The LG 50’ PC55 is an excellent choice for people who want a high quality TV at an affordable price. With about £150 more than the smaller version we did not expect much of a difference in performance. It came with all the standard features such as auto tuning and Freeview support. The TV has a built in HDTV receiver for the local channels that can be received by antenna; however, you still need an external HDTV receiver for the cable channels. We were very pleased to see that the TV was supplied with two HDI connectors in the back, making it easier for us and the consumer to manage two receivers at the same time.

An entertaining feature this TV has is (Picture in Picture viewing), which allowed us to watch more than one channel at the same time. With (PiP), one channel will be displayed on the entire TV screen, and another channel or channels will be displayed in smaller squares on the screen. The picture quality was absolutely astonishing, which was exactly what we expected from a resolution of 1368×768 pixels and a refresh time of 1 ms. High pixel rates and low refresh time makes it perfect for a nice soccer game or a good movie. Another feature is the (adjustable color temperature), which allowed us to adjust the TV colors according to room lighting conditions (artificial light or natural light). It is also equipped with surround sound and audio leveler which add depth and quality to the show you are watching.

The TV screen has a maximum viewing angle of 160, which was rather disappointing since most of the plasma TV’s on the market nowadays come with an extra 18 degrees, making them viewable from almost any angle in the room. This is a small sacrifice to pay for all the new fun features the LG team had incorporated to insure the quality of our entertainment.

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We found that the new generation LG 42” LC55 is slimmer than its predecessors, but offers more unique and intuitive interface with great video and audio quality. We were very pleased to see that it was fitted with two HDMI, two Scart and PC input connectors in the back. We found the channel tuning process incredibly easy as it came equipped with an integrated digital auto tuner.

This TV came with a variety of features such as Freeview support and the new XD Engine Image processor, which transforms the normal analog signal into near HD quality video. The picture quality is incredible thanks to its 1366×768 WXGA display resolution. However, the LG team could have added some more features that were included in the previous models. We were satisfied with the contrast ratio and brightness and rated it average.

The sound quality turned out to be quite good; it is fitted with surround MAX, which offers quality and more depth to its audio output. The sound can be adjusted according to taste which we found to be an excellent feature.

We rated the LG 42 LC55 (3.5 out of 5) because we felt that the LG team had concentrated on aspect and making the unit more user-friendly, but they have failed to incorporate more features as they did its predecessors. However, being in its price range we did not expect much more than we have already seen.

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We were expecting a standard TV unit equipped with nothing more than what is available on the market. We did however keep in mind that LG always has a trick up its sleeve. The 37LC55 is a stunning 37″ HD Ready with an integrated Freeview receiver and LG´s new XD Engine Image processor.

The TV is very light and quite maneuverable, being around the 20 Kg range. Just as we suspected, LG exceeded our expectations. Testing the new innovative feature LG incorporated in its latest model was a real treat. We felt that the new XD Engine Image processor is a true revolution in picture quality and color. This new feature turns your boring analog channels into exciting pure quality HD channels, rich in color and full of detail. The LC55 range delivers an incredible 178 degree viewing angle, so you can see the stunning picture from almost anywhere in the room.

We were satisfied but not pleased with its refresh rate feature of 6 (ms), which makes playing games and watching sports an above average experience. We were also not too thrilled with the fact there was only one Scart connector in the back.

This TV is Digital TV ready that comes with Freeview support, an excellent new feature that allows the consumer to receive up to 40 channels more with the same aerial at no extra cost. We are very pleased to see that the LG team is keeping up with the current market.

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We have decided to test LG’s latest stylish edition to the LCD market, just to see if this TV lives up to its reputation. We were truly impressed at first glance. The elegant ultra slim LCD with its glossy black finish is a true eye grabber.The first feature we noticed was the Intelligent Eye, which adjusts screen brightness and color according to room lighting; thereby enhancing the owner’s viewing experience. Another great feature is LG’s exclusive XD Engine that contributes to picture improvement. This engine took the low resolution of analogue signals to near HD levels by improving brightness, contrast and detail. We were quite pleased with the outcome quality of this engine; we felt that it resulted in cinema-like, high-resolution images.

The 32LB9D is fitted with LG’s SimpleLink technology that allows for “convenient control” of other LG products and is compatible with digital visual interfaces. We were quite happy to find that it was also equipped with three high-definition multimedia interface connections that can carry both uncompressed HD video and uncompressed multi-channel audio in all HD formats.

The TV comes with Super IPS technology that reduces the distortion which sometimes occurs during fast-motion action scenes; however, despite the IPS technology we rated this TV above average because of its refresh time of 6 (ms). Most of LG’s previous models had a refresh time of 3 (ms), thus, it seemed only logical to carryout this tradition as the gaming industry is always coming up with new technology that require TV’s to have a lower refresh time to reduce trails. However, we were pleased that it provided one of the market’s widest flat-panel angles, which meant viewers will be seeing theatre-level picture quality from anywhere in their living room.

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After the first few minutes of testing the LG 26“ LC55 we were thrilled to see that LG had still preserved its name in the growing market of LCD TVs. The LG26LC55 is incredibly user friendly. Thanks to its auto tuning function it took us about two minutes to setup both receivers.

We were very happy to see that LG has met all of its high standards in picture quality. This TV is equipped with LG’s new XD Engine image processor and comes with a digital tuner resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels as well as dynamic contrast ratio of 5000:1. The LG 26” LC55 delivered a nearly HD quality image from a basic analog receiver, which we considered to be a big plus. We were very pleased with its refresh rate of 3 ms which meant almost no trails, even in fast action sequences; it brought sports and games to a new level of play.

The TV comes with two HDMI, two Scart and one PC input connectors in the back. It is also fitted with Freeview. However, what truly impressed us were its sound capabilities. It is equipped with Surround MAX SSM (6 Sound Status Mode) 10W + 10W and dimple speaker for clear and powerful sound quality; moreover, the TV is compatible with Dolbly digital out (5.1 Home Cinema System) just incase you want to connect it to another sound system for that extra edge.

We were not too pleased with its viewing angle of 160 degrees, but it was to our expectations at its current market price.

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The LG 42” PC55 is certainly worth every penny spent on it. The first thing we noticed about it was how light it was, how easy it was for us to manhandle it to the stand (or wall mount bracket if you have one). Setting up the channels was incredibly easy thanks to the auto tuning option it has. All you have to do is plug in your aerial and press the “On” button, wait a couple of minutes and voila you’re done, sit back, relax and enjoy surfing your channels.

The TV is fitted with FreeView and the picture quality is absolutely amazing. We were slightly disappointed when we saw that there were only two Scart sockets, but it more than compensates for that with its other features so it is definitely worth it. It is also equipped with a connector for the computer and more goodies such as HDMI and others.The TV factory settings such as contrast, brightness and colors were a bit too intense for our taste, so we spent a few minutes adjusting them. Moreover the TV allows you to save two custom settings as well as the factory one. It supports all screen sizes, 16.9, 4.3, 14.9; ‘full’, ’spectator’ and ‘original’ plus don’t forget about the Zoom feature available in all the screen sizes, LG did a great job in covering every aspect of this. Sound quality is astonishing and similarly it can be adjusted according to your taste.

The TV comes with an all black design and an incredible polished black finish. The detailed instructions come on CD and are very easy to understand. There are also printed instructions; however, if you want to take full advantage of the TV’s features you need to take a look at the CD. We would definitely recommend this TV because of the high value you get for your money.

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Being around the £30 mark, we weren’t expecting anything exciting when unboxing the Philips DTR220. That’s why we were particularly impressed to see that Philips has managed to produced an excellent set top box, at least in terms of appearance, at a budget price. The unit is very small, stylish and sturdy.

As is becoming the norm, setup was quite simple with only a couple of SCART jacks and of course the aerial. We clocked the auto tuning process in at around 4 minutes which is quite acceptable, but more importantly the unit picked up every channel it had to offer through the Freeview network.

The software side was well thought out, with a splash screen appearing when the unit is turned on (as opposed to a blank screen from other units while they power up) and a nice, animated icon on display for the radio channels. We noticed that on occasion, the on screen display would become garbled and unusable. This made navigation through menus impossible and required a reset of the unit.

Overall the unit is very impressive in terms of aesthetics, and has average to above average performance in general use. We were concerned with the display corruption which would occur infrequently - perhaps once or twice a day. For this we give the Philips DTR220 a four star rating.

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We decided to test out the quality of a popular indoor aerial model just to test out how acceptable the Digital Television experience may be for those without a good roof-mounted antenna.

The SV9365 is a technical looking device that’s built to sit atop one’s Television set. Of note is the fact that this aerial will work fine for both analogue and digital reception. We set the unit up, completely bypassing our mounted antenna and set it to maximum gain. For testing purposes we used the standard Freeview set top box. The Freeview box had no trouble tuning all the channels in as normal, which was a good sign.

However, we noticed that some channels would have varying degrees of reception quality regardless of the gain setting on the antenna itself. Moving the aerials around in attempt to pick up a better signal worked to some extent, but the aerial still did not perform to the standards one comes to expect when using a roof mounted aerial.

Overall the unit is reasonably successful in picking up a signal and should be a good alternative for those who cannot use a proper aerial. With that said, a proper aerial is really worth the investment and improves the Digital Television experience significantly.

The One for all SV9365 indoor aerial receives a 3/5 for its acceptable performance, falling short of a better rating due to the unmatched performance of a mounted aerial.

