DreamWorld of Latest LCD

Samsung UE55F8000

2013-05-18T22:56:00.004+05:00

Samsung UE55F8000

Tested at £2500

2013 is looking like a great year for TVs, and Samsung has set the bar high with a brilliant screen that features user-friendly smart improvements and a wonderfully clear and balanced image

For

Remarkably crisp and clear picture
Sharp edges
Natural skin tones
3D picture is brighter and smoother
Smart Hub redesign is slicker, More intuitive
Smart Touch remote control is responsive and fun to use

Against

Voice and motion controls have improved, but still not ideal
Price
New stand design needs a wide enough rack for rigid support
Picture settings need tweaking

We first set eyes on the Samsung UE55F8000 – Samsung’s flagship LED TV – at CES 2013, in Las Vegas in January. It shared pride of place on Samsung’s stand alongside its plasma F8500 sibling and the S9000 4K Ultra HD series.
The Samsung UE55F8000, then, is the first of 2013’s new ranges that we’ve got our hands on for review, and we’re excited.

This TV is a 55in LCD/LED Full HD Smart 3D set, and will cost you a not inconsiderable £2500. For that you get a substantial redesign over 2012’s models, and smarter features to entice both tech-lovers and the casual viewer.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Design

At first glance, the screen itself looks elegant and sleek. That could be said about quite a few flatscreen TVs, of course, but the Samsung UE55F8000 really looks the part.
A single piece of aluminium – Samsung is calling this style ‘Magnum’ – frames the 55in screen, with a slim bezel that shows off the full screen for immersive viewing. It feels premium quality as well. Measuring a slim 3.5cm in depth, the set feels rather light for a 55in screen: 17kg for the screen itself, and 18kg including the stand.

Now, the stand… We need to talk about the stand. The metal arc stand is designed to create a ‘floating display’ – and it does so rather elegantly. It’s certainly a good-looking design, and easy to set up (just a few screws and it slots into place easily), but there is a caveat.
It’s as wide as the screen itself: measuring 120cm, therefore, it’s too big for most standard-issue AV racks. Indeed, the stand hung over the edges of all the racks we use in our testing rooms – which leaves it prone to tilting forward if there’s the slightest push. Even if the support under the stand is wide enough, this is still a less-rigid design than used in 2012.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Tech specs

The Samsung UE55F8000 has an edge-lit LED display, with a Full HD resolution of 1920x1080 pixels – standard fare. What’s not standard is that this set features a quad core processor inside – a world first for Smart LED TVs.
It’s the crucial component that drives all the smarter upgrades and performance of the 2013 LED TV range: faster web browsing and multitasking, and clearer picture quality are all on the cards.
Connections are all housed neatly at the back of the TV: there are four HDMI inputs, along with three USB ports (one for recording), as well as component and composite inputs, a digital optical output, a headphone out, and an RGB scart input.
MORE: Samsung buys 3% stake in Sharp
The 55UEF8000 offers an ethernet LAN port for wired connection as well as built-in wireless connectivity. And for its main purpose it has one Freeview HD tuner, and one Freesat tuner with two feeds (a bit like a Sky box).
Samsung is offering a Smart Evolution kit that slots into the back of your new Samsung TV. This will allow you to upgrade the set every year to take in the latest technology in terms of performance, content and features, and is valid for up to four years.
Some of last year’s sets also have this feature, which means you can upgrade the 2012 Samsung Series 7, 8, and 9 sets to this year’s specification – the module will cost you around £280.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Set up

We’d recommend taking time to fine tune the screen to get the best possible picture. When first turned on, it looks overly etched and washed-out – this isn’t the exciting Samsung picture we’ve become accustomed to. We delved into the menus and started to fiddle around with the exhaustive picture settings to get it looking right – it takes quite a long time.
(Top tip: pick a Blu-ray film you’ve seen a couple of times – so you know exactly how the picture should look; we chose J J Abrams’s 2009 Star Trek.)
Samsung has provided its own test patterns in their advanced picture settings, but they’re no match for our trusty THX Optimiser disc. And all our tweaking was worth the effort. Once correctly calibrated, the screen jumped to life.
Notable tweaks included turning down the backlight, contrast and brightness levels, while we turned off the noise filters and motion processing. It’s always worth playing around with all these settings to see what each does, and to fine-tune them to your personal viewing tastes.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Features

One of the first things we spotted on our casual inspection of the UE55F8000 was that the built-in camera is hidden away at the top. Push down on it, and it smoothly pops out of the frame – it’s a nifty little design feature.
Use the 5MP camera for face recognition login into your Samsung account, for Skype, and for activating all the motion controls. Gamers take note: you might find the camera placement a bit impractical when attaching games console peripherals that demand to be placed on top of a TV – it’s an issue for any TV with a built-in camera on top.

The UE55F8000 also features S-Recommendation, an intelligent technology that learns your preferences based on what you’ve been watching, and recommends similar programmes tailored to you. We’ve seen hints of this in use in the time we’ve had with the TV, but it promises to become more personalised and effective over long periods of watching.
Android users also get the benefit of Dual View and Screen Mirroring features. Download the Samsung Smart View app onto your Android smartphone (we used the Samsung Galaxy S3) and you can instantly get the live TV feed on your portable smartphone, too.

At the time of writing the app wasn't compatible with our Google Nexus 4 (Jelly Bean 4.2.2 OS) nor various older Android phones. We expect device compatibility will improve, however.
Samsung’s AllShare app lets you mirror media to and from your smartphone and TV. Make sure you’ve got the latest Android software update for all the apps to work. There are currently no plans for any iOS support.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Smart Hub

The first thing you’ll see when you turn on your new Samsung UE55F8000 is the Smart Hub. Serving as both the homepage and the hub for all activity, Samsung’s Smart Hub has always been a shiny and colourful display, but the redesign takes it up another level.
It’s a slicker design, with tiles neatly arranged in a grid, and it takes cues from smartphone interfaces – for instance there’s a carousel effect when you swipe from one panel to the other.
Most people are now so used to smartphone touchscreen animations that it makes perfect sense to mimic the interface on to increasingly smarter TVs.

There are five panels for separate categories:
Social: displays all your social networking (Twitter, Facebook, Skype calls) – in one area. You can also pull up your Twitter feed when watching live TV shows, to keep up with the latest snippets of commentary.
Apps: the library of all the apps available. To name a few: BBCiPlayer, ITV Player, Demand 5, BBC Sport, YouTube, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, LoveFilm, Acetrax, Spotify…
On TV: Broadcast TV is now integrated into the greater Smart Hub interface. Along with a panel showing the current channel, there are previews of what’s coming up on different channels as windows into current programmes on select few channels. You can access your recorded programmes from this panel, as well as toggling between the electronic programme guide and a timeline guide view.
Movies & TV Shows: aggregates all the movies and TV shows available across different online services, so you don’t have to log into them separately – a much neater way of displaying the choices available.
Photos, Videos and Music: displays all your stored media files

We really like the revamped Smart Hub interface: it’s a fun and intuitive way to move around the TV, and used in conjunction with the supplied Smart Touch remote (also given a face-lift), it’s smooth and highly responsive. We also like the animation effect of the Apps tiles folding up and down – a little trick that goes a long way when you’re living with the screen.
It makes you want to keep coming back to the home page – well, you have no choice, really, but having both smart features and broadcast TV seamlessly integrate into each other feels more organic: TV and Smart are one and the same.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Smart Touch remote

As mentioned before, the Smart Touch remote control has been given a redesign, and it’s a more polished and responsive remote than last year’s offering. It’s a partially metal design with a touch pad that’s intuitive and easier to use.
Once again, it comes down to people being so accustomed to the touch-screen sensitivity of smartphones, that using one has become second nature – and it makes sense to adapt that design for remote controls.
It serves Samsung well here, as it has great responsiveness when flicking through the Smart Hub panels, and also when moving a cursor using the web browser. You can even trace a channel number on the touchpad to change channels!

Of course, with its minimal button design, certain always-there buttons – like Mute, Menu, Tools etc – have to be accessed on the on-screen keypad via the ‘More’ button. It’s a bit of a bother if you’re used to having all the buttons at your convenience, but it’s not too much of an issue if you have the standard remote or smartphone app at hand – and it’s easy to get used to after a few clicks.
It’s a much more ergonomic design, and we found ourselves reaching for it as the dominant controller (over standard remote or the voice or motion controls.)
If you don’t get along with the Smart Touch remote, Samsung still provides the standard all-button remote. It’s largely the same unit as before, but we’ve been told it has a few changes – we’re still awaiting the new model at the time of writing.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Voice and Motion Controls

Using hand gestures and voice commands to control your TV set might seem a step towards the future, but its full usefulness and employment remains in the realms of sci-fi.
Samsung introduced voice and motion controls in its 2012 range of TVs – and it met with mixed success.
On one hand, it’s an attention-grabbing and exciting feature that lets us marvel at how intelligent TVs are becoming; in practice though, it can be downright frustrating to make it work as smoothly as they do in sci-fi shows and films – but it does work. Both voice and motion have been given tweaks and improvements for the 2013 range, and it shows.
In contrast to last year, we found the motion controls to be much friendlier than the voice commands. For a start, it’s more responsive, with reduced lag between your hand movement being recognised on the TV, and movements are smooth, with fewer trailing or delay effects. The camera has to be popped on for motion controls to work, and it does get a bit confused if you’ve got more than one person waving frantically at it.
Patience is the key here (and steady hands), and it does get used to (and recognise) individual hands. You can also use two hands – yes, it really works! – to rotate and zoom in and out of pictures on the screen, as well as lazily flick your hand to the side to swipe across the Smart Hub panels – which we quite liked.

After the initial novelty and giddiness of it actually working, we still feel a bit daft waving at the TV and clenching our fist to select items, and ours arms ached after a while.
Switching to voice control, and the Smart Touch remote encourages you to speak directly to the remote (rather than shout at the TV hoping for the best) and it is more responsive than before.
However, the technology is still a bit hit-and-miss – it liked ‘Arsenal’ but not ‘Top Gear’ – and you’ll still feel self-conscious as you end up over-enunciating words to make it work. An on-screen guide pops up to give prompts on which command phrases to use – which is helpful, but still not ideal and certainly not as intuitive as using the Smart Touch remote.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Sound

We’ve always been hard on the sound quality from any flat screen TV, and with good reason as it’s always hard, thin and uninspiring. Sony’s HX8 series marginally won the sound battle last year with its plinth stand that housed a speaker system – it took the edge off the thinness.
But Samsung has risen to the challenge and responded by packing in two 10W woofers alongside the two standard drivers that cover most of the frequency range – a total of 40W outputting from the UE55F8000.
And the effect is instant. By flatscreen standards, it’s a much more powerful, meatier and solid sound: it’s actually listenable on its own! There was noticeable (and comparatively weighty) bass, and voices sounded warm; there was little hint of brightness and overall it was comfortable and pleasant to listen to.
For a proper sonic experience, we’d still recommend pairing up your TV with a home cinema system or a soundbar – the recently launched Sonos Playbar (5 stars at £600) would be perfect for the UE55F8000.

Samsung UE55F8000 review: Picture

Of course, what it all boils down to is this: what’s the picture quality like? In short, the UE55F8000 is a fantastic screen. But as we noted earlier, it didn’t start out that way.
The picture performance is quite a departure from last year’s range: the 2012 Samsung screens aimed to delivered punchy colour, exciting contrasts and an overall impressive and eye-popping performance.
In contrast, this new 2013 screen is a much more grown-up affair: it’s calmed down that burst of exuberance, and might seem subdued at first glance. But look deeper, and the UE55F8000 serves up a more natural palette and composed performance.

The picture is remarkably clear and crisp – play The Amazing Spider-Man and the city skyscrapers are etched out in sharp lines, each building nicely distinguished from each other despite the shadows.
Close-up shots of the actors show off the UE55F8000’s deftness with natural tones: cheeks look ruddy and skin tones look natural and rounded. If we were being cruel, we could mention that every spot and blemish is displayed with clarity – which goes to show the depth of subtlety on show.
Samsung’s Micro Dimming Ultimate technology is claimed to offer greater contrast and deeper black levels – and it seems to work: the Samsung UE55F8000 has black levels that are inky deep, and there’s enough shadow definition for details to peek through.

When the Samsung is compared with rival Sony KDL-55HX853 (last year’s Award-winner at £1440), the Sony may have a more subtle touch in digging out shadow detail, but the Samsung’s black levels go deeper.
It’s with sharp detail, minimal noise levels and stunning clarity that the Samsung edges things over the Sony: in absolute picture performance, it’s a better screen, and one that instantly attracts. We can’t wait to see what Sony has to offer us, but as it stands, the Samsung leaves the 2012 Award-winner in its wake.
It’s worth playing around with the picture settings and modes to find the tone best suited to watching TV or film. For example, we found that it was best to leave the picture on Standard mode (with THX tweaks) when watching normal broadcast channels (standard or high definition).
When it came to the Blu-ray of The Amazing Spider-Man, we felt more comfortable setting it to Natural mode, and then fine-tuning the backlight and contrast levels from there. It delivered a much more satisfying balance: previously, skies looked overcast and black levels were grey and washed-out. In Natural, whites were punchier and brighter, and The Lizard’s underground sewer hide out looks appropriately gloomy and wet.
Switch to 3D with Closer to the Edge, and Samsung’s active 3D performance is a brighter, clearer and less cumbersome affair. You’ll still feel your eyes working overtime (normal for active sets), and while motion isn’t perfect, we welcome the improvements. Two pairs of active 3D glasses are supplied with the TV.

Samsung UE55F8000 TV review: Verdict

We need to emphasise that the Samsung UE55F8000 is the first of the 2013 range TVs that we’ve laid our eyes on. And it sets a high standard: it’s a cutting-edge set with improved smart features, a friendlier user experience, and a definite step up in both sound and picture performance. But it’s not flawless: the motion and voice controls are far from perfect, and it’s quite an expensive price tag.
Still, there’s no denying the Samsung UE55F8000 is a fantastic set – and a definite improvement on its already high previous standards.
We’re still waiting for the rest of the sets to arrive for a more comprehensive comparison, but for now, it’s a good start to the year for Samsung – five stars all around.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B

2013-05-18T22:55:00.002+05:00

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B

Tested at £1300

The ET60 series makes a solid start to 2013 for Panasonic, but we expect other models to be more impressive and better value

For

Slim, stylish
Great new home screen options
Streaming and smart connectivity, clever remote app
Detailed and sharp pictures
Comfortable 3D performance

Against

Black levels lack depth and solidity
Backlight not perfect
Poor sound

Our first look at a Panasonic TV in 2013 comes in the shape of the Panasonic TX-L50ET60B, a midrange LCD/LED model. Panasonic has been in a rich vein of form with its TVs in the past couple of years, most notably with its plasma series.
2012’s GT50 and ST50 models, for example, struck the perfect balance between price and performance. The £1300 Panasonic TX-L50ET60B will be looking to do the same and get this year off to a flyer for Panasonic.

The Japanese giant is once again releasing a huge number of new televisions for 2013 – up to 16 plasma ranges and 16 LCD/LED models are expected to make their way in to UK shops. Finding the sweetspot for performance-per-pound value, therefore, is our mission.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: Design

Last year’s ET50 series, which the ET60 series replaces, was a good but not great TV – will 2013 be a different story? It certainly looks the part out of the box. A new Super Narrow Bezel and metal design makes for one of the best Panasonic TVs that we’ve seen, and it sits on a simple rectangular pedestal stand, which allows for rotation.
The overall quality of the finish is excellent – though you don’t want to catch yourself on one of the pointed corners –and worthy of a far more expensive television. The flagship Panasonic LED models will have to go some to raise the style stakes.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: Specification and features

The Panasonic TX-L50ET60B is a Full HD, 120Hz, LED-backlit TV, with Freeview HD and analogue TV tuners. You’ll find three HDMI inputs (one fewer than last year), two USB inputs, an SD card slot, headphone connection and an optical audio output side-mounted on the unit, while component, composite, RGB and stereo RCA audio inputs are on the back panel. So, it’s pretty comprehensive.
As with last year’s range, the Panasonic TX-L50ET60B ‘Smart VIERA’ TV offers wired or wireless network connectivity, and once online you get access to a wide range of content. BBC iPlayer is on board, plus BBC News and BBC Sport apps, and you can access films from Acetrax and Netflix. Standards such as YouTube, Aupeo! (internet radio), Facebook and Twitter are also present.
There’s no sign of the other terrestrial channels’ on-demand offerings, however, with ITV Player, 4oD and Demand Five notable by their absence.
If you do connect this smart TV to your network, you’ll also be able to stream music and video from any DLNA compatible device, such as a laptop or tablet, and access the internet via the built-in web browser. And making this smart TV experience all the more usable is the new Viera 2 remote app for smartphones and tablets.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: Interface

Available for Android and iOS, Viera 2 is much more than a basic remote control app.
Connect to the same wi-fi network as your TV and, as well as allowing you to move around the TV’s interface using your smartphone or tablet, the ‘Swipe and Share 2.0’ functionality allows you to send music, video or images from your phone’s library straight to your TV. You can also launch apps, access a full keyboard when using the web browser and even access a gamepad for gaming apps.
Swiping a cursor around the screen can still be a little clunky, and the web browser experience is still not a patch on simply using the device you’re holding (there’s no Flash support either), but as a simple and effective way to share content on your phone on the big screen it seems likely to be useful. Even if some of our videos did appear upside down…
Also in the box with the Panasonic TX-L50ET60B are two pairs of passive 3D glasses. All of Panasonic’s 2013 LED TVs are passive sets, while all the Panasonic plasma models use active-shutter technology. This model has 2D-to-3D conversion on board, too.
Last but not least is a familiar Panasonic remote control handset. It has been given a slight rejig in terms of design, with Home and Apps given more prominence and the old ‘Viera Tools’ button retired. It remains one of the better examples of an intuitive, easy to use remote. There’s no secondary smart remote with the ET60 series.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: Installation

Turn on the TV for the first time and this Panasonic will guide you through the set-up process itself – Voice Guidance vocalising a 15-step series of prompts to show you “what your new VIERA can do”. It works nicely and this series of help menus is always accessible via the Tutorial tab at the top of the new ‘my Home Screen’ interface.
Yes, Panasonic has given its interface a refresh – and we really like it. Packing in so many potential features and functions can make for a confused experience, but the various home screens on this ET60 series – which will be on all the new Panasonic TVs – are clean, clear and customisable.

