Remember the Hitachi 1.5 UltraThin LCD HDTVs you saw at CES earlier this year? Well the 1.5 Ultra thin series has now been released in the US in two separate model ranges. First up is the Hitachi Directors series X, and the Hitachi Ultra Vision V series. We will be talking about the X series / directors series here.
The 1.5 ultra thin sets had a huge amount of attention at CES and rightly so, they are just 1.5-inches thick or thin. The Director’s Series Models will be avaliable in four sizes, from 32-inches to 47-inches. On the larger end, we have the 47-inch Hitachi UT47X902, 42-inch UT42X902, and 37-inch UT37X902, all with a 1920×1080 pixel full 1080p HD resolution, 120Hz Reel120 technology and two year warranty.
On the smaller end of the Hitachi X series, we have the 32-inch UT32X812, and UT32X802. The former features the 120Hz Reel120 technology, while the latter does not. Both have a 1366×768 resolution and 2 year warranty. The unrivaled thinness also comes with a great 360 degrees design that is appealing all around. All come with an optional audio video center.
One of the most exciting HDTVs announced this year by the major brands is the Samsung Series 6 650 range. The Samsung 6 / 650 series consists of six different sized models, and sitting right at the very top of the series is the largest 52-inch Samsung LN52A650.
The Samsung LN52A650 seems to be a straight winner, with an amazing new look featuring Samsung’s “Touch of color” and the very latest and highest specifications and features to being the very best in HD viewing. If your looking for a stylish and modern LCD HDTV, with a large screen size, and also great features, the LN52A650 should suit you very well.
Offering the highest HD format called Full HD / 1080p the 1920×1080 pixel LCD screen offers the native resolution for blu-ray and will show the best image quality for a screen this large. Along with 1080p, Auto Motion Plus 120Hz high frame rate keeps image sharpness and clarity during fast moving scenes, and scenes free from image judder, often seen during image panning. A high 178 degree viewing angle enables easy viewing from around the room, and the fast 4ms response time works well with the 120Hz technology for motion blur free viewing. A massively high contrast ratio of 50,000:1 ensures vivid and natural colors with deep black levels.
From use of the Ethernet port on the Samsung LN52A650, you can access the latest news, weather, stock info and sports news with a simple press of the button on the remote via the InfoLink RSS technology.
Other connections on the LN52A650 are very healthy with a nice collection of four HDMI 1.3 inputs (1 on side), 2x component, s-video, composite and PC VGA input.
Samsung have given the plasma HDTV market some love with it’s latest 50-inch plasma offering, the Samsung PN50A550. Samsung looks set to win some of the plasma market back from Pioneer with the PN50A550. It comes from the new Samsung Series 5 range, and offers a full HD 1080p resolution, with advanced processing to improve image quality and reduce noise.
The specifications look very impressive on the Samsung PN50A550, with a very high contrast of 30,000:1 for great colors and black levels, along with 18-bit processing for smooth color grading and Samsung’s Ultra FilterBright technology. Connectivity is very good also, with three HDMI 1.3 inputs, PC VGA input, component, s-video, and USB 2.0 for photos and music playback. Cnet took a look at the PN50A550 and say, excellent picture, with highly accurate colors, very little noise, and solid processing. Unlike most HDTVs we’ve tested, the Samsung PN50A550 was able to successfully de-interlace 1080i film-based material once Film Mode was engaged.
PC connection on the PN50A550 is also very good via both the HDMI and VGA inputs, resolving all details at the perfect 1920×1080 pixel resolution.
Panasonic is doing a great job this year with it’s new range of LCD HDTVs, and the very well impressive and well priced Panasonic TX-32LZD85 stands out well. The TX-32LZD85 has some more advanced features over Panasonic’s lower end models, such as the high 100Hz refresh rate which cuts down on motion blur and image judder, while increasing image sharpness and detail by adding in extra frames.
The Panasonic TX32LZD85 features a full HD 1080p LCD screen with 100Hz, 24p and a Motion Focus system brining you the very best in HD from a blu-ray movie. The 1920×1080 pixel resolution is still rare for a screen of this size, and along with the image enhancing V-Real image processing engine, the TX-32LZD85 can produce an amazing image with a very high contrast ratio of 10,000:1 for vibrant colors and deep black levels. TReviews said the TX-32LZD85 delivers greatly, making it easily the company’s best LCD HDTV yet.
Inputs are good on the Panasonic TX-32LZD85 with three HDMI 1.3 input, component, PC VGA input, a SD card slot for viewing photos, and digital audio out for a separate audio system.
