LCD supertest

J U N E 2 0 0 6

In terms of sales, LCD is head and shoulders

above plasma as a fl atscreen television

technology. The jury is still out on their

comparative picture qualities, but

there’s little doubt that the bean

counters and sales reps favour Liquid

Crystal Display TVs. And so does the

general public – we can’t get enough of

them, it seems.

Primarily, this is because prices have

plummeted – an HD Ready screen can be

bought for less than £600 nowadays. But

other factors are even more, in an AV sense,

more tantalising. The technology has improved

somewhat, and even its trademark dodgy blacks

are creeping further towards the deeper end. And

innovations in picture processing have started to

eliminate other caveats, such as motion blur and edge

noise. In short, there’s been no better time to seriously

consider an LCD TV.

So, to help you make sense of the mass-market minefi eld

that is a TV showroom, here’s 20 top-rated HD TVs, some new,

some favourites, that HCC recommends. We’ve even split them

up into each popular screen size so you can focus on the ones

that suit you best. But if you’d rather wait for the technology to

mature further, we even supply some insight on what’s likely to

happen later on in the great LCD invasion...

H O M E C I N E M A C H O I C E 4 9

There’s been no better time to buy an LCD TV. John Archer explains why, examines each screen size and gives you 20 HD tellies to choose from...

InvasionLCD

HCC148.lcd 49HCC148.lcd 49 11/9/07 17:58:3511/9/07 17:58:35

5 0 H O M E C I N E M A C H O I C E N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Grouptest... 32in LCDs

The arrival of the

fi rst TV bearing

Philips’ new

Perfect Pixel HD Engine

technology, the

32PFL9632D, has got

me excited and

disappointed all at the

same time. Excited

because I can’t wait to

see how Perfect Pixel

improves on Philips’

already impressive

Pixel Plus 3 HD system.

Disappointed because

of the TV’s 32in size

– will it really be

possible to appreciate

everything Perfect Pixel

Engine is bringing to

the party on such

a relatively diminutive

screen?

Let’s start with a thumbs up to

its aggressively glamorous design,

which combines a gloss anthracite

colour scheme, shiny silver trim and

glass-covered pedestal stand to classic

‘boys toy’ effect. And that’s before I’ve

even mentioned its ‘stereo’ Ambilight

talents, whereby soothing, immersive

pools of light spill from its left and right

sides. Gimmick? Yes. Good? Oh yes.

Connections, meanwhile, are fulsome.

Three HDMIs get the ball rolling nicely

– especially as they all take HD formats up

to and including the 1080p/24fps format

found on most Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.

But also eye-catching are a USB port for

playback of MP3, .alb slideshow, JPEG,

MPEG1 and MPEG2 fi les; a digital audio

output; and all the paraphernalia

associated with a built-in digital tuner.

There’s no D-Sub PC port, but the HDMIs

can do PC duties.

And so I come to the Perfect Pixel HD

Engine. This takes the basic building blocks

of Pixel Plus 3 HD, such as advanced noise

reduction, detail enhancement and colour

improvements, yet ups the processing

SPECIFICATIONS ITEM SUPPORT DETAILS HD Ready ●● Can display (non-native) 1080i Progressive Scan ●● NTSC and PAL formats both work Digital TV Tuner ●● Plus subscription CI slot Composite video ●● 1 phono input S-video ●● 1 input Scart ●● 2 connections (1 RGB) Component video ●● 1 input HDMI/DVI ●● 3 HDMI PC input ●● 1 VGA input Headphone ●● 1 output

Sound: Nicam Stereo (2 x 8W) Resolution: 1366 x 768 Brightness: 550cd/m2 (claimed); Contrast: 8000:1 (claimed) Dimensions : 829(w) x 543(h) x 125(d)mm; Weight: 18.2kg Also featuring Perfect Pixel HD processing; HD Natural Motion processing, Dynamic contrast; 1080p/50/60/24/25/30Hz compatibility; 3/2 and 2/2 pulldown; 100Hz Clear LCD, USB port with JPEG, MP3, slideshow

power, and slips in a few new ingredients.

One of these is judder-removing HD

Natural Motion, which sports fi ve times the

processing power of Philips’ old – and

rather unconvincing – Digital Natural

Motion application. As part of its

machinations, HD Natural motion converts

24fps signals to 48Hz for a simple, clean

2:2 pulldown process.

Perfect Pixel HD also incorporates a colour

booster circuit that ups saturation levels and,

courtesy of 14bit processing, generates a

claimed palette of four trillion colours.

One fi nal new factor is 100Hz, which

doubles the TV’s standard scanning rate to

reduce LCD’s problems with retaining

clarity with moving objects. What’s more,

the 100Hz system gets an extra boost from

Philips’ Clear LCD system, which uses

a CRT-like scanning backlight to boost

response times and black levels.

PerformanceThe opening space battle in Star Wars: The

Revenge of the Sith quickly shows that

Perfect Pixel HD is a substantial advance

on even Pixel Plus 3.

Particularly gratifying is the 100Hz/Clear

LCD combination, which helps motion look

sharper, clearer and smoother – without

any signifi cant signs of the glitching and

strangely processed look that characterise

some rival systems, and Philips’ old Digital

Natural Motion system.

Fine detail levels are nothing short of

mesmerising – and that’s not something I

can often say about a 32in TV. Heaven only

knows how strong Perfect Pixel HD’s

impact will be on a bigger screen.

PHILIPS 32PFL9632D£1,000 (approx) ◆ 0906 1010 016 ◆ www.philips.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

Scart and component inputs are present, as well as the twin HDMIs

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N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 7 H O M E C I N E M A C H O I C E 5 1

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...AND THE BEST OF THE REST

A CI slot means owners can enjoy pay-per-view Freeview upgrades

Also extremely impressive is the set’s

colour handling. It delivers remarkably

natural skin tones for an LCD panel, while

producing blend subtleties to rival full HD

screens, even though the screen’s native

resolution is actually only 1366 x 768.

Wrapping up the picture talents is an

impressive black level response, which

helps to generate a sense of scale to the

shots of outer space during our Revenge of

the Sith battle sequence.

In a perfect world the black level would

be deeper still, and there’s defi nitely room

for improvement when it comes to viewing

angles, as the contrast drops off dramatically

if you sit too far to the side. Finally in the

negative column, you might need to turn all

the motion processing off during fast sports

footage, as I detected occasional ghosting

over, say, a speeding cricket ball.

ConclusionBut these are really quite small dents in

the armour of a 32in TV that uses bleeding-

edge tech to overcome almost entirely

LCD’s traditional problems with motion

– a talent which makes it our favourite 32in

fl at TV ever. And of course, if the impact of

Perfect Pixel HD can be so high on a TV this

small, it’s potential with bigger screens is

simply mind-boggling…

Samsung LE-32R87BD£550 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303 ◆ www.samsung.co.uk

◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

It’s a testament to just how good Samsung’s R87 range is

– especially given its knock-down price – that members of

it appear in three of our four size groups in this LCD

supertest. The thing that makes the 32R87, and its

siblings, so special is the superb balance it treads

between good picture quality, superb design, great

connectivity, reams of features and, above all, price. If

there’s another LCD TV on the market offering such great

value, we ain’t seen it.

Hitachi 32LD9700£750 (approx) ◆ 01628 643 000

◆ www.hitachidigitalmedia.com ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

This Hitachi model employs ‘IPS Alpha’ LCD panel design that’s claimed to

radically improve the TV’s viewing angle, contrast and motion response

time. And we’re happy to say that it delivers to some extent on all of

these claims. The picture is very dynamic, with exceptionally vivid colours

and an unusually high brightness output, plus you get oodles of fi ne

detail in HD pictures. In fact, with some slightly deeper black levels and

better audio this TV would have taken some beating to the top spot.

Panasonic 32LXD70£800 (approx) ◆ 08705 357 357 ◆ www.panasonic.co.uk

◆ Overall Rating ★★★★

Although our unashamed obsession with bigger screen sizes has

meant we haven’t actually reviewed this TV in the pages of HCC yet,

rest assured we’ve spent plenty of quality time with it and generally

love it to pieces. Like our Philips favourite, the 32LXD70 uses 100Hz to

clean up motion, and while this isn’t quite as potent as Philips’ effort,

it’s still a very worthwhile attempt. And it marries it with one of the

crispest pictures in the business with standard- and high-defi nition alike.

Sony KDL-32V2500£650 ◆ 08705 111 999 ◆ www.sony.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★

As we wait and wait and wait for Sony to get its ruddy fi nger out and deliver

the long-awaited all-new range of Bravias, the aging but still really rather

good 32V2500 can now be found at knock-down prices on account of its

relative vintage. The V2500 models are Sony’s step-up Bravias, and as such

deliver such treats as a wide colour gamut system and a dynamic contrast

arrangement for better blacks, resulting in pictures that still stand up today

– at least at the sort of price point you can now fi nd them at.

HCC148.lcd 51HCC148.lcd 51 11/9/07 17:59:0311/9/07 17:59:03


Grouptest... 37in LCDs

Usually at Home Cinema Choice we

aren’t particularly bothered about

how much things cost. Not

because we’ve got more money than

sense or anything (sadly that couldn’t be

further from the truth) – it’s just that our

love of AV is such that we fi nd ourselves

reluctant to compromise on performance

standards to save a few bob.

But for our current favourite 37in LCD TV,

we’re happy to make an exception. For the

compromises demanded by Toshiba’s

37X3030 are actually way, way smaller

than we’d have thought possible given

its puny £800 price tag.

Take, for starters, its build quality. It’s

robust, impressively glossy, and quite

stylish – far from the plasticky grey

nastiness you often see at this price level.

In terms of connections, the 37X3030’s

highlights are two HDMIs, a D-Sub VGA

port, a digital

audio output for

shipping out multichannel

audio tracks received via the

HDMIs, and a subwoofer line out for

attaching an optional low-frequency

speaker. All good stuff for the money.

Arguably the single biggest attraction of

the 37X3030, though, is its full HD pixel

count. Normally you’d struggle to fi nd a

decent 1366 x 768 37in TV for £800, yet

the 37X3030 has all 1920 x 1080 pixels

necessary to show without scaling down

the 1080-line sources which make up

practically all of the UK’s HD material.

What’s more, the set’s HDMIs can take

1080p inputs, including the pure 24fps

format that most fi lms are encoded in on

Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. The good times

continue to roll with the 37X3030’s claimed

SPECIFICATIONS ITEM SUPPORT DETAILS HD Ready ●● 720p, 1080i and 1080p (inc 24fps) Progressive Scan ●● 480p, 720p and 1080p Digital TV Tuner ●● With 7-day EPG Composite video ●● 1 phono input S-video ✕ Not here Scart ●● 2 connections (1 RGB) Component video ●● 1 input HDMI/DVI ●● 2 HDMI PC input ●● 1 D-Sub connection Headphone ●● 1 output

Sound: Nicam Stereo (2x10W) Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 500cd/m2 (claimed); Contrast: 3500:1 (claimed) Dimensions : 920(w) x 614(h) x 122(d)mm; Weight: 21.1kg Also featuring Active Vision LCD processing, 24fps support, Exact scan mode, MPEG noise reduction, Digital noise reduction, 3D digital comb filter, 20W audio output, Bass boost

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contrast

ratio, which at 3500:1 is

every bit as high as that promised by many

screens costing way more.

Naturally this contrast ratio fi gure comes

with a rider, in that it’s only achievable with

the help of a dynamic backlight system that

reduces the picture’s brightness when dark

scenes are detected, in order to make black

TOSHIBA 37X3030£800 (approx) ◆ 08704 424 424 ◆ www.toshiba.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

Two Scarts and a component input: two HDMIs are lurking nearby

HCC148.lcd 52HCC148.lcd 52 11/9/07 17:59:1011/9/07 17:59:10


Tried&Tested...

levels look deeper. But while this brightness-

reducing arrangement might count as a

disadvantage of the 37X3030 versus

plasma TVs, similar arrangements are also

used by practically every other LCD set.

