Who will be first with a "3D Ready" television?
After various trials and demos, Sky has announced it is to launch a 3D television channel in the UK in 2010.
Although the current generation of Sky+HD set-top boxes will be able to handle the 3D signal, those that want to watch in 3D will need to upgrade their television set.
Sky’s 3D offering is a glasses-based solution, and to get the effect, viewers will need to don the specs and tune in on a “3D Ready” television.
Although over the years we’ve seen various manufacturers showing off assorted 3D solutions at trade shows and the like, we thought it might be a good time to take stock and see which company might be closest to launch a 3D Ready TV.
We asked a handful of the biggest names in the TV industry whether they would be offering a 3D TV in the UK by 2010. Here are the responses:
LG
LG is currently looking into bringing 3D TV to the UK market, but nothing has been confirmed at this stage.
Panasonic
Panasonic launched the world’s first 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theater System (the 3D FHD) at CES this year but has no comment as regards UK plans.
Philips
Philips’ 3D television business was handled by a Philips Research spin-off, 3D Solutions. A Philips spokesperson has told us that this area of the business is “currently on hold”, although we’re informed Philips is “monitoring the situation”, suggesting if 3DTV gets big they could step in with a consumer offering.
Pioneer
Pioneer is withdrawing from the flatscreen TV market in March 2010 and it seems the mouth-watering prospect of a 3D KURO plasma is not enough to entice them back. A Pioneer representative informed us: “No, Pioneer is not planning to launch a ’3D Ready TV’ at this stage”.
Samsung
Samsung has touted a “3D compatible” telly previously, although the model is now discontinued in the UK. Rob Shaw, general manager for CTV & HP says: “Samsung welcomes Sky’s news, anything that provides our customers with added value is good. As market leaders we will always look to invest in new technology and have already launched a range of 3D TVs in the UK. With this exciting news we will naturally be looking at potential future developments”.
Sharp
Sharp has offered glasses-free 3D effect LCD monitors in the States for some time now but has declined to comment regarding this latest development.
Sony
Sony has shown off stereoscopic 3D TV prototypes in the recent past. We’re waiting to hear if there’s a UK launch on the cards.
Toshiba
No comment.
Who will be first with a "3D Ready" television?
After various trials and demos, Sky has announced it is to launch a 3D television channel in the UK in 2010.
Although the current generation of Sky+HD set-top boxes will be able to handle the 3D signal, those that want to watch in 3D will need to upgrade their television set.
Sky’s 3D offering is a glasses-based solution, and to get the effect, viewers will need to don the specs and tune in on a “3D Ready” television.
Although over the years we’ve seen various manufacturers showing off assorted 3D solutions at trade shows and the like, we thought it might be a good time to take stock and see which company might be closest to launch a 3D Ready TV.
We asked a handful of the biggest names in the TV industry whether they would be offering a 3D TV in the UK by 2010. Here are the responses:
LG
LG is currently looking into bringing 3D TV to the UK market, but nothing has been confirmed at this stage.
Panasonic
Panasonic launched the world’s first 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theater System (the 3D FHD) at CES this year but has no comment as regards UK plans.
Philips
Philips’ 3D television business was handled by a Philips Research spin-off, 3D Solutions. A Philips spokesperson has told us that this area of the business is “currently on hold”, although we’re informed Philips is “monitoring the situation”, suggesting if 3DTV gets big they could step in with a consumer offering.
Pioneer
Pioneer is withdrawing from the flatscreen TV market in March 2010 and it seems the mouth-watering prospect of a 3D KURO plasma is not enough to entice them back. A Pioneer representative informed us: “No, Pioneer is not planning to launch a ’3D Ready TV’ at this stage”.
Samsung
Samsung has touted a “3D compatible” telly previously, although the model is now discontinued in the UK. Rob Shaw, general manager for CTV & HP says: “Samsung welcomes Sky’s news, anything that provides our customers with added value is good. As market leaders we will always look to invest in new technology and have already launched a range of 3D TVs in the UK. With this exciting news we will naturally be looking at potential future developments”.
Sharp
Sharp has offered glasses-free 3D effect LCD monitors in the States for some time now but has declined to comment regarding this latest development.
