freeview Full HD channels like BBC HD, ITV1 HD, Channel 4 HD with an S4C Channel in HD(will be launched in wales shortly) and many more. The availability of Freeview HD channels are subject to location in the UK. There is no need to pay a penny on monthly subscription of a television package for the FreeView HD channels available in your area.

Internet@TV is the most important feature in Samsung LE40C654 widescreen Full HD LCD television. It takes a lot of multimedia features to the living room. The internet connectivity could be obtained by an external wireless dongle or an ethernet cable. Many internet services including Facebook, Twitter, LOVEFiLM, BBC iPlayer and many more. YouTube videos comes to the living room and can be viewed in 40 Inch LCD HD screen.

Game mode is another exclusive feature that comes with Samsung LE40C654 LCD Full HD Freeview television. When the game mode is turned on, the picture, graphics and sound gets enhanced with high definition for extreme gaming experience with a gaming console.

Connectivity

Allshare is the connectivity feature of this LE40C654 LCD Full HD television. Everything works wirelessly with Allshare. File transfer with other multimedia devices wirelessly and effortlessly. It could connect mobile phone, multiple computer and other devices to transfer files such as photos and videos to TV.
In the new Samsung LE40C654 there are 1 PC port to connect a PC, 2 Scart port, 4 HDMI inputs (1 Side, 3 Back) , Digital Audio port, 1 USB port, 1 Headphone socket, and CL slot for pay per view.

Verdict

The new Samsung LE40C654 LCD widescreen television is the best choice and it is worth for its cost. Nowadays many people go behind the latest LED 3D televisions which are pretty expensive and great quality than any LCD television. The features of this LCD widescreen television are latest and made for the ease and confort of the user. It has something for everyone. It is recommended to buy as it takes the lead when compared to any other LCD televisions in its class.

Samsung LE40C654 LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Samsung
Model Name	LE40C654
Dimensions (W x H x D) mm	981.5 x 598.5 x 80.4mm ( Without Stand ) 981.5 x 661.9 x 255mm( With Stand )
Weight	13.5 Kg (Without Stand) 16.9 kg (With Stand)
Colour	Black
Display Size	40 Inch
Resolution	1920 x 1080p ( Full HD)
Freeview	Yes
Image aspect Ratio	16:9
Frame rate	100 Hz
Freeview HD	Yes
Speaker Type	Down Firing
Display Type	LCD
DLNA	Yes
Dolby Digital Plus	Yes
24p technology	Yes
Hyper Real Engine	Yes
Internet@TV	Yes
Dolby Digital Plus	Yes
Features	Freeview HD Game Mode Internet@TV Allshare HyperReal Engine
Connectivity	4 x HDMI 1 x USB-in 1 x PC in 1 x audio line-out 2 x RGB Scart In 1 x Ethernet Port 1 x Headphone Port

Panasonic TX-L37U3B satisfies all the requirements of the living room television. TX-L32U3B and TX-L42U3B are the other models in this series of Panasonic VIERA range of LCD televisions. But all these three models just differ with its size and power consumption. Here we are going to have a closer look at the new Panasonic TX-L37U3B 37 Inch LCD television and its features.

Design and Looks

The glossy bezel and sharp top corners gives it a classy look when it is mounted on a wall painted with some light colour. To be frank, the design cannot be compared with the stunning designs of LCD televisions in today’s market. As mentioned in the earlier Panasonic LCD TV reviews, Panasonic have to get more updated in their LCD televisions’ design and looks. However, we cannot say the design is bad, but it is not up to comparison with others. The panel quality is the one which makes us turn towards the Panasonic LCD televisions. Yes, it comes with the high quality IPS alpha panel.

Connectivity – Connect anything

Yes, connect anything. Panasonic TX-L37U3B LCD television can connect with all multimedia gadgets. It has an inbuilt memory card reader where you can insert your memory card and view the photos clicked in your digital camera. If you think you can only use headphones with media players, then you are wrong. This 37 inch LCD television comes with headphone jack, which gives the provision of personal listening while watching your favourite programs without disturbing others who don’t want to get disturbed with the audio of the television. There are 2 HDMI ports to extend the connectivity to high definition devices. Panasonic TX-L37U3B has good news for gamers by its compatibility with all popular game consoles.

