LCD
Invasion
There’s been no better time to buy an LCD TV. John Archer explains why, examines each screen size and gives you 20 HD tellies to choose from...
n terms of sales, LCD is head and shoulders
I
above plasma as a flatscreen television technology. The jury is still out on their comparative picture qualities, but there’s little doubt that the bean counters and sales reps favour Liquid Crystal Display TVs. And so does the general public – we can’t get enough of them, it seems. Primarily, this is because prices have
plummeted – an HD Ready screen can be bought for less than £600 nowadays. But other factors are even more, in an AV sense, more tantalising. The technology has improved somewhat, and even its trademark dodgy blacks are creeping further towards the deeper end. And innovations in picture processing have started to eliminate other caveats, such as motion blur and edge noise. In short, there’s been no better time to seriously consider an LCD TV. So, to help you make sense of the mass-market minefield that is a TV showroom, here’s 20 top-rated HD TVs, some new, some favourites, that HCC recommends. We’ve even split them up into each popular screen size so you can focus on the ones that suit you best. But if you’d rather wait for the technology to mature further, we even supply some insight on what’s likely to happen later on in the great LCD invasion...
JUNE 2006
HCC148.lcd 49
HOME CINEMA CHOICE 49
11/9/07 17:58:35
Grouptest... 32in LCDs
PHILIPS 32PFL9632D £1,000 (approx) ◆ 0906 1010 016 ◆ www.philips.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
T
he arrival of the
power, and slips in a few new ingredients.
first TV bearing
One of these is judder-removing HD
Philips’ new
Natural Motion, which sports five times the
Perfect Pixel HD Engine
processing power of Philips’ old – and
technology, the
rather unconvincing – Digital Natural
32PFL9632D, has got
Motion application. As part of its
me excited and
machinations, HD Natural motion converts
disappointed all at the
24fps signals to 48Hz for a simple, clean
same time. Excited
2:2 pulldown process.
because I can’t wait to
Perfect Pixel HD also incorporates a colour
see how Perfect Pixel
booster circuit that ups saturation levels and,
improves on Philips’
courtesy of 14bit processing, generates a
already impressive
claimed palette of four trillion colours.
Pixel Plus 3 HD system.
One final new factor is 100Hz, which
Disappointed because
doubles the TV’s standard scanning rate to
of the TV’s 32in size
reduce LCD’s problems with retaining
– will it really be
clarity with moving objects. What’s more,
possible to appreciate
the 100Hz system gets an extra boost from
everything Perfect Pixel
Philips’ Clear LCD system, which uses
Engine is bringing to
a CRT-like scanning backlight to boost
the party on such
response times and black levels.
a relatively diminutive screen? Let’s start with a thumbs up to its aggressively glamorous design,
Revenge of the Sith quickly shows that
which combines a gloss anthracite
Perfect Pixel HD is a substantial advance
colour scheme, shiny silver trim and glass-covered pedestal stand to classic
SPECIFICATIONS ITEM HD Ready Progressive Scan Digital TV Tuner Composite video S-video Scart Component video HDMI/DVI PC input Headphone
SUPPORT ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
DETAILS Can display (non-native) 1080i NTSC and PAL formats both work Plus subscription CI slot 1 phono input 1 input 2 connections (1 RGB) 1 input 3 HDMI 1 VGA input 1 output
Sound: Nicam Stereo (2 x 8W) Resolution: 1366 x 768 Brightness: 550cd/m2 (claimed); Contrast: 8000:1 (claimed) Dimensions: 829(w) x 543(h) x 125(d)mm; Weight: 18.2kg Also featuring Perfect Pixel HD processing; HD Natural Motion processing, Dynamic contrast; 1080p/50/60/24/25/30Hz compatibility; 3/2 and 2/2 pulldown; 100Hz Clear LCD, USB port with JPEG, MP3, slideshow
50 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
HCC148.lcd 50
Performance The opening space battle in Star Wars: The
on even Pixel Plus 3. Particularly gratifying is the 100Hz/Clear
‘boys toy’ effect. And that’s before I’ve
LCD combination, which helps motion look
even mentioned its ‘stereo’ Ambilight
sharper, clearer and smoother – without
talents, whereby soothing, immersive
any significant signs of the glitching and
pools of light spill from its left and right
strangely processed look that characterise
sides. Gimmick? Yes. Good? Oh yes.
