Already the world’s number one TV manufacturer, Samsung is seeking to maintain or even grow its market share by catering to increasing consumer demand for internet-enabled TVs (IETVs), “connected TVs” or “smart TVs”, and fending off competition from rival brands such as Panasonic, Sony and LG who have also spotted and reacted accordingly to this trend.

The Linux-based Google Android operating system (OS) found on many mobile phones, tablet PCs and netbooks is not new to Samsung. The Korean consumer electronics conglomerate has launched quite a few Android-based smartphones, including the highly praised Samsung Galaxy S and Samsung Wave models. At the IFA 2010 expo in Berlin last week, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab – a 7-inch touchscreen tablet powered by Android 2.2 – which directly competes with the Apple iPad.

In a next-generation TV forum held in Seoul, Yoon Boo Keun, president of the visual display business division at Samsung Electronics, revealed that the company is considering using the Google Android OS platform on its HDTVs, but refrained from committing fully when pressed by reporters, saying “we will have to see”.

Apple recently announced a rehaul of its Apple TV set-top box, which will run the company’s iOS (same operating system as iPhone, iTouch and iPad) and allow users access to the iTunes store for streaming movies or downloading apps like games. Search engine giant Google has also been active in this market, partnering with Sony and Intel to develop Google TV, a new Android-based platform that marries the internet with traditional TV to provide a seamless viewing and browsing experience.

Although Samsung has previously been reported to be looking into the viability of incorporating Google TV on their television sets, it remains unclear if this is the route Samsung would take, or the company would simply develop its own interface powered by Google Android.

The quality of Toshiba’s LCD TVs has traditionally varied by a considerable amount, with the better, non-budget offerings sometimes being some of the best performers in the LCD arena. Let’s see if the company can do great things with a side-lit LCD set in the form of the Toshiba 32SL753B.

Note: The Toshiba 32SL753B may also be advertised by retailers/etailers under the alternative model names of Toshiba 32SL753, Toshiba 32SL753D or Toshiba 32SL753DB… these terms may be used interchangeably within this review to refer to the same LED TV. While we did not test the 40-inch Toshiba 40SL753/ 40SL753B/ 40SL753D/ 40SL753DB, there shouldn’t be any significant difference in picture performance.

Design

On first glance, you could be forgiven for mistaking the Toshiba 32SL753B for a Samsung product. The LCD panel has an unmistakable glossy (yet surprisingly non-reflective) coating, and the surrounding plastic, while thicker than Samsung’s typical designs, reminds us of that company’s mid-range LCDs (then again, there are only so many ways a company can do gloss black). On the other hand, the edges of the plastic frame feature a transparent “stippled dots” pattern, which is unique to Toshiba.

Spin the display around and, after becoming accustomed to the thinnest LED sidelit sets on the market, you could be forgiven for mistaking the Toshiba 32SL753 for a traditional back-lit model. It’s by no means bulky, but it could pass for an exceptionally skinny LCD TV.

Also noteworthy is the remote control that Toshiba bundle with the 32SL753B. It’s been redesigned, making it a welcome change from the somewhat basic-looking remote that Toshiba has been supplying with its LCD TVs for many years. Although it looks slicker and is usable enough, parts of it do feel a little on the cheap side, especially the “clicky”-feeling 4-way directional pad button.

Connections

As usual with modern HDTVs, nearly all connectivity bases are covered with the Toshiba 32SL753. There are 4 HDMI inputs in total, the obligatory Component video jacks (one set), and an analogue PC (“VGA”) input. A single RGB SCART input is included, as is a less useful Composite/S-Video capable SCART terminal. We wonder what the point of this second, non-RGB capable SCART socket is – how many VHS video recorders are seriously being connected to TVs these days? More in tune with the 21st century, there are also two USB ports, an SDHC memory card slot, and a network (LAN) connector. There is also a lowly Composite Video jack with accompanying audio inputs.

Rear/Side: 4x HDMI, VGA, Component, 2x SCART, aerial, ethernet, 2x USB, CI slot

Operation

Ever since the company revamped the User Interface of its products, Toshiba HDTVs have featured a slightly overwhelming amount of video controls. Some of these are useful in achieving high quality images, whereas others are simply distractions.

[Picture] menu

As is often the case, the most crucial setting is the [Picture Mode], and as usual, it is “Movie” which gives the highest quality image.