Wi-Fi connectivity is missing in this Panasonic TX-L37U3B 37 Inch LCD TV; however you can always use a dongle to get connected with internet. Ethernet socket is given to connect your pc with a high speed internet connection. Overall, you can connect all your multimedia gadgets without any hassle or doubt with the connectivity and compatibility of this Panasonic television.

Features and Interface
The Panasonic TX-L37U3B 37 is built to match with the features of today’s LCD HD televisions. But it can’t be matched with flashy features of LG or Samsung LCD televisions.

Resolution enhancer is one of the top features of this Full HD LCD television. If the TV input is not high definition or of low definition, the resolution enhancer does its trick by converting the low resolution input and gives high definition output. However, the converted picture quality can’t be compared with the real high definition picture input. There is also an option to select the HD level of the low resolution picture as Min, Mid and Max levels.

DVD recording is another sophisticated feature that makes Panasonic stand tall in the LCD TV market. The 37 inch Panasonic TX-L37U3B television will not let you miss your favourite television shows due to your busy schedule. All you have to do is to connect a DVD recorder and specify the program timing; Panasonic TX-L37U3B will record the selected TV programs and you can watch it when you are free.

The interface is pretty easy to use with its infrared remote controller. As the remote controller is infrared, you don’t have to be close to the television to operate it.

Freeview

The free HD tuner takes the Freeview channels to your living room, Freeview HD channels such like BBC HD, ITV HD and Channel 4 can be viewed without paying anything. Please note that the Freeview channels differs from place to place in the UK, which doesn’t mean if  you are in London and your friend in Birmingham will also receive the same channels. So check with your local Freeview channels listing to get the exact list of Freeview HD channels you can receive from your location.

Viera Exclusives

Panasonic TX-L37U3B Full HD LCD TV has everything just like the any other Viera range of televisions. We cannot say something this 37 Inch LCD television have something unique from the previous Viera models.

Viera Image viewer is pre installed with the television. It is helpful to integrate photos and videos to the television. Viera link is a handy feature which allows you to link anything with the television. Game mode is useful while switching your entertainment television to a gaming television with your game console. It optimizes the graphics and enhances the gaming experience to the maximum.

Sound quality

Honestly, we cannot boast much about the sound quality of this Panasonic TX-L37U3B TV. You cannot expect the sound quality better than its rivals. We can just say the sound is OK and not up to today’s expectation. The headphone volume can be adjusted even by the infrared remote controller. If you have a home theatre or a surround sound system, you will not find it any problem with the sound. Viera music player is pre installed application which enhances the sound quality to a better level.

Verdict

Overall the Panasonic TX-L37U3B Widescreen LCD television is a decent choice to take home for your living room. Everyone says that Panasonic is pretty expensive and don’t worth its money. But Panasonic justified their cost by its high quality IPS alpha panel and HD picture quality with the new Panasonic TX-L37U3B LCD HD television. If you fix in your mind that you are going to get a Panasonic LCD television, there are many attractive offers available for Panasonic Viera range of LCD televisions if you just browse through the categories. Here we handpicked the best deals on Panasonic Viera LCD televisions from UK’s leading retailers for your convenience.