some rival systems, and Philips’ old Digital
Connections, meanwhile, are fulsome. Three HDMIs get the ball rolling nicely – especially as they all take HD formats up
Natural Motion system. Fine detail levels are nothing short of mesmerising – and that’s not something I
to and including the 1080p/24fps format
can often say about a 32in TV. Heaven only
found on most Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.
knows how strong Perfect Pixel HD’s
But also eye-catching are a USB port for
impact will be on a bigger screen.
playback of MP3, .alb slideshow, JPEG, MPEG1 and MPEG2 files; a digital audio output; and all the paraphernalia associated with a built-in digital tuner. There’s no D-Sub PC port, but the HDMIs can do PC duties. And so I come to the Perfect Pixel HD Engine. This takes the basic building blocks of Pixel Plus 3 HD, such as advanced noise reduction, detail enhancement and colour improvements, yet ups the processing
Scart and component inputs are present, as well as the twin HDMIs NOVEMBER 2007
11/9/07 17:58:58
Tried&Tested...
...AND THE BEST OF THE REST Samsung LE-32R87BD
Also extremely impressive is the set’s colour handling. It delivers remarkably
£550 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303 ◆ www.samsung.co.uk
natural skin tones for an LCD panel, while
◆
producing blend subtleties to rival full HD
It’s a testament to just how good Samsung’s R87 range is
screens, even though the screen’s native
– especially given its knock-down price – that members of
resolution is actually only 1366 x 768.
it appear in three of our four size groups in this LCD
Wrapping up the picture talents is an
Overall Rating ★★★★½
supertest. The thing that makes the 32R87, and its
impressive black level response, which
siblings, so special is the superb balance it treads
helps to generate a sense of scale to the
between good picture quality, superb design, great
shots of outer space during our Revenge of
connectivity, reams of features and, above all, price. If
the Sith battle sequence.
there’s another LCD TV on the market offering such great
In a perfect world the black level would
value, we ain’t seen it.
be deeper still, and there’s definitely room for improvement when it comes to viewing angles, as the contrast drops off dramatically
Panasonic 32LXD70
if you sit too far to the side. Finally in the negative column, you might need to turn all the motion processing off during fast sports footage, as I detected occasional ghosting
£800 (approx) ◆ 08705 357 357 ◆ www.panasonic.co.uk ◆ Overall
Rating ★★★★
Although our unashamed obsession with bigger screen sizes has meant we haven’t actually reviewed this TV in the pages of HCC yet,
over, say, a speeding cricket ball.
rest assured we’ve spent plenty of quality time with it and generally
Conclusion
love it to pieces. Like our Philips favourite, the 32LXD70 uses 100Hz to
But these are really quite small dents in
clean up motion, and while this isn’t quite as potent as Philips’ effort,
the armour of a 32in TV that uses bleedingedge tech to overcome almost entirely
it’s still a very worthwhile attempt. And it marries it with one of the crispest pictures in the business with standard- and high-definition alike.
LCD’s traditional problems with motion – a talent which makes it our favourite 32in flat TV ever. And of course, if the impact of Perfect Pixel HD can be so high on a TV this
Hitachi 32LD9700
small, it’s potential with bigger screens is
£750 (approx) ◆ 01628 643 000
simply mind-boggling…
◆
www.hitachidigitalmedia.com ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
Colour Black Level Contrast Resolution
✓ ✓ ✓
radically improve the TV’s viewing angle, contrast and motion response Poor
Average
Good
LAB REPORT
Excellent
This Hitachi model employs ‘IPS Alpha’ LCD panel design that’s claimed to time. And we’re happy to say that it delivers to some extent on all of these claims. The picture is very dynamic, with exceptionally vivid colours and an unusually high brightness output, plus you get oodles of fine
✓
detail in HD pictures. In fact, with some slightly deeper black levels and better audio this TV would have taken some beating to the top spot.