We have no issue with this 50in set watching the TV as we browse other functions – whatever you’re watching on TV is displayed in a good-sized area of the screen. This panel is bordered by various menu options, giving you easy access to key areas of functionality.
We opt for the standard ‘TV Home Screen’, which gives us a sidebar on the right of Freeview TV channels, through which we can scroll independently to see what’s on without affecting the main picture, plus hot links to Viera Connect apps at the bottom and the full list of apps and other settings at the top. Simply put, in no time at all we feel we know how to access all the features of the TV. No mean feat.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: Calibration

The standard Panasonic menu for adjusting picture, sound and other settings is accessed via the Menu button on the remote control. These menus remain more traditional in appearance, and will be familiar to anyone who’s seen a Panasonic TV in the last few years. They’re simple and intuitive. You’ll find the standard selection of Viewing Modes (we choose Normal), Colour Temperature (Normal) and other brightness, contrast, colour and sharpness settings.
There are various further picture adjustments at your disposal, too. Adaptive Backlight Control ‘automatically controls dark areas of the picture’, Ambient Sensor adjusts the picture based on your room lighting conditions, while there’s Intelligent Frame Creation motion processing and various noise reduction settings.
Panasonic’s motion processing has improved and we were happy to have the Minimum setting smooth out some juddering for us, while Ambient Sensor could be useful if you’re in a brightly lit room. Otherwise we prefer these processing modes turned off.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: Picture quality

The Freeview HD tuner is excellent. Edges are sharp, with good definition even to background objects showing the Panasonic’s impressive levels of insight. Detail and texture to people’s faces and clothes make for a realistic and immersive picture.
Motion is pretty smooth, too. We opt to turn the Intelligent Frame Creation on to Minimum (some people may even prefer Middle), to smooth out juddering without introducing an unnatural feel.
As we’ve seen across other Panasonic TVs – and projectors such as the PT-AT6000E – the TX-L50ET60B has a natural, relaxed colour palette, looking best delivering a more realistic rather than vivid image.
We try Vivid Colour but find it too over-saturated, even after tweaking. Whites could be a little brighter and whiter – switching to a Cool picture mode adds a blueish tint, while Warm makes for a slightly yellow hue – but generally we like what we see. And good off-axis performance makes it ideal for family viewing.
Hit the AV button on the remote to switch to one of the HDMI inputs, and we take a look at the Blu-ray of The Amazing Spider-Man. It’s a similarly easy-to-watch, easy-to-enjoy picture. Colours are accurate and natural, sharp edges frame detailed objects, and fast motion is handled smoothly.
Again, it’s not at its best when asked to deliver punchy pictures – colours are instead subtle – and the level of contrast between white and black can be bettered elsewhere.

In fact, black levels, so good on Panasonic plasma TVs, are a relative weakness of this midrange LED set. The ET60 struggles to match the deep, dark blacks of last year’s best TVs, losing definition in dimly lit scenes.
We also notice a not entirely uniform backlight on our TX-L50ET60B review sample, with bottom corners of the screen seeming to let a little too much of the backlight through. It’s by no means a constant annoyance but during darker scenes it is apparent.
DVD performance bears many of the hallmarks of the picture quality from other sources. Again, colours are natural, edges reasonably sharp and motion slips up and shows signs of juddering only in the most testing scenes. There’s occasional pixel crawl and noise to some object edges, and again black levels lack solidity and insight, but it remains an easy picture to just sit back and watch.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: 3D performance

Easy to watch; a theme seems to be developing. And it continues when we switch to 3D pictures. This is a passive 3D TV, and you get two pairs of Panasonic TY-EP3D20 3D glasses in the box. They’re very light, comfortable and, dare we say it, almost quite stylish (should that be a concern in the privacy of your home).
The TV auto-detects a 3D signal and flicks the TV to 3D picture mode. This will change your settings, though you can of course readjust them. We experiment and end up, sure enough, somewhere in between, not feeling the need for quite the contrast boost that the 3D setting delivers.
3D performance is good. We watch some Harry Potter, followed by a bit of Avatar and then Coraline, and most noticeable is the lack of strain or stress as we enjoy 3D pictures. This traditional perk of passive 3D tends to go hand-in-hand with a little less depth and a loss of detail, and that’s true to an extent with this 50in ET60.
The subtlety to 3D effects is no bad thing but it’s not quite as sharp and insightful as we’d like, while fast motion can still occasionally blur. Once more, black levels let the overall image down a touch, too.
The live 2D-to-3D conversion, which allows you to turn any TV content in to 3D pictures, is a neat effect, but the quality is a step down. Crosstalk becomes noticeable, the image is softer, and we felt our eyes working a little harder. For gaming it can be a nice effect – and it’s an easy way to show your mates – but overall it’s a poor relative to true 3D content.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: Sound quality

We’ve started to see a few flatscreen TVs pay more attention to sound quality, with both the Sony KDL-HX853 and the new Samsung F8000 ranges delivering better than average TV sound.
Sadly, the Panasonic TX-L50ET60B doesn’t follow suit, delivering a much more familiar, poor quality TV sound that’s unclear, prone to sibilance and light in weight. That thin-panel design seems to have come at a cost here. We’d urge you to use a soundbar or other external speakers alongside this TV.
Bass and treble controls do help a touch – we upped the bass and dropped the treble a few notches – but the sound quality remains underwhelming. Sound modes and surround modes don’t make too much difference, though the Stadium surround mode does seem to add to the ambiance when watching live sport.

Panasonic TX-L50ET60B TV review: Verdict

The Panasonic TX-L50ET60B is a good TV, and a solid start to 2013 for Panasonic. We’re big fans of the style and design, the new my Home Screen menu system looks great and Panasonic’s familiar natural, sharp and detailed palette is present and correct.
A decent selection of streaming options, a clever new remote app and watchable, comfortable passive 3D, all form part of a package we’re happy to recommend.
Ultimately though, we expect other 2013 models from Panasonic to be better – both in terms of all-round performance and ultimate value. The £1300 price tag isn’t low enough to forgive the less than solid black levels and uneven backlight, slightly lacklustre contrast levels, or the poor sound quality. A better selection of catch-up TV apps would be nice, too. So this is good but not great: roll on the rest of the Panasonic range.

Philips 47PFL6008

2013-05-18T22:54:00.002+05:00

Philips 47PFL6008

Tested at £1200

It might have its niggles, but we’re willing to forgive them (mostly) for the wonderful picture and comfortable viewing experience. We’re impressed.

For

Crisp, clean picture with plenty of subtle detail
Passive 3D at its best
Ambilight feature is a bonus
Solid, easy-to-listen-to sound
Good remote control

Against

Slightly sluggish reaction times
Smart features are limited
Dated interface
Satellite tuner is not a Freesat-compliant unit

Philips tends to follow its own schedule when it comes to new TVs, so its sets tend to end up in our reviewing hands later in the year compared with those from rival manufacturers. But this year we’ve been sent one of its 2013 TV sets in time for spring – and we’re glad, because this Philips 47PFL6008 is really rather good.

This 47in Full HD, passive 3D LED screen is part of Philips' 6000 series, and features smart content, a new remote control, improved motion processing, and a new Ambiwoox sound feature to match its eye-catching Ambilight tech. It will cost you a cool – but relatively affordable compared with rivals – £1200.

Philips 47PFL6008S: Design and specs

This new Philips 47PFL6008 TV looks good: the screen is surrounded by an even thinner bezel than last year’s models, so there’s virtually nothing to distract you from the screen.

Build quality is solid too. Yes, the logo might look a bit ‘stuck on’ at the bottom edge of the set and the grey skeletal frame for a stand might look frail, but there’s no reason to worry as everything is sturdy and stable. There’s no unnecessary flashiness here, and it’s to Philips’ credit.

Look around to the back panel and you’ll find plenty of connections for your kit: there are four HDMI inputs; an input each for component, analogue audio and RGB Scart; and digital optical and headphone outputs.

Those of you with content on hard drives will be glad of the three USB ports, and there’s also an ethernet port and built-in wireless for all your internet needs. And, being a TV, there’s also a digital tuner. There is a satellite input next to the regular aerial socket, but it’s not an official Freesat connection.

Philips says that while the TV shares the same specification as the Nordic versions, the satellite option is intended for those countries only. So, while it might pick up some stations over a satellite dish, they won’t be sorted in any order, and are not Freesat compliant. Oh well, Freeview HD it is.

Philips 47PFL6008S: Remote control

Philips has a reputation for making decent remote controls, and the 47PFL6008 sticks to that tradition by supplying a well-made handset. It has a satisfyingly solid weight and a nice rubberised finish that provides a good grip – a nice alternative to the more standard plasticky offerings.

The buttons are laid out logically, but a word of warning: the Exit button will take you back to the TV broadcast no matter what source you’re watching – so if you want to close menus while watching a Blu-ray, hit the return button to avoid switching back to TV.

Compared with its rivals (such as the Samsung UE46F7000 and Panasonic TX-L47DT65B), the Philips’ reaction times could be faster, particularly when it comes to the Smart side of things – but on the whole, it’s something we can live with.

Flip the remote control over and you’ll find a QWERTY keyboard on the back – a new feature for this year’s models. It’s really handy if you browse the internet on your TV; the keyboard style will be more familiar to your fingers, and is a quicker alternative to plodding through on-screen keyboards using the up and down buttons.

Search results come up pretty quickly as well, and it’s one of the few times we’ve actually enjoyed browsing the web on a TV.

Philips MyRemote Control app

There’s no separate minimalist touch-pad remote control (fast becoming a standard addition to smart TVs) here, but there is a free control app that you can download on to your smartphone and/or tablet. Philips MyRemote is compatible with both iOS and Android, and the tablet version includes a full TV programme guide.

The control app is functional, logical and responsive, and a nice alternative if you find swiping across a touch screen more intuitive than clicking buttons. It even displays the programme you’re watching, and you can also send media (photos, videos, music) stored on your device directly to the TV using the SimplyShare feature.

Philips 47PFL6008S: Smart features

Press the ‘Smart TV’ button on the remote and Philips’s one-page hub shows up. While it doesn’t have the breadth of apps and content freely supplied by rivals, it does have the essential BBC iPlayer, along with Acetrax, Facebook, Twitter, Blinkbox and Absolute Radio.

Meanwhile, the App Gallery contains widgets for eBay, TED talks, various radio stations and more. Also new to the TV is Miracast capability, which mirrors media content from your smart devices to the TV via wi-fi.

Smart features have grown in prominence over the past few years, so much so that they’ve now become an essential part of TVs, rather than just add-ons.

Next to the shiny new interactive and user-friendly hubs offered by Samsung and Panasonic, the Philips interface does look a bit dated. It’s perfectly functional and we do appreciate the neat, simple menus over anything showy or gimmicky, but it’s not as engaging an experience as it might be.

We’d like it to be a little smoother and faster, too; as we mentioned earlier, the apps are rather slow to navigate and open, which could get frustrating if they’re used on a daily basis.

Philips 47PFL6008S: Sound

We've long bemoaned the sound quality of modern TVs and it seems that in 2013, manufacturers are finally doing something constructive about it.

The 47PFL6008 features Philips-patented ‘Ambiwoox’ technology: look to the back of the TV again and you'll see a driver right above the connections. This Ambiwoox driver, with its double suspension ring, aims to deliver greater bass extension and improve midrange performance.

It certainly adds extra oomph: regardless of source, the Philips sounds solid and well-rounded, with good weight across the frequencies and none of the harsh, tinny brightness we’ve come to expect in voices.

It wouldn't hurt to invest in a decent soundbar to get an even better sonic experience but, as it stands, we were comfortable listening to the Philips on its own.

Philips 47PFL6008S: Ambilight

One thing we’ve always liked about Philips TVs is the Ambilight feature, designed to decrease eye fatigue and increase the immersiveness of the picture. The tech uses a series of LEDs at the left and right edges of the TV panel to shine light on to the back wall – light that changes colour according to the image on the screen.

It sounds cool, and looks even better. With it switched on, the barely there bezel seems almost to vanish, while the image appears to extend beyond its own edges – and rather than being showy or distracting, as you might expect, it’s remarkably unobtrusive.

You can adjust the intensity and brightness of the colour, set it to a static colour or to Dynamic (we prefer this option – it’s the one that changes with the picture), and you can also pick your wall colour from a palette to fine-tune the effect to your surroundings. Simple, but effective.

Philips 47PFL6008S: Picture

Of course, neither the sound nor the Ambilight feature would be worth their salt if the 47PFL6008’s picture wasn't any good. But there’s no need to worry: this is a great screen. A quick comparison with last year’s Award-winning Sony 46HX853 shows that the Philips delivers crisp, clean and detailed images. It isn’t a better picture overall (the Sony is smoother) but it’s definitely sharper and more detailed.
Individual blades of grass are clearly visible in a Blu-ray of Looper; the red Mazda car gleams in the sunshine; and make-up artists’ jobs have clearly become harder, as you can see nearly all the pores in their skin and any blemishes that the actors might have. God help you if you’re watching Pete Postlethwaite in high-def…

Whites and highlights are clean and punchy too, and blacks are deep enough – but not as definite in subtle shadings as rivals such as the Panasonic TX-L47DT65B.

Switch to a DVD of Seven Psychopaths and the Philips shows itself to be a fine upscaler – there’s an inevitable drop in quality from Blu-ray, but it retains the clean picture and brightness.

Whatever the source, the Philips’ colours are dynamic and have a good natural balance overall, even if they’re slightly on the cool side.

There’s no compromise when it comes to detail or texture, however: it’s merely a colour characteristic that shows up particularly on skin tones, which tend towards a cooler palette rather than a robust, blushing one. A little colour boost and few steps towards the red side of the R/G tint scale livens things up a bit.

On that note, there’s plenty of scope to tweak the 47PFL6008’s picture. You can delve into the menus to choose a picture style (we liked Personal or Standard the best), while there’s plenty of scope to adjust factors such as brightness, contrast and backlight. We’d recommend using a THX Optimizer disc to get the TV looking at its best when watching Blu-rays.

You’ll have to calibrate each HDMI input separately, however – which is a bit laborious but worth it in the end. It’s also a shame that you can’t tweak broadcast TV to the disc-based THX standards – although if you run all your sources through an AV receiver, you’ll only be using one input anyway, and all this is a moot point.

Anyway, whichever way you do things, a bit of tweaking sees standard and high-definition TV channels look dynamic, natural and noise-free.

Motion processing rate has gone up to 500Hz from last year’s 400Hz, and there’s a subtle, but significant difference. The picture is smooth and assured, both in slow pans across the screen and in fast-moving action shots.

We played around with toggling Perfect Natural Motion off and on Minimum, but in the end we left all options (under the Pixel Precise HD section) switched off, as any additional processing tends to give a somewhat unnatural sheen to the picture in an attempt to smooth things over.

Philips 47PFL6008S: Passive 3D

Play TT3D: Closer to the Edge in 3D, and you’re in for a smooth (if adrenaline-charged) ride. Philips’s passive 3D tech is some of the best we’ve seen – it might even give Panasonic’s passive 3D LED sets a run for their money.

It puts hardly any strain on your eyes and despite the usual dimming when you put the glasses on (there are four pairs in the box), the picture remains crisp and bright with a good depth of field. The smooth motion-handling is certainly evident here; we’d happily watch 3D films on the 47PFL6008 TV.

If you’re a fan of two-player gaming, the 3D technology has a neat trick up its sleeve. It works to give each player a full-screen experience instead of splitting the screen in half (as it would in normal 2D). You’ll need to buy separate 3D gaming glasses (two pairs cost about £30), so each player can see their own game in full screen while playing at the same time.

Philips 47PFL6008S: Verdict

There’s no denying it: this Philips TV holds its own comfortably against pricier class rivals.

There are downsides, though, which explain its four-star rating. There's the slight sluggishness during use – we’d have liked it to be much more responsive. A dash more subtlety across the board in picture quality would help too, as the competition from rivals is sky-high as far as we’ve seen in the new 2013 sets.

That being said, this Philips 47PFL6008 TV is one of the best four-stars we’ve given in recent times. It might not have extensive smart features or a fancy interface, but if all you want is a big screen with brilliant picture quality and easy-on-the-eyes 3D, the 47PFL6008 is excellent value for £1200.

Samsung UE46F7000

2013-05-18T22:53:00.002+05:00

Samsung UE46F7000

Tested at £1600

Another great screen from Samsung, with stunning picture quality and interface that’s worth its price… and an audition

For

Sharp and detailed pictures
Natural and vibrant colours
Redesigned smart features
Remote controls are slick and fun to use
Classy-looking and well built

Against

Patchy backlight in one corner
Voice control can be frustrating to use

Samsung has already been at the receiving end of a glowing TV review this year: the Samsung UE55F8000 wowed us with smarter features and upgrades, and great picture quality.

Now it’s time for the next series down, the F7000, to step into the spotlight. The Samsung UE46F7000 TV shares plenty of features with its more upmarket sibling, but will it share a similar five-star fate? Let’s have a look at what the Samsung UE46F7000 TV can do.

Samsung UE46F7000: Design

The first thing we notice about the Samsung UE46F7000 is the stand. It’s a square metal stand and for that we’re grateful.

The metal arc stand of the UE55F8000 caused quite a stir: it might have looked elegant, but it wasn’t an entirely practical design, teetering precariously over the edges of standard AV racks. The 46in screen feels much safer and sturdier fitted to its more conventional square stand; we definitely prefer this design of support.

The screen itself is a slim and elegant affair, with the 46in LED display surrounded by a super-narrow bezel. Build quality is top class – but we expect no less from Samsung. We also quite like that the glowing Samsung logo is inlaid into the stand rather than in the frame of the TV.

As with the UE55F8000, there’s a sleek retractable camera at the top of the TV – handy for Skype calls, face recognition and Samsung’s motion control feature.

Samsung UE46F7000: Specifications

Head around to the back of the TV, and you’ll find four HDMI inputs – enough to hook up any AV equipment, cable or satellite box and gaming consoles. Other connections include three USB ports, component and composite inputs, an RGB Scart socket, digital optical and headphone outputs, an ethernet port and integrated wi-fi.

Like the UE55F8000, the Samsung UE46F7000 features one Freeview HD tuner and one Freesat tuner with two feeds (making it possible to watch one channel while recording another to a USB-connected hard drive).

We’re also glad to see that the quad-core processor found in the F8000 has made its way into the F7000. A world first for Smart LED TVs, this delivers a faster and better performance when it comes to browsing the web, multitasking, and it gives a better picture performance as well. It’s particularly useful for the smooth running of the new smart features that appear throughout the Samsung 2013 TVs.

Samsung UE46F7000: Smart features

The highlight of Samsung’s smart features is a completely redesigned Smart Hub. It’s a doozie, too: the five-panel carousel is attractive, user-friendly, and as slick as using a smartphone or tablet. Its apps are presented in a neat grid, and animated flourishes when opening and closing make the new Hub a lot more engaging.

Each panel is devoted to a separate category…

Social - Houses the social networking essentials of Facebook, Twitter and Skype. You can also pull up a separate Twitter feed while watching a TV show, and make Skype calls directly from this page with the camera popped up.

Apps - There are plenty of media apps to keep you entertained, such as catch-up TV options with BBC iPlayer, Demand 5 or ITV Player, music on demand from Spotify, and widgets for the latest news and sports.

On TV - Everything related to broadcast TV, with the new panel design ensuring that broadcast TV is an integral part of the smart experience, rather than keeping it as a separate entity. You can access the programme guide, switch to a timeline view, record shows and see previews of what’s on next all from this one panel.

There’s also an S Recommendation feature, which intelligently learns your viewing preferences and offers suggestions of similar shows. We were stuck watching daytime TV during testing, but the technology aims to become more personalised and effective the more you use the TV over long periods of time.

Movies & TV shows - Instead of having to log in to separate accounts for on-demand services (such as LoveFilm, Netflix, Acetrax and so on) and then search for available movies, this panel aggregates all the films and TV shows available, and then you choose which service to stream or download from.

Photos, Videos and Music - Pull up all types of media content from various storage devices accessed via your home network right on to the 46in screen.

And in keeping with the ‘smart’ theme, Samsung is offering a Smart Evolution kit which lets you upgrade the technology involved in picture performance and features every year. This kit – which slots into the back of the TV – is valid for up to four years.

Even better, if you already own a 2012 Samsung set from the 7-, 8- or 9-series, you can upgrade it to include this year’s specifications and features. The module costs around £280.

Samsung UE46F7000: Control

Samsung was putting the finishing touches to the standard remote control during our F8000 review. We’ve finally got the finished product, and we like what we see and feel. The remote is smaller, slimmer, and much more ergonomic than before – and the multi-coloured hexagonal Smart Hub button has been replaced with a standard button. All in all, it’s quick and easy to use.

If you want something smarter and slicker, though, the redesigned Smart Touch remote is a great alternative. It’s intuitive and highly responsive, and using it is akin to swiping across a smartphone’s touchscreen. From flicking through apps or browsing the web, you’ll find yourself swiping away to control the TV in next to no time. One feature we especially like is tracing a channel number on the touch pad to change channels.

Samsung SmartView Control app

If the two redesigned remote controls still don’t take your fancy, you can always download the free control app on to your smartphone or tablet device of choice.

Unlike the AllShare Play mirroring feature, the app is compatible with both Android and iOS products. It’s a good-looking thing, with controls laid out logically, and it’s responsive, too.

There’s a free-form screen to move a cursor around, and you can access smart features and apps with one click. It’s good, but standards have moved on: Panasonic’s updated control app for its 2013 TVs includes all the calibration/picture adjustments found on the TV, and in an attractive layout, too. Samsung needs to step up at this level.

Samsung UE46F7000: Voice and motion control

Samsung has been determined to stick with and improve the voice and motion controls that it introduced in its 2012 range of TVs. We’ve debated the merits and usefulness of these controls before: they’re headline-grabbing and sound cool, but in reality they’re not as intuitive to use as we’d hope – we’re still not convinced that they’d be a natural alternative to using a remote control or your smartphone app to control the TV.

Both features have benefited from the quad-core processor, though, as it’s a smoother experience than it was last year. The motion control was much more responsive than the review sample we had of the UE55F8000, with the camera picking up hand movements easily, even if we were gesturing with hands while talking or just checking Twitter updates on our phone.

It made two-hand gestures to zoom and rotate pictures easy too, as well as moving across the panels of the Smart Hub with a flick of the hand. We like the responsiveness, but if you don’t want the motion controls activating when you’re deeply engrossed in watching a film (or if you habitually leap up and flail your arms about while watching sport), we’d recommend closing down the camera.

We’ve struggled with voice commands in the past – and we continue to do so. Simple commands of changing the channel or volume are easily executed, but more complex commands are hit-and-miss.

And we found the on-screen guide’s instructions to press the mic button on the Smart Touch remote and when to speak frustrating, as it was unresponsive and would confuse our actions. Panasonic’s new voice control for 2013 is a better alternative: it’s more responsive, less fussy with voice commands and, quite simply, it works.

Samsung UE46F7000: Sound

Flat-screen TVs have traditionally sounded weedy. The higher-end UE55F8000 tries to mitigate this by adding two 10W woofers alongside two standard 10W drivers – and they add considerable weight and warmth to the set’s sonic presentation.

The UE46F7000 has to make do without the woofers, however, so is restricted to just two 10W drivers. There isn’t, therefore, the muscular weight of UE55F8000 –nor is there the comfortable roundedness of the Philips 47PFL6008’s sound – but there is enough punch to action-movie gunshots and the like, and dialogue is clear and direct.

If you’re considering the UE46F7000, we’d also steer you towards looking at a soundbar to match. If you’re on a tight budget, try the LG NB3520A (£250); if you can stretch a little further, go all the way and invest in the Sonos Playbar (£600).

Samsung UE46F7000: Picture

This is a great screen. Play the Blu-ray of Looper, and the screen is filled with superb detail and definition. The glare of a sunset on Emily Blunt’s face looks natural, while the fading green and brown grass in the field where Joseph Gordon-Levitt carries out his hits looks dry and crackly. It’s a crisp picture, with objects etched out neatly without anything looking overly sharp.
The colour palette is balanced, too – previous Samsung sets had a tendency to favour a more dynamic picture quality – but the 2013 sets have a very natural tone so far.

There are layers of subtle detail here that convey a wonderful sense of depth to the picture, be it revealing detail in shadows or the texture of clothes of varying material. And motion handling is smooth, too – there’s no need to add additional processing as the Samsung doesn’t have any obvious issues across the screen.

The UE46F7000 does have a slightly reddish tint, which isn’t hugely detrimental: the colours look deep and vivid. However, blue skies with fluffy white clouds have a hint of pinkness to them, and Bruce Willis’s skin tone looks just a bit too ruddy and tanned.

There’s no loss in overall insight, it’s just the way the designers have gone – the Panasonic TX-L47DT65B, for example, goes in the opposite direction with a slightly yellow palette.

There’s scope, as always, to tweak the picture quality in the Samsung’s settings. Even after setting the picture up with a THX Optimizer disc, we found ourselves toning down both the backlight and colour levels just a touch.

Next to the crystal-clear images of the Philips 47PFL6008 and the Panasonic TX-L47DT65B, the Samsung was starting to look just a touch less sharp and less defined in black areas, and it is slightly noisier than either of those sets, too.

We set the Black Tone control to its lowest setting for a deeper black palette, and turned up the sharpness – this doesn’t affect other aspects of the picture, but it livens up the image considerably, with the Samsung now outshining the Philips, and running neck-and-neck with the Panasonic.

These characteristics follow through with both broadcast channels and DVDs, too. There’s the obvious difference in quality between standard- and high-definition channels, but overall the Samsung is a joy to watch.

We found ourselves drawn into daytime TV programmes and reruns of American sitcoms (yes, really), and the Samsung certainly has a talented upscaler – Seven Psychopaths on DVD was full of subtle detail and gentle colours. It’s a dynamic, exciting watch.

Our only main gripe with our review sample UE46F7000 is a patchy backlighting effect at the bottom-left corner of the screen. Aside from this, we found it hard to choose between this screen and the rival Panasonic TX-L47DT65B on picture performance alone.

Samsung UE46F7000: Active 3D

The UE46F7000 is an active 3D TV and the pros and cons of active 3D tech become immediately apparent. In the ‘for’ column, the picture depth is dramatic and exciting, and we find ourselves fully immersed in the 3D version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. There is an inevitable dimming when putting on the glasses, detail is retained and fast motion is stable.

Niggles? The active-shutter glasses did strain our eyes a touch. There are two pairs included with the UE46F7000 may be light, they don’t sit particularly comfortably. Active or passive 3D is a personal preference, but the comfort of passive might just outweigh the drama of active in the long run.

Samsung UE46F7000: Verdict

To answer the question we posed earlier: yes, the Samsung UE46F7000 most certainly shares a five-star rating with the UE55F8000. In fact, the F7000 might just edge it out of the limelight, if only because of the sturdier and more practical stand design.

Samsung does have some fierce competition when it comes to usability and voice interaction in particular however, now that Panasonic has expanded its smart features repertoire. But for the breadth of smart content available, and the fine quality of its picture, this UE46F7000 is a strong contender if you’re after a new TV this year.

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B

2013-05-18T22:52:00.002+05:00

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B

Tested at £2400

A simply stunning screen that’s engaging to watch and comfortable to use – this is a great TV

For

Remarkably clear and subtly detailed picture
Silky smooth motion
Insightful and immersive
New control and smart features are intuitive and easy to use
Sound is punchy and rounded

Against

Built-in camera doesn’t share the premium feel of the rest of the screen

We’ve long been fans of Panasonic plasma TVs, and by now we’re all aware of the news that Panasonic is stopping R&D of plasma display panels. But that doesn’t mean the firm has stopped making plasma TVs, as the Panasonic TX-P55VT65B proves.
With a Full HD, active 3D screen that’s filled to the brim with new smart features and a variety of control options, the TX-P55VT65B certainly promises a great viewing experience for £2400.

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B: Picture

Let’s cut to the chase: we can’t fault this screen – it’s simply beautiful, and delivers a captivatingly immersive viewing experience.
Detail is sky-high; there are layers upon layers of subtlety here that give the picture a lovely sense of depth and insight. Picture definition, too, is accurate without edges being over-sharpened, and the overall clarity on offer is remarkable.

The picture is smooth and clean, too: the VT65’s talent with contrast shines through in hard-to-render dark scenes: black levels are velvety deep, with whites punching through. Shadows are never lost, while textures of different materials are fully conveyed.
Last year, Panasonic plasmas had a subtle almost sepia-tint, but there’s no hint of that in the TX-P55VT65B. The colour palette has a well-balanced natural tone, with colours looking pleasingly lifelike.

To test the broadcast channels we settle down to watch the live practice sessions for the Chinese Grand Prix. Formula 1 cars whizzing across the screen could easily be a motion-handling nightmare for any TV – but this Panasonic once again impressed us with its smoothness.
F1 cars raced by the track with no distracting judders or blurring and, coupled with the stark clarity and detail definition, it’s an exciting watch. While standard-definition TV and DVD films have an inevitable drop in resolution, the Panasonic TX-P55VT65B still delivers a clean and detailed picture.

And that smooth motion comes in handy when watching 3D films such as Dredd. Panning shots across the dystopian landscape of Mega City One are smoothly handled with only the slightest hint of instability – but it’s a much subtler effect than previous 3D sets.
While we prefer the easy-on-the-eyes effect of passive 3D, the dramatic sense of depth you get with active sets is a major attraction. You get two pairs of active-shutter glasses with the Panasonic. They’re similar in design to the lightweight passive pairs that you get with the LED TVs, but these are slightly heavier. Our eyes didn’t get too weary too fast when watching in 3D, either – it’s one of the better active sets we’ve seen recently.

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B: My Home Screen

The biggest overhaul seen across Panasonic’s 2013 TVs is a redesigned interface that offers a more personal experience for users. Instead of one static screen or themed panels for each type of smart feature, the new My Home Screen lets you mix and match apps and content in one place.
There are four standard screens with up to seven customisable ones – all are neatly arranged and easily accessible using the ‘Home’ button or, if you fancy using voice commands, by saying ‘My Home Screen’ into the Touch Pad Controller’s microphone.

There’s a permanent panel reserved for live broadcast TV, but you can add shortcuts to BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Twitter, weather apps, your favourite web pages and preview Freeview or Freesat channels all in one page.
It’s a great feature and is wonderfully easy to use. We had our own home screen set up in seconds, and while it might not be as slick or stylish-looking as Samsung’s revamped Smart Hub, it’s much more intuitive to navigate.

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B: Remote control

Manufacturers are constantly finding new and more interactive ways for you to control your telly, and Panasonic offers no less than five methods here. First, there’s the standard (logical, nice to use) remote control.
But if that feels a bit old-fashioned, you might prefer the Touch Pad Controller. We certainly did; the egg-shaped remote nestles comfortably into the palm, and the touch-sensitive pad is very responsive and easy to manipulate with a few simple gestures. There’s also a small niche with an ‘OK’ button cut into the back of the remote where your finger naturally crooks in – it’s a nice, ergonomic touch from Panasonic.

And if you want to keep things simpler by using your smartphone or tablet to control the TX-P55VT65B, Panasonic has updated its control app to Viera Remote 2. This includes a revamped interface with a full Smart Calibration section for controlling and adjusting all the picture settings.
The app also has an updated Swipe & Share feature. This lets you share photos, videos and music (Android only for now) from your device to the TV (and back again to your or a friend’s smart device). The control app’s interface guides you on the direction of the swiping, and on the whole it’s a simple and uncomplicated feature as long as all the devices and the TX-P55VT65B are connected to the same network.

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B: Voice interaction

The fourth way to control your new Panasonic plasma TV is with voice commands. We’ve already encountered – and been frustrated by – voice control in Samsung’s Smart TVs, but it’s the first year that Panasonic has featured it. And we were delighted to find that it works with minimal amount of fuss or setbacks – voice commands are recognised instantly and correctly on the whole, and the search terms used had a logical pattern to them.
You’ll need the Touch Pad Controller (or the smartphone app) to use this feature. Simply press the microphone button and say a simple command – reaction times are quick. We’ve previously panned voice controls as it still felt clunky and slow when in use – but Panasonic’s version does make it more attractive and easier to use.

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B: Touch Pen

While we’re on the topic of new smart features, one of the most interesting things about the TX-P55VT65B is that you can draw straight on to the screen. Before you take a biro to that plasma screen, Panasonic has included an Electronic Touch Pen instead, with which you can draw on paused screens of live TV, as well as on photos sent from your smartphone to the TV using the Swipe & Share function on the control app.
The Touch Pen itself a long, slightly bulky white pen, but it’s comfortable to hold and there’s no need for any additional software to make it work. There’s no danger of scratching that beautiful plasma screen, either – no really – the nib is smooth and rounded and rolled over the screen smoothly.
Of course, we’d caution anyone – adults and children alike – to bang on the screen with it, but overall, it was safe and scratch-free to use.

Connect the Touch Pen by clicking its power button, then simply tap on the screen to start writing and drawing. You can pause live TV to scribble on top of a screenshot, add messages to photos, play interactive kids’ games, and click links on web browsers using the Touch Pen.
You can choose from a palette of colours, switch between a pen or paint bucket tool, undo or erase what you’ve scrawled, and once you’re done, save your masterpiece to a connected SD card or USB memory stick, and download it to your smart device using Swipe & Share gestures.
This type of feature would normally be sent to the gimmick pile, but we have to admit – it does work really well. The Touch Pen flows really smoothly, and is surprisingly responsive to handwritten text and scribbles. The sheer fact that it works so well makes it rather fun to use.
We’re not sure we’d use it strictly as a photo-editing tool when more sophisticated alternatives are available on your smartphone or computer, but it’s a fun option to have. We think kids will enjoy it as well, if parents reading this are brave enough to let their toddlers poke at a brand new £2400 TV with a (electronic) stick…

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B: Design and specs

The TX-P55VT65B stands sturdy and elegant on its square metal stand. The shiny V-shaped supporting frame might have attracted a bit too much attention when paired with smaller screens such as the TX-L47DT65B, but with the TX-P55VT65B, it’s the slim and narrow-bezelled 55in ‘NeoPlasma’ screen that dominates the room.
Hidden away in the top frame is a built-in camera – this option is only available for the VT65 and WT65 series, and it’s useful if you want to make Skype calls or use the face-recognition feature with your personalised My Home Screen. You can angle the camera towards you, but the camera itself feels a little bit flimsy and added-on. The Samsung’s new sleek and smooth retractable camera had a more quality and integrated feel to it.

