LCD TV Reviews

The leading manufacturer of flat TVs and the Mega Korean giant, Samsung, has incessantly been researching trying to bring about some high quality video processing together with comprehensive options when it comes to configuration, which is exactly why Samsung’s options continue to be exceptionally tempting. Akin to the hour-glass models who are having a great impact on the ramp, the C650 seems to push against the tide of stick thin flat panel TVs and it is strangely refreshing. Though the LE40C650 is not the cheapest LCD TV in the current market, this Samsung model for under £650 is an absolute steal. This is more than just another budget television, being packed with Samsung’s latest multimedia features and online trickery. The LE40C650 helps to put the aging Liquid Crystal Display back on the map with excellent picture quality and all rounded usability. Read on to find out its design, features and performance in detail.

Design:

A Beauty:

The Samsung LE40C650 LCD TV steals your mind even before it is switched on. True to their claim the ‘crystal’ design sure does captures the quintessence of natural beauty. This simply well describes the shiny back screen encase and the transparent lip. The transparent neck to the desktop stand; and the infusion of a touch of red, especially into the little arc that drops down from the centre section of the TV’s bottom edge has Samsung’s signature etched all over it and promises to a wide fan base. Another nice touch to the aesthetics is that, at the back of the screen it is given a finishing tough with a metallic finish, unlike the reliance on cheap plastic which most of the top brands often do.

Ports and Connectivity:

Well, you might not be able to hide your disappointment seeing the chunky rear of the LE40C650 in comparison to the impossibly lithe profiles of the competing LED models of Samsung. That said, it can be forgiven as the LCD TV has been given ample connectivity options. Samsung has equipped the LE40C650 LCD Television with four HDMI inputs, which should be plentiful for majority of its users, out of which three are located in the rear with a fourth one sitting on the side panel. In the side panel, you will also find a composite video input, two 2.0 USB inputs together with stereo analogue audio ports. Moving towards the rear panel, which sports a few RGB SCARTs, a VGA PC input, one set of component video inputs, an Ethernet LAN port and an RF aerial input. Acoustics has been taken care of by an optical digital audio output, analogue stereo audio inputs and a headphone jack.

Features:

Being a budget model, the Samsung LE40C650 does not be a miser when it comes to features set with a Freeview HD tuner, a Full HD panel alongside HyperReal picture processing, AllShare DLNA streaming over a home network and Samsung’s own Internet@TV online platform.

Internet@TV:

Though the USB feature is very handy and interesting, most consumers will be eager at using Samsung’s beefed-up Internet@TV service. By default, the Internet@TV has been  powered by a wired Ethernet LAN port on board, which requires trailing a cable at the rear of the set from your broadband router. If that does not sound practical to you, Samsung also makes a wireless WiFi dongle available, which costs about £40 to £50 that can be plugged in directly to any of the two USB ports. Predictive text together with the dedicated and busy home screen that sees cluttering of icons for each service are both, new to the Internet@TV feature.

You will also find a very handy window for either Blu-ray or live TV, but the irritating thing is that, the Internet@TV shuts down on its own and returns to that source if left untouched for a minute or so. New in the list for 2010 is Twitter, Lovefilm, Google maps and some on-demand History Channel programmes, with other apps available for GettyImages, Picassa, YouTube, AccuWeather and USA Today. You will also find a host of minor apps such as Quizz Master, Texas Hold ‘Em, and Sudoku. The key issue with this feature, is the absence of apps when it comes to on-demand TV hubs like the BBC iPlayer or the ITV Player. One cannot but agree the fact that the interface for such increasing amount of online content is kind of getting rather cumbersome and passé, but then again it’s functional.

AllShare:

The AllShare has been well presented and is pretty much steadfast with videos, photos and music, but typically when it comes to DLNA offerings, this feature from Samsung is again restricted to a PC only.

Electronic Program Guide:

Electronic Program Guide, which is simply heaps to handle. This eight days EPG has been given a stylish presentation with a Freeview HD logo above a cute little thumbnail of the current live channel on the TV. Alongside this one might find the programme details along with a short synopsis, then again the latter is just a one liner and if you wish to gain access to the synopsis, you will have to use the Info button found in the remote. With about a third of the display’s real estate already occupied, the listings have been set out below it for just six channels over a couple of hours. However, it is also possible for you to swap to an entire evening’s schedules on a single channel. Though the EPG might seem kind of messy for some, trust us, the software blazes through and is fairly responsive to directions from the remote control, be it swapping to a different day or skipping time periods occurs in the blink of an eye. Pressing the Content button from the remote directs you to a screen where there is a display of rolling icons for AllShare DLNA, Media Play and  Internet@TV.