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The VTX-D800U by Sony is another Freeview box stepping into up market territory at £80 to £100. This unit is not so easy to find in 2008 but if you can’t find one in stores, check out some online shops such as Amazon. We got a new unit off eBay. The box itself is quite stylish as is to be expected from a brand name like Sony, with a good solid build quality. Unlike most set top boxes, this unit is built to stand upright with the assistance of a clip-on stand included in the box. For those with little HIFI real-estate, it’s possible to lay the unit sideways which doesn’t affect functionality.

The back of the unit is straightforward, with two SCART plugs and aerial in/out jacks. The included manual is sufficient to guide novice users during installation which takes no more than 3-5 minutes if you have the right cords at hand. Sony’s Auto Tune menu made channel detection an easy process, and we discovered it was possible to hide specific channels and unhide them at a later date. This is quite a useful feature because it allows you to knock out all the junk channels for general use but bring them back if necessary without having to re-tune.

During use, changing channels and menu navigation was particularly snappy. We have noticed that some boxes tend to be sluggish in response to navigation input via the remote control. The VTX-D800U is no slouch and can easily keep up with hyperactive Television addicts such as those at Digitalswitchoverreview.com. A valuable inclusion we found was “Smartlink” compatibility. If your VCR or digital video recorder is Smartlink enabled, the set top box can automatically communicate with and instruct it to record specific programmes. This is a great feature for those that don’t like to muck about with multiple remote controls and units when attempting to record a Television show. Simply select the programme you want to record through the set top box menu, and it takes care of the rest. Speaking of multiple remotes, the included remote control can be configured to operate with most common television sets. The instruction manual includes a long list of codes that can be used to link the remote with your television set. If you don’t already have a universal remote control, this can simplify the operation of your equipment as you won’t need to use so many remote controls to accomplish a simple task.

Overall, the Sony VTX-D800U is a very good set top box, with a feature set and decent instruction manual designed to make life easier on its users. Picture quality was very good with no breakups or glitches. The unit was responsive with logical menus and performed well in our tests. Although a little pricey, this unit is worth every cent. If you are new to Digital TV or currently own an underperforming unit, the VTX-D800U would be a great choice for you. For those on a tighter budget, perhaps a second hand model would be a good choice.

We have given the VTX-D800U a 5-star rating for its feature set and responsiveness.

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Freeview is known for its cheap one-time-fee set top box. Digitalswitchoverreview recently got a hold of a Freeview unit and took it for a test run.

Before purchasing the unit, we checked out Freeview’s availability checker located at http://www.freeview.co.uk/availability/. This service is provided by Freeview to potential buyers and allows you to check how the digital reception is in your area. Unfortunately the website told us we may not have any reception, however, upon contacting a nearby Freeview user we discovered that reception was indeed acceptable. This may be an internal issue with the Freeview availability checker which may have slightly out of date information on reception. If your area is reported to have no signal, you may want to ask a neighbor whether or not Freeview works for them.

After purchasing the unit, set up was simple for a HIFI unit and the box itself blends well with existing Television hardware. Although not of an extremely high grade build, the Freeview box is solid and build quality was not of concern. We already had a digital-ready antenna which made setup fairly simple. The Freeview box can connect to a television through an aerial cord however a SCART connection yields significantly better image quality and is worth using if your Television supports it. The automatic channel installer did exactly that and there were no issues picking up all of the free channels on offer. Some have reported needing to re-run the “add channel” option to pick up some channels which may be necessary if reception is particularly poor in your area.

The free channel offering included the obligatory selection of junk channels, however Freeview boasts some big names such as BBC 3, 4, News 24 and the kids channels. There is also Sky News, Sky Sports, ITV News, ITV2, ITV3 and apparently new channels are being added to this list almost monthly at no cost. Overall the quality channels far outweigh the small selection of filler channels that serve only to slow down a session of channel surfing. There are several radio channels available which may appeal to those who often use their television for background noise. A great feature, especially for a one time payment device, is the EPG (Electronic programme guide) which is essentially a digitized and interactive version of a paper Television channel guide. This makes it possible to check out what’s on and even set yourself reminders straight from the unit itself. This was an impressive inclusion considering the budget price of the Freeview box.

Overall the Freeview set top box is aimed at those on a budget but offers excellent value for money with a growing selection of popular channels and even some interactive gadgets such as the EPG. We would recommend this unit to anyone wanting to test out Digital TV even as a stepping stone to a more expensive system for serious Television users looking for an even larger set of channels. Things to keep in mind are whether or not you will have reception issues (although this is something to consider with all set top boxes), check to see if your Television supports a SCART connection for better video quality and also keep in mind that Freeview offers a basic installation guide (http://www.freeview.co.uk/installation) with no real technical support as far as we could see. If you are less technically inclined, online support groups such as http://www.digitalswitchoverforum.com may be able to address any concerns you have about hardware installation, a common hurdle for those new to Digital TV.

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