0402wv07 JVC AV-32X37 (L)

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ON TEST: JVC AV-32X37HKE

32in Nicam TV

950 77777

SPECIFICATION

FEATURES 100Hz; DigiPure Pro; motion smoothing; noise reduction; Nicam sound with pseudo surround option; multiple aspect ratio support; teletext with split-screen view; pic presets and colour temp adjust; Movie Theatre mode; Hyper sound; sleep timer; child lock SOCKETS Side: S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio input; headphone jack Rear: Three Scarts (two RGB); stereo audio out; RF input DIMENSIONS 550(h) x 892(w) x 560(d)mm WEIGHT 55kg CONTACT 5000 www.jvc.co.uk

Soft option

JVC is just one of a disappointingly long list of companies thats recently fallen foul of that common TV malaise we like to call digital processingitis. Symptomatic of this is the discovery that while its 50Hz TVs have lately been among the very best in the business, its supposedly higher-end sets boasting 100Hz and such JVC innovations as Digipure Pro and DIST have tended to disappoint. But, while certainly not perfect, JVCs last Digipure Pro TV was undoubtedly a big step forward over its predecessor. Its with a measure of hope that we turn our attention to the very latest interpretation of Digipure Pro digital processing, as represented by the rather stylish AV-32X37HKE. And thats stylish with a capital S. A two-tone colour scheme perfectly complements a deeply attractive combination of curved outer fascia and bold straight-edged screen frame to stunning effect. If theres a more attractive TV out there at the moment, we cant think of it. Our eye was also pleased by the AV-32X37HKEs connectivity. We were relieved to see that a full set of front AV inputs had been tucked down the TVs side so as not to mess up those slinky aesthetics. We were also more than a little pleased to discover that two of the rear panels three Scarts are RGB capable. Setting up the AV-32X37HKE couldnt be easier. An eminently practical remote control works in harmony with some attractive onscreen menus to keep things fairly foolproof. Only a little more thought about the menu structure could have improved things further. As we suggested earlier, the AV-32X37HKEs standout feature is JVCs DigiPure Pro/100Hz digital processing. For those of you not familiar with it from previous JVC TV reviews, DigiPure Pro is an umbrella term covering a variety of digital techniques that remove harsh edges from high contrast images, sharpen edges on low contrast images and smooth out motion. The TV also boasts a pseudo surround sound system as well as straight Nicam. Thats pretty much as far as the AV-32X37HKE goes beyond the sort of basic features youd find on any self-respecting TV these days. good news is that once again we see clear signs of improvement in JVCs digital processing. Theres definitely more purity in the image, by which we mean theres less unwanted interference in the form of smearing and image lag. Colours also seem more vibrant and natural thanks to the greater directness of the viewing experience, and a marginally enhanced contrast range. The bad news? Softness. This appears to be caused partly by remaining issues with the digital processing and partly as our laboratory results suggest by the TVs tube possibly not having as much inherent fine detail resolution as wed like. When it comes to sound, we sort of liked what we heard. Theres nothing miraculous about it. The maximum volume isnt especially action movie friendly and the soundstage isnt especially expansive. But the onboard speakers work well within their power limitations to ensure that they do at least deliver a smooth, reasonably rich and mostly undistorted sound that never offends the ear. There really is plenty to like about the AV-32X37HKE. It looks dreamy, sounds fine, and its great to find Digipures once multifarious problems now reduced to one softness. That said, theres no getting round the fact that this remaining problem is still severe enough to prevent us being able to give the AV-32X37HKE a wholly unreserved recommendation John Archer

TEST DATA Colour: excellent zero bleed, zero tizzing, zero ghosting, and superbly hard edges Geometry: fair some outward bending over the bottom half of the picture Frequency response: fair not really much detail beyond 4.8MHz

ALSO CONSIDER.

PANASONIC TX-32PS12 The same money gets you a similar level of performance but in a less attractive body Reviewed: Dec 03 THOMSON 32WB643 Only 50 more, but delivers excellent detail-enhanced pictures, potent sonics and more features Reviewed: Dec 03
WHATS GOOD Damn pretty, decent value WHATS BAD Soft pictures PICTURE. SOUND. FEATURES. EASE OF USE VALUE.77777.77777.77777.77777.77777
VERDICT Another step in the right direction but its still not quite as assured as some of its digital processing rivals

PERFORMANCE

When it comes to performance, theres good news and bad news. The
A bit plasticky, but the layout is sound
104 February 2004 s WHAT VIDEO AND WIDESCREEN TV

0311HCC18 TV Group P

2/9/03

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Tried&Tested

THEYRE BIG, THEYRE CLEVER, AND THEYRE WELL AND TRULY BULGING AT THE SEAMS WITH HIGH-END FEATURE FINERY. BUT CAN THEY SATISFY JOHN ARCHERS APPETITE?
ith the irresistible rise of hang-on-the-wall TV and affordable projectors, the poor
old CRT sometimes seems to be the forgotten man of the AV magazine world. But in fact, of course, tubed TVs are alive and well and still enjoying pride of place in countless living rooms across the country. And its easy to see why. While the hang-on-the-wall technologies are still in their relative infancy, CRT has been honed and refined for decades, meaning that its still difficult to beat for sheer picture quality. Perhaps even more important is the issue of cost. Good quality large LCD or plasma screens still dont really start at less than 3k, yet a blindingly good 32in CRT TV could be yours for under a grand if you shop carefully. To show just how much CRT still has to offer, weve rounded up five of the finest 32in models currently available, all of which offer spectacular performance, stunning designs and/or features galore. Picking between them is going to be a tough job. But, I guess someones got to do it, right?

TESTED THIS MONTH

JVC AV-32X37HKE

PANASONIC TX-32PD30

PHILIPS 32PW9308

SONY KD-32NX200U

TOSHIBA 32ZP38
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GroupTest

FEATURES
100Hz; DigiPure Pro; motion smoothing; noise reduction; Nicam sound with pseudo surround option; multiple aspect ratio support; teletext with split-screen view; pic presets and colour temp adjust; movie theatre mode; hyper sound; sleep timer; child lock Connections: S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio input; headphone jack; 3 Scarts (1 RGB); stereo audio out; RF input Dimensions: 550(h) x 892(w) x 560(d) mm; Weight: 55kg
950 (APPROX) N 5000 N www.jvc.co.uk N OVERALL RATING ####
JVCs entry into this group test gets us off to a highly fashionable start. Its the latest entry in the companys InteriArt range and, as such, it boasts some seriously swish aesthetics. It also boasts the most recent incarnation of JVCs rapidly improving 100Hz/DigiPure Pro picture engine and a very competitive price. But can it compete with the other big guns?

Operation

Theres not much to fault the JVC on in this department. The remote is functional if a tad bland and the onscreen menus are adequate, if not especially intuitively organised.

Distinguishing features

Even having 100Hz on a 32in TV at this price is a surprise. But thats just the start, really, since this one also boasts JVCs proprietary DigiPure Pro system. This introduces a number of picture tweaks, the main ones being that it removes harsh edges from high-contrast images, sharpens edges on low-contrast images and smoothes motion. A movie theatre mode apparently further improves the colour and movement within a PAL picture, while a pseudo-surround system is available if straight Nicam doesnt do it for you. processing artefacts also means the 32X37s colours are more vibrant and natural, while the contrast range is extensive. The only remaining serious problem with the processing, really, is an overall softness to the picture. This stands out especially against the sharpness of the Panasonic and Philips still to come.

LAB REPORT

Colour: Excellent, zero bleed, zero tizzing and superbly hard edges Geometry: Fair, theres some outward bending over the bottom half of the picture Frequency response: Fair, not really much detail to see beyond 4.8MHz

Description

There are few nicer looking TVs around at the moment, if you ask me. The design succeeds on two fronts: the two-tone colour scheme and the delightful mix of strong straight lines and subtle, inviting curves. Admittedly, not much has changed from the last generation of InteriArt TVs, but when youve hit on a formula as winning as this one, there doesnt seem much point changing anything just for the sake of it.
The 32X37 wont exactly make your ears bleed with huge dynamics or massive volumes. But instead, it knows its speakers arent the most powerful in the world and is careful to only deliver a level of potency that theyre comfortable with. The result is a smooth, open sound, free from distortions or nasty vibrations.

Picture

JVCs 100Hz TVs have had a bit of a roasting from us over the last couple of years, but the 32X37 shows that the brand is rapidly moving in the right direction. Pictures look much less affected by digital processing nasties than on previous sets, with motion in particular benefiting from less smearing and image lag. The reduction in digital

Connections

Were reasonably pleased to report that the 32X37 has three Scarts but not anywhere near so happy to find that only one of them can take RGB. Aside from these, the only connections of note

Conclusion

The 32X37 is JVCs best 100Hz TV for yonks and at a very nice price too. But will that remaining picture softness allow some of the rival high-enders in this test to sneak ahead?
JVCs TVs have been consistently stylish
are a full set of front AV jacks, actually tucked down the TVs side so as not to mess with those pretty-boy looks.

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1,500 (APPROX) N 7357 N www.panasonic.co.uk N OVERALL RATING ####
75/833, 100Hz, 100Hz Plus and prog scan pic modes; Nicam sound with Virtual Dolby; pic and sound presets; multiple aspect ratio support; noise reduction; Q-Link; tilt correction; prog scan DVD compatible; HD compatible with mod; single tuner PIP, text/pic split screen; teletext subpage store; off timer; postcode security system Connections: Stereo audio inputs; S-video jack; composite video jack; headphone jack; 4 Scarts (2 RGB); stereo audio outputs; component video inputs; RF input Dimensions: 579(h) x 795(w) x 533(d)mm; Weight: 59kg

It has taken a while, but Panasonic has finally rustled up a resolution-boosting technology to rival Philips Pixel Plus. Dubbed Acuity, it increases the number of lines to 833 (from PALs standard 625) and the horizontal picture resolution to 2,376 per line, a jump of around x2.75. The first Acuity TV, the 32PD30, also boasts a so-called Enhanced Frame Rate Converter. Apparently, this reduces motion artefacts and block noise. Given how much trouble these problems have given us on other recent Panny TVs, heres hoping it does exactly what it says on the tin.
feed from a suitably talented DVD player. Happily, Panasonic hasnt used the component jacks as an excuse to skimp on Scarts, either. You get four, including two which can take RGB. Wrapping things up is a full set of front AV jacks.
The 32PD30 is a joy to use from start to finish. The onscreen menus are clean and attractive, navigated by the now familiar two-tone Panasonic remote that remains something of a design classic when it comes to pure ease of use. rainbowy, though keeping the colour saturation low helps. Also theres sometimes shimmering around movement. Finally, edges can glisten slightly, especially with mediocre digital broadcasts.
Top of the list, of course, is Acuity. But this is joined by 100Hz, 100Hz Plus (with line-flicker reduction) and progressive scan alternatives, all of which could potentially work better with different types of source material. Theres a single-tuner picture-in-picture facility, too, Virtual Dolby audio processing, noise reduction and a brilliant 3D noise filter which, while unfortunately not usable with moving video, works wonders on digital still photographs.
Panny thankfully hasnt forgotten sound in its quest for picture glory. The 32PD30 delivers impressive soundstage width, isnt afraid of bass, is confident with dialogue and doesnt distort or rattle at even near-maximum volume.
Colour: Excellent, no bleed at all, no edge tizzing and very hard edges; just a trace of poor convergence in one corner Geometry: Good, minor bending to right side Frequency response: Excellent, no noise and plenty of detail through to 5.8MHz
Panasonic has developed a whole new design concept to usher in its Acuity technology and I love it. The deep grey, glass-fronted screen frame looks opulent, imposing and effortlessly classy, leaving an objet dart when the TVs switched off, but not distracting you from the picture when its on. The bodys nicely sculpted too.
The 32PD30 marks a major return to high-end form for Panasonic. Acuity does its job an absolute treat, working in harmony with the new Enhanced Frame Rate Converter to deliver some of the finest pictures youll ever see. Indeed, Acuity is the first real competitor Pixel Plus has encountered, which makes the arrival of the second generation of Pixel Plus in our next contestant all the more timely

The highlight here is the provision of component video inputs, through which the TV can even take a progressive scan
Thank the Lord! My concerns that the 32PD30s pictures would be lost under a sea of digital noise prove wholly unfounded. Acuity has a phenomenal impact on the apparent resolution of the picture that is accompanied by hardly any nasty digital side effects at all. Pictures look much more three-dimensional, as well as more authentic and immediate, as the TV conjures up the sort of resolution only Pixel Plus owners will have seen before. Colours also deserve applause. Theyre every bit as rich and vibrant as weve come to expect from Panasonics Quintrix tubes, plus theyre helped out massively by a superlative black level. Were not talking complete perfection though. Colours occasionally look
The first of Pannys Acuity TVs has been a technological tour de force

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Pixel Plus, Movie Plus, 100Hz, Natural Scan, Double Line modes; Nicam/Virtual Dolby sound; pic/sound presets; noise reduction; multiple aspect ratios; Digital Natural Motion; Active Control; zoom; teletext subpage store; dynamic contrast; text/pic splitscreen; tilt correction; Cinemalink Connections: 2 Scarts (1 RGB); stereo audio outputs; RF input; stereo audio inputs; S-video input; composite video input; headphone jack Dimensions: 550(h) x 892(w) x 560(d) mm; Weight: 60kg
1,100 (APPROX) N 9070 N www.philips.co.uk N OVERALL RATING ####
Youve pioneered a new detail-boosting TV technology thats revolutionised the TV world. But now, many of your big-brand rivals are coming up with similar systems of their own. What do you do? Well, if youre Philips you nonchalantly show off your experience by launching a second generation of your own groundbreaking technology.
through and the system often reacts sluggishly to the remote.
The latest Pixel Plus system adds a new mode called Movie Plus. This has been developed to tackle the shimmering that used to surround motion on the original Pixel Plus TVs. It looks for motion vectors in the picture and, when it spots too many of them, it temporarily softens the picture slightly and reduces the effect of the TVs Digital Natural Motion movement-smoothing circuitry to stop the shimmering in its tracks. The 32PW9308 also has Active Control, an extremely sophisticated automatic picture optimisation system that continually adjusts an array of picture elements on an ongoing basis. vibrant as ever with Philips 100Hz/Pixel Plus tubes, the black level remains profound and, most importantly of all, the extra detail Pixel Plus has always introduced remains as apparent as ever.

Colour: Awesome, no bleed, edge tizzing or edge softness and the convergence seemed immaculate Geometry: Excellent, no significant curvature problems Frequency response: Excellent, no noise and effortless clarity through to 5.8MHz
The first Pixel Plus Mk II TV, the 32PW9308, is only fair to middling in the looks department. Its solidly put together, but the grilled effect adopted over the entire screen frame doesnt really rock my world.
Not quite as accomplished as the pictures. Impressive is the amount of detail in the soundstage, which makes soundtracks seem more involving. The soundstage is wide and the Philips takes a pleasingly aggressive approach to bass. Even the Virtual Dolby mode is unusually adept. The problem is that theres not quite enough dynamic range to avoid harshness at higher volumes.
Theres more disappointment here. Tragically, the 32PW9308 only has a puny two Scarts. Even worse, only one of these can take RGB. Ouch. The presence of a full set of front AV inputs is only small recompense.
The best has just got better. The new Movie Plus mode really does remove the majority of the shimmering that was really our only major niggle with the first Pixel Plus TVs. Detail-packed backgrounds during rapid camera pans and really fast-moving objects within a frame can still cause problems but the frequency with which shimmering occurs is hugely reduced. Happily, this improvement has been achieved without any negative side effects. Colours are still as sensationally
The 32PW9308 is not a perfect TV. Its input shortage will probably necessitate the addition of a fiddly Scart switchbox and its sound is merely good rather than great. But it makes up for these weaknesses in spectacular style by making what are quite possibly the finest CRT pictures in the TV world available for what is, under the circumstances, amazingly little dosh.
The slick-looking remote control is as
Philips blistering Pixel Plus technology is already in its second generation
easy to use as it is pretty. But Im not so sure about the onscreen menus. They use the innovative double axis approach Philips originally pioneered to great effect with its DVD players. But is the system really suited to the huge feature lists of a complex TV? There seem to be endless subscreens to work

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32in 16:9 TV; integrated digital tuner; 2 x 10RMS stereo sound, plus 15W subwoofer; Virtual Dolby processing, with adjustable effect; graphic equaliser; DRC-MF, with 50Hz and 100Hz versions; multi-level noise reduction; MPEG NR; vertical picture stabiliser; MemoryStick viewer with slideshow option; universal remote; autotuning; multiple widescreen modes; SmartLink; digital/analogue teletext support, with subpage memory; parental control system; EPG with genre sort and favourites options; recording timer; AI; picture presets; selectable output via third Scart Connections: 3 Scarts (2 RGB); CAM slot; digital audio output; modem connection; stereo audio output; RF loopthrough; MemoryStick slot; S-video jack; composite video jack; stereo audio input; headphone jack Dimensions: 910(w) x 445.5(h) x 590(d) mm; Weight: 67kg
2,000 (APPROX) N 1999 N www.sony.co.uk N OVERALL RATING ####
No, you did read that price right. This Sony flagship really does cost a wallet-draining two grand. Which raises one simple question: even given the fact that its the only TV in this group with an integrated digital tuner, can it really justify costing so much more than its rivals? their cameras memory cards, while the digital audio output is apparently for recording onto MD/DAT.
The 32NX200s remote is gorgeous and intuitively laid out, while the onscreen menus are also attractive but rather long-winded and fiddly. are astoundingly vibrant, wonderfully detailed (in DRC 50 mode at least) and simply a delight to watch. Rougher source material, though, such as a realistically lit drama or outdoor news piece, can look noticeably softer, murkier and noisier. Also, while I generally preferred the clarity and naturalness of the DRC 50 mode to the more processed-looking DRC 100Hz mode, I did occasionally become aware of 50Hz flickering.
Taken in the context of its rivals for our test, the 32NX200 can hold its head up high. The high-gloss finish of the screen surround makes the TV look reassuringly expensive and harmonises neatly with the more restrained, different-hued main frame. Theres some cute sculpting too, together with typically awesome Sony build quality. Having said all that, compared with its acclaimed 32NX100 predecessor, the 32NX200 is actually disappointingly bland.