Sony
Sony has shown off stereoscopic 3D TV prototypes in the recent past. We’re waiting to hear if there’s a UK launch on the cards.
Toshiba
No comment.
Sky to Broadcast 3D TV in 2010
Sky has hardly been coy about its prototyping of 3D broadcasts over its existing infrastructure but who would have predicted it would be ready to launch a service as soon as 2010?. Whether you could predict it or not, Sky is, seeing 3D – rightly or not – as the next logical progressing in broadcast technology after high definition, launching a 3D channel next year.
From Sky’s end, no upgrades are needed to its existing broadcast network as its 3D broadcast technology works using existing Sky+HD boxes – discounting a likely software update. However, would-be viewers will need a 3D-capable TV of some description.
Sky plans to have a decent amount of content available in 3D a great deal of which will presumably need to be filmed proprietarily, given the lack of ‘normal’ TV available in 3D. According to Sky, the channel will offer “a broad selection of the best available 3D programming, which is expected to include movies, entertainment and sport.”
Sky claims its TV network is the only one able to carry 3D. So while Freesat, Virgin Media and – eventually – Freeview may be catching up with Sky’s lead in HD, it looks like the company is ready to place itself in another niche, well ahead of the curve.
Sky subscribers not enthralled by the prospect of having to buy yet another HD TV – not to mention paying the inevitable high subscription Sky will attach to 3D – aren’t being left out. Some time next year the currently all-but-pointless Ethernet port on Sky boxes will be put to use with the addition of a video-on-demand service to Sky’s devices as an extension of the existing, PC-based Sky Anytime service.
More details will be revealed nearer the launch of both services so for now, feel free to speculate away over the specifics.
Link:
Sky.
Technisat Digicorder HD S2x review
In many respects this twin-tuner hi-def PVR is a fine piece of work but, sadly, some silliness creeps in
An HD revamp of the twin-DVB-S2-tunered Digicorder S2, the HD-S2x has already been available (as the HD-S2) for some time in Germany.
Unfortunately, the HDD is the same 160GB as the S2′s. Given the greediness of HD recordings, we would have expected bigger. That said, a 500GB version is available for extra outlay.
Build and connectivity
One cannot fault the contemporary and surprisingly compact styling of the S2x, which wouldn’t look amiss next to – say – a Loewe TV. Function follows form with a control disc that facilitates basic timeshifting, soundtrack/subtitle and last-channel selection, as well as the usual channel-change, volume and standby.
They’re augmented by a multi-function fluorescent display that, among other things, lists the name of the currently selected channel. The lower half of the front panel swings downwards to reveal the USB port, card readers for built-in Conax CAM and CI slots. You can swap the supplied hard disc for your own 3.5in SATA drives too.
The new model adds Ethernet capabilities, which enable the timer to be remotely scheduled via the internet, and recordings to be transferred to a PC. Multimedia files can fly the other way, thereby allowing you to make the most of the onboard media player (or you can transfer via the USB port).
Twin LNB
Along with twin LNBs, the rear panel has everything you would expect
Also on the rear panel (above) are the two LNB inputs that are configured in the setup menus, and support the SatCR and DisiCon type of single cable router LNB to feed both tuners.
Unfortunately, there’s no UHF modulator or aerial connectivity. The component and HDMI will go from 576i to 1080i, and if you have a DVD recorder the RGB Scart output can be active at the same time as the HD outputs.
Setup
The S2x is ready for motorised dishes, courtesy of DiSEqC 1.2/USALS. Initial setup – the parameters of which include language, location, display format or whether you’re using one or both LNB inputs – is conducted by a wizard. The options here are comprehensive – the LNBs that can be connected include single LO, C-band, and single cable routing (SatCR and DisiCon).
Unfortunately, you can’t have two dishes aimed at different satellites, unless they’re fitted with twin (or quattro) LNBs – and under those circumstances you’ll need DiSEqC switchboxes to make sure the inputs are always from the same satellite.