There’s only one disappointing element

in the 37X3030’s specifi cations, and that’s

the lack of the solid 100Hz engine that

helped motion look clearer on some

previous Toshiba sets.

PerformanceIn action, the 37X3030 hugely outperforms

its price point. For instance, despite only

being 37in across, the TV enjoys clearly

visible benefi ts with HD courtesy of its Full

HD native resolution. Colour blends, for

instance, are unusually smooth thanks to

the screen’s high pixel density. Plus the

scintillating levels of fi ne detail on show in

the card-playing scenes during the Blu-ray

of Casino Royale are delivered with true Full

HD aplomb, and without a trace of noise

(provided you use the 1:1 pixel mode).

More general strengths fi nd the picture

looking bright and intensely coloured, with

natural colour tones – especially during

bright scenes. Motion is handled

adequately, losing surprisingly little

resolution for a set without any 100Hz

system. Finally, the Tosh handles the

upscaling of standard-def sources to its Full

HD pixel count with refreshing credibility.

Black level, though, does fall short of

the best LCDs, causing some greyness over

dark scenes.

ConclusionThe bottom line here is that despite its

slight black level shortcomings, the Toshiba

37X3030 is a cracking entry-level ‘in’

to the joys of Full HD. And for that we are

truly thankful.

Long, thin, and simple to use. Yep, it’s a Toshiba remote

...AND THE BEST OF THE REST Samsung LE-37R87BD £700 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303 ◆ www.samsung.co.uk

◆ Overall Rating ★★★★

This terrifi c Samsung contender, and another member of

the R87 fraternity, may lack the Full HD resolution of our

Toshiba champ, but it does its hardest to compensate.

Connectivity is excellent, with three HDMIs making

it suitably future-proofed. There is also picture processing

galore, some of the best black levels yet seen from an LCD

TV and the gorgeous Samsung design. Oh, and a price

even lower than the Tosh’s.

Sharp LC37XD1E£1,100 (approx) ◆ 0800 138 5051

◆ www.sharp.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

This 37incher from Sharp offers 1080p support and bags of

features. What’s more, its performance is subjectively as good as

that of the Toshiba 37X3030, meaning the Sharp only missed

out on bagging our ‘favourite 37in LCD TV’ title on account of

its £300-higher price tag. So it’s defi nitely one to look out for

a discount on.

Philips 37PF9731D£1,900 (approx) ◆ 0906 1010 016

◆ www.philips.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

Costing over twice as much as the Toshiba 37X3030, it’s just as well that

this Philips model has an amazing amount to offer. The most immediate

attraction is Ambilight Surround, which spills coloured light from the TV’s

four sides to make the viewing experience more immersive and relaxing.

But also key are its Full HD resolution; memory card slot/two USB ports/

Ethernet jack for multimedia playback; a ClearLCD scanning backlight

systes; and Philips’ Pixel Plus 3 HD processing.

Loewe Modus L 37£1700 ◆ 0800 027 6465

◆ www.loewe-uk.com ◆ Overall Rating ★★★

We’ve thrown this one in for the fashion afi cianados among you. For although

its performance is certainly good, it’s not good enough in itself to justify the

£1,700 price tag. The key is that in true Loewe style the Modus L 37 is a

seriously pretty thing, available in platinum or Anthracite fi nishes, and with the

option of being mounted on a truly sumptuous silver ‘pole’ fl oor stand. Hubba.

HCC148.lcd 53HCC148.lcd 53 11/9/07 17:59:1311/9/07 17:59:13


Grouptest... 40/42in LCDs

If you ask me, it’s only when you get to

the 40-42in screen sizes that things

really get interesting in the TV world.