A key feature of the TX-P55VT65B is twin HD tuners for Freeview HD and Freesat HD – so you can watch live broadcast TV while recording another channel at the same time. It also allows you to use Panasonic’s multi-window feature, where you can watch the latest Scandinavian crime drama while also keeping an eye on the live football scores.
Other connections neatly arranged at the rear panel are three HDMI inputs (a standard across all top-ranging Panasonic TVs this year), three USB ports, component, composite and RGB scart inputs, digital optical and headphone outputs, and a slot to input SD cards from cameras. You can also opt for either a wired or wireless connection to your home network, as the TX-P55VT65B has an ethernet LAN port and built-in wireless connectivity.

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B: Sound

We’ve picked upon the thin and lifeless sound coming from flat screen TVs for a few years now, and it’s about time manufacturers started doing something constructive about it.
The TX-P55VT65B features long, slim front speakers inlaid into either side of the screen – and a 7.5cm woofer hidden away – as its 2.1 sound system. A total output of 20W doesn’t sound like much, but it’s in the quality of the sound that we’re interested in – and it’s a definite improvement from previous screens.

There’s a rounded quality to the sound, which has more weight and solidity to give it definition. There’s no thin or bright edge to the dialogue, and sound effects have more punch and power behind them.
We did find ourselves increasing the volume just to get a touch more clarity, but it didn’t grate on the ears. While we welcome the added muscle behind the sound, we’d still recommend investing in a full speaker package if you want to get the most out of the TX-P55VT65B, because the picture of this plasma TV is really something special.

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B: Verdict

Plasma may be coming towards the end of its lifecycle, but the Panasonic TX-P55VT65B proves the technology still has much to commend it. We like how easily laid out the new smart features are and how intuitive it is to use the new controls.
But overall, it’s the quality of the picture that truly impresses. We haven’t seen such a clear and smooth screen – the picture itself is worth its asking price of £2400.

Samsung PS51F8500

2013-05-18T22:51:00.001+05:00

Samsung PS51F8500

Tested at £1900

The Samsung PS51F8500 is a top-class plasma TV: it isn’t cheap – but you get what you pay for

For

Terrific picture packed with fine detail and strong contrasts
Natural colour palette
Strong blacks
Impressive range of features
Decent sound

Against

Voice and gesture controls still frustrate
Some rivals produce a more overtly impressive picture

Samsung’s quest for flatscreen domination has never just depended on its range of highly capable LCD sets; the company has a fine track record with plasma TV, too.
The Samsung PS51F8500 is one of two new models in the Korean giant’s 2013 high-end Series 8 plasma TV range – the other being its 64in big brother, which retails for a hefty £3000 – which will hope to work alongside LED sets such as the UE55F8000 in Samsung's continued quest for world (consumer electronics) domination.

Samsung PS51F8500 review: set-up

After a look at the Samsung PS51F8500 TV's features list, we were left wondering what else Samsung could have added; this really is a heavily specified set. On a basic level it’s a Full HD, 3D TV with comprehensive smart capabilities.
Dig a little deeper and you’ll come across voice and gesture control, a built-in five-megapixel camera with face recognition plus the ability to mirror content with smartphones and tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy S4. Like we said, it’s cutting-edge as far as the spec sheet is concerned.

The Samsung PS51F8500 is relatively straightforward to set up. Its menus are well laid out, but as usual there are plenty of active picture-processing modes to play with. This can take a fair bit of time to optimise – we preferred most of the modes turned off, leaving the motion processing on its 'low' setting – but much of this is down to taste.

Samsung PS51F8500 review: Smart features

We like the new Samsung Smart Hub layout. It isn’t quite as nice to use as Panasonic 2013 effort but remains unarguably one of the best examples of its type. We like the logical layout, which splits into various sections such as Movies, TV and Apps, and makes navigation easy.
For the time being – and this is a rapidly developing area – this Samsung is about as well stocked as it gets when it comes to services and apps.
Along with the ubiquitous catch-up service BBC iPlayer, there’s 4oD as well as film streaming options such as LoveFilm, Netflix and Blinkbox, among others. There’s also a comprehensive array of social apps, including the likes of Skype and Facebook.

This set can connect wirelessly to your home network, but for the most stable results we always recommend going the wired route if possible. Thanks to a new quad-core processor, the Samsung PS51F8500 responds quickly to commands and loads-up video content with speed.
Once up and running the results from BBC iPlayer and 4oD are excellent – good enough, in fact, to forget that the picture isn’t from one of the better broadcast channels. Detail levels are crisp and there’s very little of the motion and blocking issues that streaming video usually entails.

Samsung PS51F8500 review: voice, gesture and remote controls

Once we move away from the Smart Hub and start using the rest of the TV's capabilities we find we’re still not fully convinced by Samsung’s implementation of voice and gesture controls.
While clearly improved over earlier efforts, the voice commands remain a little hit and miss, and certainly behind the dependability that Panasonic has engineered into its latest products.
Still, when it comes to searching for specific things via the built-in browser it’s a useful feature. We’re less keen on the gesture control, which, despite improvements from last year, still feels like a gimmick and quickly becomes frustrating as the novelty wears off.

The Samsung PS51F8500 plasma TV is supplied with two remote controls, as is the current trend with upmarket televisions.
One is a fairly compact traditional affair packed full of buttons, and the other is a simplified unit that includes a touch-sensitive trackpad and the microphone for voice control. We like the simpler handset best: it feels like a quality item and is pleasant and intuitive to use.

Samsung PS51F8500 review: build quality and connections

As expected, the PS51F8500’s connectivity is good. The highlights are four HDMI inputs – Panasonic, take note – and three USB inputs as well as the usual legacy analogue Scart, component and composite inputs, though these need (supplied) adapters to work.
There’s the usual slot for Samsung’s Smart Evolution kit, too – it’s a great feature where this set can be kept up-to-date in the future with the addition of an upgrade module. The module to bring 2012 sets up to current standards costs £250.

The PS51F8500’s general build is good. The TV looks classy, though we’d have to question the swoopy stand design.
The Samsung stand looks stylish and relatively stable, but means this TV won’t look at home on anything other than a support that’s wider than it is. When the TV measures almost 120cm wide that negates many of the supports we traditionally recommend.

Samsung PS51F8500 review: performance

There are many enthusiasts who still believe that plasma panels are the only way to go for ultimate flatscreen TV picture quality. While we’re nowhere near that dogmatic it’s fair to say that viewing the Samsung PS51F8500 gives this argument plenty of ammunition: it delivers an impressively crisp and clean picture, regardless of source.
This set has twin Freeview and satellite tuners, so you can watch two different channels at the same time using the picture-in-picture feature or watch one while recording another to an external hard-drive using the set’s USB connection.
It says a lot for the quality of these on-board tuners that the results look so clean and relatively noise free, even on some of the channels known for their slightly ropier picture quality.
Watching a re-run of Top Gear on Dave can be a blurry experience, but not on the PS51F8500. While it’s clear the Samsung is capable of far better, the results are stable and pleasingly precise, even as the test cars zoom around the show’s famous airfield-based test track.

Move on to the DVD of X-Men: First Class and the Samsung PS51F8500 continues to pile on the plus-points with excellent video scaling.
At times during this film it’s fair to say the results were good enough to have us wondering whether we’d loaded the Blu-ray version of the film by mistake. The clarity of the picture is terrific, considering the resolution of the source material.
Try a Blu-ray – we used discs ranging from our old favourite Star Trek to the quirkily animated ParaNorman – and the results are spectacular. The PS51F8500 can now lengthen its stride to show what it can really do.
We’ve noticed that Samsung has gone for a more natural-looking colour palette with this year’s TV sets, and this plasma continues that trend. The picture is less overtly impressive, but start watching carefully and it’s hard to be anything other than massively impressed with the way this screen reproduces difficult-to-do things such as grass and skin textures.

There’s plenty of subtlety to the way shading is handled, and superb reach when it comes to delivering dark blacks and bright whites in the same frame. The F8500 being a plasma also means the patchy backlighting that afflicts some LCD alternatives isn’t even an issue.
It’s fair to say that Panasonic’s top TV offerings are more dramatic in the way they render bright whites and very deep blacks, and some people will prefer that. For us, however, Samsung’s more understated approach is an equally viable alternative: it won’t draw your attention to the picture itself, but it won’t distract either, letting the film, programme or whatever else you’re watching take pride of place.

We’re also taken with the way this set handles motion. Even during some of the more frantic screen of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol this Samsung stays composed and stable. There’s little of the blurring or image instability from which flatscreen TVs have traditionally suffered.

Samsung PS51F8500 review: 3D TV

This composed way with motion helps with the 3D of ParaNorman, too. The PS51F8500 comes with two pairs of active glasses, and it’s fair to say the combination of plasma screen and improved 3D processing have resulted in far more enjoyable results than the company’s previous efforts.
We still don’t find it as comfortable for long-term viewing as passive alternatives, but as far as active systems go Samsung is up there with the best. The sense of depth is excellent, as is the way – with suitable source material – it layers the picture. The result really is closer to the ideal of 3D rather than just looking like a layered 2D diorama.

Samsung PS51F8500 review: sound

Samsung’s engineers have obviously had a long, hard listen to their flatscreens and decided things can be better. The sound of this year’s models, at least the ones we’ve reviewed, has taken a clear step up.
The Samsung PS51F8500 is no different. It uses two 10W-per-channel amplifiers with downward-firing full-range drivers. While there’s no additional bass unit to add extra sonic authority, the sound is still smooth and weighty enough to allow comfortable listening.
We’re not saying it’s any substitute for a decent sound bar or dedicated home cinema set-up, mind, as there isn’t the dynamic reach or transparency these alternatives would provide.

Samsung PS51F8500 review: verdict

No set is perfect, of course and it’s fair to say that in some respects – most noticeably the way voice and gesture control works – there is clear room for improvement.
But, given the vast range of smart content and generally excellent picture quality of the Samsung PS51F8500 we can’t help but recommend it highly.
That said, we’re awaiting 2013 sets from all of Samsung’s rivals; the battle for big-screen honours has barely begun...

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B

2013-05-18T22:42:00.005+05:00

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B

Tested at £2500

You’ll need patience to get the best from this set, leaving it vulnerable against the competition

For

Strong 3D picture
Detailed
Good motion handling
Nicely designed
Decent specification

Against

Needs work to get the colour balance and black levels right

The Panasonic TX-L55WT65B is the third TV we’ve seen from Panasonic's 2013 TV range, with its TX-P55VT65B plasma sibling already winning the full five stars from us and the smaller TX-L47DT65 winning the 46-47in TV group test in our June issue.
It’s fair to say, then, that it has been a promising start for Panasonic’s 2013 TV lineup and so we’re certainly excited to see if the company can keep up its run of five-star performances with the TX-L55WT65B.

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B: picture

While we’d hoped the WT65 range would create a similarly excellent first impression as the VT65 plasma, things don’t go quite as smoothly for this LCD screen.

After using a THX disc to fine-tune the TV’s picture settings – a procedure we do for every TV we test – we still felt the need to delve into the menus again to play around with the settings some more to achieve more balanced results.

While there was a ton of detail on show, there was something not quite right about the overall presentation of the TX-L55WT65B – and that irked us. It wasn’t just the slightly patchy backlighting, either; in particular, we were disappointed in the black levels, with dark scenes losing impact and detail and the overall picture appearing a little washed out.

But that’s what the various active processing modes are there for, so we spent some time playing around with them to see the differences they made.

We usually find ourselves switching these modes off or to the minimum setting, but in this case turning the adaptive backlight control up to medium went a long way to improving its black level problem, with blacks immediately punchier, dark scenes better rendered and the overall picture much brighter, albeit at the expense of a little detail.

This change also meant we had to go back and tweak our colour settings, as this feature introduced a slightly warm tinge to the picture, particularly in skin tones.

Teething problems aside, while watching X-Men: First Class on Blu-ray, the Panasonic TX-L55WT65B produced clean, accurate lines with excellent definition, and while it’s not completely immune from judder, a customised tweaking of the motion controls brought this right down to a level that made it almost unnoticeable, with outlines of buildings staying strong during panning scenes.

Turn the motion processing just a bit higher, though, and the results make the moving object seem like it has a thin, rather distracting force field around it.

Switch to HD broadcasting and the strength of the WT65’s tuner is clear. Tuning into Deal or No Deal, the picture is sharp and detailed. Noel’s striped shirt could easily turn into a fuzzy mess on lesser sets, but this Panasonic LED TV handles them with applaudable definition and clarity, allowing you to see each stripe individually.

Standard-def was a bit more of a mixed bag, with images coming across a little on the soft side compared with some of the WT65’s competition. It’s a perfectly capable and watchable performance given the unavoidable drop in quality, but this 55in Panasonic TV certainly thrives best on HD content.

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B: 3D picture

With passive 3D under its belt, the WT65 is able to offer an easy-on-the-eye third dimension to your viewing, with four pairs of lightweight passive glasses included in the box.

We put on animated film ParaNorman to test out its capabilities and are highly impressed with the results. Colours are well balanced and the 3D effect is subtle but effective, with the added depth helping to bring the film to life.

Motion is handled well too, remaining stable throughout with edges defined and little crosstalk of note. We would certainly recommend ensuring the ambient light sensor is off when watching 3D, though, as this will automatically drop the screen brightness when in a darker room.

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B: my Home Screen

Panasonic has taken a hard look at its Smart Viera TV offering and completely revamped it the look for its 2013 TV line-up. To great effect, too – the result is a much-improved design, with a slick, intuitive and accessible interface that even new users should be able to navigate without any hiccups.

Once you’ve finished the tuning setup, you are greeted with ‘My Home Screen’ – a choice of screens that offer you a large preview window of the current channel (which you can click to go full screen) surrounded by a choice of popular apps and widgets for quick selection.

There are four preset views – TV Home Screen (the default), Lifestyle Screen and Info Screen, as well as a Full Screen option for a widget-free view.

Apart from the latter, the other options come surrounded by suitable apps for their purpose, from calendar and weather apps on the Lifestyle Screen to social networking, Skype and browser bookmarks on the Info Screen.

You can select any of these screens to be your default view, or you can create up to seven other customisable screens so all the family can have a personalised view of the apps they use most. Panasonic’s Viera Connect currently offers a large chunk of the big-hitters, including BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Netflix, Facebook, Skype and BBC News.

The TX-L55WT65B comes with a built-in camera too, and there’s facial recognition on board, so you can link a face to a homescreen for automatic loading when prompted via voice command (more on this later). We found this to work well on the whole, but you’ll need to make sure you’re in good light for it to pick up your face accurately.

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B: remote control and voice commands

Panasonic includes two remote controls with the TX-L55WT65B, giving you plenty of ways to interact with the TV. There is, of course, the standard handset with all the bells and whistles, but there’s also the new Touch Pad controller, which offers computer-like navigation on a large and responsive touchpad, and scales back controls to the bare necessities.

It’s a perfect size and shape, nestling nicely in the palm of your hand, with a handy ‘OK’ trigger underneath the remote in the exact place your index finger rests. We found the control to work just fine for day-to-day navigation of the set too, and only needed to pick up the other remote when configuring the TV.

The Touch Pad remote also holds the key to the TX-L55WT65B’s voice control, as you speak into it to give your commands. Panasonic says these can be as simple as changing the channel or volume, all the way up to slightly more in-depth requests such as searching for programmes by name or browsing the internet.

We’ve had a rather patchy experience with voice commands in the past, and unfortunately Panasonic’s offering on the WT65 has proved to be a similar story.

While it understood our requests to change the volume, the channel and to be taken to our programmed Home Page, it was patchy when we asked it to search, strangely mistaking “EastEnders” for “367”, and “What Hi-Fi?” for “4155”. It was also rather jumpy, making random changes before we’d even spoken in some cases, which made it a rather frustrating experience overall.

This is a vast contrast to our experience with the voice controls on the Panasonic VT65, which worked well – we hope a firmware update will be able to bring this WT65 up to scratch.

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B: design and specs

The Panasonic TX-L55WT65B will certainly look the part in pretty much any living-room set up thanks to its barely-there bezel and super slim design. There’s a glowing transparent strip that runs along the bottom of the set too, which is a nice touch.

What we weren’t so keen on was the transparent plastic stand. Panasonic says it’s to make the screen look like it’s ‘floating’, but we’d much prefer the square metal, more premium-looking stand we saw on the VT65.

As previously mentioned, there is a pop-up camera in the WT65 (as we also saw in the VT65) that allows you to use Skype through your TV as well as the facial-recognition features in My Home Screen. It’s not the most sturdy add-on, though, and doesn’t have the same quality feel as the retractable camera on Samsung’s high-end sets.

The TX-L55WT65B has Freeview HD and Freesat tuners, giving you the choice of channels on both if you have all the necessary equipment. You can also watch a channel while another is recording, similar to Sky’s set-top box.

Round the back, Panasonic includes just three HDMI inputs; three USB ports; an SD card slot; digital audio out; component, composite and RGB scart inputs; and a headphone jack.

There’s also an ethernet port for a wired internet connection, or you can opt to go wireless thanks to the WT65’s built-in wi-fi. The setup process for the latter was simple, picking up our network quickly and connecting to it without issue.

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B: sound

Manufacturers have been paying special attention to sound in their flatscreen TVs recently, and while they’ll never be able to come close to the sound of a multi-channel surround system or even a soundbar, it’s nice to hear the quality improvements that are being made to make it more listenable.

While the stunningly slim bezel to this WT65 does not, unfortunately, offer the slim front-facing speakers of the Panasonic TX-P55VT65B, it does still pack two downward-firing speakers and the same 7.5cm woofer, albeit with a slightly lower 18W output.

The thinness of sound that is often associated with skinny TVs is gone and there’s definitely more weight and refinement to the overall presentation, with dialogue in particular benefitting on this Panasonic.

That said, sound effects like explosions certainly lack the punch you’ll get with a separate speaker package, and you’ll lose out on the more subtle dynamics as well.

If you’re serious about your home cinema – and at this price, who isn’t? – a speaker package is a must to really get the most out of this set.

Panasonic TX-L55WT65B: verdict

Overall, the Panasonic TX-L55WT65B is a well-rounded TV that offers a good picture, impressive sound quality and an intuitive, easy-to-use smart interface, all wrapped up in a slim and attractive design.

We did find it took rather a lot of work to get the picture to show colours as naturally as possible, however, and had to add extra processing to get the black performance to an acceptable level, losing a touch of detail as a result.

We’d have taken that as a trade off, but despite all the tweaking, the picture on this 55in WT65 TV still falls behind the competitors at the top of their game here. This is particularly obvious in scenes that contain both very dark and very light elements, which is when the Panasonic is at its weakest.

As such, we have to dock the Panasonic TX-L55WT65B a star from the full house. It will take patience to get the most out of the WT65, and though it ultimately pays off in the overall picture you’ll get – and its top-drawer 3D performance – there is still better out there at this price.

Sony KDL-55W905A

2013-05-18T22:41:00.003+05:00

Sony KDL-55W905A

Tested at £2400

A great looking TV that wows in 3D, but there are a few snags that means it falls short of five-star glory

For

Great design
Easy to use
Stunning 3D performance
Largely convincing and more vibrant colour palette
Good motion handling
Excellent detail in brighter scenes

Against

Poor viewing angle
Detail lost in dark scenes
Blues occasionally overblown
Sound is on the thin side

Sony’s 2013 TV range has quite the act to follow. Last year’s HX853 TVs impressed us so much that they won Awards in three of our screen-size categories, including the highly coveted Product of the Year Award for the 40in Sony KDL-40HX853 TV. That’s certainly one way to stick it to your Korean rivals.
So it’s with great anticipation that we’ve unwrapped the 55-inch Sony KDL-55W905A, the largest screen size in Sony’s high-end W9 series.

Sony KDL-55W905A: design

First impressions are promising. It’s a seriously good-looking set, with a super-slim black bezel and rather uncharacteristically skinny profile to match. It marks the debut of Sony’s new Sense of Quartz design, which introduces an attractive but subtle flash of blue along the top edge of the bezel that’s inspired, says Sony, by the cut-glass surface of quartz crystal.
Marketingspeak that might be, but it’s a nice touch that you’ll see on all of Sony’s top-end sets, and a design language that will carry over to other Sony products, such as Blu-ray players and speaker packages. Doubleplusgood.

Sitting at the bottom of the set’s display is another new addition to this year’s Sony TVs – a small mirrored box called the “Intelligent Core”, which will illuminate and change colour depending on what input you’re using.
All this style and design is piled on top of a rather attractive silver circular stand, compact enough to fit on most AV racks, and a nice contrast to the rather sharp angular design of the set itself.
It’s a looker, then, but what about everything else? The KDL-55W905A might not have the 4K smarts of the very top of Sony’s 2013 line-up (the X Series, due in July), but there’s still plenty of new technology fresh from Sony’s labs that’s worth a look.

Sony KDL-55W905A: features and specs

The headline feature is arguably Triluminos, the display tech behind the 905A’s 200Hz panel that aims to widen the colour gamut and, in particular, improve the reproduction of reds, blues and greens so they're truer, deeper and more varied compared with competitors’ displays.
This is achieved using new edge-LED backlighting know-how that ultimately gives the W9 series a wider and more accurate spectrum of colours to play with. Sony says this will deliver more vibrant and lifelike results. More on that shortly.

Also on board is Sony’s new and improved X-Reality Pro technology, which purportedly uses an extensive database of visual information for more accurate video processing. The goal is to bring more clarity and sharpness to proceedings, while also keeping noise to a minimum, particularly when upscaling.
General specs get a tick in the more-than-adequate box too, with four HDMI ports, three USB ports (including one for recording from the set’s built-in Freeview HD or satellite tuner), composite, component and RGB scart inputs, digital audio out, a headphone jack and the choice between a hard-wired ethernet connection or built-in wi-fi.

Sony KDL-55W905A: picture quality

Once we’d tweaked the picture settings using our ever-faithful THX disc, we put sci-fi action film Looper on to test it out. Immediately we were struck with the level of detail the KDL-55W905A delivers, with edges appearing sharp and outlines defined. It makes good work of skin tones too, delivering a natural result without any extra tweaking required.
Seeing Triluminos in action left us sitting on the fence, though. Reds are certainly more vibrant and textured compared with those on the Panasonic TX-P55VT65B, while luscious green landscapes are delivered with real punch, with the W905A picking out a wider and truer range of colours for grass and trees.
However, it was the blue performance that we found to be a little inconsistent. While it did its job when it came to blue clothing or objects, we found the sky in a number of scenes could lean towards looking overblown and fake.
For example, in one scene set at dusk, the sky appears an unnatural and rather distracting colour of blue. Daytime shots, meanwhile can look too ‘painted on’ to be convincing. That said, cloud detail and definition, which could look bleached on the Panasonic, are picked up much more effectively because of these heightened blues.

Sony KDL-55W905A: black levels

Black levels are as impressive as they were on the Sony KDL-HX853, achieving arguably the deepest, darkest blacks of the current crop of rivals. Unfortunately, the rather unacceptable trade-off is that you’ll lose a lot of detail in darker scenes. Compared with the Panasonic plasma, which shows off shade and texture in spades when things get gloomy, the Sony loses grasp of the subtleties in darker scenes.
Whites, by contrast, are handled pretty well. There’s a slight blue tinge to them in the brightest scenes, but overall it’s a good performance, and trumps that on the VT65, which has whites that can look a little off-colour and less punchy in comparison.
A rather big issue that we experienced is the Sony KDL-55W905A’s viewing angle – one so narrow that we found two people sat on a two-seater sofa could see quite different pictures. It was particularly noticeable in the TV’s black levels, which got greyer the wider you moved away from the central sitting position, both vertically and horizontally.
This means room layout should be a huge consideration for anyone contemplating this Sony, and a big disappointment to see at this price.
Motion was handled well on the whole, and even with no motion processing switched on there’s very little judder to complain about. That said, we did opt for a low setting of Sony’s excellent MotionFlow technology, which manages to smooth out any rogue judder issues without introducing any negative effects to the picture quality in the process.

Sony KDL-55W905A: processing modes

Speaking of processing modes, there’s a wide range at your disposal, and while we’d recommend switching most of them to off or low to begin with, they are always worth a look to see if they can tweak or fix any issues you might be experiencing.
Some are certainly more useful than others. Take a look at Reality Creation for introducing more sharpness to your picture, while LED Dynamic Control will give you better control over the local dimming.
Live Colour, on the other hand, is certainly an option we’d steer well clear of – the overblown, over-saturated colour reproduction that comes with switching it on is not a pretty picture at all. Edge and detail enhancers are also there, as are noise filters, but remember that adding these into the mix will always lead to a trade-off in another area of the picture. If you feel the need to use them, tweak slowly and steadily so you can find a balance you’re happy with.
We switched over to the Freeview HD tuner to try out the TVt’s standard-def upscaling capabilities, and we’re pleased to report that the KDL-55W905A does this with authority. The X-Reality Pro software really is up to the challenge: images are reproduced notably crisper than other upscaling we’ve seen recently, and with very little noise. It’s a great performance and makes SD content viewing much more palatable while we wait for more HD channels to launch.

Sony KDL-55W905A: 3D picture

When it comes to 3D, Sony has opted for an active-shutter method in place of passive tech. Of course, this offers all the benefits of a full HD 3D picture, but with the downside of potential flicker-fatigue – making it harder to watch for extended periods.
We could certainly feel our eyes working after just a few minutes of putting the 3D glasses on (there are four pairs included in the box), but it’s a trade-off, and one that many picture purists are happy to make.

We put on Martin Scorcese’s Hugo to see how it handled this made-for-3D film, and it has to be said the results were seriously impressive. Crisp and detailed, the Sony KDL-55W905A TV does a great job of relaying depth and space to the viewer, and is probably the most dramatic and effective 3D performance we’ve seen on a 2013 TV.
Colours are vibrantly reproduced, the picture is bright and moving images are on the whole stable. We did notice some instances of minor crosstalk in panning landscape scenes and some evidence of image instability when objects were coming out of the picture towards you, but these small niggles don’t take away from the overall superb 3D experience.

Sony KDL-55W905A: smart functionality

Sony has taken a good look at its smart functionality and overhauled it for 2013. Gone is the Xross Media Bar interface and in its place is a cleaner, easier to understand and more visually appealing version.
The KDL-55W905A's menu keeps it pretty simple. Accessed by pressing the “Home” button on the remote, a series of sub menus appears in list format, including settings, applications, connections and history, for quick access to most recent channels and inputs.
Each option under every sub-heading appears on its own tile, which you then click to be whisked away to what you’re looking for.

The Sony Entertainment Network, where you’ll find all your apps, can be accessed through this menu system or via the “SEN” button on the remote. Most of the usual suspects are there, including BBC iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, though prominence is given to Sony’s streaming services, Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited, which appear at the top of the page.
Skype is on-board too, but unlike the majority of its rivals, this 55in Sony TV doesn’t come with a built-in camera. You’ll need to buy the optional webcam accessory if you want to video chat to your mates using your TV.
Also notable by their absence is the lack of voice or gesture controls in the W905A, which many manufacturers seem to have gone big on this year. However, given the mixed bag of results we’ve seen so far, Sony’s abstention might not be a bad thing.

Sony KDL-55W905A: remote controls

You’ll still get two remotes in the box, though – and while the second doesn’t feature a touchpad or motion-gesture smarts, it does still have a few tricks up its sleeve. Slimmer and more premium-feeling than the standard Sony remote, it scales back the controls to the bare minimum, but gives you access to a few different features that the other remote doesn’t.

First up is ‘fast zapping’ – a method that lets you quickly skim through what’s showing on TV, with a video preview of each programme to help you decide if you want to watch it.
Secondly, the remote features an NFC (near-field communication) chip in the back. This enables one-touch pairing with a Sony Xperia Z smartphone for quick and easy screen mirroring, with the phone offering haptic feedback and the TV’s Intelligent Core glowing white to indicate that they’re paired.
We found this to work well and without issue, although we look forward to Sony allowing any NFC phone to play nice with this feature – something the company tells us it’s working on as we speak.

Sony KDL-55W905A: sound

Sound is an area that many TV manufacturers are paying more attention to these days, and Sony is no exception. On the KDL-55W905A it uses a 1.2m-long speaker duct, placed on the back of the TV to encourage a wider, more open sound and deeper bass. Its downward firing speakers also feature ‘reflector’ wings, which push the sound forward to prevent it leaking behind the set.
Unfortunately, with all its good intentions, it’s a battle only half won for Sony. Dialogue is crisp, clear and forward, but everything that surrounds it gets lost in the mix, making it feel thin and unconvincing as a stand-alone proposition.
Although it manages to project sound away from the screen to make it feel bigger than the TV itself is, it is still an ultimately small sound compared with that offered by the Panasonic VT65. Dialogue certainly sits back a little in comparison on the Panasonic, but bass is more powerful and the overall presentation is larger to create a much more enjoyable sound, particularly when watching movies.
Still, if you’re forking out £2400 on a TV, we’d expect you to be pretty serious about your home-cinema kit. So if the Sony KDL-55W905A is the TV for you, we’d certainly suggest investing in a full-fat speaker set up to get the most out of it.

Sony KDL-55W905A: verdict

The W905A has had a hard-fought battle. While it excels in some areas, such as a blinding 3D performance, excellent detail in well-lit scenes and great usability, we can’t turn a blind eye to the viewing angle difficulties we had and the loss of detail we picked up in darker scenes.
These are major considerations to take into account when buying a TV at this price, and as such we have to deduct a star from the full five. There are many things that the Sony KDL-55W905A TV does well, but the few things it gets wrong let it down and prevent its entry into the top flight.

Finlux 47S9100-T

2013-05-18T22:40:00.002+05:00

Finlux 47S9100-T

Tested at £800

Thanks to a good picture, extra features, decent 3D and a low price, this Finlux is definitely worth a look

For

Price
Colourful and detailed picture is enjoyable to watch
Passive 3D is comfortable and smooth
Nice design
Easy to use

Against

Black levels could be deeper
Rivals have the upper hand in outright insight
Could do with more smart content

A 47in TV for £800? No, wait – let’s start again. A 47in Full HD LED screen with passive 3D and smart features for just £800? Either the TV business is really suffering, or there’s something terribly wrong with this set.

The truth is, neither. This Finlux 47S9100-T really is great value: offering the bells and whistles you’d expect of a 2013 TV, and delivering the essentials in picture quality, too. And it didn't come as a huge surprise, after the excellent performance of the £300 32in, the 32F8030-T.

Finlux 47S9100-T: design/specs

Out of the box, the Finlux 47S9100-T is as slim and elegant as you’d expect of a modern TV. A slim bezel surrounds the budget 47in screen and it’s propped up on a shiny metal cross stand; it feels solid and looks attractive.

The 1920 x 1080 resoution screen works best natively with Blu-ray discs and 3D blockbusters, but it also has a decent DVD upscaler and a 2D-3D converter so you can add another dimension to standard TV broadcasts.

This Finlux has a good number of connections for the money: four HDMI inputs are the highlight of the rear panel, along with component, composite, RBG Scart and PC inputs, digital optical and headphone outputs, two USB ports, and an ethernet socket for a wired network connection.

Finlux also supplies a wi-fi dongle to connect to your home network wirelessly. And finally, a Freeview HD tuner takes care of the broadcast TV side of things (we’d be surprised to see a satellite tuner at this price).

When pulling up the source list on the 'S9100 TV, you’ll see that all the inputs get listed. To make things neater, you can disable the inputs you don’t use often so that they’re hidden from view; the limited list is more useful for easily switching between sources.

Finlux 47S9100-T: remote controls

Finlux supplies two remote control handsets with the 47S9100-T: one standard button-laden wand and a smaller, minimalist alternative.

We like the flat rubber buttons on the standard (albeit rather long for some of our smaller-handed reviewers) remote. They feel grippy, are set out logically and are responsive and easy to use once you know what all the icons mean: there are shortcuts to broadcast TV, the smart content and the customisable source list.

Pressing the TV-with-open-book icon opens up the electronic programme guide. It’s a neat and simple interface, but looks rather dated, and there’s no picture-in-picture option to carry on watching while browsing other channels or smart content – that’s pretty much a given in most TV sets these days.

The smaller remote control seems like a good idea at first glance: the mini-remote lets you change the volume and channel, select the source, aspect ratio, programme info, and switch the power on and off.

Unfortunately, there’s no button for the programme guide, or for accessing any apps or the internet, so you have to use the bigger handset for the full experience. It also feels a little plasticky. As a rule, we like simplified remotes that perform basic tasks, but this one isn’t too helpful or attractive.

Finlux 47S9100-T: SmartRemote app

There’s a free control app for smartphone users, and at first glance it’s a funky design, requiring you to swipe up, down, left and right to access its screens and playback controls. It’s certainly a different feel from the orderly arrangement of rival control apps.

You can also use various gestures on the touch screen, as well as moving the phone physically in different directions to change channels and the volume (although remembering the combinations was tricky).

It’s responsive, sure, but the haphazard layout meant we spent more time searching for the correct screen rather than actually using it. It isn’t really practical enough for everyday use; we were more comfortable using the physical remote.

Finlux 47S9100-T: smart features

Open the Smart TV page and you’re greeted by a neatly arranged array of apps across the screen. It won’t win any awards for style or breadth of content, but the now-standard BBC iPlayer is invaluable for catch-up TV and radio.

You can also browse videos on YouTube, listen to TuneIn radio, stream movies from on-demand service Viewster and socialise via Facebook and Twitter.

What we do have an issue with is how slow the interface can be, with some apps doomed to a future of endless buffering. It can be frustrating to live with, and we’re hoping that future software updates will provide a smoother and more responsive experience.

On the whole, the addition of key apps is a great factor for the Finlux 47S9100-T, which aims to give an all-round entertainment experience, but the execution could be greatly improved upon.

Finlux 47S9100-T: sound

We aren’t expecting leaps and bounds in the sonic department and, true to form, the Finlux does share the thin, sibilant, bass-light sound usually served up by flatscreen TVs.

It isn’t entirely uncomfortable on the ears, but if you want to fully enjoy watching your favourite TV shows on this 47in TV, we’d recommend investing in a decent soundbar such as the excellent LG NB3520A or the JBL Cinema SB200 – both £250.

Finlux 47S9100-T: picture

So, to the nitty-gritty. It’s time to start watching some TV, and we kick things off with the Top Gear Polar Special in standard-def on Dave. The huge expanses of white polar ice would tax any TV set, but the Finlux takes it in stride.