[Advanced Picture Settings] menu

All of the basic controls on the Toshiba 32SL753B operate as expected, but the [Advanced Picture Settings] menu warrants some investigation. In here, Toshiba promises a [3D Colour Management] feature, which must be turned on before any detailed colour adjustments can be made. The [Base Colour Management] menu allows manipulation of all six colours, with Hue, Saturation and Brightness being controllable (more on this during the Calibration section). There’s a [Colour Temperature] menu for calibrating Greyscale, and controls which allow Dynamic Backlighting and ambient light sensing systems to be enabled and fine-tuned.

A mysterious adjustment called [Black/White Level] seems to have been designed to adjust the “richness” of dark and bright areas. Upping this control adjusts the 32SL753’s Gamma tracking in a way which introduces an S-curve. If this sounds like Greek to you, think of it as a control which allows you to discard fine details in these areas of the picture in exchange for a superficially “richer” image. We’ll find out what the best setting is during the Calibration section.

Additionally, there is a [Static Gamma] control on the Toshiba 32SL753B, which acts in the same way as “Gamma” controls on other TVs. The only difference here is that it offers no less than 31 different positions – only one of which will be optimal, depending on the Gamma the calibrator is trying to achieve. Setting it to a lower position offers an overall darker picture which may be more suitable for darkened rooms, whereas higher settings emphasise previously shadowed parts of the picture, which may be useful for very brightly lit rooms. All will be explained during Calibration!

Moving on, [Noise Reduction] controls and Toshiba’s [Resolution+] sharpening system are both offered. [Active Vision M100] can be enabled or disabled, and there is also a [Film Stabilization] setting which allows the user to either smooth out the motion of films, or to reproduce them naturally, without revision. This is great, because it means that users can reap the benefits of the 100hz motion processing without introducing any un-filmic motion.

This is a very large amount of controls available on the Toshiba 32SL753, which we imagine will be quite daunting to many users, so we will be sharing optimum settings at the end of this review.

Calibration

Note: Our Toshiba 32SL753B review sample was calibrated using Calman Professional, the industry-leading video calibration software.

Before we did any more complex adjustments, we changed some of the basic picture settings on the Toshiba 32SL753, to get an idea of how the TV might perform for the average user who doesn’t have access to measuring equipment and software. Because the Toshiba 32SL753B has two controls which affect Gamma in unpredictable ways, we left these at their defaults, and shut both of the Noise Reduction filters off.

Greyscale

Pre-calibration CCT in [Movie] mode

Pre-calibration RGB tracking and delta errors (dEs)

The image put out by the Toshiba 32SL753 in its relatively untouched “Movie” mode had a visible orangey/yellow cast to it, giving otherwise neutral material a slightly “baked” look. In addition to this, the Toshiba 32SL753B comes set up to reproduce a Gamma of around 2.5, which means that the entire picture may appear quite dark unless the HDTV is viewed in a dark room (it would make sense if this was Toshiba’s intended use for the “Movie” mode). Gamma is one of the few variables in display calibration where some “wiggle room” exists; although Greyscale and Colour are precisely specified, there exists a lot of debate over Gamma, with the general consensus being that 2.2 should be adopted for standard daytime viewing and 2.5 for completely light-controlled specialised viewing rooms. For consistency with our other reviews and to reflect general purpose viewing, we chose to calibrate to 2.2.

Uncalibrated [Movie] mode curve	Corresponding gamma tracking

The Toshiba 32SL753 features a basic [Colour Temperature] control, which can be set from 0-10. Through measuring, we found that the best starting point was 5. After this has been set, the calibrator (or DIY user) can use a standard two-point Greyscale calibration system to adjust colour temperature further. We also adjusted the [Static Gamma] control and found that a setting of -2 was best for reaching our desired 2.2 gamma. The [Black/White Level] control was best set to 0.

Post-calibration CCT in [Movie] mode

Post-calibration RGB tracking and dEs in [Movie] mode

After calibration, the Toshiba 32SL753B produced a suitably familiar colour of white, bringing a good amount of natural colour back to the picture. As is often the case with LCD TVs, a blue tinge persisted in the deepest black areas (see 10% stimulus on the above RGB Level Tracking chart). We attempted to calibrate with the intention of specifically removing this, but this degraded Greyscale quality elsewhere across the range.