Not just because this is

the sort of size where

a TV starts to turn into

a home cinema

centrepiece, but also

because this is the level

where brands start

to go the extra mile

with cool features and

harsh price competition.

So Sharp can justly

feel very pleased with

itself for bagging the

honour of being our

favourite 40-42in LCD TV.

Even if the honour isn’t

down to performance

skills alone, owing a

small debt to the old

‘value’ thing…

The 42XD1E’s push for

the top starts right

away, with some real

pretty-boy looks.

But then it stumbles a

touch with its connections, as there

isn’t a dedicated component video

input. Instead you have to use an adaptor

(thankfully provided) and the PC port,

meaning you can’t simultaneously connect

a PC and a component source like an Xbox

360. Still, you do at least get twin HDMIs

for digital HD duties.

Where the 42XD1E really starts to score

is with its Full HD native resolution

– a defi nite surprise on such an affordable

SPECIFICATIONS ITEM SUPPORT DETAILS HD Ready ●● 720p, 1080i and 1080p Progressive Scan ●● Compatible with 480p, 720p, 1080p Digital TV Tuner ●● With 7-day EPG Composite video ●● 1 phono input S-video ●● 1 input Scart ●● 2 connections (x RGB) Component video ●● But only via VGA and adaptor HDMI/DVI ●● 2 HDMI PC input ●● 1 VGA Headphone ●● 1 output

Sound: Nicam A2/Surround Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 450 ANSI Lumens (claimed); Contrast: 1200:1 (claimed) Dimensions : 920(w) x 600(h) x 115(d)mm; Weight: 25.1kg Also featuring PC capable, 1:1 pixel mapping; dynamic contrast enhancement; black stretch; geometry adjust, truD processing, backlight adjust, DNR

42incher. And, happily, its HD friendliness

is ably supported by 1080p compatibility

via the HDMIs and a pixel-for-pixel mode

(called Underscan in the TV’s menus) that

removes nasty overscan processing during

HD viewing.

Two other noteworthy features are a

dynamic contrast system that reduces the

output of the backlight during dark scenes

to up black levels, and Sharp’s truD image

processing, designed to improve motion

judder, contrast and sharpness.

PerformanceClearly there are TVs with more formidable

specifi cations than the 42XD1E. But what

I like so much about this Sharp is the way

it makes the most of what it’s got to

deliver a scintillating Full HD performance

that doesn’t break the bank.

Check out for starters the fi ne detail

the set portrays. The pixel-perfect

rendition of Casino Royale on Blu-ray

contains countless dazzlingly detailed and

textured scenes, such as the shots of

Bond in the grounds of his recuperation

hospital – and the 42XD1E portrays every

one with the sort of precision that

only a large 1920 x 1080 display can

muster. In fact, with Sharp’s image

processing seemingly more subtle than

that of many rivals, the set’s Full HD

performance is purer than usual.

The ‘Full HD difference’ can also be seen

in the subtle colour portrayal, as skin tones

look totally believable and even the

slightest of blends is delivered without

striping or stepping thanks to the extra

pixel density.

SHARP LC-42XD1E£1,300 (approx) ◆ 0800 138 5051 ◆ www.sharp.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

Looking for the component input? Well, there isn’t one. You’ll have to use the VGA input and an adaptor

HCC148.lcd 54HCC148.lcd 54 11/9/07 17:59:1611/9/07 17:59:16


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Good colours generally owe a big debt

to a good black level, and so it proves

here. I wouldn’t say the 42XD1E delivers

the deepest black level yet seen on

a 40-42in LCD TV, but it gets close.

What’s more, dark areas retain enough

shadow detail to keep them looking

natural and involving.

The 42XD1E is great with HD, but

it’s also far from a slouch with

standard-defi nition either, which is

important as SD fare is still very much

a staple of the home cinema

experience. Sure, there’s more noise

and smearing, and less colour

consistency, but the overall results still

outdo the standard-def performances

of most Full HD rivals.

Inevitably, for £1,300, Sharp’s 42XD1E

is not perfect. It can slightly exaggerate

noise that may be inherent to particularly

poor quality digital or analogue

broadcasts; it’s possible to mess pictures

up if you’re not very careful with the TV’s

settings; and just occasionally the

dynamic contrast system’s machinations

become a touch obvious.

ConclusionAs I said, though, these fl aws stop the

42XD1E being perfect; they don’t stop

it being very good, especially for its

money. So if you want a great Full HD

performance for relative peanuts, your

buck can very happily stop here.

Not exactly stylish, but the Sharp remote is simple enough to use

...AND THE BEST OF THE REST Samsung LE-40R87BD £800 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303 ◆ www.samsung.co.uk ◆

Overall Rating ★★★★½

Another LCD selection, another appearance by a member

of Samsung’s R87 range. In fact, this is our personal

favourite of the excellent lineup, with the features,

looks and picture talents to make its £800 price point look

so cheap it’s stupid. The only thing you need to bear

in mind before charging off down the shops is that the

screen’s resolution is HD Ready rather than Full HD,

and that its pictures therefore aren’t as accomplished as

those of the Sharp.

LG 42LF66£1,000 (approx) ◆ 0870 607 5544

◆ www.lge.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★

This is another Full HD model that grabbed our eye on account of its price.

Just £1,000 for a 42in Full HD LCD TV is frankly bonkers – especially when

it has some of the most vibrant colours in the fl at TV world. Admittedly

the set’s picture quality falls some way short overall of that of our Sharp

winner, especially when it comes to black level. But if you never thought

a £1,000 budget could extend to include a 42in 1080p LCD TV, think again.

Philips 42PF9831D£2,000 (approx) ◆ 0906 1010 016

◆ www.philips.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

Time and competition have now nearly halved the Full HD 42PF9831D’s

original £3500 price, making this a true high-end TV

you can actually afford.

What makes it high end? Well, it’s got Philips’ Clear LCD technology,

Pixel Plus 3 HD image processing, and Ambilight Surround.

Last but not least, there’s the small matter that its pictures, at least

with HD sources, are simply stunning.

Sony KDL-40V2500£1100 ◆ 08705 111 999

◆ www.sony.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★

We tested and loved the 46in version of this TV a while back, and believe us,

the 40in version is every bit as good. Sony’s Bravia Engine processing works

wonders on removing noise from pictures while allowing HD sources the room

to breathe on their own. The feature count is healthy, too, and the picture

quality is very good, even compared with many more recent TVs. Note, though,

that the native resolution is 1366 x 768.

HCC148.lcd 55HCC148.lcd 55 11/9/07 17:59:2011/9/07 17:59:20


Grouptest... 46in+ LCDs

The LE46F86BD is particularly

signifi cant because it features

Samsung’s debut take on the 100Hz

trend now sweeping the LCD world.

Dubbed ‘100Hz Motion Plus’, its name

suggests that, as well as doubling the PAL

scanning rate of the picture, there’s an

element of Samsung’s Motion Plus frame

interpolation system – found with sets

further down the brand’s current LCD

range – included. This isn’t necessarily

good news actually, as I’ve frankly had

my doubts about Motion Plus so far. So

here’s hoping the 100Hz element makes

a real difference.

Not that 100Hz is the 46F86BD’s only

claim to fame. It also looks a million

dollars, and sports a Full HD resolution of

1920 x 1080, supported by a ‘Just Scan’ 1:1

pixel mapping mode and three v1.3 HDMIs

all able to take 1080p/24 feeds.

There’s also

Samsung’s DNIe system for boosting

sharpness, contrast, motion handling and

colour; an Edge Enhancer for crispening

contours; and oodles of fi ne-tuning

fl exibility in the onscreen menus,

with highlights including a black level

booster, gamma control, and white

balance adjustment.

PerformanceSetting the 46F86 to work on a few of our

favourite things, one simple fact becomes

immediately, blindingly obvious: the set’s

picture quality is really superb.