At their press conference, Philips used the occasion to great effect (light show and dance intro, fashion catwalk, and even a specially-commissioned film by esteemed director Wong Kar Wai) to drum up interest in their new Aurea 42PFL9900D LCD that could be best described as “Ambilight In Bezel”. Notice in the following video how the colour/ intensity of the light zones embedded within the bezel changed according to what was displayed on screen:
If you feel that the Aurea is too distracting for your taste, there’s always the conventional Ambilight models to fall back on. I am always very impressed with Philips televisions’ performance in showrooms, and this time was no different. They put up a few of their EISA-award-winning Philips 47PFL9732D LCD TVs side-by-side in on/ off mode to demonstrate their 100Hz Clear LCD, Perfect Pixel HD and HD Natural Motion technology. While I believe that the effects were exaggerated (for example, the judder on the “HD Natural Motion Off” screen was much worse than your usual telecine judder), these nevertheless gave a glimpse of what the new generation of Philips LCDs are capable of.
Panasonic
Overall the Panasonic booth was quite dark with the only significant light source coming from all their television screens, which of course showcased the already excellent blacks on their plasmas. Current full HD models like PZ700 and PF9, and the newer TH42PZ70 (which will have twice the quoted contrast ratio but cost £500 less than the outgoing TH42PZ700) were on show, but it was the 103-inch behemoth of a plasma TH103PF9 that grabbed the crowd’s attention (it was placed in a dedicated room with surround sound). Here’s a picture… if you look closely you may see someone standing to the left of the picture which gives you a scale of how humongous that screen is:
Panasonic will also – for the first time – venture beyond 32 inches in their LCD product lineup: the 37″ Panasonic TX37LZD70 LCD TV will feature a full HD 1920 x 1080 screen based on IPS-alpha panel complete with 100Hz Motion Picture Pro technology. Given the low ambient lighting condition, I couldn’t help but notice the average blacks, but hey, I’ll be the first to hold my hands up and admit that it was not calibrated (so black level could be brought down if Panasonic are considerate enough to introduce a long-overdue backlight control). Viewing angle, as always, is one of the best in the LCD business:
Samsung’s exhibition stand covered the largest area among all the HDTV manufacturers I’d visited at IFA Berlin 2007. Strategically positioned near one of the main entrances, it was crawling with dealers, journalists and consumers… like they were holding a trade show of their own. This is probably a testament to the popularity (read: value-for-money) of their products, not to mention their financial clout as the world’s leading consumer electronics company.
Being someone who avidly follows all the advancements in the high-definition television industry, I naturally hustled and bustled my way through the crowd to home in on a pair of LED-powered LCD TVs, the 52″ Samsung LE52F96BD and the 70″ LE70F96BD. Armed with an array of local-dimming LED matrix, the backlight can – theoretically – be shut off totally to produce an absolute black level that’s even lower than the Pioneer Kuros, resulting in an extremely high contrast ratio (Samsung have quoted us a figure of 500,000:1).
While across the pond US consumers have been able to buy and enjoy these LED LCD TVs since 2 weeks ago, here in the UK I probably would still have to wait for a little while longer before getting my hands on a sample to review in the home environment. What I have received though is a Samsung LE40F86BD LCD TV, which is the next step up from the LE40M86BD with 100Hz Motion Plus technology and a higher claimed dynamic contrast ratio:
Sony has launched their new Bravia W4000 range of LCD HDTVs—comprising the Sony KDL40W4000, KDL46W4000, KDL52W4000 and even a 32″ 1080p true HD KDL32W4000—according to a press statement released on 31 March 2008. Here are some snippets of the press release along with our analysis.
XMB is short for XrossMediaBar, Sony’s award-winning graphical user interface (GUI) found on the Sony PS3 and the latest US Bravia LCD HDTV models (e.g. XBR4/ XBR5). This is the first time we will see it implemented on a full HD 1080p HDTV aimed at the UK market.
XMB is short for XrossMediaBar, Sony’s award-winning graphical user interface (GUI) found on the Sony PS3 and the latest US Bravia LCD HDTV models (e.g. XBR4/ XBR5). This is the first time we will see it implemented on a full HD 1080p HDTV aimed at the UK market.
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LG has released two new series of plasma TVs in the UK market: the PG3000 and PG6000. Both come in 42″ and 50″ versions, and feature LG’s Dual XD video processing engine and 100Hz technology, though neither boasts a true HD 1920 x 1080 native screen resolution.
The LG PG6000 range probably offer better value-for-money than the PG3000: for only between £50 and £100 extra at this time of writing, you get a higher contrast ratio (30,000:1 vs 20,000:1), an extra HDMI 1.3 port (four vs three), an eye-catching “frameless” design, and better USB port functionality (the one on PG3000 can only be used for software upgrades and not JPEG photo viewing).
Of particular interest would be the LG 42PG6000, which will go head-to-head with the new Panasonic TH42PX80 in terms of specifications and price:
