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The Best Value TVs on the Market

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

It used to be that there was a chasm in terms of cost and quality between the top-of-the-range televisions for the wealthy, and the average sets for the rest of us. Nowadays, technology has improved so much that it’s not difficult to get a snazzy TV on a small budget. High street stores like Currys have whole sections on their website dedicated to the high quality cheap TV. But with so much on offer, which ones are the best value for money? Let’s take a look at some prime examples currently available…


Sony Bravia KDL-40EX503


Truly an up-to-date machine, the Sony Bravia KDL-40EX503 was one of the first commercially available Freeview TVs. Alongside its HD tuner is an on-board internet video platform, all broadcasting rich, deep images – even when not watching HD content.


Samsung LE40C650


Affordable, sharp, blur-free. The Samsung LE40C650 is a good-value set, even with its imperfections. Namely the inconsistent backlight and slight input lag – not the best choice for gamers, but perfectly adequate for television viewing. Short of getting an LED panel set, you can’t get much better value for watching movies and TV programmes. Packed with features, the Samsung LE40C650 is a quality cheap TV.


LG Infinia 47LE8900


Glamorous, slim and sexy, the LG Infinia 47LE8900 uses LED backlighting to produce a first-rate HD picture, making 20th Century definition pictures seem drab and lifeless in comparison. Its slimness does mean the sound quality is compromise, and there is a slight input lag – again, a big disadvantage for console players. But this machine will please compatibility nuts, with a plethora of sockets, including four HDMI inputs.


Sharp LC22D12E HD


For those on the lowest of budgets, you can’t go far wrong with the Sharp LC22D12E (pictures). Freeview tuner, HD ready – this is the ideal cheap tv for people on a shoestring. When purchased from the aforementioned Currys, the Sharp LC22D12E is available with the option of half-price cables for external devices, helping you to keep costs down even further.


 

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Sony Bravia Kdl-55ex723bu Lcd Tv

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

The Sony Bravia KDL-55EX723BU uses a 55-inch LED backlit LCD panel, boasting comprehensive 1080p 3D HD and Freeview HD.

Highlights
The Bravia EX723 range is 1080p HD ready and incorporates the Freeview HD tuner. The panel uses LED edge lighting, heightening picture production and the tv has XR200 Motionflow for better motion control. The Sony Smart TV hub provides access to Sony’s Entertainment Network on top of the normal social networking and internet media. Smart TV uses the X-Reality engine to enhance the caliber of streamed video, reducing pixilation and noise. For the more eco conscious, a Light Sensor alters image brightness to match the room illumination and a Presence Sensor places the unit on standby when you go out of the room.

Build and Setup
The styling is powerful and sturdy, classy rather than ritzy. The KDL-55EX723BU is a slim tv, being only 42mm deep. The screen operates with Sony’s OptiContrast, giving it a somewhat matte effect and reducing the impact of glare on the screen.The Bravia KDL-55EX723BU operates with an LED backlit panel with Edge LED technology, this illuminates the image using white LEDs grouped on the bottom and top rim of the display panel. This in addition allows localised dimming for contrast and promotes the lightweight, slimmer design.

Setup is quite straightforward, with the ammended menus being unambiguous and quite well presented. While there are some preset modes for example ‘Sports’ and ‘Cinema’, Sony has supplied connection to tweak many of the image selections even though advanced colour control is a noticeable exception. Sony’s Smart TV hub affords menu access to internet content as well as the Sony Entertainment Network service. This is your entrance to streaming media and social networking.

Getting Connected
Sony have given the KDL-55EX723BU plenty of connection choices, including four HDMI sockets. There is an optical digital output, an Ethernet port and two USB ports set on the side. The USB ports let the attachment of digital media such as cameras, wireless dongles (wireless is not integrated) and recording to a hard drive.

The Big Picture
The black detail is not quite up to the levels of several of the plasma tv‘s, but it is dark enough to be pleasing and the tv conveys solid image depth. The KDL-55EX723BU uses the Motionflow XR 200 motion enhancer which produces marvelous motion clarity, and also affords the user the faculty to adjust the settings when needed.

In normal definition it affords comparatively noise free images when escalating to the larger screen. Detail is well delineated with little degeneration or jagged edges. Sony engage some advanced image processing using their X-Reality Picture Engine, analysing every scene to provide optimum contrast and colour.Obviously you can additionally enjoy HD transmissions courtesy of the FreeView HD tuner and in this the Sony shines, giving realistic sleek pictures. Put in a Blu-ray disk and you are spoilt with crystal clear, high contrast, profoundly elaborated pictures without unwanted quivering.

The BRAVIA KDL-55EX723BU incorporates a Light Sensor, systematically adjusting screen brilliance to match room lighting for perfect image quality and power usage. A further eco conservation measure is the inclusion of a Presence Sensor, automatically turning off the Tv picture when you leave the room and then switching to standby if you don’t come back inside a certain time frame. The Energy Saving Switch cuts energy consumption to nought when the television is not in use or on standby.

The KDL-55EX723 3D images whether from movies, games or regular Television channels are sharp and rich. Sony’s advanced Active Shutter technology produces smooth, dynamic images. There are no issues with resolution, with no blurring or distortion apparent as all 1080 lines from the 3D HD source are consistently reproduced. As with the 2d images, the display allows a wide angle view with little discernable loss in quality vieing successfully with the LG IPS screens. Sony have attempted to round off the 3D bundle with ’3D sound’, supplying a 5 channel audio impression and incorporating a Dolby Pulse system.

Internet and Gaming
A last-minute word to the gamers, the KDL-55EX723BU bestows a decent gaming performance and with some nice tone from the combined speakers. There’s some really limited lag, but it is questionable any but the real Jedi will see!
Sony’s newest 3D glasses (not included) are lightweight and more comfy than their predecessors it is only a shame they’re not part of the package.

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Samsung Un40d6420ufxza Led 3d Hdtv

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Samsung has been a force in the development of HDTV flat screen sets; it is one of the best brands available. Their newest sets feature Light Emitting Diode back-lighting technology, instead of the cold-cathode fluorescent tube systems that were used in the first lcd tv sets. The use of this LED technology has allowed them to produce sets that are thinner, and more lightweight than previous sets, but still produce substantially higher picture quality. The UN40D6420UFXZA Samsung 3D LED HDTV is a good example of this technological expertise.

Since an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) can not produce any light, but rather functions as a shutter that varies the visibility of light as it passes through the display, an LCD display needs some kind of back-lighting to be visible under dim lighting conditions. The LCD part of the display just acts as a “shutter” that will either allow light to pass through the display panel, or blocks it.

The first LCD TV sets had back-lighting provided by a set of miniature fluorescent lamps, which provide white light. Each pixel, or picture element, making up the TV picture is a spot on the display that has 3 tiny filters, each of which will create one of the primary TV colors: red, green, and blue (RGB). Each color TV image frame is then produced by controlling the amount of transparency of the LCD “shutter” that determines the amount of light passing through each individual filter in each pixel that make up the image.

The UN40D6420UFXZA Samsung 3D LED HDTV set uses an “edge lighting” system to provide the back-light for the picture. Here, very bright white-light LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are placed along the edges of the screen . A diffuser plate is used to distribute this light across the face of the screen. The use of an LED lighting system means that the TV requires much less electricity to operate it. This set is extremely efficient: with an operating rate of 5 hours per day, and with an electricity cost of $0.11 per Kwh, it would cost you about $14 per year to watch this set. When the set is off, it uses just 0.07 Watts of electricity in standby mode. That totals 0.6 Kwh/yr, which would amount to less than $0.07 per year, assuming the same electric rates!

This UN40D6420UFXZA Samsung set is loaded with what Samsung calls “Smart Apps” – applications that form the basis of their “Smart TV” platform. These “Apps” allow you to use the TV to interact with the internet, and download content from the Web from sources like Pandora, Hulu, Netflix, and many others.

Another feature of this set is its use of “Allshare DLNA Technology”. DLNA stands for “Digital Living Network Alliance”. It is an “interoperability protocol” that enables a variety of electronic devices to link together to enable file sharing and data communication. Samsung’s “Allshare” makes it a cinch to link your DLNA-enabled devices with your Samsung TV set, which means that you can use all the various media files that are on your computer, iPhone, and other devices on your HDTV set as well. Add to that the optional LinkStick, and you will be able to have wireless access as well.

This UN40D6420UFXZA Samsung TV also has the ConnectShare Movie feature. This makes it possible to look at pictures, watch videos, or play music from any USB flash drive. All you need to do is to plug the drive into the USB port on the set, and you are able to access the files.

The quality of the picture you will see on the UN40D6420UFXZA Samsung is improved by the Ultra Clear Panel which makes up the front panel of the screen. This panel acts to absorb most of the light that strikes it This almost totally does away with annoying reflections that could otherwise appear on the front of the screen. This in turn provides a picture that has deeper blacks and improved contrast, giving you a cleaner, crisper image with wonderful shadow detail.



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Samsung UN55D8000 3D LED HDTV Review

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Samsung UN55D8000 review


Also one of Samsung’s top-of-the-line models for 2011, the Samsung UN55D8000 shares many attributes with its predecessor, the Samsung UN55D7000, but offers improved performance at a higher price.


Design


Just like the UN55D7000, the UN55D8000 has a lustrous chrome bezel that’s easy to miss, measuring only 0.2 inches wide, allowing the picture to almost spill out of the edges of the screen. It also sports the same four-legged stand, which unfortunately goes against the minimalistic approach of the 1.2-inch deep panel, though it does swivel. As a bonus, the side is equipped with flat, touch-sensitive controls – something you won’t find on its predecessor.


The remote that comes with this model is one of Samsung’s best yet, though it still could be better. Although from one side, it may look like your regular clicker with keys of various sizes and colors, the other side begs to differ, sporting a full QWERTY keypad that even has a small screen, sparing you the effort of having to shift glances between the keypad and the screen. The keypad is equipped with Bluetooth technology, as well, so you can use it even from the next room. Good luck using it in the dark, though, since only the clicker side comes with blue backlighting. As for the menu, it remains easy to navigate and is even easier to understand with small illustrations alongside explanatory text.


Screen/Picture Clarity


The UN55D8000 offers extremely dark blacks – a result of its micro dimming technology – along with a palette of vivid colors. These are marred by problems with the screen uniformity, though, which also affect color accuracy – notice the tinge of blue – and shadow detail even in its optimal picture mode. Faint banding is present, as well, though blooming is not an issue.


In terms of video processing, blur reduction and dejudder adjustment mechanisms are both at par with the best HDTVs in the market, and motion resolution is also at its finest. Rendering 3D images and doubling as a PC monitor are other feats it pulls off without problems, leaving the screen glare from bright lighting the only other issue that Samsung needs to fix.


Features


The UN55D8000 is one of Samsung’s Smart TVs, which means it comes with the much talked about Smart Hub, one of the most comprehensive applications platforms today, though it could have been a dream come true if only it had Amazon Instant and a better organized interface. The picture adjustment suite is also packed with both basic and advanced picture controls, while the connectivity suite offers four HDMI ports and plenty of digital connectivity options. Picture-in-picture and built-in WiFi capabilities have been added, as well.


The Samsung UN55D8000 definitely offers many great features and it looks quite stunning, too. If only its screen was more uniformly lit, it would have been every bit deserving of its hefty price tag. Nonetheless, it remains one of the best LCD HDTVs today, though some consumers might go for less expensive models with better picture quality.


 

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Panasonic VIERA TC-P65GT30 3D Plasma HDTV Review

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Panasonic TC-P65GT30


The Viera GT30 series is Panasonic’s middle Plasma series unveiled at the 2011 CES, of which the Panasonic TC-P65GT30 is the largest. Just like its predecessors, it strengthens Panasonic’s hold on the Plasma HDTV market, while introducing some grounbreaking aesthetics and technologies.


Design


Panasonic Plasma screens have finally lost some weight with the advent of the Viera TC-P65GT30. It has a seamless, flush design with a glossy black bezel measuring just over an inch wide and softly rounded at the corners. A slim silver border adds just the right touch of sophistication, while maintaining the panel’s clean look. Nothing much can be said about the stand, which is the same as previous models, but it does swivel to accommodate better viewing angles.


The clicker has well-spaced buttons that are responsive to the touch and easy to distinguish from each other, most of which are sufficiently illuminated. On the screen, the corresponding menu is relatively user-friendly, with large text amid a blue and yellow color scheme and helpful explanatory text accompanying major options, although it still lacks some advanced options.


Screen/Picture Clarity


The TC-P65GT30 has a THX certified, Infinite Black 2 panel, which allows it to deliver very deep black levels that are at par with the best available. Color accuracy and shadow detail, though not as excellent as some of the competition, is still good especially after a bit of calibration, while color saturation is outstanding, making images vividly burst to life on the screen. In fact, the only problem worth noting in terms of this Panasonic HDTV’s picture quality is the fluctuations in the screen brightness, which diminish contrast and color, though not by much, and in a manner only videophiles will be able to mind.


In terms of video processing, this model can handle various types of video sources exceptionally well, including 1080/24p sources, thanks to its 24p Cinema Smoother technology and its 60Hz setting. It now comes with a refined dejudder processing system, as well, and is capable of displaying the maximum resolution of 1,080 lines even up to an extremely high speed of 1,200 pixels per second.


As for processing 3D content, the TC-P65GT30 is equipped with the latest 3D technologies and as such, performs fairly well, at par with the competition, even preserving its deep blacks to a greater extent, though ghosting is still present in some scenes.


Features


Whereas previous Panasonic models were equipped with the Viera Cast, the Viera TC-P65GT30 comes with Viera Connect, which is the improved version of Panasonic’s interactive application platform, providing access to content from Netflix, Amazon Instant, YouTube, Pandora and other select providers. There are widgets for Twitter and Facebook, as well, along with an Internet radio service called Shoutcast. There are numerous picture controls, as well, along with an improved grayscale control system, although a full color management system remains absent, while the connectivity options, though not as comprehensive as others, is still good, with four HDMI inputs, one input each for composite and component video, one PC input, an ethernet port, three USB ports and an SD card slot. The model even comes with a WiFi dongle for wireless connectivity so consumers won’t have to make the purchase separately, though it does not come with 3D glasses.


All in all, the Panasonic TC-P65GT30 is an outstanding Plasma HDTV, providing that Plasma sets are here to stay in spite of the onslaught of LED screens. Although quite expensive, it still is more affordable than similarly priced sets, while offering 2D picture quality and 3D viewing experience at par with the best.


 

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LG INFINIA 55LE8500 LED LCD HDTV Review

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

LG Infinia 55LE8500


Amidst the emergence of new LED technologies, local dimming panels continue to offer the best performance in the LED HDTV market, and the LG Infinia models are some of the best available. The LG Infinia 55LE8500, in particular, is one of LG’s top products for 2011, offering excellent picture quality while staying slim.


Design


Although not as classy as the flagship LE9500 series, the LE8500 series is nevertheless sleek and sophisticated. The bezel is glossy black with a transparent border and measures 1.5 inches thick, seamlessly blending in with the screen for an ultramodern look. The stand, which swivels for better viewing angles, is square and dark grey with black borders – a bit unusual to be sure but not as distracting as Samsung’s four-legged stand.


The remote of the 55LE8500 is black, as well, and just the right size, with a total of 45 rubberized keys that are fairly responsive and easy to locate, nearly all of which are backlit for convenient use at night. The corresponding on-screen menu is also well laid out with large text and relatively easy to navigate, but still lacking in the explanatory text offered by others.


Screen/Picture Clarity


Thanks to its local dimming configuration, this LG Infinia HDTV has no problem exhibiting inky blacks and in fact, manages to create the deepest black levels of any LED HDTV in production. Shadow detail was impeccable, as well, while colors were evenly saturated and accurate enough, especially after some calibration. The only complaints are the lack of uniformity and slight banding – both issues which plague a number of LED screens today, along with the reflectiveness of the screen.


The 55LE8500 is equipped with TruMotion 240Hz technology, resulting in the display of all 1,080 lines during motion. It also has separate controls for dejudder adjustment and blur reduction, though these do not operate as smoothly as others, and can handle 1080/24p sources in its THX Cinema Mode, though with some slight hitching issues.


Features


Like most HDTVs in the market, the 55LE8500 offers a wide array of network streaming applications, but still lacks those that stream music content, along with Yahoo and Twitter widgets, and a separate games platform. The set is also compatible with the Skype chat feature, though an external headset is required. Other features include an ambient light sensor and the Picture Wizard, as well as numerous other picture settings, while plenty of connections such as 4 HDMI inputs, 3 component video inputs, 2 composite video inputs, an ethernet port, a PC input and two USB ports, both at the side, are provided.


With magnificent styling and stunning pictures afforded by its local dimming technology, the LG Infinia 55LE8500 is one of the strongest contenders in the LED HDTV market, and a sure favorite for those who are looking for an amazing viewing experience, even if it is just in two dimensions.


 

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Samsung PN59D8000 3D Plasma HDTV Review

Monday, November 14th, 2011

Samsung PN59D8000


The Samsung PN59D8000 is part of Samsung’s high-end Plasma HDTV series for 2011, equipped with Samsung’s Crystal Full HD engine and a bunch of other advanced features, all of which make it one of the best Plasma HDTVs in the market today.


Design


Slim and seamless are not exactly words used to describe a plasma tv but the PN59D8000 certainly deserves them. With a panel depth of just 1.5 inches, the PN59D8000 is one of the slimmest Plasma HDTVs available, and it’s no slouch from the front, either. In fact, thanks to Samsung’s Plasma +1 technology, the screen is one inch wider and blends in with the bezel, which is just about 1.2 inches wide and has a glossy titanium finish edged in a thin acrylic strip. The stand is innovative, as well, though many might prefer last year’s glass-topped stalk to this year’s ‘spider’, which retains swivel capacity.


The remote of the PN59D8000 is also worthy of praise. On one side, it has all the buttons found on a standard clicker, which are backlit, have a nice feel, and are easily distinguishable from each other. On the other, it is a QWERTY keypad with a small screen and Bluetooth technology – this side, in particular, beats the rest of the competition, but would have been better with a backlight, too. The menu on the screen is still one of the most user-friendly, with a combination of helpful explanatory text and small illustrations, and a quick response.


Screen/Picture Clarity


For those looking for really inky blacks, this Samsung Plasma does not disappoint, and in fact, delivers the deepest black levels of any Samsung Plasma HDTV so far, at par with the best on the market, although they appear a tad lighter under bright lighting. It raises the bar for color accuracy, as well, while color saturation and shadow detail both earn a good score.


As expected of any Plasma, motion resolution is not a problem. The PN59D8000 even handles content from various sources very well, even the usually problematic 1080/24p content, using its CinemaSmooth mode.


Features


Apart from active 3D technology and built-in WiFi capability, this Samsung HDTV is equipped with Samsung’s SmartHub, which means viewers can access and even stream content from Netflix, Pandora, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, among others. There is also a web browser that is pretty advanced compared to the rest, and viewers with a webcam can use the Skype feature, too. There are numerous picture controls included, as well, to satisfy even the most stringent videophiles, while connectivity is more than ample, especially for those with digital devices – a total of four HDMI inputs, one component video, one composite video, one VGA-style PC input, one ethernet and three USB ports.


With its awesome style and perforamance, the Samsung PN59D8000 certainly has all the makings of one of the best HDTVs today, not only in the Plasma market, but overall.


 

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LG 55LX6500 LED LCD HDTV Review

Monday, November 14th, 2011

LG 55LX6500 review


Released in the second quarter of 2010, the LG 55LX6500, along with the 47LX6500 and 42LX6500, was created as an affordable alternative to the expensive panels in the LX9500 3D HDTV series. Though lower priced, it provides the same excellent picture quality coupled with its share of innovative features.