Obviously the integrated digital tuner gives the 32NX200 a unique edge over its rivals here, as does the MemoryStick support. Whats more, the digital tuner is joined by an unusually pretty and effective digital electronic programme guide, plus an MPEG noise reducer for decreasing the blockiness inherent in many digital broadcasts. The TV also boasts Sonys proprietary DRC-MF detail booster, available in 100Hz and higherres 50Hz incarnations. Also unique is vertical image stabilisation, whereby special voltage-control circuitry stops the picture bending or kinking during bright footage. And the last trick worth mentioning is a video amplifier system that Sony claims makes the picture more defined and richly saturated.
Colour: Good, excellent convergence into the corners, only minor bleed and no tizzing; edges look rather soft Geometry: Excellent, with no kinking over brights Frequency response: Excellent, noiseless detail to 5.8MHz
The 32NX200s sonics dont measure up for such a high-end TV. When you think of how awesome the sound is on, say, Loewes current range, there seems no excuse for the flatness and lack of bass in the 32NX200s soundstage.
As well as the expected three Scarts (two RGB), full set of front AV jacks and slot for adding a Conditional Access Module should our digital terrestrial broadcasters ever get brave enough to launch another pay TV system, there are a couple of extra rarities in the shape of a MemoryStick slot and an optical digital audio output. The MemoryStick slot is there so people with Sony Digital cameras can use the TV to present slide shows off
Were sure the 32NX200s kingly build quality, integrated digital tuner, endless features and occasionally awesome pictures will win some peoples hearts. But for us, the lack of pictorial consistency and downright average sound makes 2,000 seem very, very, very expensive.
Sometimes gobsmackingly good, sometimes surprisingly noisy. With digital broadcasts made under controlled lighting conditions, such as studio news presentations, the 32NX200s pictures
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Dolby Digital; 4 external speakers included; autotuning; progressive scan, 100Hz, 100Hz Active, Natural picture modes; black stretch; teletext with subpage memory; geomagnetic tilt adjust; pic freeze; multiple aspect ratio support; built-in sub; panel lock; Pro-Logic decoding with numerous DSPs; picture presets; colour warmth adjust; surround test tone with balance adjust; digital noise reduction; on/off timer Connections: S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio input; headphone jack; 3 Scarts (2 RGB); component video inputs; stereo audio input; rear channel line outs; stereo audio output; RF jack; individually assignable coaxial and optical digital audio inputs; spring clips for front and rear speakers Dimensions: 754(w) x 552(h) x 544(d) mm; Weight: 52kg
1,600 (APPROX) N 4424 N www.toshiba.co.uk N OVERALL RATING ####12

Toshiba blew us away with its first so-called Picture Frame TVs. We loved the striking space-saving styling and we loved the performance. So we can only imagine the delights in store with the arrival of Picture Frame 2 in the shape of the 32ZP38 for surround sound speakers and 5.1-channel line outs, all there to support the TVs onboard Dolby Digital surround sound system. Beyond this are three Scarts (two RGB) and the usual front AV jacks.
Naturally, the key Picture Frame focus of making a big TV look smaller remains in place for the 32ZP38. By using a startlingly slim screen frame, this 32in TV takes up no more space in your living room than the average 28in TV. What bodywork there is, though, is much more aggressively stylish than the original Picture Frame look. Now the svelte screen frame is clad in lovely high-gloss black, offset by a sliver of silver, while the speakers are housed under the screen in a lust-inducing silver curved section. Hubba.
Theres nothing actually difficult about using the 32ZP38; both the remote and the onscreen menus are basic but functional. But I cant help feeling that such a glamorous set deserves something more high-tech. speaking, no evidence of digital processing artefacts. The pictureis as clean as a new penny. Colours, meanwhile, are devastatingly rich and vibrant, as well as supremely natural in a way that arguably only the Philips TV in this roundup can match. The Active motion control is much less overt than the Philips Digital Natural Motion, but there are also less digital side effects. The picture has exceptional amounts of fine detail too. Yet at the same time, theres no ignoring the fact that the new resolution boosting systems employed by the Philips and Panasonic
To me, the space-saving design is a feature in itself. Plus theres an integrated Dolby Digital system, 100Hz/progressive scan pictures and the Active Vision system for smoothing out motion across and (uniquely) into and out of the picture. Active Vision will even deactivate itself if it cant cope with the amount of motion onscreen without throwing up nasty digital side effects.
Colour: Excellent, minimal bleed, no noise, nice hard edges; minor ghosting between some shades is the only weakness Geometry: Fair, a couple of downward bends along the top Frequency response: Excellent clarity to 5.8MHz, with no noise