You may notice that the mix of Red, Green and Blue breaks apart at 90 and 100%. Normally we can fix these small inaccuracies by lowering the TV’s Contrast control, but in this case, it made no difference. However, in practice, it did not produce a visible discolouration.

Additionally, after battling our way through the many different possibilities of Gamma settings, we were very satisfied with the Toshiba 32SL753’s performance in this area.

Gamma curve in [Movie] mode	Corresponding gamma tracking

Colour

Toshiba has been shipping its LCD TVs with a semi-broken 3D Colour Management system for some time now, and sadly, the 32SL753B does not buck that trend. While control over Hue, Saturation and Brightness are promised, we’ve always found that adjusting the latter control brings out terrible artefacts in the video, resulting in previously calm-looking parts of the picture appearing overrun by noise. After verifying that this was still the case, we set about using the remaining two controls (Hue and Saturation) to clean up colour reproduction.

Post-calibration CIE chart with reference to HD Rec.709

Post-calibration colour luminance (coloured bars = targets; black bars = measured values)

As it happens, the “Saturation” control in the Colour Management menu actually affects both Saturation AND Brightness, but does not introduce the aforementioned noise. Ideally, we would have liked to fully saturate red, but in order to do this, its Luminance would be much too high, resulting in the colour looking very bright on-screen. The visibly undersaturated red indicated by the CIE chart (top) is, sadly, the best we could manage, and indeed, is no better than the Toshiba 32SL753B’s out-of-the-box condition. Fortunately, we could clean up the other colours to a much more satisfactory standard. It’s interesting to note that Samsung’s LED side-lit TVs have also had difficulty in fully saturating Red, although not to the same extent shown here.

The end result is not ideal, but the red saturation deficiency is actually much less noticeable on-screen than you may think from looking at the above chart. Had the Toshiba 32SL753 suffered from a red Luminance deficiency instead, the situation would not be so positive (Sharp’s most recent Quattron LED LCD TV featured deficiencies in Green and Yellow, which was very “sickly”-looking colours at times). Thankfully, colour Luminance (or colour brightness) levels were suitably close to perfection, meaning that most of the richness of the colours was still conveyed.

Other colours could be brought into roughly accurate positions, but this was essentially the result of trial and error. Rather than aligning Hue and Saturation+Luminance individually, our calibration basically consisted of altering the controls and “seeing what stuck”, before settling on the values that gave the lowest error reading.

Another interesting point here is that surprisingly, the Toshiba 32SL753B actually arrives with its [Colour] control set too low, rather than too high. We had to raise this setting to around 8 from its default position of 0 to bring colour luminance levels to roughly correct positions, before starting further tweaks with the Colour Mangement menu. In particular, when we first received the Toshiba 32SL753, the colour of Green was too dark, yet over-saturated. We imagine Toshiba has done this to make the colour seem superficially “deeper”, but this is irrelevant since HDTV (and standard-def TV, for that matter) precisely specify what the colours should look like.

Benchmark Test Results

Power Consumption

Picture Performance

Black Level

We remarked that when we unboxed and plugged in the Toshiba 32SL753B, it strongly resembled a Samsung LCD TV. Well, when we turned it on, it still resembled a Samsung LCD TV! Everything about the LCD panel fitted to the Toshiba 32SL753 suggests that it is one of Samsung’s SPVA screens, which is excellent news, since this type of LCD panel excels with contrast performance and as such is generally preferred by home cinema users over other types. The latest SPVA LCD panels are capable of producing blacks that were once exclusive to Plasma TVs.

After calibration, we measured the black level as being a satisfyingly deep 0.04 cd/m², which is in the same ball-park as Samsung and Sony’s own SPVA-based sets. The usual LCD caveat does apply, of course: the screen will get visibly lighter if you sit to either side of the Toshiba 32SL753B; the richest, highest quality image is to be had when you sit face-on.

Black uniformity was good, but as we often experience with side-lit LED LCD sets, the corners of the screen looked a little brighter than the middle. In particular, the bottom-left and top-right revealed a little bit of purple glowing.