Let’s start with those all-important

100Hz talents. Covering the bad news fi rst,

they’re not as potent as those of Philips’

32PFL9632. While they certainly make

objects moving across the screen look

SPECIFICATIONS ITEM SUPPORT DETAILS HD Ready ●● Including 1080p/24 Progressive Scan ●● NTSC and PAL formats both work Digital TV Tuner ●● Plus subscription CI slot Composite video ●● 1 phono input S-video ●● 1 input Scart ●● 2 connections (1 RGB) Component video ●● 1 input HDMI/DVI ●● 3 HDMI PC input ●● 1 VGA Headphone ●● 1 output

Sound: Nicam stereo with SRS XT Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 500cd/m2; Contrast: 25000:1 (claimed) Dimensions : 829(w) x 543(h) x 125(d)mm; Weight: 32.8kg Also featuring Gamma control, 100Hz Motion Plus, DNIe, wide colour compatibility, backlight, black, white balance, Edge enhancement, colour space adjust, Digital NR, PC mode, Console Game mode, PiP, Wiselink USB connection

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sharper and smoother, they

don’t resolve all the background

judder during camera pans. And so as

General Grievous strides into the control

room of his ship early on in The Revenge

of the Sith, his body glides smoothly across

the screen while the green lights in the

background still judder slightly.

But on the upside, the new smoothness

and crispness with moving objects is less

besmirched by processing artefacts than

SAMSUNG LE46F86£1,900 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303 ◆ www.samsung.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

A compact array of connections. The HDMIs are version 1.3, too

HCC148.lcd 56HCC148.lcd 56 11/9/07 17:59:2411/9/07 17:59:24


Tried&Tested...

you fi nd with Motion Plus alone on lesser

Samsung TVs. So overall the 100Hz system

produces a clear picture quality benefi t

without adding any negatives, and you

can’t ask for much more than that.

Other aspects of the picture are

outstanding too. The brand’s adoption of

Super Clear LCD panel technology has

resulted in some of the deepest, most

natural blacks yet seen on an LCD TV, and

that trend continues here. They may not

merit the extravagant 25000:1 contrast

ratio claim that Samsung makes for the

46F86, but dark scenes like those in

Barbossa’s cave in Pirates of the Caribbean

look more natural and cinematic than on

any current LCD rival.

Colours are rich and vibrant too, with

Star Wars’ light sabres exploding off the

screen, and skin tones benefi t from

pleasingly natural hues. HD animated

fodder, meanwhile, looks simply sublime.

HD fi ne detail levels are immense. You

can clearly – some might say alarmingly

– make out, for instance, every tiny ridge

and pore in Uma Thurman’s big feet as she

tries to wiggle her big toe in Kill Bill.

You do need to take care with the

46F86’s picture settings. Keep the contrast

to sensible levels, only choose low-level

settings for the 100Hz and noise reduction

systems, and avoid the edge enhancer

entirely. And it’s only a solid performer

with standard-def, leaving low-quality

digital broadcasts looking rather softer.

ConclusionIf you’re buying a TV like this you’re going

to try and feed it an HD diet whenever you

can. And with HD, the 46F86 is capable

of rewarding you with a big-screen LCD

performance truly worthy of making

it HCC’s ‘favourite big-screen LCD’.

Pretty and reasonably organised, but the menus respond sluggishly

...AND THE BEST OF THE REST Sharp 52XD1E£2,300 (approx) ◆ 0800 138 5051 ◆ www.sharp.co.uk

◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

This 52in version of our favourite 42in LCD set is

every bit as good as its smaller brother; in fact,

its black level actually seems slightly better.

For a screen with only two HDMIs, it’s perhaps

a touch overpriced, but with new panels from Sharp

due in the next couple of months, you may well be able

to fi nd this one being heavily discounted now if you

look around.

Samsung LE52M87£2,700 (approx) ◆ 0870 242 0303

◆ www.samsung.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

We make absolutely no apologies for putting a second Samsung

screen into this section. For while the 52M87 may not have

Samsung’s 100Hz engine, and isn’t quite so accomplished

a performer as the 46F86, it’s still delivers amazing blacks,

colour performance and detailing for such a monstrously large

screen. So much so, in fact, that this would probably have

become our featured TV were it not for the late arrival of its

higher-specced sibling.