 

Warranty:

Samsung offers LE40C650 LCD TV one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

The Samsung LE40C650 LCD TV is a dream LCD TV for anybody on a budget.  It is equipped with some amazing features such as DivX HD files, Media Player software for USB playback, eight day EPG and Freeview HD. Performance wise, the hi-def sharpness together with colours sure is impressive, as is the sense for depth and seamless movement – thanks to the 100Hz engine. Despite having a tempting set of features, the LE40C650 is actually a low-end line up of Samsung for 2010. This is just misleading and proof of just how far the flat TVs have come at the moment. Just for an additional £200, you will get the C750 Series, that adds up 3D compatibility with 200Hz Motion Plus. With such all round design, features and performance, the Samsung LE40C650 LCD TV is hard to resist.

Samsung LE40C650 LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Samsung
Model Name	Samsung LE40C650 LCD TV
Dimensions (W x H X D)	976.2 x 659.3 x 255mm
Colour	Black
Weight	17.7kg
Screen Size	40″ (101cm)
Resolution	1920 x 1080 Pixels
Vesa Wall Mount Support	Yes (32 – 40″ : 200 x 200)
Peak Luminance Ratio	65%
Dynamic Contrast Ratio	TBD
LCD 100Hz	Yes
Picture engine	HyperReal Engine
Dolby	Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Pulse
SRS	SRS TheaterSound
Speaker	10W x 2
dts 2.0 + Digital Out	Yes
Speaker Type	Down Firing
Woofer	No
Input and Output
HDMI	4 (Side : 1 , Back : 3)
USB	2 (Side)
Composite (AV)	1
Audio Out L-R (Mini Jack)	No
Component (Y/Pb/Pr)	1
RF Input	1
Headphone	1
Digital Audio Out (Optical)	1
DVI Audio In (Mini Jack)	1
Ethernet (LAN)	1
CI Slot	1
Scart	2
PC In (D-sub)	1
Colour	Rose Black
Swivel	Yes
Eco friendly	Yes
Wide colour enhancer	Yes
Clear Motion Rate	TBD
Other features	Internet@TV Allshare (Powerd by DLNA) BD Wise Channel List USB-Clone Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) Auto Channel Search Clock & On/Off timer EPG Game mode Picture-in-Picture WiFi Adaptor Support Sleep Timer Digital Noise Filter Teletext (TTXT) Wireless Remote Control
Power Consumption	< 0.30 W
Warranty	1 year

Today, we are here to review Sony’s first TV set to be equipped with an on-board Freeview HD tuner; the Sony Bravia EX503 KDL-40EX503 LCD TV. It is hard not to get excited to review a Freeview HD, particularly after having loads of HD channels for sometime now from Sky and few others from FreeSat too. But our reviewing place cannot be a good representative of the UK households; because, for many people, purchasing a satellite dish and even a new receiver for FreeSat HD is too much of a hassle and mess. In addition to this, the monthly subscription cost of getting Sky’s HD platform is not to think about. To be honest, a good chunk of the population is not yet aware of what HD is, so an HD service that can be received for free through your TV aerial is potentially quite a big deal. Read on to find out how this machine fares.

Design:

Being positioned as second next to the unseen EX403 in Sony’s ladder of Freeview HD TV, the EX503, being the flagship model has two major boons, one being that it has a big aesthetic advantage and the latter is a feature based one. Being on the design part, we will discuss about the aesthetic advantage, which is a brushed aluminium panel running across the edge of the TV’s floor, adding a touch of opulence, which is otherwise just an everyday black rectangle of the rest of the bezel. At just under 10cm deep, the Sony KDL40EX503 LCD TV is quite chunky in comparison to today’s LED models, but the set’s design does a fairly good job of hiding the extra girth. The back of the chassis curves away from the edge of the bezel to produce a more slimline look. So though it is not something that looks really stunning, it does manage to still maintain its stylish looks.

It is worth mentioning here about the makeover that the remote control has gone through which feels more comfy to be held in the palm as against its skinny predecessor, along with chunky buttons that is easy to identify even in the dark.

User Interface:

Now, lets move on to setting up this beauty. After a few initial issues, for instance, taking a few minutes to figure out how to insert the batteries into the remote, we agreed that the OS of the EX503 is actually excellent. A wide range of key features namely Internet Video has been allotted dedicated keys in the remote, which is quite impressive in itself. As always, it is just matter of time before you get friendly with Sony’s PS3 on-screen menu, which is a double-axis XMB-style. The EPG for finding stuff on the Freeview platform is nice too, which combines heaps of neatly presented information with a sensible navigation system along with a tiny picture of the channel that you are watching at the moment, playing in the top-left corner.

Connectivity:

The online services, about which we will discuss shortly, are piped into the Sony Bravia 40EX503 LCD TV through either a built-in Ethernet port, or an optional Wi-Fi USB dongle. Other connectivity options flanking the Ethernet jack are 4 HDMIs, a 2.0 USB port that is capable of playing JPEGs, MP3s and DivX/AVC/AVCHD/MPEG4 video files together with a PC port and 2 Scarts. Not to mention, that the Ethernet port can also be used for streaming in multimedia stuff from a DLNA certified PC. Our only issue concerning the connections, is the fact that there is only one USB, which will be a real pain on the ass if you opt to choose the optional Wi-Fi dongle, and also want to sometimes use a USB storage device to play files into the TV.

Features:

MotionFlow 100Hz system:

We will discuss about the additional feature boon the EX503 has over the EX403 as we had promised earlier now. Guess no further, it is the MotionFlow 100Hz system that has been devised to minimise the judder and core issues that are caused by Motion Blur. This is too far from the end of the processing story of the 40EX503.

Sony Bravia Engine 3:

This flagship model with a Freeview HD onboard sports Sony’s Bravia Engine 3 System, has its major focusing on improvising everything from standard definition upscaling to colour to sharpness and contrast.

Online Capabilities:

Though the above discussed Sony Bravia Engine 3 has been carried over from last year, the Sony KDL-40EX503 40 inch LCD Television has taken a massive leap forward when it comes to its online capabilities. Here, in our site we had discussed about the broke nature of the AppliCast online system which was employed in some of last year’s Bravia models. Hence, it is a big relief to find Sony’s 40EX503 taking stuff to a much higher level, which includes, most notably, heaps of smooth HD Video Processing.

YouTube:

One feature that we have to give a special welcome, not because most of the rival platforms have been offering for a long time now is the support for YouTube. The feature includes most of all the famous features that can be found on the other online television platforms, such as easy remote control access to lists of Top Rated videos, Most Popular, Most Discussed, Featured, Most Responded, Most Viewed and Top Favourites. As you might be aware, the quality of these videos is mostly dependent on how they had been encoded to the servers of YouTube, but the Bravia Engine 3 engine does an acceptable job in upscaling them to the HD resolution of the 40EX503.

DailyMotion:

There is additional video content via DailyMotion, more or less YouTube’s competitor with less content but lots of HD. Also check out the 2 “how to” video services that includes the eHow and howcast that covers almost anything and everything right from solutions for unemployment to wading off a jet lag or even finding love with a Cancerian. How can you not fall in love with internet?

Sony Digital Cinema Concert Series:

Sony’s Digital Cinema Concert Series is one of the other most intriguing new video streaming services of the company. We found it to be featuring concerts from Chickenfoot, ThirdEyeBlond and Creed, and it also includes the backstage footage. However, when we tried to play it, none of it actually did. Even though it might be quite embarrassing for Sony for its own content to fail, we think that the entire system is still in its very early days and will be fixed once the TV starts picking up on the shelves.

Blip.tv:

Yet another latest Sony service is the blip.tv, which is designed to provide an online channel for the ‘quirky’ independent TV series. A couple of series in this come in HD, that managed to stream stuff perfectly well into the Sony Bravia 40EX503 40? Wide Screen LCD TV with just the conventional 2MB broadband.

Ford Models service:

The next one included is rather a bizarre one, which is a Ford Models service. Here, you get to see the range of models from the Ford agency talking you through their photograph portfolios and giving beauty tips. Though Sony’s intentions to add this looks to be nothing but noble fashionista intent, it is our weird feeling that it makes a good late night watch for all those single blokes out there.

Miscellaneous:

The OnNetworks portal provides stuff like videos of the gaming world, HD video of tourist resorts along with video golfing tips. Again, if you have a flair for golfing then you will love the profound golfing content, courtesy golflink.com, who help you via videos to improvise your golf techniques. There is more lifestyle content coming from livestrong.com. This site is loaded with pages of video clips that detail on everything, from dealing with diseases to improving your appearance and relationships. If music is your cup of tea, then Sony has not left you alone, there is the SingingFool portal, from where you will be able to get a hale and hearty selection of music videos from new, wannabe bands across a variety of genres. Yet another online service – penultimate is a facility where you get to listen to podcasts provided by the most famous sources like the CNN and NASA.

The Sony KDL-40EX503 40-inch LCD TV sports a buffer that is capable of storing up to seven seconds of video material, which definitely aids with the TV’s Video Streaming capabilities. It also has support for PING monitoring, where the equipment assesses the quality of the connectivity to a particular site and accordingly, even adjusts the quality of the video received, whenever possible.