Viewing Angle

The Toshiba 32SL753’s off-axis viewing angle performance was considerably better than Samsung’s top-end LED LCD TVs, perhaps as a result of the fact that Toshiba have not pushed the slimness of their TV to the same extremes. Colours, surprisingly, retained a good amount of their punch when viewed off-axis, and although the deep blacks brightened a little and became somewhat purple-tinged, the performance here surprised us. Naturally, there is a small amount of gamma shift present, so the picture loses some depth and appears slightly brighter from the sides, but no LCD-based TV is immune to this issue.

Motion Resolution

Slightly less impressive was the motion clarity displayed by the Toshiba 32SL753B. With the [Active Vision M100] setting engaged, the scrolling test chart from the FPD Benchmark Software test disc showed some flickering artefacts, which we also noticed occasionally during real-world content. In addition to this, the Active Vision system only managed to boost motion resolution to around 450 lines. Other comparable LCD motion interpolation systems have managed to wring out about 600 lines, resulting in slightly crisper motion. With the system disabled, the Toshiba 32SL753 resolved the usual LCD baseline figure of around 300 lines.

In reality, the risk of introducing processing artefacts into the image may not be worth gaining only 150 extra lines of motion resolution, but the choice is with the user, either way.

It’s also worth noting that Toshiba appears to have taken viewers’ dislike of the so-called “soap opera effect” into account. The phrase “soap opera effect” relates to the fact that when viewing high-budget film content, viewers expect to see a cinema-like, 24 frames per second reproduction, without the TV synthesizing additional “inbetween” frames to make the motion appear smoother and video-like (soap operas, of course, tending to be low-budget video productions, hence the phrase). Indeed, with [Active Motion M100] turned on and [Film Stabilization] set to “Normal”, the Toshiba 32SL753B refrained from smoothing motion, presenting the movement of film material in a “hands off” manner (except for very brief hiccups while the TV confirms the presence of film content). It’s great to see Toshiba join Sony, Toshiba, and LG in the faithful presentation of films.

Predictably, during real-world material, some LCD motion blur was visible on the Toshiba 32SL753B. As is often the case with SPVA panels, the most obvious smearing was in dark areas of the picture. In fact, sometimes the Toshiba 32SL753’s own on-screen menu (which is black and grey) would display a brief after-image when we cleared it from the screen.

High Definition

When we had a look through the outstanding-looking Ponyo Blu-ray Disc, we noticed that the finest details in this 2D animated film appeared very, very mildly pixellated in the horizontal direction on the Toshiba 32SL753B. There was clearly some sort of mild image processing going on, so we pulled out the most detailed Blu-ray Disc we could think of: the “flat” (non-curved version) of Warner’s How The West Was Won.

Sure enough, the fine details in the opening “CINERAMA” logo were visibly aliased, and during the film itself, the tiniest details appeared slightly hazy on the Toshiba 32SL753 (test patterns also confirmed the effect). Although we could recover some of the missing detail, this required us to turn up the Sharpness control and introduce some very slight ringing into other parts of the picture.

Of course, it’s likely that only very observant videophile users would notice, and even then they’d have to be sitting close to the screen. The majority of users will likely never see a problem, but it still begs the question: why can’t manufacturers simply make a video monitor which shows video signals properly, without tinkering?

Except for this minor road-bump, the picture quality of the Toshiba 32SL753B was pleasing. Most of this is attributable to the panel’s contrast performance, which is excellent by LCD standards. During most viewing conditions, blacks appeared suitably deep, and unlike most Plasma displays, this was still the case with some ambient light present. The quality held up suitably well when viewed from the sides, and on-screen video looked pleasingly realistic thanks to the calibration work we’d performed on the 32SL753. The panel’s inability to show fully saturated Red didn’t really bother us without a perfect reference, thanks to the fact that the brightness of the colour was correct.

Standard Definition

The Toshiba 32SL753B did a reasonably good job of suppressing flickering/jagged vertical edges during deinterlacing, and successfully reproduced all of the fine details in SD resolution test charts, meaning that standard definition material won’t look any softer than it has to. This LED LCD TV does feature Film Mode detection, meaning that with the [Film Stabilization] mode set to “Normal”, it at least attempts to show material with Film-like motion with maximum clarity. Unfortunately, when we ran the film cadence tests from the HQV Test Disc through the TV, it failed to engage the correct deinterlacing mode, resulting in detailed areas of the film-derived images (think striped shirts, car grilles, etc.) flickering slightly.