Sony KDL-32V2500 £650 ◆ 08705 111 999 ◆ www.sony.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★ As we wait and wait and wait for Sony to get its ruddy finger out and deliver the long-awaited all-new range of Bravias, the aging but still really rather good 32V2500 can now be found at knock-down prices on account of its relative vintage. The V2500 models are Sony’s step-up Bravias, and as such deliver such treats as a wide colour gamut system and a dynamic contrast arrangement for better blacks, resulting in pictures that still stand up today
A CI slot means owners can enjoy pay-per-view Freeview upgrades NOVEMBER 2007
HCC148.lcd 51
– at least at the sort of price point you can now find them at.
HOME CINEMA CHOICE 51
11/9/07 17:59:03
Grouptest... 37in LCDs
TOSHIBA 37X3030 £800 (approx) ◆ 08704 424 424 ◆ www.toshiba.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
U
sually at Home Cinema Choice we aren’t particularly bothered about how much things cost. Not
because we’ve got more money than sense or anything (sadly that couldn’t be further from the truth) – it’s just that our love of AV is such that we find ourselves reluctant to compromise on performance standards to save a few bob. But for our current favourite 37in LCD TV, we’re happy to make an exception. For the compromises demanded by Toshiba’s 37X3030 are actually way, way smaller than we’d have thought possible given its puny £800 price tag. Take, for starters, its build quality. It’s robust, impressively glossy, and quite stylish – far from the plasticky grey nastiness you often see at this price level. In terms of connections, the 37X3030’s
Colour Black Level Contrast Resolution
✓ ✓
✓
Poor
Average
Good
LAB REPORT
Excellent
highlights are two HDMIs, a D-Sub VGA
✓
SPECIFICATIONS ITEM HD Ready Progressive Scan Digital TV Tuner Composite video S-video Scart Component video HDMI/DVI PC input Headphone
SUPPORT ● ● ● ● ✕ ● ● ● ● ●
DETAILS 720p, 1080i and 1080p (inc 24fps) 480p, 720p and 1080p With 7-day EPG 1 phono input Not here 2 connections (1 RGB) 1 input 2 HDMI 1 D-Sub connection 1 output
Sound: Nicam Stereo (2x10W) Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 500cd/m2 (claimed); Contrast: 3500:1 (claimed) Dimensions: 920(w) x 614(h) x 122(d)mm; Weight: 21.1kg Also featuring Active Vision LCD processing, 24fps support, Exact scan mode, MPEG noise reduction, Digital noise reduction, 3D digital comb filter, 20W audio output, Bass boost
52 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
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port, a digital
contrast
audio output for
ratio, which at 3500:1 is
shipping out multichannel
every bit as high as that promised by many
audio tracks received via the
screens costing way more.
HDMIs, and a subwoofer line out for
Naturally this contrast ratio figure comes
attaching an optional low-frequency
with a rider, in that it’s only achievable with
speaker. All good stuff for the money.
the help of a dynamic backlight system that
Arguably the single biggest attraction of the 37X3030, though, is its full HD pixel
reduces the picture’s brightness when dark scenes are detected, in order to make black
count. Normally you’d struggle to find a decent 1366 x 768 37in TV for £800, yet the 37X3030 has all 1920 x 1080 pixels necessary to show without scaling down the 1080-line sources which make up practically all of the UK’s HD material. What’s more, the set’s HDMIs can take 1080p inputs, including the pure 24fps format that most films are encoded in on Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. The good times continue to roll with the 37X3030’s claimed
Two Scarts and a component input: two HDMIs are lurking nearby NOVEMBER 2007
11/9/07 17:59:10
Tried&Tested...