Lots of lovely stuff here. Best of all is the presence of component video inputs for premium DVD playback quality. Especially since these jacks can take a progressive scan feed from a suitably able DVD player. Also noteworthy is the presence of two digital audio inputs, connections
In spite of the vast amounts of digital processing going on, there is, generally

RATINGS

Panasonic TX-32PD30

Philips 32PW9308

Sony KD-32NX200U

Toshiba 32ZP38

Price Screen Tuner Sound Highs

950 32in/16:9 Analogue

1,500 32in/16:9 Analogue
1,100 32in/16:9 Analogue Nicam/Virtual Dolby Excellent Pixel Plus; video processing; technology; bold colours Plain design; only two Scarts; user-unfriendly ##### #### #### ####12
2,000 32in/16:9 Digital/analogue Nicam/Virtual Dolby Luxurious design; fabulous user interface; integrated digital tuner; great picture How much?! Some video noise; poor stereo sound ####12 ###12 ##### ####
1,600 32in/16:9 Analogue Dolby Digital Space-saving design;; component inputs for prog scan source; Dolby Digital sound ordinary user interface mediocre video processing ####12 ##### ####12 ####12
Nicam/pseudo surround Nicam/Virtual Dolby Stylish design; vibrant colours; decent 100Hz processing Average sound quality; slightly soft image; #### #### #### #### Powerful digital video processing; effective line booster; plenty of Scart sockets Expensive; some shimmering at the edges ####12 ####12 ####12 ####12
Picture Sound Features Overall
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Toshibas Picture Frame gives you more screen and less bulk
sets have shifted the goalposts in this key department. smoothness either. In fact, aside from a slightly overwhelmed centre speaker, I reckon this integrated Dolby Digital system outperforms some of the cheaper current all-in-one packages.
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Unusually, the 32ZP38 ships with external rear and front speakers. This makes a massive difference. While in the past some Toshiba Dolby Digital systems have tended to sound funnelled, the 32ZP38 sounds superbly balanced in terms of width and tone. Theres no shortage of trebly detail or mid-range

Tel: 5537

email: audiovisionsheffield@hotmail.com
A particularly fine TV even by Toshibas high standards. It looks great and performs better. The only problem is the conspicuous absence of any real resolution-boosting technology.

GROUP TEST CONCLUSION

And the winner is Blimey! Talk about a tough decision! Any one of the TVs in this group test would be a great addition to any living room and a superb partner for any home cinema system. But if you really get brutal about it, it is possible to put them in some kind of order. In fifth place then, we find the JVC AV-32X37HKE. This hardly seems fair given how much better this new 100Hz TV is than JVCs previous generation, but in the end, the 32X37s lack of sharpness proved telling. In fourth place, alarmingly for Sony, is its KD-32NX200. Its DRC-MF extra detail processing is no match for the systems offered by the Panasonic and Philips sets. Separating the next three really is difficult, but after endless soul-searching, Ive put the Toshiba 32ZP38 in third place. I love its pictures, sound and design, but ultimately, Panasonics Acuity and Philips Pixel Plus systems swayed me. So which of these takes the chequered flag? For me, the second-gen Pixel Plus has the edge over the Acuity debutante, delivering equal amounts of detail but with fewer unwanted side effects. To be fair the Panasonic makes more of an effort to be a home cinema all-rounder, but I had to ask myself if its extra connectivity and slightly better sound warranted paying 400 more. The answer, having taken the Philips marginally better pictures into account, was a narrow no I

RANKING

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Philips Panasonic Toshiba Sony JVC