During actual viewing, the Toshiba 32SL753 did sometimes show standard-def Film material optimally, but as per the gruelling HQV test material, it would occasionally fall back and use Video deinterlacing instead, resulting in the small jaggies.

Also noteworthy is the Resolution+ feature, which Toshiba has given significant promotion to in the recent past. We’ve never been truly amazed by this feature, and we stand by our previous assessment of it being a glorified edge enhancement algorithm. With overcompressed, softened Digital TV material, enabling Resolution+ will superficially compensate for some lost detail, but will also make mosquito noise artefacts more visible too. Resolution+ is a nice option to have, but it is by no means a must-have feature.

Console Gaming

Fast-paced online games felt slightly sluggish at times on the Toshiba 32SL753, and sure enough, input lag measured at 31ms when compared to a lag-free CRT display. This is enough to put players of “one hit and you’re dead” games at a frustrating disadvantage, but should suit inherently slower-paced genres like RPGs fine.

We also gave the Nintendo Wii port of Okami a spin on the Toshiba 32SL753B. This somewhat blurry-looking, watercolour-inspired game (which we ran in 480p resolution via Component video) never looks technically astonishing on any display, but we did notice that the game’s many thick black outlines left visible streaking when we raced through the Japanese landscapes because of the LCD panel. We weren’t surprised by this, though, given SPVA panels’ well-known black smearing quirks. On a much brighter note, Okami’s gentler pace and its lack of reliance on split-second movements and reactions meant that the Toshiba 32SL753’s 31ms input lag didn’t bother us here.

Audio Quality

Normally we don’t pass comment on a television’s built-in speakers, since more often than not, they tend to be passable for casual TV viewing, but little more. The speakers on the Toshiba 32SL753B are certainly usable, but they have an unusually hollow, thin sound which isn’t up to the same standards as Samsung’s even thinner LED-sidelit LCD TVs. Toshiba does provide some audio controls, most usefully a basic 5-band equaliser which can be tweaked to provide a superficially punchier sound, but we especially recommend using external speakers with this display for everything except casual viewing.

Conclusion

The Toshiba 32SL753B is a capable LED-sidelit LCD television, which features some small flaws which especially discerning buyers should be aware of. Its excellent contrast performance is what does it the most favours, allowing it to produce a rich image, which surprisingly holds up quite well when the HDTV is watched from an off-axis position (unlike Samsung’s LED sidelit TV efforts). Its energy efficiency is also outstanding.

The Toshiba 32SL753 can be had online for around the £500 mark, making it slightly expensive for a 32″ set. With this said, we can’t think of any obviously cheaper comparable displays, given that users will currently pay over the odds for style with slim LED-based LCD TVs. There’s better value for money to be had elsewhere in the overall HDTV world, but if you’re set on owning a slim LCD display, the Toshiba 32SL753B is a good choice.

Calibrated Settings

The post-calibration picture settings for our Toshiba 32SL753 review sample has been published on our Facebook page.

LG 31EL9500

The LG 31EL9500 sports a full HD 1920 x 1080 AMOLED (active-matrix OLED) screen measuring only 2.9mm deep, with all the necessary processing components and connection ports stowed away in the swivelling, detachable table-top stand. The LG 31EL9500 is also 3D-capable, but obviously this requires viewers to don a pair of compatible 3D glasses.

Priced at 7,000 Euros (around £5,850), the LG EL9500 will go on sale in March next year on a limited run: in Germany only 500 units will be released, with similar drought expected to hit other European countries as well.

OLED TV Technology

OLED (a.k.a. organic LED) TV is set to be the next big thing in HDTV technology. Its emissive display characteristic promises supremely deep blacks that surpass even the legendary Pioneer Kuro plasmas, while the organic compound used means that OLED TV are capable of rich yet realistic colours. Moreover, OLED technology itself allows for ultra-thin screens (the LG 31EL9500 for example is only 2.9mm thick in depth), wide viewing angles and very low energy consumption. Given these appealing properties, it’s easy to understand why videophiles think that OLED TV is truly the future.

Unfortunately, because OLED technology used for large-screen displays is still a work in progress, mass production remains for the most parts not commercially viable. Hopefully as the technology matures and consumer awareness/demand grows, economies of scale will kick in to make OLED TV more affordable to the public. LG certainly cannot be faulted for its attempt in launching the 31EL9500.