Panasonic TX-L37U3B 37″ LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Panasonic
Model Name	TX-L37U3B
Dimensions (W x H x D) Inch	35.3 x 22.2 x 35.5
Weight	13 Kg ( With stand)
Colour	Black
Stand Type	Table Top
Display Size	37 Inch (Diagonal)
Display Technology	IPS Alpha ( with wide viewing angle)
Resolution	1920 x 1080p ( Full HD)
Display Format	720p
Image aspect Ratio	16:9
Moving Picture Resolution	300 lines
Viewing angle	178 degree
Speaker Power	2 x 10 watt
Multi Channel Preview	Picture and Text (PAT)
Picture Adjustment	Standard Dynamic Cinema True Cinema Game
HDTV Ready	Yes
FreeviewHD	Yes
Parental Channel Lock	Yes
Sound Output	Dolby Digital/ Dts
Contrast	Natural
Surround Mode	Yes ( With Virtual Surround)
VESA Standard	Yes
Features	Contrast Auto Tracking System(C.A.T.S) Viera Link,Viera Image Viewer, V-Audio Viera Tools, Common Interface Resolution Enhancer Gaming Mode Wall Mount Included
Connectivity	LAN Port 2 x HDMI 1 x Headphone Jack 1 x audio line-in 1 x audio line-out 1 x Scart Socket
Dolby Digital/ Dts	Yes
Slots	1 x Memory Card Slot 1 x Common Interface
Power Device	Power Supply – Internal
Maximum Power Consumption	130 Watt
Remote Control	Infrared (Universal)
Warranty	5 Year Panasonic Warranty

While the TVs in the main lounge have got all the advancements in the technology possible, the poor little tellys in the kitchen, bedroom and second lounge will be lucky to have LCD, and extremely gifted if it had Freeview tuner. However, Sony has decided to change it all for these second room televisions, and has bought into the market that 22″ KDL-22EX320 LCD TV, which not only has one of the best specifications in the market, but a stunner in the looks department too. Most of UK has a flat screen telly in their living room, and so, now the demand for the second TV is going out of the roof.

Design:

Classy:
The design of the Sony KDL-22EX320 LCD TV is simply downright classy. There are stuff that you will never expect out of a flagship 22” TV, like the brushed metallic-like plastic strip along the bottom edge. Adding to the amazing aesthetics of the TV is the novel stand that makes use of a couple of shiny steel pipes that give subtle support to the telly.

Sleek and contemporary:
With the help of Edge LED backlighting, which is the slimmest luminance technology available, Sony has managed to make this one of the slimmest at 42mm. This Sony TV is a part of the manufacturer’s “Essential” line-up of Bravia TVs in the series of EX320. The other members of this line include that 24” KDL24EX320, 26” KDL26EX320 and the 32” KDL32EX320. The only major feature that Sony has disappointed is, with the picture resolution, which is a surprising 1366 x 768 pixels, well below the commoners in the HD-Ready suburb. However, we do not think that even Full HD has much to do at this size, but those who like to use it as a PC monitor will be quite disappointed.

Slots and ports:
Moving on to slots and connectivity, you will find a PC input on the side panel, along with a Common Interface slot as well as a USB port. Yes, an USB port is very essential with a telly of this size; it will allow you to play back digital files and, recording and pausing live TV with an external HDD. On the back, there are two HDMI inputs, an RF aerial feed, a single SCART, a digital audio output, an Ethernet LAN port for those who do not have WiFi component video, a 3.5mm PC audio jack and stereo phones.

Though Sony KDL-22EX320 LED LCD TV has offered all the connectivity you will need, it is the WiFi module that is invisible that brings in all the joy.

The KDL-22EX320 LCD TV supported formats including AVI, MPEG including HD, WMV and AVHD videos, but unfortunately, there is no support for the DivX HD files. But, that should not be an issue of concern, as they can be easily streamed from a PC or Mac via the DLNA functionality.

User Interface:

The interface of KDL 22EX320 HD Ready LCD TV has got a complete makeover, making it quite subtle than the overwhelming though brilliant XrossMedisBar interface which also has its place in the company’s PS3. Sony has a seven day EPG, which is excellent and almost flawless.

Features:

Sony has acknowledged its consumers thirst for a richer set of features for their second TV and has offered plethora of them; it is about as advanced as any second TV can ever be. This twenty two inch telly not only has LED backlighting, it also has a BBC iPlayer and iPhone App control. This super slim LCD TV is no short when it comes to connectivity too, being equipped with built-in WiFi. Being slim does not mean that it is any lesser when it comes to picture processing technology. Other technological celebrity out there is the manufacturer’s X-Reality, which is a picture processing suite that has simply worked wonders in the high end models.