The most flexible solution is to use a DiSEqC motorised dish with a twin LNB – our review configuration. The procedure to get this receiver to work with a DiSEqC rotor is quite unusual: you have to choose ‘motorised’ from the list of available satellites, then work your way through the satellites and enable the ones you can receive.
Searching
You can search individually or with an auto-search to allow for transit times
Instead of using a manual ‘step’ mode to set the precise sat positions, the excellent ‘auto-focus’ system peaks the dish for maximum signal strength. It’s then a matter of searching the satellites, either individually or with a global search that automatically visits each in turn; sensibly, this allows for transit times between satellite positions.
In ‘auto’ search mode, you can choose all services, or just the free-to-air ones. Also provided are transponder and manual searches, with PIDs for individual channels if desired. You can also specify modulation type, though some reason you can choose FEC for DVB-S2, but not DVB-S. Most obviously missing is a blind search option for adding new transponders without downloading a new database.
Basic use
Pressing ‘enter’ accesses the channel navigator, and by default, the ‘master list’ of channels is displayed. Press the ‘options’ button, and you can access the ‘all channels’ list – a disappointing maximum of 6,000 – or sort channels according to provider. For more advanced sorting you have to select the main menu’s ‘TV (radio) lists organising’ option.
From here, you can copy or remove channels from the all-channels list to the master list. The ‘all channels’ sorting functions include alphabetical order, free, new, HDTV, satellite and even language – but there’s no ability to find a channel by progressively entering more of its name.
Another annoying characteristic of this receiver comes to the fore if you’re using a motorised dish. When working through the all-channels list, the dish insists on moving to the currently highlighted one – a great way of wearing out your motor prematurely!
You have the six favourites lists (three TV, three radio), but we could find no reference to these anywhere in the menus. We had to wade through the manual to discover that favourites lists have to be turned on manually (this is a setup option). From then on, favourites can be defined by switching from the relevant master lists (i.e. radio or TV) to one of the three favourites.
This is daft – we would have thought that anyone wanting to remain sane would be using favourites by default. Disappointingly, you can’t define favourite channels directly from the navigator. Rather than one button press, once they’re switched on, favourites are available as a channel navigator ‘option’. A more sensible system would be welcomed.
The EPG, which can program the timer directly, supports now-and-next and 7-day schedules. A neat feature is the ‘SFI’ button, which accesses an EPG now-and-next ‘digest’, complete with time-remaining bargraphs and the ability to proceed further through the schedules if available. This is tied in with Technisat’s EPGPlus, an unusual system that involves downloading data from an unspecified transponder at 0.8°W.
Regrettably, the number of channels covered here is small and primarily Scandinavian, although a ‘journal’ function allows you to update user-defined channels from conventional DVB EPG. None of the UK’s terrestrial channels is covered by the download, which is disappointing, given that on FTA (as opposed to Freesat) these broadcasters only offer now-and-next DVB EPG data.
Downloaded channels benefit from a ‘genre’ display mode for upcoming programmes, but this is denied to non-EPGplus channels that offer seven-day EPGs, such as the German ones. Odd, given the receiver’s origins.
Other features include a picture zoom, teletext, subtitles and a useful channel technical information display, including bitrate and resolution. You’ll also find a PiP function for insetting the picture of one channel into another. Only one of these can be an HD channel, which brings us to a severe limitation of the HD S2x.
Only one of the tuners is DVB-S2-compliant, which means that you can’t view one HD channel while recording another (a twin-tuner model, the HD S2 Plus is forthcoming).
PVR and multimedia
Lack of dual-HD recording aside, the PVR functions rank very highly. An oddity to watch out for is that if the unit is in PVR mode, attempting to enter the menus will ask you if you want to stop recording. If you want to manually set or change the timer you’ll have an interrupted recording.
However, you can still access the channel list and EPG – and play existing recordings, which are listed with a press of the green handset button. You can pause the current channel, kicking off the process of using the HDD as a buffer. You can then review, cue, jog/shuttle and play to your heart’s content.
A welcome touch is that you can preserve the contents of the buffer as a recording should you decide it’s worth keeping. Up to 999 recordings, initiated manually or using the 30-event/1-year timer, can be stored on the HDD. There’s also an editing function for trimming off excess material, or copying a segment to a new file.