Whites are bright and contain decent detail, but it’s all a little bit glaring and noisy at first, so we made for the Finlux’s menus – simple, orderly and easy to use – to tone-down the backlight and noise-reduction to ‘Low’ for a clearer, more natural picture.

The colour palette is well balanced, and sits on the right side of vibrant and dynamic, although we wouldn’t mind a shade more subtlety in colour gradients. There’s a hint of patchy backlighting at the corners of the screen, but it’s nothing too damaging or distracting.

We always recommend you keep a THX Optimizer disc to hand for fine-tuning any TV to its best, and with this Finlux, we found ourselves tweaking the settings just a little bit post-calibration.

Flicking between standard broadcast HD channels, we find ourselves enjoying the 47S9100-T – it’s a capable and unfussy TV, and offers a good deal of sharp detail. It’s the same story when we switch to disc-based content, be it DVD or Blu-ray. With DVD, there is an inevitable drop of quality in sharpness and black levels, which look slightly grayish compared with class rivals such as the Samsung PS51E550.

Play Looper on Blu-ray, and the combination of increasing the contrast and turning down the brightness just a touch made a big difference to the intensity of the black levels. You can also see how skilled the Finlux 47S9100-T is with displaying clear and sharp detail, and it gets the colour balance just right, too. It's exciting to watch.

There are hints of noise and motion blurring to edges during slow pans across the screen, where some objects will slightly stutter. But when it comes to fast motion the Finlux does hold its own; it might not be as super-smooth as rival (and much pricier) TVs such as the Philips 47PFL6008, but on the whole, the motion issues aren't too taxing and won't distract you from enjoying the film.

Compared with its rivals at this 46-47in screen size, such as the Samsung UE46F7000, the Finlux could have more insight – but then that TV does cost you a pretty penny more. And even without accounting for the 47S9100-T’s bargain price, this is still a really good screen that’s a pleasure to watch.

Finlux 47S9100-T: passive 3D

And just when you think Finlux has emptied its bag of tricks, it digs deeper and produces eight – that’s right, eight! – pairs of light, comfy passive 3D glasses.

The effect is gentle and easy on the eyes, with only slight motion instability in fast-moving scenes. The depth of field isn’t as dramatic as those we’ve seen on rival sets such as Panasonic and Philips, but we’re still impressed on the whole.

The 2D-to-3D conversion is more of a mixed bag. We avoid the ‘High’ setting due to motion issues, but Medium and Low offer a passable simulation if you fancy it. And, like the TV’s way with native 3D stuff, it’s a comfortable watch.

Finlux 47S9100-T: verdict

We’ve got to hand it to Finlux: it’s managed to combine all the trappings of a modern TV (Full HD, 3D, smart features, internet, a free control app…) into a really good package.

And let’s not forget that this is a big telly – 47in screens are rarely relegated to second bedrooms. Yes, it has its issues, but there aren’t many – so even if only for its price we’d have to recommend giving the 47S9100-T an audition.

Panasonic TX-P42GT60B

2013-05-18T22:39:00.002+05:00

Tested at £1150

The Panasonic TX-P42GT60B TV shows that reports of plasma’s demise have been greatly exaggerated

For

Picture quality from any and every source
Ergonomics
Smart interface

Against

Uninspiring styling
Unyielding sound
Nonsensical Touch Pen
Only 3 HDMI imputs

Currently Panasonic isn’t inclined to deviate from its corporate stance of unblinking vagueness where the future of plasma TV is concerned but for now, at least, the technology has the company’s full backing.
And if this 42in Panasonic TX-P42GT60 plasma TV (part of the 2013 iteration of the respected, successful and durable GT range) is anything to go by, there’s plenty of life left in the plasma approach yet.

Panasonic TX-P42GT60: specs

Not that the TX-P42GT60 plasma TV initially makes much of a song-and-dance about its capabilities. While the other major players in the flatscreen market seem intent on pushing the boundaries of design as far as the mainstream will allow, the kindest thing to be said about this Panasonic is that it’s determinedly understated.
We don’t doubt Panasonic knows its market, but the TX-P42GT60’s design isn’t going to leap off the showroom wall and grab the casual browser by the lapels.
We’re on much more certain ground where specification is concerned, though. This 42in TV has three USB sockets, which allow both recording and multimedia-file playback, integrated wi-fi (there’s also an ethernet input) and an SD card slot.
TV reception is provided by Freeview HD and Freesat tuners. Three HDMI sockets is one fewer than every competitor offers, mind you (it’s one less than last year’s Panasonic TX-P42GT50, in fact), which is worth bearing in mind when you tot up how much equipment you'll need to attach to your new TV.

Happily, it’s safe to say that Panasonic has jumped from being a smart TV also-ran just a year or two ago to now offering one of the most useable and satisfying online experiences around.

VIDEO: Panasonic Smart TV 2013
The interface itself is crisply legible and easy to navigate via the (immediately familiar) remote control or the (sensible, unflashy) Viera Remote 2 control app for iOS and Android. Viera Remote 2 also doubles as a second screen, and can use your iOS/Android device’s mic for voice control if you’re the patient type.
Equally useable, though considerably less satisfying, is the inexplicable Touch Pen. Big (by the standards of a pen) and attractively designed, the Touch Pen pairs wirelessly with the TX-P42GT60 and lets you scribble directly on to your TV’s screen. Can you imagine encouraging anyone to start doodling on the TV you just paid a comfortable four figures for? Even if only electronically? No, us neither.

Panasonic TX-P42GT60: set-up

The set-up process strikes a nicely judged balance between in-depth tweakery and plug’n’play simplicity – the Panasonic 'GT60 is both THX and ISF certified and, as befits a product carrying those organisations’ logos, is adjustable in plenty of ways.
Intelligent Frame Creation is designed to smooth and naturalise motion; Resolution Remaster wants to help sharpness and clarity; Colour Remaster allows the punch and lividity of colours greater expression. And this, of course, is in addition to the usual contrast, brightness, colour temperature, noise reduction and-what-have-you adjustability.
But while the inveterate fiddler will be kept happy for hours getting this plasma TV picture precisely to their taste, anyone who can find a few minutes to run through a THX Optimizer set-up (there’s one on any number of your DVDs or Blu-rays, we guarantee it) will be rewarded with a picture that’s considerably better than the one the TX-P42GT60 serves up when fresh out of its packaging.

Panasonic TX-P42GT60: picture

Even when given the most humdrum standard-definition fare to deal with (and let’s face it, it doesn’t get much more humdrum than a broadcast of Homes Under the Hammer), the Panasonic does sterling work.
Its upscaling abilities are excellent: images are bright, high-contrast and colourful. There’s an understandable softness to edges, admittedly, and a constant shortage of fine detail, but the GT60 grips motion tenaciously, delivers fine skin-tones and -textures, and demonstrates good apparent depth of field.
If your favourite TV programmes are only available as SD transmissions, the Panasonic GT60 plasma will make the best of them.

The same upscaling prowess is evident when the Panasonic TX-P42GT60B is given a DVD of Skyfall to deal with. The GT60 brings decent definition to edges, even during hectic motion, and its already impressive work with colours and contrasts steps on to the next level.
And it’s when upscaling a disc that one of the long-acknowledged strengths inherent in plasma TV technology first becomes apparent: the Panasonic GT60’s ability to deliver truly deep black tones and to offer decent detail therein. The numerous dark scenes in Skyfall are described with confidence, the Panasonic demonstrating the sort of insight into a coalhole picture that is simply beyond any comparable LCD rival.
Add secure motion-handling and a deft, natural touch to skintones and there’s no need at all to worry about your disc-player’s upscaling performance – the TX-P42GT60B has it covered.
Of course, it’s with native 1920 x 1080 HD content that a TV like this comes into its own, and when fed a Blu-ray signal of Tarantino’s fulminating Django Unchained the Panasonic GT60 is simply an eminently watchable television.
The wide-ranging colour palette is beautifully judged, this Panasonic plasma able to serve up the nightmarishly overdriven red tones as readily as muted sepia interiors, and the Panasonic’s expertise with black tones (which are truly, inkily black here at times) is utterly persuasive. Detail levels are sky-high, motion is handled with an assurance approaching disdain and contrasts are as strong (or as subtle) as required.

Panasonic TX-P42GT60: 3D performance

The TX-P42GT60 is a 3D plasma of the active-shutter type, and we’re pleased to report a) Panasonic’s 2013 3D glasses are the lightest, most comfortable and most discreet the company’s ever turned out and b) the GT60 is a brilliantly accomplished 3D watch.
A 3D Blu-ray of ParaNorman is beautifully stable, decently bright and unarguably, deeply three-dimensional. Only in the most trying circumstances (a slow left/right pan with rapid left/right motion on it, along with some complicated patterns, for example) can the Panasonic be caught out – edges can get slightly furry as the TX-P42GT60’s processing betrays itself. The overwhelming majority of the time, though, this is about as watchable a 3D TV as we’ve seen.

Having examined every viewing circumstance, and with the GT60 plasma passing every test with aplomb, we switch to gaming – and here the Panasonic proves just as skilful as before. Input lag is negligible, and the screen’s ability with motion, contrast and black tones is every bit as helpful here as it is when watching TV. 3D gaming is far from the eye-strainingly tiring experience it can be on lesser screens.
Add to all these plus-points a wide viewing angle and the ability to remain easily watchable even in a very brightly lit room, and it’s evident that the Panasonic TX-P42GT60 is a picture-maker of indisputable quality.
The only area where it’s anything less than impressive, in fact, is sound. We’ve long-since learned not to get our hopes up where flatscreen sound is concerned, but the TX-P42GT60 really is a disappointment: hard and fizzy at the top end, rather vague and ill-focused in the midrange and altogether absent below there, this is a TV that doesn’t so much cry out for a soundbar but shrilly and querulously insist on one.

Panasonic TX-P42GT60: verdict

But despite having started (with design) and ended (with sound) with the Panasonic TX-P42GT60’s shortcomings, everything in between is never less than very good and occasionally truly outstanding.
2013 42-inch TVs are only now starting to trickle into the What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision testing rooms, but we reckon any other 42in model that comes our way is going to have to go some to make this Panasonic plasma TV look second-best.

LG 50PA650T

2013-03-03T21:48:00.009+05:00

LG 50PA650T

£500

Huge, no-nonsense TV offers a good balance between picture and price – it's just lacking a little detail to light and dark areas

For

Decent detail
Convincing flesh tones
Good HD tuner
Nice design

Against

Washed-out blacks and whites
Gradients need more subtlety

You don’t expect frills at this price – and more often than not, you don’t get them. Wide bezels and big square stands are par for the course, so it’s nice to see that trend bucked with the Full HD LG 50PA650T. Its ‘razor frame’ design looks sleek, while the sturdy angular stand is a smart touch.
LG 50PA650 review: Tech specs
As you might expect, it’s reasonably light on the spec front. You get three HDMI inputs (one on the back, two on the side), a side-mounted USB socket, SCART, component, RGB and composite inputs, and an optical audio output. And that’s your lot.
But still, it’s enough for most purposes – and besides, if you’re using a home cinema amplifier to drive external speakers, you’ll only need one of those HDMI inputs anyway.
It's pretty slim, but it's also heavy, at 26.4kg without the stand (and 28.8kg with it attached). So if you’re hefting it about, get a friend to help – and if you decide to mount it on the wall, make sure it’ll take the weight.

LG 50PA650 review: TV performance
The menu system is easy to navigate, with plenty of picture-management options. We used a THX Optimizer Blu-ray to dial in some basic settings, then tweaked them to suit it all took a relatively painless 15 minutes or so.
Kicking things off with a bit of domestic voyeurism courtesy of Homes Under the Hammer in standard-def, we’re met with a reasonably clean, clear TV picture. Edge detail is decent, and while motion has room for improvement, it’s still watchable.
Flesh-tones are quite nice and natural, but there’s a stumbling block here in the form of somewhat wishy-washy blacks and off whites.
A quick look at a rolling news channel, with all manner of logos, text and split-screen action, showed the 650T up as a decent performer – with only mild jagginess to text edges and reasonably smooth motion in the scrolling parts.

Switching to the Freeview HD tuner, things clean up considerably. There’s a good amount of detail on offer. However, detail is mainly confined to the midtone areas, with darks and lights again appearing a little washed-out.
Flesh tones are convincing, but we’d like a little more subtlety between colour tones – people occasionally became a bit waxy-looking, with highlight areas edging towards yellowness, and there was some banding to gradients.
In fact, regardless of source we never managed to dial out that slightly yellowy quality to whites. It’s not the end of the world, and by no means a deal-breaker as you can see from our star rating, but it does mean that light areas aren’t as clean or detailed as they could be.
LG 50PA650: DVD performanceNext up is a DVD of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. We were quite impressed with the detail on offer here. There’s a decent amount of contrast between the black of Tom Cruise’s clothes and the blue/white of the Burj Khalifa building in the heart-stopping high-altitude scenes, too.
Again, there’s room for improvement here (there could be more subtlety in tonal gradients, for example), but it’s still better than the TV tuner.
LG 50PA650: Blu-ray performanceOur last port of call is Blu-ray. The LG handles smooth text well, and the picture is clean, but it could do with a little more fine detail. There’s also a little less variation to skin-tones and general textures and, while whites are better again, they’re still not quite there.
But it’s a good effort, and with the full 1920 x 1080 pixels, and you’d be happy with it in your living room.
LG 50PA650: VerdictSo, this LG TV review is something of a mixed bag. It offers a good picture, with plenty of detail, an easy-to-use menu system and programme guide, nice design and decent performance with high-def sources. And you certainly can’t baulk at the price.
It’s a shame, because that slightly anaemic quality to whites and blacks it what holds this set back from being a real no-brainer purchase.

Finlux 32F8030-T

2013-03-03T21:48:00.004+05:00

Finlux 32F8030-T

£300

Great picture and the latest online features: an absolute bargain 32in HD TV

For

Freeview HD
Smart TV including BBC iPlayer
Detailed
Natural pictures

Against

Thin sound
Motion not quite perfect

Let’s cut straight to the headline features here: the Finlux 32F8030-T comes with access to internet TV content, including BBC iPlayer, TuneIn Radio and Viewster for films, and even chucks in a wireless dongle should you not want to make a wired connection.
That’s a chunk of the price tag justified right there. Furthemore, connect it to your home network and you can also stream media to it from any computer or DLNA certified device, and even use a free remote control app for iPad and iPhone to control your TV.
Not moved by smart TV? The second ace in the 32in-Finlux’s pack is its Freeview HD tuner. Remember this is a sub-£300 TV here, so these features are far from a given.
Finlux 32F8030-T review: specs
Alongside these less expected features, this TV has all the standard inputs you might expect. There are four HDMI inputs, plus component, SCART and composite video connections.
Two USB inputs and a PC connection add yet more flexibility, and for audio there are optical audio and headphone outputs, too. And it’s a Full HD resolution LCD screen (with LED backlighting).

The interface looks modern and slick, while the remote is chunky and basic (but the buttons are laid out sensibly and clearly, so it’s easy to get up to speed).
Key controls such as the ‘source’ button are clear and easy to access, and the smart TV portal, with the full iPlayer experience the highlight, is tidy, too.
Finlux 32F8030-T review: picture qualityBut is the picture any good? Yes. At times very good for the money. The Freeview HD tuner is decent: sharp, detailed and relatively free of noise and general instability.
Naturally, the step-up to HD quality is noticeable and a real bonus. Sound quality from the speakers is a little thin, but it is clear and voices are easy to understand.
Switch to Blu-ray and the Finlux looks great. Watching Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, we simply don’t find any serious complaints.
Of course, the picture isn’t faultless – there’s some noise on hard-to- render details and motion isn’t perfect – but thanks to solid blacks and natural colours, good sharpness and impressive detail, we’re more than happy.
DVDs look great, too, though there’s naturally a little less insight and definition.
Finlux 32F8030-T review: verdict
TVs have become more and more affordable no matter their size, meaning there are deals on offer whenever you go out for some milk. This Finlux is a well-performing bargain – with bells on.

Celcus LCD40S913FHD

2013-03-03T21:47:00.008+05:00

Celcus LCD40S913FHD

£250

Big-screen thrills on a budget – the very definition of a supermarket special

For

Big and cheap
Lots of connections
Impressive picture performance
Decent sound

Against

No HD tuner or smart TV functions

NB: There are several versions of this TV with very similar model numbers on the Sainsbury's website. We tested the LCD (not LED) version of the 40S913FHD.

It would be easy to dismiss a large supermarket TV at a bargain price as a second-rate option. But in the case of this Celcus from Sainsbury’s, that would be a mistake.

Why? Because in the case of the Celcus LCD40S913FHD, you get an awful lot of TV for your cash. At just over 20cm deep, the chassis is no CRT but it’s a bigger chunk of telly than we’re used to. At 15kg, it’s a good 50 per cent heavier than the average 40in.

Still, sat in the corner on its (fixed) pedestal stand, that’s largely by the by for most people. A Full HD TV, the Celcus has a standard-definition Freeview tuner, three HDMI inputs and USB and PC inputs.

Component, SCART and composite video connections are here too, plus an optical audio output. No sign of an ethernet or wireless internet connection, so no smart TV.

The Celcus' menu has big, clear icons and responsive controls. There isn’t a huge selection of features to get through so a few tweaks of the picture via the THX Optimizer disc and we’re away.

Celcus LCD40S913FHD review: Performance
The standard-definition tuner gets us off to a solid start. There’s some blocking, especially on lower-quality channels, but colours are balanced and contrast levels are decent with clean whites and solid black levels.