Challenges currently faced by Freeview HD:

The Freeview HD is being transmitted by the Crystal Palace Transmitter since December 2009. For people to get their hands over Freeview HD, people need to upgrade their transmitters and the service is currently only available from two transmitters; the above mentioned Crystal Palace Transmitter in London and the Winter Hill of North West. Though around 60% of the population is expected to get FreeView HD by the end of the year 2010, there will still be a huge chunk of the population that will not be able to receive FreeView HD until 2011, that is, at the earliest. This regionalism is hugely unfair, given the fact that we all pay the same TV license fee, which is of course, not Sony’s fault. As you can imagine, Sony would have loved to see every UK household to receive Freeview HD; as for now their hope is, those people who are lucky enough to receive FreeView HD will equip themselves with the TV to enjoy it and those who are not so lucky will fancy buying the TV and make themselves future proof.

If you are quite keen in finding out how much you might have to wait before the Freeview HD revolution reaches you, there is a postcode checker in the official FreeView website. One more glitch of the Freeview HD we ought to cover here is on the amount of HD content on Freeview. Currently, there is just the part time BBC HD channel and quite an intermittent content available from ITV. However, Channel Four’s HD content is expected to hit the platform quite soon and anyway, for a people with less heavy wallets, having any HD channel at all through your TV aerial is heaps better than not having any.

 

 

Warranty:

Sony KDL-40EX503 LCD TV comes with one year warranty for parts and labour.

Sony KDL-40EX503 40-inch LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Sony
Model Name	Sony Bravia
Model Number	KDL-40EX503
Display type	LCD Display
Dimensions (W x D x H)	99.2 x 63.6 x 26.0 cm
Weight	16.4 kg
Colour/Finish	Glossy Black
Screen Resolution	1920 x 1080 pixels
Speakers	2 x 10W (Dolby Digital and Analogue stereo)
PC  Sync	Yes
Screen Size	40 inches
Video signal	576i, 480p, 576p, 1080i, 720p, 1080p and 24p input
Picture features	High Dynamic Contrast CCFL Backlight BRAVIA ENGINE 3 Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE) Intelligent Picture MPEG Noise Reduction Input Skip Ambient Sensor Live Colour Theatre Mode CineMotion/Film Mode/Cinema Drive Auto Picture Setting 24p True Cinema PhotoTV HD MotionFlow 100Hz Photo TV HD USB Player Auto Photo Mode (DLNA/USB/HDMI™) Picture Frame Mode Photo Map Eco Settings AFD (Auto Format Detect) PIP P&P
TeleText	Yes Text Page Memory: 1000
Timer	Clock, sleep timer, on/off timer
Connectivity	1 x Digital Audio Output (optical) 4 x HDMI™ Inputs HDMI™ PC Signal Capability PC Input (15pin D-Sub) + Audio In 1 x Component Inputs 1 x Composite Video In 1 x USB 2.0 Input Mini Jack (Head/Earphone) (3.5 mm) PCMCIA Card Slot RCA AV Input BRAVIA Sync RF In 2 x Scart Inputs (RGB) DLNA BRAVIA Internet Video Wireless LAN Built-in FreeView HD Tuner
PC interface	USB
Contrast Ratio	Mega
Stand	Yes
Digital Tuner	Yes
Box content	Operating instructions VESA mounting holes VESA hole spacing VESA screw Table top stand Remote Commander USB WiFi Adaptor
Power Consumption	106 W
Warranty	One Year

Technika is a brand that is exclusive to Tesco. Today we thought of having a look at the misty world of the superstore electrical departments where you can find LCD models at extremely low prices and find brands you have never heard of before are quite common.

We are very certain that you must have not heard about this brand, unless you have paid a visit to Tesco in search of a low end LCD TV. So, let us find out if Technika is simply a fancy, vaguely Germanic name manufactured for name sake or, is the LCD32-209 LCD TV a hidden diamond among the lot of budget craps?

Design proportional to cost:

You will not hear the Technika LCD32-209 LCD TV winning any design awards, unless the design engineers of Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic have totally gone out of their minds. This set is simply a flimsily built black coloured rectangle; nothing more and nothing less. But this has not disappointed us, because this is what we expected out of it, considering the fact that the LCD32-209 costs just about £280. This cost is just 10 pounds more than Godmans LD2667D and this model is just 26” and this one is a 32” telly. In fact, we are pretty sure that the Technika LCD32-209 is the cheapest model we had ever tested. Overall, the LCD32-209 looks its price, with a plasticky and bland design.

Surprising connectivity range:

Again considering how phenomenally cheap it is for a 32-inch TV, the fact that the TV sports two HDMIs is extremely pleasing, you must also note here that the Godmans were able to manage just one. This is not the end of the good news either when it comes to connectivity as the TV has also allotted both optical and coaxial digital audio outputs along with a subwoofer line out next to the expected SCARTs, the composite video input and component video output. We found that the only black spot in terms of connectivity is the absence of a D-Sub PC input for easy connectivity to an analogue PC.