You can also use the Mediaport software (from Technisat’s website) to transfer recordings (which are in standard transport-stream format) to a PC across the network, or from a PC to the S2x. MP3, JPEG and DVD-type VOB (MPEG-2) files are the only formats with which the HD-S2x is compatible; DivX and WMV aren’t supported.
Networking also lets you access the receiver from any suitable internet-enabled device in the world, although for now this only extends to timer scheduling.
Performance
The HD-S2x may be fast at selecting channels – within a couple of seconds if it’s on the current satellite – but searches are ponderous: an all-channels DVB-S/S2 search of Hot Bird clocked in at over 11 minutes. ITV HD is not receivable with the S2x, but reception of channels from a variety of different satellites proved reliable – even in damp weather.
The tuners are obviously up to scratch in sensitivity terms. In AV quality terms the HD-S2x also puts up a good showing. Pictures from Arte HD and BBC HD are sublime, intricate detail and impressive colour fidelity being only too apparent on the Full-HD Cineversum Paris projector we were fortunate to have in for testing at the same as well as our 32in Sony Bravia LCD.
Poor-quality SD channels (not Technisat’s fault) remain just that. From MP3 files and digital TV alike, sound quality from both the analogue and digital outputs cannot be faulted. A final point to note is the relatively low power consumption.
Hauppauge WinTV-MiniStick HD review
No Freeview HD but remains a passable way to view DTT channels on your desktop
Sadly this tuner can’t do UK HD but it handles Freeview well
Slapping a vogue-ish phrase like HD on the WinTV-Ministick is a sure way to attract interest in your DTT tuner but it can be misleading for UK buyers.
While tuners like the Ministick are indeed compatible with terrestrial HD services from countries including France and Spain which use H.264 compression, they lack the DVB-T2 chipsets that will be required for Freeview HD. Indeed, DVB-T2 tuners are not likely to appear in commercial products until late 2009 at the earliest and will likely come at a premium price initially.
So for those not planning to hop across The Channel, how suitable is the single DVB-T tuner-equipped Ministick for standard-definition reception? Well, being little bigger than a stick of gum, it’s not the tiniest tuner we’ve come across but is slender nonetheless.
It plugs directly into a USB 2.0 port on your computer or can be set apart using a USB extension cable. Also included is an adjustable hinged portable aerial fitted with a magnetic base or you can connect the tuner to a rooftop aerial.
Predictably, the latter proves the best option as we were unable to get a signal in our London test area with the portable option either indoors or sat in the garden with the included signal monitor application showing figures stuck stubbornly in the red. Not great for on-the-go laptop users, then.
Also in the box is a basic credit card-sized remote which could do with some variation in button size to make it more intuitive. The tuner works well with Windows Media Center (with Service Pack 2 installed) or you can use the supplied alternative – version 7 of Hauppauge’s also rather basic WinTV application. There’s no support for the third-party TVTV application, however, which would have added such features as remote recording.
The software scans for channels on first loading, generating a single list from which channels can be searched for by name. This displays video in a re-sizeable Windows Media Player-style interface with the option to have it always overlaid over other items on your desktop and display video in 4:3, 16:9 or 16:10 including full-screen.
There’s subtitle support but not teletext. You can view now-and-next data for channels from the main application or there’s a grid-styled EPG populated by seven-day DVB data from which you can also view synopses and schedule recordings.
Recordings are also scheduled from a separate manual scheduler where you can specify channel, length and once, daily or weekly repeat options with the option to have the PC come out of standby to record if needed.
Alternatively, you can start recording directly from the main application window. Recordings are stored with their name, date and time in transport stream format, although Hauppauge has stopped short of including software for editing, conversion or burning afterwards.
The software keeps a running cache of what you’re viewing in its pause buffer, allowing you to skip back and forward 10 or 30 seconds or in one-minute chunks. Buffered files can kept too (useful if you forgot to record what you’re watching).
While we were not in a position to test its HD reception capabilities, viewing Freeview channels and playing back recordings on our reasonably powerful test laptop (Intel Core 2, 2GB RAM, GeForceT5600 graphics card) using a rooftop aerial proved a smooth experience with few glitches. Recordings also started on time with no hiccoughs.