levels look deeper. But while this brightnessreducing arrangement might count as a disadvantage of the 37X3030 versus
...AND THE BEST OF THE REST
plasma TVs, similar arrangements are also
Samsung LE-37R87BD
used by practically every other LCD set. There’s only one disappointing element
£700 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303 ◆ www.samsung.co.uk
in the 37X3030’s specifications, and that’s
◆
the lack of the solid 100Hz engine that
This terrific Samsung contender, and another member of
Overall Rating ★★★★
helped motion look clearer on some
the R87 fraternity, may lack the Full HD resolution of our
previous Toshiba sets.
Toshiba champ, but it does its hardest to compensate.
Performance
it suitably future-proofed. There is also picture processing
In action, the 37X3030 hugely outperforms
galore, some of the best black levels yet seen from an LCD
its price point. For instance, despite only
TV and the gorgeous Samsung design. Oh, and a price
being 37in across, the TV enjoys clearly
even lower than the Tosh’s.
Connectivity is excellent, with three HDMIs making
visible benefits with HD courtesy of its Full HD native resolution. Colour blends, for instance, are unusually smooth thanks to the screen’s high pixel density. Plus the scintillating levels of fine detail on show in
Philips 37PF9731D
the card-playing scenes during the Blu-ray
£1,900 (approx) ◆ 0906 1010 016
of Casino Royale are delivered with true Full HD aplomb, and without a trace of noise (provided you use the 1:1 pixel mode). More general strengths find the picture looking bright and intensely coloured, with natural colour tones – especially during bright scenes. Motion is handled adequately, losing surprisingly little
◆
www.philips.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
Costing over twice as much as the Toshiba 37X3030, it’s just as well that this Philips model has an amazing amount to offer. The most immediate attraction is Ambilight Surround, which spills coloured light from the TV’s four sides to make the viewing experience more immersive and relaxing. But also key are its Full HD resolution; memory card slot/two USB ports/ Ethernet jack for multimedia playback; a ClearLCD scanning backlight systes; and Philips’ Pixel Plus 3 HD processing.
resolution for a set without any 100Hz system. Finally, the Tosh handles the upscaling of standard-def sources to its Full HD pixel count with refreshing credibility. Black level, though, does fall short of
Sharp LC37XD1E £1,100 (approx) ◆ 0800 138 5051 www.sharp.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
the best LCDs, causing some greyness over
◆
dark scenes.
This 37incher from Sharp offers 1080p support and bags of features. What’s more, its performance is subjectively as good as
Conclusion
that of the Toshiba 37X3030, meaning the Sharp only missed
The bottom line here is that despite its
out on bagging our ‘favourite 37in LCD TV’ title on account of
slight black level shortcomings, the Toshiba
its £300-higher price tag. So it’s definitely one to look out for
37X3030 is a cracking entry-level ‘in’
a discount on.
to the joys of Full HD. And for that we are truly thankful.
Loewe Modus L 37 £1700 ◆ 0800 027 6465 ◆ www.loewe-uk.com ◆ Overall
Rating ★★★
We’ve thrown this one in for the fashion aficianados among you. For although its performance is certainly good, it’s not good enough in itself to justify the £1,700 price tag. The key is that in true Loewe style the Modus L 37 is a seriously pretty thing, available in platinum or Anthracite finishes, and with the option of being mounted on a truly sumptuous silver ‘pole’ floor stand. Hubba.