Picture features:

It is important that the Technika LCD32-209 LCD TV has some good range of features that help with the picture quality of the set and not just with connectivity and interface. The all important resolution of the set is an expected HD Ready 1366 x 768. The claimed contrast ratio is, for what it is worth, 1000:1. Given how low this looks when compared to the 30000:1 or more that is now quite common in the world of LCD TVs, we just hope that it actually represents the native measurement of the screen, rather than being measured with the dynamic backlight feature of the set switched on. The moral of the story is that, never rely on the manufacturer’s quoted contrast ratio at ant times.

Performance:

Here, we come to the business end of the TV; that is, the AV performance of the Tesco Technika LCD32-209. Overall, the picture quality can be said to be astonishingly good in a few areas and crappy in others. We will give you the bitter news first and then move on to the sweet news.

Colour tone:

Yet another gripe with the picture is its colour tone when in Standard Definition. Particularly, the skin tones look weird all too often; it is either pasty or too pinkish. The other quite neutral colours have a tendency to look slightly soft too. If at all the Technika LCD32-209 has any colour punch at all, it is exhibited only when there is some really rich standard definition stuff such as the SKY News graphics.

Noise Handling:

The final gripe picture wise is the Noise Handling of the Technika LCD32-209 LCD TV. The sources ten to look rather, say alive with grains and even some occasional MPEG noise, in both Satndard Definition and High Definition. This is the case even having the noise reduction system on the only setting that can be contemplated as low.

Black levels:

As we had promised to you earlier, there are a few positives too on the Technika LCD32-209 and a few of those are quite surprising. The first one is the black levels; we are not saying that there are no graying parts over the pictures that are meant to be black at all, but it is not so bad to be really very distracting as found in the budget models. These decent black levels are just enough to offer a really decent deep counterpart to the bright and rich picture elements that ensure the extreme contrast material look genuinely punchy and attractive. There were no much of instability in dark areas, either, and this is the case even with the automatic dimming feature in action.

HD Performance:

The High Definition pictures  in Technika LCD32-209 LCD TV  look quite impressive too. The colours were astonishingly believable and dynamic with HD ones than what can be observed on the Standard Definition sources. Again, when it comes to relatively static material, the crispness and details of the HD images are mind blowing.

In fact, under the right settings and circumstances, the pictures on LCD32-209 can look very good indeed; it will be far better than what you can expect is possible on such a budget telly. It is a shame that the video of Technika is spoiled by its nasty habit pictures that move on a regular basis. This is the point at which all the admirable HD sharpness is immediately undone by the heavy motion smearing issue.

Audio:

It is the uninspiring built quality on which the audio quality of the LCD32-209 belies, by actually sounding quite good. You will be able feel a nice sense of depth and width to a good movie sound track. The voices are quite clean and rich, and the treble details have been presented aggressively offered without sounding any harsh. In fact, there is even a fair bit of bass to be heard from time to time.

Warranty:

Tesco offers its Technika LCD32-209 LCD TV one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

On the boons side of the Technika LCD32-209, there is the very low cost for an HD ready 32” LCD TV, decent audio, decent contrast, black levels, HD quality and vibrant colours and on the banes side there is the nasty motion handling, noisy pictures and the colour tones that look really strange on the standard definition. Even though the motion handling issues of the LCD32-209 are impossible to be ignored, there is quite a good deal of positivity to at least make us look forward for its future releases. We cannot recommend it is a lounge product, but if you have a “Video Game addict” at your home, this might prove to be a worthy investment to give you some peace of mind for a while.

Technika LCD32-209 LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Tesco
Model Name	Technika LCD32-209
Model Number	LCD32-209
Dimensions (H x W x D) in mm	776 x 567 x 212 mm
Weight	12.3 kg
Colour	Black
Display size	32″
Display technology	LCD
Display Format	720p, 1080i
Resolution	1366 x 768 pixels
Contrast Ratio	1000:1
Brightness	500 cd/m2
Pixels	1049088
Viewing angle	176  degree
Dual TV Tuner	Yes
Integrated Freeview tuner	Yes
Colour temperature control	Yes
Remote Control	Infra Red
Picture in Picture	Yes
Audio Output	Stereo
Total output power	14 W
Connectivity	2 x HDMI 1 x Component 1 x RGB Scart 2 x Scart Sky High Definition compatible HDCP
Additional features	Noise reduction, film mode, dynamic backlight system, game mode
Warranty	1 year

Toshiba was not much popular when it comes to TV, but however, has managed to turn out to be a famous brand amongst other LCD TVs since the unveiling of their Regza series almost a year ago. Then again, the most evident omission in this series up until now is its capabilities to transmit 1080p signals.