Design


Although the glossy black bezel of the 55LX6500 is not as thin as the ‘borderless’ LX9500, it is by no means chunky, measuring just a little over an inch on the top and sides, and slightly thicker at the bottom where the subtle LG logo, power control and indicator lights can be found above a thin transparent strip. It has a subtle espresso accent, as well, which is more distinct on its stalk which comes with swivel capability for improved viewing angles.


The remote control included with the package, though a bit behind many HDTV clickers, is easy to use, with responsive keys that have a nice, rubberized texture, different shapes and ample backlighting. The menu on the screen, though pretty basic, is easy to navigate with large text and a good color scheme.


Screen/Picture Clarity


With its LED Plus local dimming technology, this LG HDTV is able to deliver a dynamic contrast ratio of 8,000,000:1, which means very deep black levels and brilliant whites. The colors are packed with a punch, and are fairly accurate, as well, and in spite of its uniformity issues – a problem which plagues most LED panel today – it still manages to maintain excellent contrast and color towards the sides of the screen. It also holds up under bright lighting conditions, diffusing reflections better than most other non-matte screens.


As an HDTV capable of displaying 3D content, the 55LX6500 does a decent job, though far from the best, with ghosting and crosstalk occurring, and the contrast dropping in 3D mode. 2D content, however, appears breathtaking, and even has smooth motion resolution, with no distinct blurring, except when processed from 1080/24p sources, during which smoothing effects are applied and some amount of hitching occurs in spite of LG’s 24p Real Cinema technology.


Features


Aside from the 3D technology, the 55LX6500 comes with Netcast Entertainment Access, allowing viewers to stream content from select providers such as Vudu, Netflix and YouTube. An Intelligent Sensor and an advanced version of Picture Wizard have also been included to help optimize viewing pleasure, while available connections consist of four HDMI inputs – one at the side and three at the back – three component video connections, two composite video inputs, a PC input, an ethernet port, two USB ports and sufficient audio inputs and outputs.


The LG 55LX6500 may not be one of LG’s frontliners, and it may be more than a year old, but it still has what it takes to keep up with this year’s top LCD HDTVs, especially for those who aren’t really after the 3D experience.


 

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Samsung UN60D8000 3D LED HDTV Review

Monday, November 14th, 2011

Samsung UN60D8000


The Samsung UN60D8000 belongs to Samsung’s class of Smart TVs, the company’s term for its connected HDTVs which were first announced at the 2011 CES early this year. Aside from being equipped with the Smart Hub, one of the most advanced HDTV connectivity suites today, the UN60D8000 also offers flawless 3D operation, a stunning design and other great features, though at a price many consumers won’t be able to afford.


Design


As one of Samsung’s premium HDTVs, the UN60D8000 definitely looks the part. Its sleek, chrome-edged bezel measures at just 0.2 inches wide all around the screen, except for a small portion at the bottom center where the Samsung logo appears while the overall depth of the panel is just 1.2 inches – not the thinnest on the market but ultra-thin nonetheless. The four-pronged matching stand comes with swivel capability for added convenience but is far from being its most attractive aspect. On the contrary, some consumers may find their sets more stylish on the wall without it.


The remote control of the UN60D8000 is a unique piece of work, having two sides – one side much like your regular clicker with 48 standard illuminated keys, and the other a miniature yet full Bluetooth-enabled QWERTY keypad with a small screen. To boot, the remote can sense which side is being used and immediately deactivates the other side. The only major flaw is that the QWERTY side isn’t backlit, making it hopelessly useless in the dark. The on-screen menu, in keeping with Samsung’s tradition, remains very easy to use, with explanatory text and even small illustrations to enlighten users.


Screen/Picture Clarity


For its extremely high price, the picture quality of the UN60D8000 does not inspire awe. Far from it, this model is plagued by uniformity issues, which, unfortunately, cause its otherwise inky blacks and well-saturated, fairly accurate colors to appear less than perfect towards the edges of the screen. Faint bands appear horizontally and vertically on the screen, as well.