Long, thin, and simple to use. Yep, it’s a Toshiba remote NOVEMBER 2007
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HOME CINEMA CHOICE 53
11/9/07 17:59:13
Grouptest... 40/42in LCDs
SHARP LC-42XD1E £1,300 (approx) ◆ 0800 138 5051 ◆ www.sharp.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
I
f you ask me, it’s only when you get to
42incher. And, happily, its HD friendliness
the 40-42in screen sizes that things
is ably supported by 1080p compatibility
really get interesting in the TV world.
via the HDMIs and a pixel-for-pixel mode
Not just because this is
(called Underscan in the TV’s menus) that
the sort of size where
removes nasty overscan processing during
a TV starts to turn into
HD viewing.
a home cinema centrepiece, but also
Two other noteworthy features are a dynamic contrast system that reduces the
because this is the level
output of the backlight during dark scenes
where brands start
to up black levels, and Sharp’s truD image
to go the extra mile
processing, designed to improve motion
with cool features and
judder, contrast and sharpness.
harsh price competition. So Sharp can justly
Clearly there are TVs with more formidable
itself for bagging the
specifications than the 42XD1E. But what
honour of being our
I like so much about this Sharp is the way
favourite 40-42in LCD TV.
it makes the most of what it’s got to
Even if the honour isn’t
deliver a scintillating Full HD performance
down to performance
that doesn’t break the bank.
skills alone, owing a
ITEM HD Ready Progressive Scan Digital TV Tuner Composite video S-video Scart Component video HDMI/DVI PC input Headphone
SUPPORT ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
DETAILS 720p, 1080i and 1080p Compatible with 480p, 720p, 1080p With 7-day EPG 1 phono input 1 input 2 connections (x RGB) But only via VGA and adaptor 2 HDMI 1 VGA 1 output
Sound: Nicam A2/Surround Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 450 ANSI Lumens (claimed); Contrast: 1200:1 (claimed) Dimensions: 920(w) x 600(h) x 115(d)mm; Weight: 25.1kg Also featuring PC capable, 1:1 pixel mapping; dynamic contrast enhancement; black stretch; geometry adjust, truD processing, backlight adjust, DNR
54 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
HCC148.lcd 54
Check out for starters the fine detail
small debt to the old
the set portrays. The pixel-perfect
‘value’ thing…
rendition of Casino Royale on Blu-ray
The 42XD1E’s push for
SPECIFICATIONS
Performance
feel very pleased with
contains countless dazzlingly detailed and
the top starts right
textured scenes, such as the shots of
away, with some real
Bond in the grounds of his recuperation
pretty-boy looks.
hospital – and the 42XD1E portrays every
But then it stumbles a
one with the sort of precision that
touch with its connections, as there
only a large 1920 x 1080 display can
isn’t a dedicated component video
muster. In fact, with Sharp’s image
input. Instead you have to use an adaptor
processing seemingly more subtle than
(thankfully provided) and the PC port,
that of many rivals, the set’s Full HD
meaning you can’t simultaneously connect
performance is purer than usual.
a PC and a component source like an Xbox 360. Still, you do at least get twin HDMIs for digital HD duties. Where the 42XD1E really starts to score
The ‘Full HD difference’ can also be seen in the subtle colour portrayal, as skin tones look totally believable and even the slightest of blends is delivered without
is with its Full HD native resolution
striping or stepping thanks to the extra
– a definite surprise on such an affordable
pixel density.
Looking for the component input? Well, there isn’t one. You’ll have to use the VGA input and an adaptor NOVEMBER 2007
11/9/07 17:59:16
Tried&Tested...
Good colours generally owe a big debt to a good black level, and so it proves here. I wouldn’t say the 42XD1E delivers
...AND THE BEST OF THE REST
the deepest black level yet seen on a 40-42in LCD TV, but it gets close.
Samsung LE-40R87BD
What’s more, dark areas retain enough
£800 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303 ◆ www.samsung.co.uk ◆
shadow detail to keep them looking
Overall Rating ★★★★½
natural and involving.
Another LCD selection, another appearance by a member
The 42XD1E is great with HD, but
of Samsung’s R87 range. In fact, this is our personal
it’s also far from a slouch with
favourite of the excellent lineup, with the features,
standard-definition either, which is
looks and picture talents to make its £800 price point look
important as SD fare is still very much
so cheap it’s stupid. The only thing you need to bear
a staple of the home cinema
in mind before charging off down the shops is that the
experience. Sure, there’s more noise
screen’s resolution is HD Ready rather than Full HD,
and smearing, and less colour
and that its pictures therefore aren’t as accomplished as
consistency, but the overall results still
those of the Sharp.
outdo the standard-def performances of most Full HD rivals. Inevitably, for £1,300, Sharp’s 42XD1E
Philips 42PF9831D
is not perfect. It can slightly exaggerate
£2,000 (approx) ◆ 0906 1010 016
noise that may be inherent to particularly poor quality digital or analogue
◆
broadcasts; it’s possible to mess pictures up if you’re not very careful with the TV’s
www.philips.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
Time and competition have now nearly halved the Full HD 42PF9831D’s original £3500 price, making this a true high-end TV you can actually afford.
settings; and just occasionally the dynamic contrast system’s machinations
What makes it high end? Well, it’s got Philips’ Clear LCD technology, Pixel Plus 3 HD image processing, and Ambilight Surround.
become a touch obvious.
Last but not least, there’s the small matter that its pictures, at least
Conclusion
with HD sources, are simply stunning.
As I said, though, these flaws stop the 42XD1E being perfect; they don’t stop it being very good, especially for its money. So if you want a great Full HD
LG 42LF66
performance for relative peanuts, your
£1,000 (approx) ◆ 0870 607 5544
buck can very happily stop here.
◆
www.lge.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★
Colour Black Level Contrast Resolution
✓ ✓ ✓
Just £1,000 for a 42in Full HD LCD TV is frankly bonkers – especially when Poor
Average
Good
LAB REPORT
Excellent
This is another Full HD model that grabbed our eye on account of its price. it has some of the most vibrant colours in the flat TV world. Admittedly the set’s picture quality falls some way short overall of that of our Sharp winner, especially when it comes to black level. But if you never thought
✓
a £1,000 budget could extend to include a 42in 1080p LCD TV, think again.
Sony KDL-40V2500 £1100 ◆ 08705 111 999 ◆ www.sony.co.uk ◆ Overall
Rating ★★★★
We tested and loved the 46in version of this TV a while back, and believe us, the 40in version is every bit as good. Sony’s Bravia Engine processing works wonders on removing noise from pictures while allowing HD sources the room to breathe on their own. The feature count is healthy, too, and the picture quality is very good, even compared with many more recent TVs. Note, though,
Not exactly stylish, but the Sharp remote is simple enough to use NOVEMBER 2007
HCC148.lcd 55
that the native resolution is 1366 x 768.
HOME CINEMA CHOICE 55
11/9/07 17:59:20
Grouptest... 46in+ LCDs
SAMSUNG LE46F86 £1,900 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303 ◆ www.samsung.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
T
he LE46F86BD is particularly significant because it features Samsung’s debut take on the 100Hz
trend now sweeping the LCD world. Dubbed ‘100Hz Motion Plus’, its name suggests that, as well as doubling the PAL scanning rate of the picture, there’s an element of Samsung’s Motion Plus frame interpolation system – found with sets further down the brand’s current LCD range – included. This isn’t necessarily good news actually, as I’ve frankly had my doubts about Motion Plus so far. So here’s hoping the 100Hz element makes a real difference. Not that 100Hz is the 46F86BD’s only claim to fame. It also looks a million dollars, and sports a Full HD resolution of
1920 x 1080, supported by a ‘Just Scan’ 1:1 pixel mapping mode and three v1.3 HDMIs
Poor
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Average
Colour Black Level Contrast Resolution
Good
LAB REPORT
Excellent
all able to take 1080p/24 feeds.