Humax HDCI-5000 review
Humax’s affordable FTA HD receiver is a great performer but we reckon that it’s capable of more
You could use it to watch the BBC HD channel and also tune into the emerging European HD channels. Courtesy of its CI slots, the 2000 also made provision for European hi-def pay-TV.
The HDCI-5000 sells for about £100 less than its predecessor. The midi-sized 5000 is, alas, nowhere near as svelte in appearance, and the 2000′s fluorescent display has been downsized to four green LED digits. In addition, you’ll only find a single CI slot under the drop-down flap – the 2000 had two.
Front panel controls are minimal. There are no menu buttons, and so the blandly styled but solid handset is essential. And you’ll need a PC to read the manual CD-ROM.
You get the (single-tuner) LNB input and output, component output, twin Scarts and optical digital output of the 2000, as well as its composite and analogue-audio socketry. Among these connectors is a switch that forces you to choose between component and RGB Scart.
Where the 5000 scores over the 2000 is in its provision of Ethernet connectivity. This terminal, which has so much potential, is described in the manual as a ‘service port’. We hope Humax will do something useful with it in time.
GET CONNECTED: Humax have included an Ethernet port with the HDCI-5000, as well as the expected options like HDMI, component video and optical audio output
The 2000′s RS232 port has gone AWOL. Humax has instead hedged its bets on the USB Host port – described in the manual as ‘connecting to the USB memory or external HDD’. So can PVR functionality can be added?
Not at the moment. The USB port (also on the 2000) is currently provided for backing-up or restoring channel databases. No mention has been made of firmware upgrades here; these are (or will be) available over the air.
Setup
Unusually, the 5000 is compatible with SCD (Single Cable Distribution), a clever band-shifting system that allows up to eight receivers to be fed from a purpose-designed LNB via a single cable. SCD is one of the ‘antenna type’ options of the receiver’s friendly ‘setup wizard’. This also takes you through language, time-zone, default channel lists, dish configuration, initial searching and display configuration.
The wizard only covers simple DiSEqC switchboxes; further setup is necessary for motorised dishes. This wipes any previous searches from its memory; motorised dish users should cancel the search, let the wizard run its course and engage manual setup.
Which takes us to the slick and beautifully designed menu system, the options of which are divided among four groups. ‘Preferences’ looks after languages, time/ date and AV settings (such as Scart output, aspect-ratio, display mode and – if you’re not using HDMI – lip sync correction).
From ‘edit channels’, you can delete, move, rename and restore channels. There’s also the ability to import/export channel lists to/from USB – although we couldn’t get this to work.
The third option is ‘installation’, and it’s from here that your motorised dish is configured. From its ‘edit satellite data’ option, the satellites you can receive can be ‘activated’. The DiSEqC positioner, which caters for 1.2 or USALS, is excellent – not only can you call on any positions residing in your mount’s memory, but you have complete control over movement – continuous or (variable) steps in either direction. There’s also a ‘recalculate’ function, and dish-limit setting.
You can search all transponders of the selected satellite, or just focus on one – it’s also easy to define and store a new transponder for future searches. This is the closest the 5000 gets to manual searching. Parameters here are the expected frequency, polarity, symbol rate, modulation type (DVB-S or DVB-S2) and FEC. Disappointingly, no provision for PID entry has been made and blind-search is absent.
HD HAPPY: The HDCI-5000 had little trouble finding available HD channels, but Humax has yet to implement a workaround for accessing ITV HD
With a motorised dish searching couldn’t be easier. You choose the satellite you want, the dish moves to the appropriate position, then you specify the terms of the search (free and/or encrypted, radio and/or TV) and off it goes. What a shame that automatic multi-satellite searches are not allowed.
Other installation menu options cover over-the-air firmware updates and a master reset. Finally, we have the ‘system’ menu, which reveals receiver and CI module status.
Navigation
Humax receivers traditionally score well in navigation terms, and the 5000 is no exception, owing to its fast channel-change and sensible use of the handset’s coloured fast-text keys. Channels can be sorted alphabetically, or by conditional-access status.