Sharp LC-60LE925E

Also advertised under its alternative model names of LC-60LE925 or LC60LE925E, the Sharp LC-60LE925E sports a full HD 1920 x 1080 X-gen UV2A LCD panel illuminated by edge LED backlighting system, which lends to an ultra-thin profile. The Quattron (a.k.a. Quad Pixel) technology embedded on the Sharp LC-60LE925E delivers a richer (but not necessarily accurate) colour palette for both 2D and 3D viewing.

Like most 3D televisions available on the market at the moment, the Sharp LC-60LE925E uses the alternate frame-sequencing/ active shutter variant of 3D display technology. Each Sharp LC-60LE925E 3D TV bought comes with a pair of compatible active shutter 3D glasses, with each extra pair costing in the region of £100.

Interestingly, Sharp incorporated a 2D/3D toggle on its 3D glasses, which converts 3D material into a flat 2D viewing experience. This may be useful in situations where a viewer who cannot tolerate 3D content (perhaps due to headache or dizziness) still wishes to enjoy the same content together with friends watching in 3D. On the flipside, the Sharp LC-60LE925E allows users watch 2D material in 3D via its real-time 2D-to-3D conversion processing to compensate for the relative lack of native 3D content.

Sharp also claims that the LC-60LE925E screen will become 1.8 times brighter in 3D mode to counter the darkening effect of the 3D glasses. In tune with the company’s commitment to eco-friendliness, apparently this does not incur any increase in power consumption.

On the connected internet front, the Sharp LC-60LE925E 3D TV features a new Aquos Net+ platform co-developed with Philips. Alongside the standard social web applications such as Youtube and Facebook, there is an integrated Opera browser that grants open access to more internet websites.

Retailing at £3,500, an inbuilt Freeview HD tuner is the only glaring omission on the Sharp LC-60LE925E, but the company has promised to rectify this on similar 3D TV models of different screen sizes to be released next year.

Toshiba 40WL768/ 40WL768D

Named the Regza WL768 series, Toshiba’s 3D TV range is available in three screen sizes:

The Toshiba 40WL768, 46WL768 and 55WL768 all utilise an Edge LED backlighting system, allowing for an ultra-slim chassis which, when combined with stylistic cues commissioned from Jacob Jensen Design (responsible for Bang & Olufsen’s avant-garde lines), contributes to a modern and elegant look.

Specification-wise, the Toshiba 40WL768, 46WL768 and 55WL768 come with full HD 1920 x 1080 panels, claimed dynamic contrast ratio of 7 million to 1, Toshiba’s proprietary MetaBrain video processing engine (which includes Resolution+ upscaling and Active Vision M200HD Pro 200Hz motion technology), inbuilt DVB-T2 Freeview HD tuner, and integrated wireless (WiFi) connectivity with out-of-the-box Youtube and BBC iPlayer access.

The 3D technology implemented on the Toshiba 40WL768, 46WL768 and 55WL768 is the active shutter variant which requires viewers to wear active shutter 3D glasses in order to watch 3D content. One pair of compatible 3D glasses is bundled with each Toshiba 3D TV bought.

The Toshiba WL768 series is scheduled to go on sale in the UK from October this year, but so far prices have yet to be confirmed.

Toshiba 40VL748/ 40VL748D

One rung down from the WL768 series is the Toshiba VL748 range which similarly boasts full HD 1920 X 1080 native screen resolution, Edge LED backlight, Jacob Jensen-inspired exterior and integrated Freeview HD tuner, but does not have 3D capabilities, 200Hz motion (only 100Hz Active Vision M100HD), nor inbuilt WiFi connectivity (a wireless USB dongle needs to be purchased separately).

Arriving in October too, the Toshiba VL748 range comes in two sizes:

Toshiba 42SL738/ 42SL738D

Last but not least, the Toshiba 42SL738 (may also be advertised alternatively as Toshiba 42SL738D or Toshiba 42SL738DB) is the entry-level offering from the company’s latest HDTV launches at IFA 2010.

The Toshiba 42SL738 sports a full HD LCD panel with LED backlighting, 100Hz motion, super-slim design, but no built-in Freeview HD tuner. And given its purported dynamic contrast ratio of only 1,000,000:1 and its 42-inch screen size, black level on the Toshiba 42SL738 is probably not going to be as deep as the VL748 and WL768 series.

The 42SL738 HDTV is due to hit UK shops in October. Price remains unknown for now, but Toshiba claims it is “extremely attractive”.

Under the signed agreement, Sky will recommend LG 3D TVs – instead of similar offerings from Panasonic, Samsung or Sony – to customers interested in subscribing to its Sky 3D channel. Building upon an existing commercial relationship that involved Sky 3D sporting events being broadcast on LG 3D televisions in pubs and clubs across the UK since April, these two companies will work together to raise awareness of 3D technology by embarking on a nationwide roadshow where Sky’s 3D content will be demoed on LG 3D TV sets. Exclusive deals on LG 3D TV purchases for new and existing Sky subscribers has also been suggested, though details remain sketchy at the moment.

Stephen Gater, head of marketing for the Home Entertainment division at LG UK, acknowledged that compelling 3D content is essential alongside 3D TV hardware to drive 3DTV adoption among home users, which is why the Korean TV maker did not hesitate in penning a deal with BSkyB (British Sky Broadcasting), whose Sky 3D channel will offer the most variety of 3D content in the United Kingdom ranging from 3D sporting events to 3D movies.

The main factor which may have persuaded Sky to endorse LG rather than its rivals is that LG is the sole TV manufacturer that produces both active and passive 3D televisions, which means that LG’s range of 3D displays has the widest appeal across different groups of viewers (e.g. passive 3D in pubs and clubs; active 3D at home).

Samsung UE65C8000

The Samsung UE65C8000 is a 65-inch behemoth which Samsung claims is the world’s largest LED-based 3D TV (the UE65C8000 would have picked up the world’s largest 3D TV crown were it not for Panasonic’s very own 65-incher, the TX-P65VT20 plasma 3D TV).

A gargantuan addition to the C8000 series, the Samsung UE65C8000 boasts a super-slim chassis (thanks to its edge-lit LED backlighting system), the company’s proprietary 3D video processor, Precision Dimming technology, and a number of multimedia features including Samsung Apps service and wireless connectivity.

The Samsung UE65C8000 is scheduled to hit UK shops in October, but the 3D LED TV won’t come cheap. Although UK pricing details are not available yet, in Europe the Samsung UE65C8000 commands a wallet-busting price tag of 5,995 Euros (around £5,000).

Samsung PS50C680/ Samsung PS50C490

One of the very few TV makers still actively developing and selling plasma televisions, Samsung has bolstered its plasma range with the C680 and C490 3D-ready series. Both are available in 50-inch screen size (Samsung PS50C680 and Samsung PS50C490), and according to Samsung feature Clear Image Panel technology, wider viewing angles, and a 40% reduction in energy consumption compared to last year’s models.

The 3D Hyper Real video processing engine control on the Samsung PS50C680 and Samsung PS50C490 allows users to tweak contrast, colour and motion on the plasma TVs for an individualised 3D viewing experience. The PS50C680 is also equipped with Samsung AllShare technology that lets owners stream media content from compatible DLNA devices.

The Samsung PS50C680 and Samsung PS50C490 are priced at 1,349 Euros (around £1,125) and 1,099 Euros (around £915) respectively, but UK pricing and availability remains unknown at this time of writing.

Panasonic TX-P42GT20/ TX-P42GT20B

Panasonic’s first 3D TV range, the VT20 series, is bundled with two pairs of 3D glasses when sold, but obviously this adds to the price. Taking a leaf out of Samsung’s and Sony’s books, Panasonic has released the GT20 series which can been marketed as a more affordable 3D TV display because it does not come with 3D glasses.

Currently the GT20 series is available in one screen size, namely the 42-inch Panasonic TX-P42GT20. Depending on its reception among consumers, Panasonic may start offering the GT20 in larger sizes such as 46 and 50 inches in the future.

Boasting a full HD NeoPDP panel, THX certification, 4 HDMI inputs, Infinite Black technology, 600Hz sub-field drive motion and high contrast filter, the Panasonic TX-P42GT20 is best thought of as a G20 plasma that is blessed with 3D capabilities including 2D-to-3D conversion. Other multimedia features on the Panasonic TX-P42GT20 include Viera Cast connected internet service, DLNA compatibility, and optional wireless connectivity.

In the United Kingdom, the Panasonic TX-P42GT20 may be advertised by retailers/ etailers as the Panasonic TX-P42GT20B, with the appended alphabet “B” denoting the 3-pin-plug British version. Unconfirmed sources suggest that the Panasonic TX-P42GT20B UK model will be shipped with 2 pairs of 3D glasses. Carrying a recommended price tag of £1500, the Panasonic TX-P42GT20B is now available to buy in the UK.

Panasonic TX-P42VT20B/ TX-P46VT20B

Fulfilling the leaked document reported 2 months ago, Panasonic indeed added two smaller 3D TV models to its VT20 range. The 42-inch Panasonic TX-P42VT20B and 46-inch Panasonic TX-P46VT20B will sport 2D-to-3D-conversion processing which is not available on the current batch of 50VT20.

The Panasonic TX-P42VT20B and TX-P46VT20B will hit UK shops during the first week of October at RRPs of £1800 and £2000 respectively.

New 3D Glasses

Taking on board some constructive criticisms levelled at its first batch of 3D glasses, Panasonic has reduced their weight to become among the lightest found on the market, and adopted a more conventional design to not only improve comfort and fit, but also maximise peripheral vision and reduce light leakage around the sides.

Three sizes are available: large, medium and small as indicated by their respective model names of TY-EW3D2L, TY-EW3D2M and TY-EW3D2S.

So while LG Electronics has initially gone down the LED/ LCD route when launching its first 3D TV sets, it’s not surprising to find the company developing 3D plasma TVs. At the IFA 2010 trade show in Berlin, LG will unveil the PX950N series, which is not only the Korean giant’s first 3D plasma TV, but also the world’s first HDTV display to be 3D THX-certified (the Panasonic VT20 series is THX-certified but not in 3D). In the United Kingdom, this will be marketed as the LG PX990 series, comprising the 50-inch LG 50PX990 and the 60-inch 60PX990.

LG 50PX990/ 60PX990

Both the LG 50PX990 and the LG 60PX990 plasma 3D TVs are blessed with the company’s 3D Panel with faster response time and 600Hz sub-field drive motion technology, which work in tandem to enhance motion reproduction and minimise crosstalk. The wide viewing angles – a traditional forte of plasma televisions – allow viewers to enjoy 3D content from more spots in the living room, even when lying down.

Another positive feature on the LG 50PX990 and LG60PX990 is MPF (Multi-Picture Format) support, which lets users see the 3D pictures taken by their 3D cameras directly on the 3D TV screen. Other specifications include LG’s Netcast connected internet platform, DLNA certification and Wifi connectivity.

More details concerning prices and availability may come to light at IFA 2010. LG is also planning to show off a gigantic 180-inch plasma prototype at the event.

LG 47LEX8/ 55LEX8

The centrepiece in LG’s exhibit section at the IFA 2010 in Berlin is the LEX8 series of 3D TV which is also touted as the slimmest locally-dimmed LED-backlit LCD television in the world, measuring only 8.8mm in depth with most of the hardware circuitry transplanted to the table-top stand. At present two screen sizes are in the pipeline, the 47-inch LG 47LEX8 and the 55-inch LG 55LEX8.

In the past LED TVs which feature local dimming technology have always been relatively bulky. To satisfy consumer demand for a slimmer chassis, television manufacturers gradually shifted their focus towards developing Edge LED-based LCD TVs, where the LEDs are mounted along the borders of the screen. While this allows for a thinner and more aesthetically appealing design compared to locally-dimmed LED-backlit LCDs, unfortunately there is a trade-off in picture performance especially when it comes to screen uniformity.

With the 47LEX8 and 55LEX8, LG is seeking to provide the best of both worlds, namely superior picture quality together with breathtaking styling. Key to this achievement is LG’s proprietary Nano lighting technology, where micro dots are printed on a super-thin film illuminated by blocks of LEDs which are in turn controlled by an innovation dubbed Micro-Pixel that purportedly improves black level, chromaticity and screen uniformity.

400Hz TruMotion backlight scanning technology for enhanced motion clarity, LG’s Netcast internet service, Magic Motion gesture-sensitive remote control, and DLNA connectivity are other impressive specifications on the LG 47LEX8 and LG 55LEX8. UK pricing and availability remain unknown at this point, but do not expect them to be easily affordable.