Browser:
Sony has included the Opera web browser, which is very welcome, but the usability of this application has been hampered by the fonts and laborious operations to get to stuff. This is much better than the Bravia Internet video that includes features such as BBC iPlayer, Sky News, Eurosport, ‘currently offline’, Demand 5, Qriocity, YouTube, Lovefilm, Dailymotion, Blip.tv and heaps more.

Social Networking:
Social networking is everywhere, and Sony’s KDL22EX320 is not without one, you have the Facebook and Twitter widgets. When these widgets are activated will put the live TV that is going on in a screen, that occupies about two thirds of the screen’s realestate. Sony has also included a page named “widget gallery”, but that is empty for now. We presume that it will be filled with some upcoming firmware updates.

Qriocity video and music:
We were not surprised to find a dedicated section for Sony’s own Qriocity video and music streaming service, which is a multi gadget, iTunes App and cloud based rental service, which is a real entertainer. However, as far as this service is concerned, we have a feeling that the Sony VAIO consumers will be the primary target.

Skype:
Another feature of this 22” telly that is highly advertised is that of Skype video calling. With this, you can make free video calls in your telly with clear detail via Skype. You get to record your show that you might miss right into the hard disk through USB.

Performance:

That was all the good news, but what we hate about the Sony KDL22EX320 is the absence of Freeview HD. And, this has affected the performance of the TV quite a bit. As in the case of any other digital TV, there are the visible puck marks, pixellated moving objects, picture noise and close-ups too. All, of which we almost forgot about after the invention of the amazing Freeview HD. When you attach a Blu-ray player for watching a movie, and you will end up missing the HD broadcasts more than ever before. But apart from this small glitch, the Edge lit LED Panel is extremely good, as its viewing angles are especially amazing, in comparison to the other old-school 22” LCD TVs. It has amazing black levels, but the contrast levels are not so appreciable. Sometimes, it has quite a hollow look to the dark areas of the image. There is also a great deal of motion blur and the colours can be a bit ripe. What we also have to note here is that, the overall picture quality of the Edge LED backlit technology.

The sound coming out of the invisible 8W speakers is hardly anything, and you will not be able to have a real movie experience with it. You have to connect some external speakers, no doubt in that.

Warranty:

Sony offers its 22EX320 LCD TV five years warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

Overall, the feature set and design of Sony KDL-22EX320 LCD TV is out of the world. All the great features such as built-in WiFi, the skinny design and iPhone app control has made this second room TV, a first in the competition. It is just a shame that this amazing TV lacks Freeview HD. The other perks like social networking, Lovefilm streaming and BBC iPlayer widgets just adds to the desirability of this easy to use and high-end Edge LED backlit LCD TV.  We give it big thumbs up, if you really don’t care about the lack of Freeview HD.

Sony KDL-22EX320 22-inch Screen LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Sony
Model Name	Sony Bravia
Model Number	KDL-22EX320
Display type	LCD Display
Backlight type	Edge LED
Dimensions (W x D x H)	52.9 x 34.7 x 4.2
Weight	5.1
Colour/Finish	Glossy Black
Screen Resolution	1366 x 768 pixels
Screen Size	22 inches
Video signal	576i, 480p, 576p, 1080i, 720p, 1080p and 24p input
Picture features	Wide mode settings Wide mode settings for PC Auto wide mode 50 Hz Frames per second X-Reality Advanced Contrast Enhancer Live Colour technology 24p True Cinema Noise reduction 3D comb filter
Speaker type	Invisible speaker (with Sound Elevation)
Speakers	16 (8W x 2)
Audio features	S-Force Front Surround 3D S Master Dolby® Digital / Dolby® Digital Plus / Dolby® Pulse A2 / NICAM Stereo system
Special features	Electronic programme guide (EPG) On-screen clock Sleep timer On / off timer On-screen instruction manual BRAVIA Sync Auto photo mode Picture and picture (PAP) Picture in picture (PIP) Parental control USB Photo Viewer USB Music Player USB Video Player USB HDD Recording Picture Frame mode Multiple language display Favourites Quick start
Connectivity	1 x AC power input 1 x RF connection input 2 x HDMI® input HDMI PC input 1 x SCART input (without Smartlink) 1 x USB 2.0 input 1 x Ethernet input 1 x Composite video input 1 x Component video (Y/Pb/Pr) input 1 x PC in (D-Sub) + Audio in (Stereo Mini) 1 x PCMCIA input 1 x Analog audio input 1 x Optical digital output 1 x Audio output 1 x Headphone output
PC interface	USB
Contrast Ratio	Mega
Stand	Yes
Digital Tuner	Yes
Network features	Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) Wi-Fi Direct DLNA BRAVIA Internet Video BRAVIA Internet Widgets Web browser Media Remote (iPhone / Android) Skype
Power Consumption	32.0W
Warranty	Five years

Though LEDs have lately rocked the world of high definition televisions, more people are still after their predecessors, the LCD TVs. Maybe due to the smooth quality or the low pricing, people have not still gotten over their craving for LCD TVs. Quite evidently, their sales are still soaring high in the market. Talking about soaring sales, one must undoubtedly be reminded of LG and its products. Being one of the premiere producers of electronic goods in the world, LG has, over the years, gained a lot of goodwill among its customers. It lately came into the television field but nonetheless, it has managed to compete well with the likes of Samsung, Sony and their ilk. Here, we have one of LG’s finest series of LCD TV sets, the LD series. Out of all TVs from this series, the one which has caught our attention was the LD 490. This has got some serious attention right from its release. Well, it is not sent from above and it sports the features that are most normally seen on today’s high end LCD and LED TVs. But its most important feature is its price tag which reads a very reasonable amount. Hence, you would be having all the best features in the market for a pretty reasonable price. Now this is a great bargain. Excited? Want to know more? Read the full review to know the full details of this beauty from LG. Presenting you, the LG 32LD490 LCD TV.

Design:

We are afraid to say that first up, the LD490 may just disappoint you a little with its design. Not that it is very bad or something, but it is just that people expect a more wondrous design from someone like LG. Being a stalwart producer of electronic goods, LG has more often than not come up with some nice designs. Well, the LD490 LCD TV may just be an exception to that. There is nothing special regarding the design of the TV. IT looks like any other just about average LCD TV in the market. Square edges, glossy black colour and smooth finish are the main features when it comes to the design, though the black levels could have been made better. The rest of it just the same and there’s no innovation from LG regarding this part of the TV. But are we expecting too much? Remember that we are going to pay a very reasonable amount for this TV. It is quite cheaper than any other high end LCD TV. Hence, we can exempt LG on this. Now, when we normally talk of design, we must discuss the measurements of the device. The LG LD490 LCD TV measures about 799 mm wide, 506 mm high and 74 mm deep. And we are happy about the 74 mm depth. It is quite slim, you know? It is also quite light in weight. At 8.1 kg, the LD490 is lighter than most other LCD TVs. And though we are quite happy with the design, we just feel that this does not have that X factor which attracts people even when it is turned off.

Display:

The TV which we are now dealing with comes with a 32 inch display. This is quite suitable for most of the homes across the world. And it is also good to watch movies and TV on. Though the display is not backlit by LEDs, the CCFL lighting is a better idea than its counterpart, the HCFL. What the CCFL backlight mechanism does is, it can be a really good source of light, but more importantly the crystals used here are cold and have a low temperature. This means that the TV does not get heated up quickly and in the long run, it will save the TV from damages. You can hence watch hours of television without heating up the screen. This CCFL backlight also consists of an equally distributed array of lights and hence the backlighting will be pretty even. This means there is uniform illumination and there will not be any nitrifying of pictures. What happens with the other types of backlighting is that the array is not distributed, but it is centred. Hence the pictures get nigrified or shadowed near the edges, even though they look alright at the centre. Such a drawback is not seen here and you will be happy about it. The screen also has some good viewing angles and you can watch the TV even from acute angles. This is quite helpful when you want to watch a movie along with your family. Your position of seating will not affect the picture quality. There are also no complaints regarding the display and our tests have resulted in smooth pictures and smooth motion flow.