Another press of a button and all available hi-def channels are listed. It’s also easy to list all of the channels on a specific satellite. A pop-up menu activated by a press of the ‘opt+’ button allows you to delete, rename or lock channels. They can also be placed into one of the five favourites lists, each of which can be renamed. It’s well designed.
Then there’s ‘i-Bar’, Humax’s name for the channel-information pop-up. This gives you channel/programme name, time/date, a programme-progress bar and HD/encryption status as well as signal strength and quality.
The EPG, which supports now-and-next and 7-day schedules, also employs the coloured keys to good effect. The default mode relies on the traditional grid format, which can simultaneously accommodate up to seven channels, but there’s also a single-channel list view.
GREAT GUIDE: The HDCI-5000′s EPG shares similarities with previous Humax receivers, making good use of the coloured remote keys and an ‘i-Bar- for easy navigation
Owners of VCRs or DVD recorders can schedule programmes so that the receiver changes channel at the appropriate time. A useful ‘quick browse’ will let you hop around the schedules in speedy increments.
Then there’s the three-step ‘zoom’, but the icing on the cake is a ‘find’ function. Enter a keyword, and programmes containing it are listed. To quicken the search a genre, day and approximate time frame can be chosen.
Performance and features
The 5000 has few gimmicks. There’s no multimedia playback or ‘picture freeze’, and this receiver is the first we’ve come across in years not to include a Tetris clone or any other games. But you can arrange for the receiver to turn itself on at a specified time, switch to a channel of your choosing and then shut down again.
Rather more useful are two buttons marked ‘v.format’ and ‘wide’. The first cycles through the various component/HDMI output modes (576i/576p/720p/1080i), while the second either expands the picture to fit the screen or displays in letterbox format.
This is particularly useful for HDMI because not all displays give you control over aspect ratio. If you’re viewing a standard-def channel it’s upscaled if a HD output mode has been selected.
Other features include teletext, subtitles and soundtrack selection (Dolby is supported). In performance terms, the 5000 scores highly. Searching is commendably fast; more than 1,700 Hot Bird TV and radio services were found in under four minutes by a tuner of above-average sensitivity.
While searching is fast, this receiver’s inability to accept PIDs or conduct multi-satellite scans coupled with the lack of blind search will disappoint the enthusiast.
The 5000 found most hi-def services – BBC HD, Eins Festival and Luxe HD included – but ITV HD proved to be beyond its capabilities. A future firmware update – our test receiver had a very early version – will apparently address this.
Both picture and sound quality were first-rate, hi-def channels standing out with a rich visual texture and vivid, natural colour. By any standards, well-encoded standard-def programming fares well too, even with upscaling engaged. Sound quality, whether radio or TV, is detailed and clear.
If you’re after a reasonably priced HD receiver and aren’t bothered about the bells or whistles, the HDCI- 5000 is worth considering. We hope that improved firmware will fix some of our criticisms, especially the unused Ethernet port, underused USB, limited search capabilities and ITV HD incompatibility.
LG 42LH4000 review
Although it seemingly struggles to keep up with the competition, LG’s latest, the 42LH4000 LCD TV represents a significant step-up in feature-spec. 100Hz 1080p panels, ambitious video processing and 1080p24 playback are common-place across the board.
And this modest mid-priced set even offers new tricks, such as an intelligent adjustable backlight. Yet perhaps the most surprising addition is the inclusion of ISF calibration, opening the door for professional installers, engineers, or AV pedants to finetune every aspect of an image.
There have been some cosmetic tweaks, too. The glossy black bezel is actually indigo blue, with a standby light that winks at you as it powers up. The speakers are now deemed to be ‘invisible’ – well, the four drivers are just out of sight – and their talent for pseudo surround sound, with the help of some SRS processing, is moderately impressive.
A bit of a blur
Usability is top-notch, thanks to an excellent graphical user interface, where crisp onscreen illustrations represent each aspect of the menu, ruling out the need for any clunky text.
The auto-tuning function is easy and fast. Of course, terrestrial TV invariably looks disappointing when it’s viewed on big 1080p sets, but at least here, LG’s TruMotion helps to tidy up motion blur a bit.