sharper and smoother, they don’t resolve all the background There’s also
SPECIFICATIONS ITEM HD Ready Progressive Scan Digital TV Tuner Composite video S-video Scart Component video HDMI/DVI PC input Headphone
SUPPORT ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
DETAILS Including 1080p/24 NTSC and PAL formats both work Plus subscription CI slot 1 phono input 1 input 2 connections (1 RGB) 1 input 3 HDMI 1 VGA 1 output
Sound: Nicam stereo with SRS XT Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 500cd/m2; Contrast: 25000:1 (claimed) Dimensions: 829(w) x 543(h) x 125(d)mm; Weight: 32.8kg Also featuring Gamma control, 100Hz Motion Plus, DNIe, wide colour compatibility, backlight, black, white balance, Edge enhancement, colour space adjust, Digital NR, PC mode, Console Game mode, PiP, Wiselink USB connection
56 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
HCC148.lcd 56
judder during camera pans. And so as
Samsung’s DNIe system for boosting
General Grievous strides into the control
sharpness, contrast, motion handling and
room of his ship early on in The Revenge
colour; an Edge Enhancer for crispening
of the Sith, his body glides smoothly across
contours; and oodles of fine-tuning
the screen while the green lights in the
flexibility in the onscreen menus,
background still judder slightly.
with highlights including a black level
But on the upside, the new smoothness
booster, gamma control, and white
and crispness with moving objects is less
balance adjustment.
besmirched by processing artefacts than
Performance Setting the 46F86 to work on a few of our favourite things, one simple fact becomes immediately, blindingly obvious: the set’s picture quality is really superb. Let’s start with those all-important 100Hz talents. Covering the bad news first, they’re not as potent as those of Philips’ 32PFL9632. While they certainly make objects moving across the screen look
A compact array of connections. The HDMIs are version 1.3, too NOVEMBER 2007
11/9/07 17:59:24
Tried&Tested...
you find with Motion Plus alone on lesser Samsung TVs. So overall the 100Hz system produces a clear picture quality benefit
...AND THE BEST OF THE REST
without adding any negatives, and you
Sharp 52XD1E
can’t ask for much more than that. Other aspects of the picture are
£2,300 (approx) ◆ 0800 138 5051 ◆ www.sharp.co.uk
outstanding too. The brand’s adoption of
◆
Super Clear LCD panel technology has
This 52in version of our favourite 42in LCD set is
Overall Rating ★★★★½
resulted in some of the deepest, most
every bit as good as its smaller brother; in fact,
natural blacks yet seen on an LCD TV, and
its black level actually seems slightly better.
that trend continues here. They may not
For a screen with only two HDMIs, it’s perhaps
merit the extravagant 25000:1 contrast
a touch overpriced, but with new panels from Sharp
ratio claim that Samsung makes for the
due in the next couple of months, you may well be able
46F86, but dark scenes like those in
to find this one being heavily discounted now if you
Barbossa’s cave in Pirates of the Caribbean
look around.
look more natural and cinematic than on any current LCD rival. Colours are rich and vibrant too, with Star Wars’ light sabres exploding off the
Sony KDL 46X2000
screen, and skin tones benefit from
£2,600 (approx) ◆ 08705 111 999
pleasingly natural hues. HD animated fodder, meanwhile, looks simply sublime. HD fine detail levels are immense. You
◆
www.sony.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. For, despite being
can clearly – some might say alarmingly
around for almost a year now, this Sony is still rather overpriced, in
– make out, for instance, every tiny ridge
our humble opinion. And its black level isn’t as profound as that of
and pore in Uma Thurman’s big feet as she
more recent screens. But its Full HD resolution and Sony’s superb
tries to wiggle her big toe in Kill Bill.
Bravia Engine processing combine to produce arguably the crispest,
You do need to take care with the
cleanest HD pictures in the business.
46F86’s picture settings. Keep the contrast to sensible levels, only choose low-level settings for the 100Hz and noise reduction systems, and avoid the edge enhancer
Samsung LE52M87
entirely. And it’s only a solid performer
£2,700 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303
with standard-def, leaving low-quality
◆
digital broadcasts looking rather softer.