Sony KDL 46X2000£2,600 (approx) ◆ 08705 111 999

◆ www.sony.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★½

Let’s get the bad news out of the way fi rst. For, despite being

around for almost a year now, this Sony is still rather overpriced, in

our humble opinion. And its black level isn’t as profound as that of

more recent screens. But its Full HD resolution and Sony’s superb

Bravia Engine processing combine to produce arguably the crispest,

cleanest HD pictures in the business.

LG 47LY95£1,500 ◆ 0870 607 5544

◆ www.lge.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★½

Our bigging up of the 47LY95 has to start with a couple of riders. First, its

standard-def performance is actually quite weak. And, second, its black level

could defi nitely be better. But two things elevate the Full HD 47LY95 into our

favourite LCD reckoning. It’s cheap as chips for a 47in screen with a 1920 x 1080

resolution and its HD performance is often quite scintillating, with terrifi c fi ne

detailing and the richest colours ever seen on a fl at TV.

HCC148.lcd 57HCC148.lcd 57 11/9/07 17:59:2811/9/07 17:59:28


LCD Invasion

...AND WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

While we were putting together

this collection of our favourite

LCD TVs, we got to wondering

about what a similar feature in a year or

two’s time might look like. So get ready

to share the rather random fi ndings of our

offi ce crystal ball.

Probably the most obvious difference

will concern screen size. The current 32in,

37in, 40-42in and 46in-plus categories will

very likely have shifted upwards, as we

strongly expect 37in or maybe even 40in

screens to become the default mass

market starting, point rather than 32in.

As for the upper size limit, well, the sky

is the limit, frankly. For instance, the

friendly lady on this page is teetering

alongside a Sharp LCD measuring in at a

staggering 108in.

Now obviously, we’re not saying many

of us will be having 100in-plus screens in

our homes come next year. But the

industry’s drive to go ever bigger, plus the

reducing costs of producing large LCD

panels, all adds up. We’d be pretty

surprised if we’ve not had our hands on at

least a couple of genuinely affordable

60in-plus models before the next

12 months are out.

Another big question is how the basic

LCD technology might change. And

personally we suspect that the biggest

difference will probably be in the way LCD

TVs generate their light.

The current single backlight system used

by almost all LCD TVs seems to be a cause of

too many fundamental problems regarding

black level and motion to remain the same.

In fact, the Philips 32PFL9632 in this feature

has already got the ball rolling by using hot

cathode fl uorescent lamps in a scanning

array to boost black level and motion.

However, we suspect that LED

backlighting will prove to the answer. The

fi rst LED-backlit fl at TVs, such as Samsung’s

F9 series [pictured - bottom left], are due

in the UK before Christmas, and from what

we’ve seen they have the potential to

‘As well as boasting on-paper specs to get pulses racing, it’s also

something of a looker’

deliver previously unimaginable

black level response, smoother

motion and a far richer colour

palette than has been possible.

The screen resolution situation

will also change with most,

if not all LCDs offering the a Full

HD 1920 x 1080 resolution.

Other bits and bobs include a

move towards HDMI v1.3 inputs as

standard; a likely growth in multimedia

connectivity such as USBs and Ethernet

ports as part of the slow but sure

progression towards PC/AV convergence;

increasingly advanced 100Hz-like systems;

and more price erosion, at least at the large

end of the market.

In an ideal world we might also have

been talking in a year’s time about a new

potential rival to LCD in the shape of SED.

But sadly, as with so many great ideas

before, this glorious-looking fl at TV option

now appears to have gone the way of the

dodo. Boo. ■

108in LCDs: this time next year, we might all own one. But probably not

HCC148.lcd 58HCC148.lcd 58 11/9/07 17:59:3511/9/07 17:59:35

LCD supertest

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