This part of the brand’s XD Engine video processing suite that has been enhanced for the 2009 generation of flat TVs. And this is where LG’s new Calibration Wizard comes in. Undoubtedly the LH4000′s best feature, it’s just like a user-friendly consumer version of a professional ISF calibration system.
Like all Wizards, it’s a case of following onscreen prompts to nudge the colour, brightness, sharpness, etc, up and down. The difference here is that you’re shown one pattern alongside an ideal alternative, so that you can get one to match the other for the optimum picture. It basically takes away all the guesswork of setting up a TV without a calibration disc.
Actual ISF calibration is reserved for the professionals. To access that menu, you need to enter a code that LG engineers jealously guard, and then use some pro kit – like a light spider that clamps onto the screen. Then you need to find a chum with ISF training to set every parameter. Simple as that…
Of course, when all this has been accomplished, you will theoretically see the LG screen at its best. There’s no doubt that its performance with 1080p Blu-ray material makes for a quantum leap in quality over SD.
Just be sure to switch off LG’s video processing, which adds a halo of distortion around objects in HD rather than smoothing out the edges as it does in SD, to see things at their best.
But compared to many of its rivals, I thought its hi-def performance average. The contrast ratio is quoted at 80,000:1, but the reality is different.
Our Tech Labs measured real world contrast at less than 500:1. It can’t match its pricier rivals with greyscale accuracy and its black bars would more accurately be described as grey. It also suffers from limited off-angle viewing.
| Price at launch | £800.00 | |
| No of Component Inputs | 1 | |
| Full HD | Yes | |
| 720p/1080i Output | Yes | |
| Power Consumption (Operational) | 210 | |
| Brightness | 500 | |
| HD Ready | Yes | |
| PC (VGA) Ports | 1 | |
| 1080p Output | Yes | |
| No. of USB Ports | 1 | |
| Weight (kg) | 17.1 | |
| Dimensions | 1036 x 655.4 x 89.8 | |
| Viewing Angle (Vertical) | 178 | |
| Speakers | 2 x 10W RMS | |
| Connectivity | 3.5mm Headphone Jack, CI Card Slot, Component Video, Composite Video, HDMI, PC Audio Input, RF Antenna Input, RJ-45, S-Video Input, SPDIF Digital Output, USB 2.0, VGA Input | |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | |
| No of Digital Optical Audio Outputs | 1 | |
| No of Analogue Audio Inputs | 1 | |
| Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) | Yes | |
| No of Scart Connectors | 2 | |
| Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | |
| Display Size | 42 | |
| No of HDMI Inputs | 3 | |
| 1080p/24 Output | Yes | |
| Viewing Angle (Horizontal) | 178 | |
| Power Consumption (Standby) | 1 | |
| Freeview | Yes | |
| No of Composite Inputs | 2 |
However, this is a very reasonable price for such a feature-packed panel. And the great interface, smart styling, and excellent connectivity will win many shoppers over.
LG 42LH4000 review
Although it seemingly struggles to keep up with the competition, LG’s latest, the 42LH4000 LCD TV represents a significant step-up in feature-spec. 100Hz 1080p panels, ambitious video processing and 1080p24 playback are common-place across the board.
And this modest mid-priced set even offers new tricks, such as an intelligent adjustable backlight. Yet perhaps the most surprising addition is the inclusion of ISF calibration, opening the door for professional installers, engineers, or AV pedants to finetune every aspect of an image.
There have been some cosmetic tweaks, too. The glossy black bezel is actually indigo blue, with a standby light that winks at you as it powers up. The speakers are now deemed to be ‘invisible’ – well, the four drivers are just out of sight – and their talent for pseudo surround sound, with the help of some SRS processing, is moderately impressive.
A bit of a blur
Usability is top-notch, thanks to an excellent graphical user interface, where crisp onscreen illustrations represent each aspect of the menu, ruling out the need for any clunky text.
The auto-tuning function is easy and fast. Of course, terrestrial TV invariably looks disappointing when it’s viewed on big 1080p sets, but at least here, LG’s TruMotion helps to tidy up motion blur a bit.