 

Design:

Stunning looks:

The 42X3030D LCD Television definitely stands out of the crowd. It stands out from its entry-level predecessor Regza 42C3030D by boasting a black glossy bezel as against the matt finish. The end result – a stunning TV. While there are no complacent labels boasting of technological proclamations along the bezel, the only clue that hints towards this LCD’s origin are the inscriptions Regza and Toshiba, the former on the top right and the latter justified at the center in the bottom. While some might consider this as a fuss remover, others who like to show off their latest technology will not be amused. Exploring further down brings us in contact with yet another strip that sports the timer indicators along with the LED power. The grey background of this area smoothly transitions from the blacks of the speaker grille and bezel trailing to the stand’s silver finish.

42 inch Screen:

The assembly of the screen looks to be decent with a skinny speaker neatly tucked under a glossy, clean front pane. It would not be exaggeration if we said that the speakers are barely noticeable and there is a very slim grille just beneath the screen, so there is literally nothing to detract from the clean, minimalist lines. While the front panel is tastefully designed, the rear panel looks deprived by way of a cheap feeling plastic supported by an unsteady stand that is unfortunately kind of wobbly.

On-TV Controls:

Primary controls have been hidden away at the right side and can be used to adjust channels and volume or even get access to the main menu system. However, if you got to tune channels, you will not be able to do so without the tall, slender remote. There is also easy to access provided for the composite video and stereo audio inputs in the primary controls section, but the age old S-Video connections have been entirely ignored.

Remote Control:

The tall slender remote control we just mentioned looks pretty much similar to the LG 42C3030D – well quite an improvement over its predecessors, yet kind of lags behind the TV’s design in terms of style stakes. The rubber buttons does not have a great tactile feedback and the arrow ring is not as responsive as other remotes that we have become familiar with. Well not that bad though, as the buttons are fairly chunky with the remote itself being pretty flimsy. The remote looks to be fairly responsive in the Freeview EPG too. Again, it came as a big surprise when we found out it has the capacity to jump forward (at a time 24 hours).

Power:

Toshiba has continued its tradition of using captive power cables on its TVs, of course a separate power cord has the advantage of being easily replaceable, but we cannot remember ever having a TV where the power cable failed.

Installation:

Set up of the Toshiba 42X3030D 42-inch HD Ready LCD TV is just a breeze as it comes with the swivel pedestal stand that is readily attached out of the box. All that you will have to do is, just lift up the TV and place it on the stand. Even the power cable comes readily fixed and tucked up neatly behind the panel, which is a change from the kettle power lead that is usually packed separately with HDTVs of this size.

Features:

User interface:

The menu system of the Toshiba 42X3030D 42? LCD Television mirrors the capabilities and range of the controls found in the earlier C3030D series.  The 42X3030D shares the same OSD as its cheaper sibling the 42C3030D, but this time around everything is applicable. The menu looks to be very obedient in taking orders from the remote and thus surfing the submenu is absolutely seamless. Although this LCD TV packs an ‘Exact Scan Mode’ in the menu, unfortunately the setting is applicable only to 1080 line panels. Well if you are wondering what the ‘Exact Scan’ means, it is nothing but the tag given by Toshiba for 1:1 pixel mapping, meaning if the 42X3030D is fed with a 1920 x 1080 signal, it tends to display images pixel by pixel, without any hint of over-scanning. As a result, you get a far superior picture sharpness wise, without any scaling involved.

Operation on the Toshiba 42X3030D is smooth and quiet, with no significant head splitting buzz or annoying high-pitched whine that afflicts some LCD panels.

Resolution:

Similar to its predecessors, the 42X3030D is a 42in LCD TV with a native resolution of 1920 x 1080, or Full HD as most of us like to call it. The Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels of the screen is compatible with all the HD signals including the most recent 1080p format used by the next generation DVD players and games consoles. As a matter of fact, Toshiba claims that the 42X3030D can deal with 1080p 60, 50, and 24 variants, which makes it a fairly flexible TV indeed. Of course, you can still happily input 720p and 1080i signals into the 42X3030D, and it will still do a very good job of displaying them more on image quality later though. Blu-ray and HD DVD movies can also be watched as they were intended using 24p scanning, which outputs even more realistic images sans any kind of audio distortion.

Freeview:

As a standard feature, a digital freeview tuner is included; it is just something that no TV should be without. If the BBC and ITV pact to offer a HD capable satellite service materialises in one or two years, we could see the introduction of HD tuners instead. The Freeview channels are tuned in automatically the very minute you turn the TV on for the first time.

 

 

Warranty:

Toshiba 42X3030D LCD TV comes with one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

It is a fact that Toshiba’s 42X3030D 1080p LCD TV is truly reserved for anybody who has his/her heart set on exploring High Definition, especially the latest 1080p format used by devices like Blu-ray and HD DVD players, and even the latest games consoles. Its affordable price means the design is slighted by average build quality, connectivity and underlying technology, but the HD picture performance is really impressive and the sound is surprisingly good, too.

The 42X3030D’s all-round capabilities make this a fairly good offer for users looking at good performance while keeping a tab on the price tag. It is not the best LCD out there, but the price to performance ratio is compelling.

Check other Toshiba LCD TV Reviews, Specs in this website.

Toshiba 42X3030D LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Toshiba
Model Name	42X3030D
Dimensions (W x H x D)	1027 x 725 x 333 mm
Cabinet colour	Glossy black
Weight	27.3 kg
Display
Size	42 inch
Resolution	1920 x 1080 pixels
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Image contrast ratio	6000:1 CR
Screen brightness	500 cd/m2
Features
3D Digital Comb Filter	Yes
Colour temperature control	Yes
Picture in Picture	No
Integrated Freeview tuner	Yes
HD formats	720p, 1080i, 1080p
Interactive features	Digital Text Electronic Programme Guide Fastext Favourite Channel Memory Now and Next Information Text Page Memory
Tuning	Analogue Tuner Auto Set-up Digital Ready Freeview
Other features	Integrated Signal Amplifier Off Timer Panel Lock Swivel Stand Wall Mountable
Audio
Surround sound effects	SRS WOW
Sound Output RMS	Stereo
Optional subwoofer	Yes
Speakers included	2
Total output power	20 W
Additional features	Bass Boost Internal Speakers ON/OFF NICAM Stereo Stable Sound
Input and Output (Back)
Analogue Audio Input	Yes
DVB Common Interface	Yes
Fixed/Variable Audio Output	Yes
PC input – WXGA	Yes
HDCP	Yes
HDMI	Yes
RGB (via Scart)	1
SCART	2
Composite (AV)	1
Sky High Definition compatible	Yes
Headphone	Yes
Component (Y/Pb/Pr)	1
Side AV Input	Yes
Swivel	Yes
Remote control	Infrared
Accessories	Remote control, 2x AA batteries
Warranty	1 year

From the oldest television in black and to the latest in 3D, we sure have come a long way. What used to be an evening with a whistling black and white Mickey Mouse in a rather large box has transformed slowly into an immersive and colourful House of Mouse experience with a system that is sleek enough to blend into the wall behind it. We have incorporated the latest technology which further enhances the way we watch and perceive. With technologies like High Definition and built in software like DLNA networking, television sets have evolved into nothing short of a theatre offering an amazing viewing experience.

Sharp, the well known Japanese company has always put in an effort to modernise and improve the quality of electronics that we use. Mastering in innovation, it has come with many trendsetting appliances since the beginning. Sharp is synonymous with quality LCD televisions and the likes. Sharp takes on a new challenge and introduces an LCD television backlit with LED. This is not what is new about it though. Even as everyone is scuffling about raising a hue and cry about the next big thing in television being 3D, Sharp decided to follow its own path. The television Sharp LC46LE821E is one of three in its new line of Quattron television sets and boasts the usage of the quad pixel technology, designed to spice up the way you watch. Sharp has become the first to venture with this. Why don’t we find out more?

Design:

Sleek:

Sharp has done away with its usual unique look and has come to terms with looking like most of its competitors. The 46 inch screen is quite slim and sleek. The glass coating makes it a bit heavier than most but on the other hand it is scratch-proof. LC46LE821E  46″ LCD TV is also the first of Sharp’s to use LED lighting and hence the slenderness. It weighs around a hefty 30 kilograms. The dimensions are 785 X 1127 X 39 mm (H x W x D) without the stand and just the depth varies as 340 mm including the stand.

Display:

As with the case of every LED backlit LCD television, the LCD is either illuminated from behind or from the side by the LEDs. Its touch sensitive controls are located at the bottom edge and blend in without troubling the elegant design of its exterior. The stunning display of the LC46LE821E is attributed to its one of kind and the very special quad pixel technology which we will explain in detail later on.

Features:

Quad Pixel Technology:

We guess that if the Sharp LC46LE821E LED Backlit LCD TV had any special feature to mention, it would definitely be the 4 colour pixel technology that Sharp had decided to throw in. This has won an award and plans to give 3D a run for its money. Now what do we know about the usually used pixel technology? Well, generally there are only three colours used, i.e. red, blue and green. This means we will be able to view the colours that fit into that particular colour triangle.