Features:

Many HD TVs today come with a lot of features in order to withstand the cut throat competition. Even LG has followed the same path for a couple of years. But there is no point in providing features which are not that useful to everyone. Hence, this time around, LG has taken a saner step, to provide a few but very useful features on the LD490 LCD TV. Since we have already seen that the design is a bit dull, LG has tried to make it up for its customers by providing some important high end features. Let us see what is in the bag for us, and see if what LG has given us is really useful.

Full 1080p HD panel:

Yes, this is the feature everybody is looking for on their television sets. People are now fed up with watching normal quality. Standard Definition is now a thing of the past and everyone is craving for high definition. That is the reason you see the rise in the sales of Blu ray players and HD televisions. Not even 720p is acceptable these days. 1080p is the only option people are looking for. And fortunately enough, the LG 32LD490 32″ LCD TV provides you with this feature. It has a display resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It comes with a full 1080p HD panel which delivers pictures with awesome quality. The motion flow was very good and HD channels will give you some lifelike pictures. Even watching videos off Blu ray discs will be so good since the engine is pretty advanced and hence you will not be getting any lags or distortions in the videos. Hence, you can really count on the full HD panel the LG LD490 LCD TV sports. There will also be an option to upscale the videos to high definition. This means that you can make normal videos HD and watch them in better quality.

FreeView HD tuner:

FreeView, the far famed Digital television, is one of the most popular service providers when it comes to high definition channels. It comes with various packages for you to choose from. The reason why we are discussing about this service provider here is; LG is offering a free tuner along with the LD490 LCD TV. Excited? Yes, you must be. Though some of the HD TVs today are coming without any HD tuners and set top boxes, Samsung and Panasonic were the two first companies to have brought in this feature. Since then, many other competitors like LG, Samsung and others have also followed their footsteps. And now since the LD 490 featured the FreeView HD, you can hence watch scores of high definition channels without purchasing an extra set top box. This would be a perfect idea if you are going to buy a TV with a set top box for the first time, or if you are planning to change them both. To state it more obviously, the LG LD490 LCD TV comes with a built in FreeView HD tuner, and hence prevents you from the extra expenditure in buying separate set top box. Customers can log onto to the internet and check what high definition channels are offered with respect to their region or country. But, on the whole, it is a pretty impressive feature brought in by LG, which is not so common with today’s LCD TVs.

BBC iPlayer:

Are you ready for another present from LG? Well, what could be a better one than the notable BBC iPlayer radio and internet TV service? Since the transition of BBC iPlayer from being Beta to being iPlayer Live, lots of television brands have approached it and asked it to be featured on their high definition TV sets. And today, this has become quite common and most of the high end HD television sets are coming with the BBC iPlayer as one of their prime features. Not only TV sets, but the BBC iPlayer has also lately featured on numerous mobile platforms and also on gaming consoles. Hence, with this awesome feature, you can bring entertainment to your feet whenever you want. The iPlayer automatically connects to the internet and brings you the best of videos, pictures, movies and whole lot of other stuff from the internet in to your TV sets. There is also a search option for you, unlike many other internet TV services. You can hence search for, browse and play whatever digital media you want, within the blink of an eye. We have tested this player and we were amazed, to be honest, by the way it brings you whatever you need. It is both fun and informative and one would definitely enjoy their experience with one of the finest services from BBC, the BBC iPlayer.

Netcast:

We would like to mention here, that the LD490 Full HD LCD TV comes with an Ethernet port too. Since there is no Wi-Fi mechanism provided by LG here, the Ethernet port might be pretty useful when it comes to streaming media. With the help of an Ethernet cable, one can easily connect the LD 490 LCD TV to their computer and hence sync them in order to exchange media between them. You can thereby play files like media and stuff from your computer. But, in addition to that, an Ethernet port means that the Netcast feature comes into play. It gives you an option to access the LG’s Netcast system. Though the Netcast system was quite poor and ineffective in the past, LG has now revamped its Netcast system. When it comes to the LD 490 LCD TV, LG has upgraded it and added a few new services, like Facebook and Twitter for social networking from your TV, and then the Acetrax movie-rental service which allows you to buy movies online, and BBC iPlayer, which we have discussed already. These services are very good when it comes to performance and they are also pretty user friendly.