This part of the brand’s XD Engine video processing suite that has been enhanced for the 2009 generation of flat TVs. And this is where LG’s new Calibration Wizard comes in. Undoubtedly the LH4000′s best feature, it’s just like a user-friendly consumer version of a professional ISF calibration system.
Like all Wizards, it’s a case of following onscreen prompts to nudge the colour, brightness, sharpness, etc, up and down. The difference here is that you’re shown one pattern alongside an ideal alternative, so that you can get one to match the other for the optimum picture. It basically takes away all the guesswork of setting up a TV without a calibration disc.
Actual ISF calibration is reserved for the professionals. To access that menu, you need to enter a code that LG engineers jealously guard, and then use some pro kit – like a light spider that clamps onto the screen. Then you need to find a chum with ISF training to set every parameter. Simple as that…
Of course, when all this has been accomplished, you will theoretically see the LG screen at its best. There’s no doubt that its performance with 1080p Blu-ray material makes for a quantum leap in quality over SD.
Just be sure to switch off LG’s video processing, which adds a halo of distortion around objects in HD rather than smoothing out the edges as it does in SD, to see things at their best.
But compared to many of its rivals, I thought its hi-def performance average. The contrast ratio is quoted at 80,000:1, but the reality is different.
Our Tech Labs measured real world contrast at less than 500:1. It can’t match its pricier rivals with greyscale accuracy and its black bars would more accurately be described as grey. It also suffers from limited off-angle viewing.
| Price at launch | £800.00 | |
| No of Component Inputs | 1 | |
| Full HD | Yes | |
| 720p/1080i Output | Yes | |
| Power Consumption (Operational) | 210 | |
| Brightness | 500 | |
| HD Ready | Yes | |
| PC (VGA) Ports | 1 | |
| 1080p Output | Yes | |
| No. of USB Ports | 1 | |
| Weight (kg) | 17.1 | |
| Dimensions | 1036 x 655.4 x 89.8 | |
| Viewing Angle (Vertical) | 178 | |
| Speakers | 2 x 10W RMS | |
| Connectivity | 3.5mm Headphone Jack, CI Card Slot, Component Video, Composite Video, HDMI, PC Audio Input, RF Antenna Input, RJ-45, S-Video Input, SPDIF Digital Output, USB 2.0, VGA Input | |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | |
| No of Digital Optical Audio Outputs | 1 | |
| No of Analogue Audio Inputs | 1 | |
| Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) | Yes | |
| No of Scart Connectors | 2 | |
| Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | |
| Display Size | 42 | |
| No of HDMI Inputs | 3 | |
| 1080p/24 Output | Yes | |
| Viewing Angle (Horizontal) | 178 | |
| Power Consumption (Standby) | 1 | |
| Freeview | Yes | |
| No of Composite Inputs | 2 |
However, this is a very reasonable price for such a feature-packed panel. And the great interface, smart styling, and excellent connectivity will win many shoppers over.
Navman Spirit TV: 7-inch Satnav with built-in Freeview
Do you want to Watch while you drive..?
Navman has announced that it will be launching a supersized satnav device later in the summer that will include a Freeview tuner so you can watch TV when you aren’t trying to find out where you are going.
Claiming to the be the world’s first Satnav with built-in TV, it will be called the Navman Spirit TV and come in two sizes; a 4.7-inch screen model and a massive 7-inch screen model.
Aside from the ability to pick up television channels when in a decent Freeview area, the unit will be a fully-fledged Satnav that comes with all the latest features as sported on the company’s newly announced Spirit range, the Spirit 500, 300 and Spirit Flat – so Postcode support, Bluetooth, Google local search, walking mode, Points of Interest and the such like.
The unit is expected to cost between £200 and £300 when it eventually does land in the UK.
The catch? Even Mio/Navman themselves are dubious about getting a good TV reception everywhere; “I can’t get Freeview where I live,” Pocket-lint overheard a spokesman for the company telling a journalist at the UK launch, before omitting that the device “won’t be for everyone.”
Still if you need to catch the latest episode of EastEnders on the way home, this might just be the device to do it with, well as long as you know where you are going.