We make absolutely no apologies for putting a second Samsung
www.samsung.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½
screen into this section. For while the 52M87 may not have
Conclusion
Samsung’s 100Hz engine, and isn’t quite so accomplished
If you’re buying a TV like this you’re going
a performer as the 46F86, it’s still delivers amazing blacks,
to try and feed it an HD diet whenever you
colour performance and detailing for such a monstrously large
can. And with HD, the 46F86 is capable
screen. So much so, in fact, that this would probably have
of rewarding you with a big-screen LCD
become our featured TV were it not for the late arrival of its
performance truly worthy of making
higher-specced sibling.
it HCC’s ‘favourite big-screen LCD’.
LG 47LY95 £1,500 ◆ 0870 607 5544 ◆ www.lge.co.uk ◆ Overall
Rating ★★★½
Our bigging up of the 47LY95 has to start with a couple of riders. First, its standard-def performance is actually quite weak. And, second, its black level could definitely be better. But two things elevate the Full HD 47LY95 into our favourite LCD reckoning. It’s cheap as chips for a 47in screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution and its HD performance is often quite scintillating, with terrific fine
Pretty and reasonably organised, but the menus respond sluggishly NOVEMBER 2007
HCC148.lcd 57
detailing and the richest colours ever seen on a flat TV.
HOME CINEMA CHOICE 57
11/9/07 17:59:28
LCD Invasion
...AND WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
W
hile we were putting together
panels, all adds up. We’d be pretty
this collection of our favourite
surprised if we’ve not had our hands on at
LCD TVs, we got to wondering
least a couple of genuinely affordable
about what a similar feature in a year or
60in-plus models before the next
two’s time might look like. So get ready
12 months are out.
to share the rather random findings of our office crystal ball.
Another big question is how the basic LCD technology might change. And
Probably the most obvious difference
personally we suspect that the biggest
will concern screen size. The current 32in,
difference will probably be in the way LCD
37in, 40-42in and 46in-plus categories will
TVs generate their light.
very likely have shifted upwards, as we
The current single backlight system used
strongly expect 37in or maybe even 40in
by almost all LCD TVs seems to be a cause of
screens to become the default mass
too many fundamental problems regarding
market starting, point rather than 32in.
black level and motion to remain the same.
As for the upper size limit, well, the sky
In fact, the Philips 32PFL9632 in this feature
is the limit, frankly. For instance, the
has already got the ball rolling by using hot
friendly lady on this page is teetering
cathode fluorescent lamps in a scanning
‘As well as boasting on-paper specs to get pulses racing, it’s also something of a looker’ alongside a Sharp LCD measuring in at a staggering 108in. Now obviously, we’re not saying many
array to boost black level and motion. However, we suspect that LED backlighting will prove to the answer. The
of us will be having 100in-plus screens in
first LED-backlit flat TVs, such as Samsung’s
our homes come next year. But the
F9 series [pictured - bottom left], are due
industry’s drive to go ever bigger, plus the
in the UK before Christmas, and from what
reducing costs of producing large LCD
we’ve seen they have the potential to
108in LCDs: this time next year, we might all own one. But probably not
deliver previously unimaginable
ports as part of the slow but sure
black level response, smoother
progression towards PC/AV convergence;
motion and a far richer colour
increasingly advanced 100Hz-like systems;
palette than has been possible.
and more price erosion, at least at the large
The screen resolution situation will also change with most,
been talking in a year’s time about a new
HD 1920 x 1080 resolution.
potential rival to LCD in the shape of SED.
move towards HDMI v1.3 inputs as
HCC148.lcd 58
In an ideal world we might also have
if not all LCDs offering the a Full Other bits and bobs include a
58 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
end of the market.
But sadly, as with so many great ideas before, this glorious-looking flat TV option
standard; a likely growth in multimedia
now appears to have gone the way of the
connectivity such as USBs and Ethernet
dodo. Boo. ■
NOVEMBER 2007
11/9/07 17:59:35