Menu:

Finally we see an ace menu system from an LG LCD TV. The LD 490 comes with a very attractive and effective menu system. It has got style and it is also very user friendly. LG has revamped its menu too and added a few vital options and also changed the settings. The items seen on the main menu and their utilities are given here, for your information: Setup, Picture, Audio, Time, Lock, Option, Network, Input, My Media and Game are the items seen on the main menu. Setup allows you to set your TV up for the first time. You can set all the options and settings of the TV. You can also alter the picture settings from the Picture option. Things like contrast, colour, and Brightness can be altered here. You can change audio settings from the Audio tab and time and date from the Time tab. Lock option allows you to lock some of the channels from children. Option menu allows you to have a look at all the options available on the LD490 and also allows you to make use of them effectively. Network allows you to connect to the internet. The input menu shows you all the input connections which are made by the TV with any other external devices. My media shows you all the media files and stuff you have stored in the memory of your TV. And there a couple of cool games provided for your entertainment. On the whole, we are pretty happy to welcome the new stylish menu system on the LG LD490 LCD TV.

USB socket:

USB can be regarded as one of the most significant breakthroughs in technology when it comes to the last decade. It has thrown the compact discs and DVDs out of comprehension. A USB drive is faster, more efficient, and also more portable when compared to the compact disks. And lately more and more HD TV sets are coming forward with a USB socket. This USB socket can be used to plug in your USB flash drives which contain lots of media and stuff, and play them on your high definition TV sets. You can hence play back media files like photos, videos or music using either of memory sticks and hard drives. The LG 32LD490 Div X HD Playback LCD TV is also good when it comes to supporting media formats. It is so good and effective that it can support a broad range of formats, including the pretty famous format of media, MKV. All you need to do is load a USB flash drive with media files like music, or photos or movies, and plug in to the USB socket available on the LD490. You can then manipulate and play the files from the menu. This can prevent a lot of strain for you since you will now have no need to load the information onto discs and also do not need to wait for them to get loaded on to the players.

It is needless to say that this is a small bunch of features sported by the LG LD490 LCD TV. They are small only in number, but not when it comes to their effectiveness and performance. They add significant importance to the TV and also always keep you entertained. And one must be pretty elated by seeing all these features on the LD490 since they are paying a very reasonable amount and still are receiving more than what they deserve.

Performance:

Regarding any TV on earth, the performance is the most important aspect and is also a key factor when it comes to deciding the TV’s caliber. We have already seen how good the features are and how cool the TV is on the whole. But, now we are going to the inside portions of the TV and see if the LD490 LCD TV has got in it what all is needed to make it a competitive TV. In short, we are going to review the performance aspects of the TV. Now, regarding performance, there are three different areas we will need to consider. The Video, the audio and the connectivity performances of the TV are the three aspects of performance. Let us have a look at them in detail.

LG 32LD490 Video Performance:

As we have seen earlier. The display mechanism of the LD490 is pretty solid and lucid. This obviously means the pictures are pretty nice on the screen and there will not be problems regarding their display. LG has also come up with a good processing system. Hence even when you play high definition media and videos of 1080p quality, there will not be much pressure on the processor and hence you will not see any blurs or frame delays. The motion flow is quite smooth and the pictures are pretty lucid. Hence, you can say that the videos look quite good on the screen of the LD490 and its video performance is pretty solid, if not top notch. Of course, it cannot be compared to other high definition TV sets from the likes of Sony, Samsung or Panasonic, but still, considering its low price tag, one must be happy with the video performance they are bestowed upon.