On the plus side, video processing is excellent, reducing blur while preserving the cadence of the film. Motion resolution is another strong suit, a product of Samsung’s new Clear Motion Rate 960 technology.


Features


The Smart Hub is, of course, the UN60D8000′s most highly-touted feature, offering a wide range of applications, including those that enable viewers to stream media content from Netflix, Blockbuster, Hulu Plus, YouTube and Pandora, and access Facebook and Twitter updates. Aside from this, Samsung also throws in picture-in-picture capability, an Eco Sensor and the AllShare function, which allows synchronization with other DLNA-enabled digital devices. Picture controls are numerous and digital connectivity is ample, with built-in WiFi connectivity to boot.


All these considered, the Samsung UN60D8000 is not just a smart HDTV but a superb one, even one of the best LED HDTVs today, that is, if you don’t consider its below-par score on screen uniformity, and in turn, picture quality, which may just break the deal.


 

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Mitsubishi WD-92840 Projection 3D TV Review

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

Mitsubishi WD-92840 review


Unlike other HDTV manufacturers, Mitsubishi remains hell bent on harnessing the possibilities of rear projection TV as a home theater system. Its latest product, the WD-92840, defies all expectations as it offers a gigantic leap, not only in screen size but in image quality for 3D-capable digital light projection (DLP) HDTVs.


Design


To say that the WD-92840 is huge will be an understatement. It is not only bigger in screen size than most 3DTVs in the market, but it looks bulkier and sturdier, too. The huge screen is framed by narrow bezel at the top and sides, while the lower frame contains a cacophony of controls, decals and the visible speakers that partially conceal the low-rise and unobtrusive stand.


Shipped with the Mitsubishi WD-92840 is a standard remote that allows control of the unit’s features, including Internet TV applications. The clicker is pretty basic, but it does allow control of integrated devices via HDMI, and provides shortcuts to often-used controls for viewing streaming content from the Internet. The WD-92840 uses battery-operated active-shutter 3D eyewear that are compatible with the TV’s built-in emitters but unfortunately, Mitsubishi forgot to include free glasses, so one must buy a pair to enjoy the awesome 3D effects on the huge screen.


Screen/Picture Quality


Powered by the same DLP technology currently used in 3D cinemas, the WD-92840 boasts of crystal clear images, more realistic 3D depth and smoother motion. The DLP TV handles exceptionally both 2D and 3D sources in full 1080p/24 HD resolutions, with the ability to up-convert and add depth to 2D materials on the fly. The TV also works well as a gaming display, as it virtually eliminates lag with its awesome speed that is a thousand-fold faster than most LCDs.


Equipped with proprietary Mitsubishi technologies such as the Exclusive 6 Color Processor, Dark Detailer Perfect Color and Perfect Tint, the WD-92840 rendered images that are crisp and bright. Black areas on screen are adequately dark, colors are well saturated and fairly accurate, but the WD-92840 still suffers when compared side-by-side with high-end plasmas. Screen brightness for the ‘Clear Contrast’ Gloss display is excellent even in brightly illuminated rooms, while 3D images generally exhibit minimal crosstalk and shadowing.


Features


One of the step-up features of the WD-92840 from previous releases is the addition of the StreamTV Internet Media that allows streaming of 2D and 3D content directly to the DLP TV. The Internet portal, while primarily dependent on VUDU Apps/Movies, also allows access to other content providers like Pandora, as well as social networking sites. The unit can also wirelessly connect to the Internet using the optional WiFi adapter, can stream audio to Bluetooth devices, and can be controlled using iPhone/iPod Touch by downloading an application from the Mitsubishi website.


The WD-92840 boasts of internal loudspeakers with Surround Sound Processor that ensure immersive viewing experiences. Connectivity choices include four HDMI sockets, two USB slots, Ethernet port, RF antenna input, one component/composite video input, stereo audio output and digital coaxial audio output.


Like other DLP displays, the Mitsubishi WD-92840 costs less per viewing inch than other HDTVs. Buyers must keep this fact in mind, along with the impressive set of features this TV offers, when scouting for a new home theater. After all, tag price is not always the best indicator of value for the buck.


 


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