What Sharp has done here is, they have introduced a fourth colour, yellow. This translates to a wider triangle meaning you can experience more vibrant colours and vivid images. The company worked four hard years to perfect this technology. They had to make space for the fourth colour by reducing the size of the other three and it is probably not as easy as it sounds seeing as they took four years.

The Quad Pixel technology is truly exhilarating and also very rewarding. The introduction of this has brought it on par with the display and video performance of the Philips 9000 series and that is truly an achievement. We expected slight improvement in the vividness of the images but we got so much more. The colour and detail was animated and clearly on a whole new level.

Connectivity:

The connectivity options that are provided are also quite impressive. The Sharp LC46LE821E Full HF LED LCD TV comes with HDMI ports, an Ethernet port and RS-232 jack all to be connected at the side reducing the chaos behind the system. The Ethernet port is used to access files on a DLNA enabled computer. DLNA allows you to sync between other such enabled devices without much physical hassle. Sadly, this innovation lacks built Wi Fi that every other system seems to be coming with nowadays.

FreeView:

Enjoy Freeview HD which offers free high definition programs minus the extra cost. Just plug in and watch your favourite programs. Afraid you will miss one? Then you can also record them onto the built in 8GB hard drive.

Performance:

Video Performance:

In this regard, the quad pixel is the star of the show. It beautifully crafts the image onscreen making it more lifelike. The yellow sub pixel is everything it was hyped to be. With motion judder reduction and the 100Hz processing, you can perceive a clear image without motion lag.

Audio Performance:

Audio performance in LC46LE821E 46-inch LCD Television is decent. It is similar to what you would experience with other slim televisions and such. It is satisfactory within a certain level and turn it up beyond that, you might get hints of disoriented sound.

Power Consumption:

The X Gen panel allows a wider aperture and therefore there is more intake of colours which reduces the needs for more backlighting elements. This also helps reduce leakage current. Overall, the X Gen panel coupled with LED backlighting helps reduce power intake by a fair margin. The introduction of the quad pixel technology supposedly helps cut your power costs too.

7 Eco Technology:

7eco technology designed by Sharp features seven solutions for reducing power consumption and being environmental friendly. This consists of the X Gen panel and LED Brilliant which have already been mentioned. The next is ECO Picture Control which helps in controlling the backlight brightness. The OPC or Optional Picture Control reacts automatically modifies the brightness according to the ambience of the surroundings. The No Signal Off/ No Operation Off function also automatically acts. It switches the television into standby if there is no signal detection for more than fifteen minutes or no operation for a preset time. The last two are the main power switch and the eco power switch on the control.

Warranty:

A limited warranty period of 12 months is offered from the date of purchase. A repaired or replaced Product will be warranted for the balance of the original warranty period or for ninety days from the date of repair or replacement, whichever is the longer.

Verdict:

This is a first for Sharp, be it the cutting edge design or the technology, it has pulled off a decent innovation. The Quattron technology which was awarded the Best Innovation of the Year 2010 is bound to enthral you. Though the deeper blacks seemed rather gray and dull, it still offers a viewing experience that is perhaps better than 3D. The Freeview feature is enjoyed. Have we mentioned the Time Shift option that allows you to replay or pause whatever you are viewing? Well, it does that and also allows you to record 150 minutes of standard television and up to 60 minutes of high definition footage.

Its onscreen menu is also quite appreciated as it does not disturb your viewing while going through it. Instead, it takes care of all your needs from a corner. The huge selection of connectivity options is certainly welcomed. Also, the cost might make you want to reconsider but at the same time, it offers you a chance to experience something unique which might set a trend for the years to come.

Check other Sharp LCD TV Reviews, latest LCD TV Reviews in this website.


Sharp LC46LE821E LCD TV – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Sharp
Model Name	Sharp LC46LE821E LCD TV
Dimensions (H X W X D)	1127 x 734 x 39
Cabinet colour	Piano black and mirror glass front, silver frame
Weight	Set weight with stand: 18.5kg
Display
Size	46 inches
Resolution	1920 x 1080
LCD 100Hz	Yes
Audio
Sound Effect System	HD Sound system MPEG4 AVC / MPEG4 AAC, Virtual / Dolby Surround
Sound Output RMS	2 x 10 watts
Input and Output (Back)
HDMI	HDMI V1.4 / HDMI V1.3
Composite (AV)	No
PC input (D-Sub)	1
Component (Y/Pb/Pr)	1
RF Input	1
Headphone	1
RS232C	1
SCART	1
Swivel	Yes
Features
Picture in Picture	1 Tuner PIP
Other Features	Quad pixel technology, 7eco technology.
Power Consumption	0.2 W in standby mode
Warranty	12 months