Audio Performance:

Most of the LCD TVs today are having a long standing problem. Their Audio performance. Since the LCD TVs are quite slim, there is not much pace to provide some good quality speakers. As we know, good quality speakers always need some quality space, which is not available when it comes to the LCD TVs. This is the reason why you see a lot of LCD TVs not being able to produce good quality sound off their speakers. This is also the reason why when you buy an LCD TV, you are also asked to buy some good speaker system or a home theatre system. LG itself recommends its users to purchase the HT805TH DVD home cinema system along with the LD490. Now since the LD490 is still an LCD TV and since it is not sent from up there, the audio is a bit of a problem, just like most other LCD TVs. Hence, you are advised to go for a speaker system as well, along with the LD490 LCD TV.

Connectivity Performance:

As we have seen, there is no problem when it comes to connectivity. Regarding connecting to your computer, or to the internet, the LD490 is second to none and hence is pretty good at connections with other devices as well as the internet. The internet features, in particular, are pretty fast, effective and attractive. One would find a lot of fun while putting them to use. The USB functionality is a great boon and to all those of you who love continuous entertainment, this feature is specially introduced for you. On the whole, the connectivity performance of the LG LD490 Full HD LCD TV is pretty solid.

Hence, the overall performance of the device can be considered pretty good. In fact, it is better than most other similar TVs. Though the audio is not the best in the world and the videos are not as good as those seen on pricier TVs, considering the price tag that its sports, it can be said that you get more than what you deserve.

Power Consumption:

The on power consumption of the LD490 LCD TV is about98 Watts and the standby power consumption is as low as 0.3 Watts. The TV is ECO certified and hence is known to save your bills and also the environment. Only 50 mg of mercury is used and traces of lead are used in the design of the TV and hence there are almost no harmful emissions from the LD490.

Warranty:

The LG LD 490 LCD TV comes with a parts and labour warranty for a period of one year from the original date of purchase.

Verdict:

What all is left for us to discuss? Well, nothing in fact. We have tried and given you almost all the vital details regarding the LD490 TV. Now is the time to decide if this is the TV you are looking for or not. And all we can say is that, for the low price tag that it sports, it has come up with a huge range of features and pretty solid performance characteristics, which is, to be honest, a boon to all those of you who are planning to buy a budget LCD TV. You will not see better features anywhere under the sun for a price as low as this. The only thing you need to do is that you will have to purchase a home theatre system separately from the stores. Otherwise, the TV is pretty cool. But, if money is not a barrier for you and if you are looking for really quality LCD TVs, you can have a look at their reviews and pricing on this website itself.

LG 32LD490 LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	LG
Model Name	LD490 LCD TV
Model Number	32LD490
Dimensions (H x W x D)  mm	506 x 799 x 74 mm
Weight	8.1 kg
Colour	Glossy Black
Stand type	Standard
Display size	32-inch
Display technology	CCFL
Display Format	LCD Panel
Resolution	Full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 (16:9)
Viewing Angle	178 degree
Video	Aspect Ratio Correction: 8modes (16:9/Just scan/Original/4:3/14:9/Zoom/ Cinema Zoom/full wide Color Temperature: Cool/Medium/Warm Real Cinema 24p (24p 5:5/2:2 Pull down) Expert Mode/ ISF Ready Eye Care (Anti Dazzling) Freeview HD Built In xvyCC AV Mode Picture Wizard
Applicable PC Signals	XGA, WXGA, SXGA 60Hz, 1920 x 1080 (HDMI)
Applicable Scanning Format	FULL-HD: 1080p (HDMI only), 1080i HD: 720p
Motion Focus Technology	Yes
24p Smooth Film/Playback	Yes
Picture Modes	Yes
Virtual Surround	V-Audio Surround
Speakers Included	Yes
Dolby Digital/dts	Dolby Digital Plus
Highlight features	Lock, XD Engline, SimpLink, 1080p source input, e manual
Connectivity	RF In, Full Scart, Component in (Y,Pb,Pr) + Audio, Digital Audio Out HDMI/HDCP Input, RGB In (D-sub 15pin) – PC, PC Audio Input, LAN (For Modem), RS-232C (Control / SVC), LAN Port, Analogue Audio Out, Digital Audio Output (Optical), Headphone Jack
Power supply	AC 220 – 240 V, 50/60 Hz
Power consumption	98 W
Warranty	1 year