Play a DVD or Blu-ray and results are arguably more impressive. Let your player do the upscaling and then you can enjoy good pictures, with which it’s simply hard to find too much by way of obvious fault. Even the speakers, given a larger chassis to work with, sound fine.

Comparative testing finds our eyes drawn to the bigger screen: it’s a solid all-rounder with smooth motion, good colours, decent contrast and a level of insight with which we wouldn’t grumble for this sort of money.

Celcus LCD40S913FHD review: VerdictSure, it’s low on features but then it’s low on price too – and for minimal additional outlay you could add a budget smart Blu-ray player for access to BBC iPlayer, LoveFilm and so on.

A £250 40in TV doesn’t need to set the world alight to be something of a steal, and that’s just what we have here.

LG 32LS5600

2013-03-03T21:47:00.005+05:00

LG 32LS5600

£299

Good pictures, sound and TV tuner: this is a budget TV that gets the basics right

For

Good Freeview tuner
USB input
DLNA connectivity
Decent sound
Good pictures

Against

No Freeview HD or smart TV apps
Black levels not faultless
Patchy backlight

LG has been making headlines for slim and smart top-end televisions recently, but the company first made in-roads into the TV landscape with more affordable sets. So do its entry-level models have the same attention to detail as the top dogs in the roster?
Out of the box this LCD/LED set looks perfectly acceptable. Solid enough in terms of build quality and with a pedestal stand that feels nicely put together, it looks the part.
We’re impressed by the features on offer here. The LG S5600 is a Full HD resolution, 100Hz set, with three HDMI inputs, a USB input capable of playing videos, and a digital optical audio output. There’s also an ethernet connection for connecting to the internet and streaming media.
LG 32LS5600 review: No smart TVThere’s no smart TV functionality however. And the standard definition Freeview tuner doesn’t give you access to any of the Freeview HD channels.
Elsewhere, the TV does its best to feel like any other in LG’s wider range. It’s not the latest LG interface, rather it has the last-gen look, with easy-to-access picture and sound settings.
And there is plenty of potential for tweaking. There’s an eco mode (which for best results we steer clear of), plus motion processing (we opt for low) and dynamic contrast (low) options.

LG 32LS5600 review: Performance
The LG performs well with live TV. Standard-def Freeview channels look sharp and show good levels of detail. Colours are natural, avoiding overly bright shades, and skin tones are realistic. The picture is largely free of any digital noise and the sound quality of the speakers is pretty good, avoiding the harsh sound of many flatscreens.
Switch to DVD and it’s more of the same. The sharpness of the picture and the level of detail are impressive for such an affordable TV, while motion is largely smooth.
The darkest black levels aren’t as solid as we’ve seen elsewhere, and the backlight is a little uneven, but we’re largely impressed. Feed in HD content and the LS5600 happily conveys the extra information for a better picture.
LG 32LS5600 review: Verdict
We don’t expect a great deal from a £300 TV and while this LG isn’t packed with features what it does pack is great performance. Crucially, there’s a strong Freeview tuner, good sound and sharp, detailed pictures. Seems LG still knows how to make a budget TV, then.

Kogan KULED24DVDYA

2013-03-03T21:47:00.001+05:00

Kogan KULED24DVDYA

£149

Kogan can let its TVs do the talking: this versatile little set is fine value for money

For

Great price
DVD player and PVR
Subtle, natural pictures for the money
Decent interface

Against

Poor sound
Some motion issues and noise at times

Kogan Technologies is the only Australian-owned global consumer electronics brand, selling consumer electronics online direct from Asia to Australia and the UK.
The company has muscled in on this competitive market in, dare we say, typical Aussie style – by being happy to make plenty of noise and not worry too much if the odd rival gets rubbed up the wrong way in the process.
Finally we’ve got our hands on a unit to review: the Kogan KULED24DVDYA, a cheap-as-chips 24in LED-backlit LCD TV. As is often the case with screens at this size and price, the Kogan also comes with an integrated DVD player. What’s more, you can connect up to a 1TB hard disk drive via the USB input in order to set up a basic PVR.
Kogan KULED24DVDYA review: designIf you’re giving out style and design points, you probably won’t need your calculator for this Kogan: it’s simple and to the point, but does the job. There’s a DVD-player slot on the right-hand side, while connections are on the other side.
There are two HDMI inputs, a USB input (which can play music, movies
and pictures too) plus a good selection of other connections, including component, Scart, composite and S-Video. Inside, as well as that DVD player, there’s a standard-definition Freeview tuner, despite the impressive 1920 x 1080, Full HD resolution.

Kogan KULED24DVDYA review: performance
Fire-up the tuner and the picture looks good. Colours are natural and contrast levels good, the Kogan avoiding being overly gloomy or vivid. Sound quality – you guessed it – isn’t up to much, but the set sounds clear enough.
We switch to the DVD player and one of our classic test discs, Training Day, and the Kogan delivers sharp, detailed pictures. Again, skin tones are nicely balanced and black levels are accurate. Motion isn’t faultless and tricky-to-render landscapes see a little instability, but all told we’re pretty impressed.
Kogan KULED24DVDYA review: verdictAll told, we’ve enjoyed our first Kogan TV experience. Unlike the company’s marketing efforts, the TV is understated but effective, delivering fine pictures alongside impressive functionality.
And just look at the price!

Technika 22-212i

2013-03-03T21:46:00.000+05:00

Technika 22-212i

£178

More than just a TV, this Technika all-in-one packs in plenty of features to represent good value

For

Affordable
Integrated DVD player
Smart TV with BBC iPlayer
Good pictures

Against

Poor sound
Some backlight bleed

Money spent at Tesco accounted for roughly £1 in every £8 of total UK annual retail spending according to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
A lot of us are doing a lot of our buying under this supermarket’s roof, and inevitably this has spread to electronics. It’s easy to see why, when you can get this Technika 22-212i TV from Tesco for just £178.
The ultra-budget sets are smaller and pack a wealth of features and functions. But is this one a good deal?
Technika 22-212i review: Tech specsBuilt with second rooms and bedrooms in mind, this Technika LCD TV has a Freeview TV tuner, an integrated DVD player and – almost unbelievably at this price – internet connectivity and a basic smart TV platform that includes BBC iPlayer.
Out of the box it’s hard to get away from the fact that it looks like a small, budget TV. The DVD slot is tucked in on the right hand rear edge of the rear panel, along with a smattering of fiddly, small buttons.
Round the other side you’ll find a couple of HDMI inputs, a USB slot that can play pictures and music and RGB SCART, headphone and ethernet connections.

Technika has even bundled a wi-fi dongle, so you needn’t trail a cable to your router. The smart TV screen is simple but effective, giving you access to BBC iPlayer, plus YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
The remote control comes into its own here. It’s a two-sided affair offering up a full Qwerty keyboard on the rear to enter text when searching for content. The remote is otherwise a little clunky as a result of being so button-heavy.
Technika 22-212i review: PerformanceThe Freeview tuner does without HD but delivers decent quality pictures from standard-def content.
The 1366 x 768 resolution proves more than enough for such a small screen: edges are sharp, pictures are largely free from noise and the overall colour balance is about right if a little overcooked at times.
It’s more of the same from the integrated DVD player. Some backlight bleed creeps in at the top and bottom of the screen but otherwise pictures are very watchable.
The sound quality isn’t great, toughening up quickly at high volume. Connect a better source – or feed it Blu-ray – and the TV looks great.
For a second room, bedroom or kitchen, this is a fine value, feature-packed TV.

Hannspree AD32UMMB

2013-03-03T21:44:00.002+05:00

Hannspree AD32UMMB

£220

If you want a good-looking, compact set for watching SD TV, this is a solid option

For

Slim bezel, shallow profile
Good Freeview tuner
PVR functionality
Impressive black levels

Against

Sound is not great
Detail levels are bettered elsewhere

Hannspree is a relatively new brand, launched out of Taiwan back in 1998. Making something of a name for itself for some outlandish TV designs – apples, footballs, and even the ‘Hannsgiraffe’ (think furry TV) – the company has also added plenty of more traditional sets to its roster.
The 32in Hannspree AD32UMMB has a knockdown price, a raft of features – and a more typical television design.
Hannspree AD32UMMB review: FeaturesThere’s still room for a curveball, though. This Hannspree allows you to connect a USB stick to act as storage for basic PVR functions, record, pause and ‘time-shift’ chasing playback. You can play back video, images and audio via USB, too.
As well as the USB input, you’ll find three HDMI inputs, and component, scart and PC connections. A headphone output and digital optical audio connection complete the set.
As you might expect considering the price, the rest of the specs are a little underwhelming. It’s an HD Ready rather than Full HD set, with a 1366 x 768 resolution, and you’ll have to settle for a basic Freeview tuner – so no HD channels.
Out of the box, this Hannspree does its level best to make you forget quite how affordable it is, with a slim bezel and shallow profile combining to make an easy on the eye, compact 32in TV.
The pedestal stand looks the part but you can’t swivel the screen, and the remote control is workmanlike.

Hannspree AD32UMMB review: Performance
Watching Freeview, our first impressions are positive, with one caveat: this is one of the weaker sounding TVs here – thin and a little on the scratchy side.
The picture makes up for that, though, with subtle colours and solid black levels making for watchable images.
Feed the Hannspree a film and those deep, true blacks are the highlight. Other sets here tend to struggle with delivering low-light scenes, but this LED-backlit set does a fine job.
You do lose a touch of insight as a trade-off and detail levels are a little off the best, though. And, as with all these sets, fast motion isn’t faultless.
The lower resolution screen and a slight drop in ability in terms of detail retrieval means this TV doesn’t get the best out of HD sources. Blu-rays look better than SD of course, but not as noticeably as other screens here.
Hannspree AD32UMMB review: Verdict
The AD32UMMB isn’t a jack-of-all-trades. That said, it looks the part, has a good Freeview tuner and the bonus of recording to USB. It’s a solid performer.

Toshiba 55WL968

2013-03-03T21:43:00.004+05:00

Toshiba 55WL968

£1500

There are better premium TVs and good sets that are far cheaper

For

Slim and stylish
Integrated Wi-Fi
BBC iPlayer
Big screen
Vivid pictures
OK sound

Against

Issues with fast motion
Lacks detail and definition compared to the best
3D is average

The WL Series is currently Toshiba’s flagship TV range, making this 55in monster pretty much the icing on the cake for the company’s TV line-up. OK, so the 55ZL2 glasses-free 4K Ultra HD set is the cherry on that icing, but back in the real world, the 55WL968 is top dog.
Toshiba 55WL968 review: FeaturesA full LED HD, passive 3D set, it has all the trappings you’d expect in a flagship model. A super-thin bezel and a slim chassis make sure it looks the part. It’s wi-fi-enabled out of the box, or you can connect via ethernet to stream content.
There's DLNA capability, BBC iPlayer and YouTube, streaming movie service Acetrax, internet radio from Aupeo! and a web browser.
Toshiba Places is the name for the company’s smart content hub, recently redesigned. It looks much smarter now, plus it’s fast to browse and fairly intuitive. The remote control is quite chunky but feels good in the hand, though the buttons are a little cluttered at first glance.
Elsewhere, the 55WL968B sports a Freeview HD digital plus analogue tuner, two USB and four HDMI inputs, PC, component and Scart connections, and a digital optical audio output, headphone connection and analogue audio mini-jack input. No complaints with the specs, then.

Toshiba 55WL968 review: Performance
HD channels on the integrated Freeview tuner are bright and colourful, favouring a punchy colour palette. In isolation, edges are reasonably well defined and there’s decent levels of detail, but the best in class do better in both these areas. Motion can be a little slurred, too, with images losing stability in fast motion.
Naturally if you switch to SD channels you lose definition and sharpness, but the vivid feel of the picture remains, although lower-quality channels do look a little blocky and unstable trying to fill the screen.
Watching DVDs we pick up decent detail and sharpness to close-up shots, bold colours and skin tones that stay just on the right side of being over-saturated. Black levels let the side down however, lacking definition and depth in dark scenes.
Toshiba 55WL968 review: Backlight bleedWith Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, our eyes are also drawn to issues with the backlight around the edge of the screen, with spots of light bleeding into the picture.
Blu-ray is more enjoyable, pictures looking sharper and definition better, but there’s a level of detail missing compared with the best. Toshiba’s ClearScan technology does its best – we like it in Standard mode – but there’s still some juddering.
If you want to watch 3D then you’ll need to stump up for the glasses –at least being passive they’re much cheaper. Avatar 3D remains our go-to disc and while there’s plenty of depth, the 3D performance is let down by poor motion.
Toshiba 55WL968 review: Verdict
Toshiba has turned out some very good sets over the past year or so, but with the TV market as competitive as it is at the moment, the 55WL968B is no better than average at this price.

B&O BeoVision 11

2013-03-03T21:43:00.000+05:00

B&O BeoVision 11

£5250

Looking for a truly luxurious TV that delivers a great performance too? This is it

For

Elegant style and impressive build
Terrific picture with rich colours
Strong contrasts and surefooted motion handling
Impressive feature list
Superb sound

Against

Limited Smart TV apps
3D glasses aren’t supplied as standard and cost £120 each

What makes a television luxurious? Are cutting edge engineering and great performance (at a suitably high price) enough, or is there more to it than that? And, ultimately, does this Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 11 TV deliver?

There seem to be two approaches. The common path, followed by all the industry giants, prioritises technology above all else. The most expensive sets have the most advanced features, and if you’re lucky, greater attention paid to the cosmetics.

This makes for exciting products, but it doesn’t take long for that new tech to trickle down to more affordable price levels – just witness what happened to smart TV, 3D and Full HD. At that point your high-end television has little to differentiate it from cheaper brethren, bar a flashier finish.

Bang & Olufsen has always done things differently, partially because it has to. This relatively small company just doesn’t have the development resources or economies of scale of the big players.

Indeed, specialist companies such as this rarely make major advancements in vision technology (although once something is developed, such brands can still fine-tune the performance to a certain degree).

Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 11 review: Build and design
Bang & Olufsen’s strength is in its understanding of the luxury market and what the people that buy such products want.
The BeoVision 11 can be customised to suit your home decor with a choice of black or white cabinets, and fabric for the front speaker grille in red, blue, white, black, silver or dark grey. The aluminium frames comes in silver or black.
High performance and construction quality are important, of course, but there’s also the ability of the product to make people feel good when they use it. That’s something the LCD-panel based BeoVision 11 does with ease.
It starts with the elegant look of the set and continues with the neat motorised pedestal stand. There’s also an option of a motorised wall bracket for those that don’t want to take up floor space. In both cases these motorised supports can swivel the TV to preset viewing angles.

Why? It’s useful if you have a certain place you like to sit during the daytime to watch TV and another in the evening. Now you can do both and even program a third option for tucking the screen out of the way when it isn’t being used - thoughtful, and clever. But there’s far more to this set than just fancy supports…

Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 11 review: Sound qualityOne of our most common complaints we have of flat-panel TV sets concerns their sound quality. The drive towards ever slimmer cabinets doesn’t leave much for decently sized drive units – but the BeoVision 11 is an exception.

Here, the engineers have managed to fit a three-way pair of fully active stereo speakers. The driver complement includes a 19mm dome tweeter, 5cm midrange unit and a 10cm woofer.

All these drive units are powered by dedicated 32W ICEpower Class-D amplifiers. That’s 6 x 32W power in total, and means the BeoVision 11 can output a maximum volume level of over 100dB.

Take a listen and all the effort is worthwhile: this is arguably the best sounding flatscreen we’ve ever reviewed. The sound has decent weight and authority, and the kind of clarity that’s usually the province of dedicated audio equipment.

In fact, B&O even promote the idea of using this TV as a dedicated audio system. While we would crave something of a higher quality for music replay that’s not a totally outlandish idea.

And again, while we’re not saying this is a replacement for a proper separates surround system, it’s a formidable achievement for a television.

If you don’t want to add an AV receiver to your kit rack, though, fear not – for the BeoVision 11 also has a surround sound processor built in, which means it can be the heart of a complete surround speaker set-up.

Once connected to any of B&O’s wide range of speakers the BeoVision 11 can use them in pretty much any configuration you want from basic two channel stereo to a full-fat system with surround-back speakers and extended height and width channels.

The processor knows what the speakers are capable of and manages bass output to each of the channels accordingly.

It also has dedicated sound modes for different types of programmes and can tailor its sonic presentation automatically when it detects say a change from say, the news to a football match (the type of program is flagged-up in the broadcast signal). B&O’s system is well conceived and works nicely.

And talking of thoughtful touches, there’s also the rather handy option of adding a 500GB internal hard disk for recording broadcast TV, though it’s pricey feature at £694.

By current standards that storage space isn’t massive, but it’s enough for around 120 hours of high-definition off-air broadcasts and around double that for standard-def material.

Our review TV sample had one fitted and it worked well. The recording procedure is seamless and easy, and the recordings are pretty much indistinguishable from the original broadcasts.

The BeoVision 11 is available in three screen sizes: the 40in under test here, together with 46in and 55in options. All are Full HD, of course, and 3D capable with active glasses.

The glasses aren’t supplied as standard, however, and cost a hefty £120 each – far pricier than the slicker-looking alternatives supplied by the likes of Samsung. B&O needs to be more competitive in areas such as this.

Similarly, smart TV is present, but is limited compared to cheaper mass-market alternatives. There’s BBC iPlayer, YouTube and a web browser, but little else that excites. However, there is space in the cabinet for an Apple TV if you have one.

The BeoVision 11 is also DLNA-compliant, so it can stream video and music from a home network via a wired or (fuss-free) wireless connection and, as is normal these days, there are dedicated iPad and Android control apps that give you a QWERTY keyboard for surfing the net.

Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 11 review: Set-upThis TV might be easy to use, but the initial set-up isn’t particularly straightforward. B&O intends the supplying dealer to get things going, and we would suggest doing just that – even if you’re charged for the pleasure.
It’s the only way to ensure the TV works as intended. That said, the basic picture and sound menus are simpler than the norm, and that's no bad thing.

Usually we keep clear of adaptive contrast settings, but not in this case. B&O’s engineers have sensibly mounted the BeoVision 11’s light sensor on the top right-hand corner of the TV, as opposed to on the front panel.

The unimpeded position on the top edge lets it account of the light conditions behind the set as well as in front of it, giving more consistent results regardless of ambient light conditions.

It’s a mark of the inherent ‘rightness’ of the BeoVision’s picture that we felt no great need to play around with its settings.

Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 11 review: Performance
This TV looked lovely with the Blu-ray of John Carter. No matter what you think of the film, there’s no denying that there are plenty of visually spectacular scenes on show.
This B&O makes the most of them, with its impressively crisp detail and strong handling of contrasts.
It might ‘only’ be an edge-lit LED set, but the engineers have done a great job: in scenes where dark and light elements mix, the BeoVision differentiates the two superbly, keeping dark tones suitably deep without sacrificing much in the way of insight.
At the same time, brighter picture elements are delivered with plenty of punch and subtlety.

We love the colours, too. They’re rich without being overbearing and nuanced enough to convince with difficult-to-reproduce textures such as skin or grass.

We’re equally happy with motion handling. It’s stable and composed, even when provoked by the large-scale battles scenes set on Mars.

Switch to 3D with our old favourite Avatar and the BeoVision’s active set-up produces good results.

There are slight stability issues with fast motion – no worse than the best of its active rivals – but the ’11 still impresses with its composure, colour rendition and detail. As far as active 3D goes, this set does well.

Move to standard-definition source material in the form of DVD and the B&O continues to shine. Sure, there’s the expected drop-off in terms of precision and detail, but the picture remains remarkably clean and watchable.
Picture noise is held at low levels and specifics such as colour, contrast and motion are handled very well. Much the same holds for Freeview HD broadcasts.

Channels broadcast in HD look as good as we’ve seen them despite a certain amount of variability in the source material, while standard-def alternatives remain as easy to watch as on any other top-end set we’ve tried.

The surefooted handling of motion and high levels of detail work well with games, too.

Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 11 review: Verdict
Compared with conventional offerings, this 40in TV’s £5000 price-tag looks way over the top. However, once we started using it, the BeoVision 11 soon charmed its way into our affections. If the price doesn’t offend you, buy with confidence.

Sony KDL-26EX553

2012-12-23T19:42:00.001+05:00

Sony KDL-26EX553

Available from £325.45

Fits in nicely if space is limited and only a small screen will do

For

Attractive styling
decent spread of smart features
detailed picture
handles motion well

At just 26in, the Sony KDL-26EX553 looks like it’s been shrunk in the wash. It perches on Sony’s new easel stand, which gives the impression of a floating screen. You can lean the set back by six degrees if the screen sits below eye level, but you can’t rotate it.
The LCD panel has a resolutions of only 1366 x 768-pixels, but this is hardly surprising – the cost of a Full HD screen at this size would hike the price significantly.

The specs are promising: there’s an edge-lit backlight and Sony’s X-Reality processing tech to start with. Built-in wi-fi is a boon and it’s good to see that Sony hasn’t stripped out too many smart features.
Connections include twin HDMI inputs and a single USB socket which is compatible with FAT-formatted hard drives, so you can use an external hard-drive as a PVR or play content through the TV.
Sony KDL-26EX553: Picture quality
Picture quality via the internal Freeview HD tuner is very good. Standard-def TV looks stable and detailed, and colours are nicely judged with natural hues preferred over more garish tones.
With some Olympic action in HD, even though the screen downscales the picture to match the panel’s lower resolution, the levels of sharpness and detail are excellent. Motion is handled well considering the set uses only the most basic version of Sony’s Motionflow tech, too.

Flip to the Star Trek Blu-ray and the Sony shows no sign of clouding or patchiness. Blacks are relatively deep and rich, although whites do lack punch. Textures display a fine sense of realism, though.
Sound quality is substandard even by the relatively low standards set by today’s TVs.
Sony KDL-26X553: Verdict
A bigger hindrance, though, is that it just doesn’t seem brilliant value, especially given the screen size you can enjoy if you spend a few pounds more. But this doesn’t take away the fact that, for a bedroom or kitchen, the Sony is a capable option.

LG 55LM760T

2012-12-23T19:41:00.004+05:00

LG 55LM760T

Available from £1499

A solid big-screen all-rounder that scores on value and features

For

Huge value
loads of features
good picture
passive 3D with seven pairs of glasses

For a 55in set, the LG 55LM760T's £1700 price tag is something of a steal. Haul the slender frame out of the box and our impression doesn’t change.
A barely there bezel frames the screen and it’s just under 34mm slim. A smart, angular frame completes a package that’s every bit as impressive aesthetically as any other 2012 TV on the market.
LG 55LM760T: Tech specsSitting in the middle of LG’s 2012 range, this is a Full HD, passive 3D set and comes with seven pairs of 3D glasses. There are two remote controls: a standard, button-packed unit and a small, curved ‘magic remote’ with a smooth click wheel control.
The usual selection of connections are here, with four HDMI inputs, three USB inputs – you can connect a hard disk drive to make a basic PVR – and a digital optical audio output. Integrated wi-fi allows you to access a huge number of apps including BBC iPlayer, YouTube, LoveFilm, Blinkbox and an internet browser.

LG 55LM760T: Performance
The Freeview HD tuner looks pretty good. There’s a decent level of detail, it’s reasonably free from digital noise and motion is handled smoothly. The very best deliver only a touch more punch and colour. Full-bodied sound is a bonus.
Switch to DVD or Blu-ray and it’s more of the same. Black levels on this LED backlit LCD can’t match the best and we’re not 100 per cent happy with fast motion, but in isolation it’s detailed, colourful and reasonably sharp for such a big screen.
If you want a monster TV on a budget that’ll deliver smart TV and 3D for all the family, this is hard to beat – only the best around pip it on picture performance.

Toshiba 40TL963

2012-12-23T19:41:00.001+05:00

Toshiba 40TL963

Flaky backlighting and unexciting picture – not Toshiba’s finest offering

For

Good build
good specs and lots of smart features
good picture with DVDs

At £550, this Toshiba 40TL963 40in TV is cheaper than many direct rivals. But don’t let that fool you into thinking Toshiba has scrimped on features. This set is fully kitted out with internet-enabled smart features, has four HDMI ports and two USB ports, Freesat and Freeview HD tuners, and active 3D.
Toshiba Places is where you can view online multimedia content, and the media hub is organised into categories for TV, Movie on demand, Music, Social Place, News, and Games/Apps.
Along with the now-standard BBC iPlayer and YouTube, you can also watch movies via Acetrax and view pictures from Flickr. You can make different accounts in Toshiba Places for different users, making the smart experience customised to your personal settings.
Toshiba 40TL963: InstallationYou can connect your TV to your home network via wired or wireless connection to pull up images, music and videos stored on external devices. You can also plug memory sticks into either of the two USB ports. Files supported are JPEG pictures, MP3 and MP4 audio, and DivX+HD and MKV videos. WAV files are not playable.
Active-shutter 3D glasses aren’t included, but you can buy them online for around £45 a pair.

This is a good-looking set, with a thin grey bezel surrounding a screen that turns at a convenient angle on its stand. It also comes with a rather large remote control, as well as a smartphone app.
Setting up the TV, however, is more of a struggle compared to rivals from the likes of Sony, Samsung and Panasonic. We always use a THX calibration disc for optimising the picture, but even after that we spent a long time fiddling with the brightness and contrast levels to get a more satisfactory picture.
Toshiba 40TL963: Sound quality
The contrast on this set is not strong enough for colours to make an impact; dark scenes are swathed in murky shadows that overwhelm subtle details. Brighter scenes such as those in daylight fare better, and you can appreciate the clean and decently detailed picture, especially when watching standard-def daytime TV.
The colour balance is on the lean side, and this lack of enthusiasm gives a dulled picture even with high-definition Blu-ray pictures: details blend into the background as edges between objects aren’t as clearly defined. Skin tones aren’t as natural looking as others either.
A more overriding issue is the LED backlighting, which struggles to be uniform. There are splotches of uneven backlighting that clearly permeate the screen and affect what you’re watching.
Watching DVDs on this set, on the other hand, is a much more pleasant experience. We put on Luc Besson’s Leon: The Professional, and when upscaling to 1080p the TL963 is capable of delivering clean and smooth images that are decently detailed. The contrast issues are still there, but still, it’s good news for those with a more DVDs than Blu-rays in their collections.
Toshiba 42VL963: Verdict
The bargain price means this set could have been a four-star product like its big brother the Toshiba 42VL963, with its decent standard-definition viewing and spread of features, but the backlight issue has to knock it down a star.

LG 42LM660T

2012-12-23T19:40:00.003+05:00

LG 42LM660T

Available from £749.99

This is a good screen that gets plenty right, but it faces tough competition

For

3D is good to watch
clear and detailed images
easy to use remotes
friendly interface

The LG 42LM660T is a slick, good looking set. It’s a ‘Cinema Screen’ design – the 42in LED screen is framed by a very thin bezel, leaving a display that’s free from any framing distractions and giving the impression of a bigger picture.
This works in perfect partnership with its best feature – 3D performance. This is a passive 3D set, which in our experience makes it less fatiguing on the eyes – especially over long periods of time. The TV comes with five pairs of light glasses, each with a different colour frame.
Martin Scorsese’s Hugo has been lauded for its excellent 3D, and the LG delivers a great sense of depth and detail. It is certainly one of the most comfortable screens here on which to watch 3D films.
LG 42LM660T: Picture quality
As for traditional, two-dimensional viewing, you have plenty of options from the digital tuner, with Freeview HD channels holding up nicely (although there’s no Freesat tuner).
The LG’s colour balance is a touch less rich compared with the more robust rival sets we've seen such as the Samsung UE40ES8000 and Sony KDL-40HX853, but pictures are squeaky clean and have plenty of detail. While contrast is competent, this LG can’t quite deliver the deepest pools of black.
There’s scope for picture adjustment in the menu settings; we preferred all the picture and sound modes on Standard. This comes down to taste, though, so experiment. The only tweak we’d recommend is increasing the motion processing to +2 – the adjustment makes a difference, especially when watching in 3D.
Switch to a DVD of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and the LG upscales to 1080p to deliver a clean, relatively noise-free picture – and it is more than capable of handling fast-action sequences.
Sound quality on modern TV sets is always thin, and the LG is no exception. We’d pair it up with a decent soundbar at a minimum for the best results.

LG 42LM660T: FeaturesLG consistently makes operating its TVs a user-friendly experience. The user interface and programme guide are logical and neatly displayed. The friendly functionality also extends to LG’s remote controls – you get two, one traditional remote and an LG speciality: the Magic Remote Control.
It’s a sleek, curved wand with a wheel that fits comfortably in your hand, and you can use it like a computer mouse. It has a responsive cursor that makes it easy to point and click at screen options.
A 2012 TV wouldn’t be complete without extensive smart features. There’s a whole host of online content at your fingertips through LG’s App store and Premium video-on-demand services.
You can buy and download various entertainment, news and educational apps from the App store, while the likes of BBCiPlayer, LoveFilm, YouTube and Acetrax mean the latest films and catch-up TV are just a few clicks away. You’ll find Twitter, Facebook and Skype (with an external camera), while Smart Share gives you access to stored media.
LG 42LM660T: Verdict
This LG is a likable set. Rivals such as Sony and Samsung have the edge in outright picture performance, but if you watch lots of 3D the LG is your best bet.

Samsung UE40ES8000

2012-12-23T19:40:00.001+05:00

Samsung UE40ES8000

Available from £935

Samsung continues to impress with excellent Blu-ray picture and smart content

For

Crisp, detailed images
well-designed and friendly interface
great control app and interactive controls
extensive features

Many TVs take advantage of smartphone functionality to have their own control apps alongside the traditional remote. Samsung has gone even further with the 8000 series, including this UE40ES8000, adding motion gesture and voice control to the list of ways you can navigate your set.
While these new control methods work fine, the novelty soon wears off. We were happier using either of the two remotes – a traditional unit with a backlight, and a Smart Touch Control, both of which work efficiently.
Samsung UE40ES8000: Tech specs
This set has a camera built in – useful for Skype video calls. It also uses face recognition software to sign in to personalised apps/accounts such as Twitter.
Samsung’s user interface is slick and it makes the Smart Hub and Smart Apps portals fun to use. There are loads of features, from the regular film, TV and music-on-demand services such as YouTube, BBC iPlayer and Acetrax, to Samsung’s own family and lifestyle apps.
You can also access media stored on NAS devices, computer, smartphones or USB stick over a home network via the built-in wi-fi or ethernet connection.
The Samsung UE40ES8000’s thin-bezel frame and curved stand make for an elegant set.

Samsung UE40ES8000: Picture qualityEven more impressive is the picture quality. This TV comes equipped with both Freesat and Freeview HD tuners; while Freesat channels are crisper, Freeview HD looks good as well, with BBC HD looking clean and sharp.
Fine details are dug out of every image, a trait even more evident when you play Blu-ray discs. Colours are rich and textured without straying too far into overblown territory, while the contrast between deep blacks and sharp whites is strong.
The Panasonic TX-P42GT50 still has better low-level detail without compromising the depth of black, but in brighter scenes the Samsung edges ahead at displaying tiny details.
Samsung UE40ES8000: 3D performance
This detail helps when watching in 3D, where great depth levels and stable motion make this active 3D set easy viewing. Two pairs of lightweight active glasses are included.
We play the Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol DVD to test the set’s upscaling. It’s a surprisingly faltering performance: it’s a decent picture, but there’s a hint of graininess and the colours aren’t as exciting or convincing compared with its handling of Blu-rays – or with the upscaling talents of the Sony set. We’d leave the upscaling duties to a decent Blu-ray player.
Sound is on the usual thin side, with dialogue unclear until you increase the volume. There are sound modes to try: Clear Voice enhances dialogue but surrounding noise is then compromised, while Amplify aims to make a bigger, punchier sound, although things get a bit too harsh. There are different picture modes too, but we saw no real benefit in using them.
Samsung UE40ES8000: Verdict
The 40ES8000 is one of the more expensive sets we've tested at this size, but it is bristling with features. Its comparatively poor showing with DVD upscaling gives other sets a certain edge, but it’s a gorgeous screen that certainly sets a high standard.

Sony KDL-40HX853

2012-12-23T19:39:00.003+05:00

Sony KDL-40HX853

Available from £949

Awards 2012 Product of the Year - TVs. A stunning set.

For

Build and finish
high-def images are crisp with stunning detail
natural tonal balance
DVD upscaling is great
extensive features

The Sony KDL-40HX853 stands out from its rivals, not least because of its distinctive design. Like the excellent 46in and 55in screens in the HX series we’ve tested, the KDL-40HX853 uses the tough Gorilla Glass screen that’s used widely in smartphones.
The 40in screen sits atop a full-width plinth, at a relaxed angle. The plinth also houses the speaker system, giving the Sony an edge in sound quality over rival TVs. As a result, sound is marginally more substantial and has less of a sibilant edge here, with dialogue easier to hear.
Sony KDL-40HX853: Picture quality
But it’s with picture performance that this Sony positively shines. Clarity and detail definition are remarkable, with the TV effortlessly bringing out subtle impressions of texture and colour where most rivals struggle. Put on the Blu-ray of Star Trek and it manages to pick out stars that were hidden on other sets.
The LED backlighting shows its talent as well, maintaining black levels that are smooth and deep, making the bright flashes of flares and sparks all the more punchy and exciting. The Panasonic TX-P42GT50 plasma still fares better with lowlight detail, but the Sony’s colour balance strikes a more neutral, natural balance.
We switch to Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol to test upscaling to 1080p, and we keep forgetting that we’re watching a DVD rather than a Blu-ray. Images are clear and crisp, with no noise or blurring.
The Sony may have to battle it out with Samsung's UE40ES8000 when it comes to outright detail refinement with Blu-ray content, but the KDL-40HX853 is far better at upscaling.

Sony KDL-40HX853: 3D performance
The Sony is an active 3D set, and comes with chunky rechargeable glasses. (Extras will cost £60 a pair.) You can feel your eyes working – passive sets such as the LG offer more comfortable viewing – but the smooth motion and sense of depth immerses you into the beautiful Victorian world of Hugo.
There’s no Freesat tuner, but tuning Freeview HD channels is a fast and painless process. Sony’s XrossMediaBar is one of the best graphic interfaces we know – it even has little pop-ups explaining what each option does when you pause over the menus.
And while most other TVs require you to remember which input you’ve used, this Sony helpfully adds a little graphic next to the input in use – it’s a little thing, but it makes such a difference to the user.
The remote control is a comparatively slim affair, and is highly responsive with intuitively placed buttons.
Along with the ability to play multimedia content from devices over your home network, there are dedicated tabs for on-demand music and video, as well as widgets for Facebook and Twitter.
The Sony Entertainment Network (SEN) hub offers you HD movies from LoveFilm, TV shows from BBC iPlayer and Demand 5, web browsing and game apps, all neatly arranged in grids.
Sony KDL-40HX853: Verdict
There’s plenty on offer from the Sony KDL-40HX853, and its price tag of £1000 makes it a highly desirable TV. With its brilliant picture performance, features and great design, it’s the one to beat.