0306WHC03 Panasonic TX-15LT2

17/4/03

Page 32

Smallscreen LCD TVs

Panasonic TX-15LT2 1,500
t's a hard life here at What Home Cinema. Having to sit and gaze at some of the most gorgeous TV sets man has ever devised is gruelling work. Who are we kidding? This barrage of super-sexy screens is making us feel like kids in a sweet shop, and looking at this 15in beauty from Panasonic is like finding the golden ticket inside a Wonka bar. Don't take our word for it take a look at the picture. If that semi-transparent silver frame and twinkly speaker grill under the screen doesn't set your heart racing with desire, get yourself down the doctor sharpish you're probably dead. And that circular stand beneath on which the set tilts back and forth through 28in is a lovely touch.
select one of three picture presets Dynamic (high brightness and contrast), Normal and Cinema. Sound adjustments include bass and treble, and presets are provided for music and speech-based material. There's also an Ambience mode, giving the sound a concert hall effect. Finally, there's a selection of aspect ratios. '16:9' mode displays widescreen material correctly and '4:3' presents square-shaped programmes with black bars down either side. Zoom expands the centre of a 4:3 image to fill the screen. There's also a 14:9 mode and Auto, which selects the correct mode for you.

Test Scenes

Oceans Eleven

Them outdoors

When Danny and Rusty chat with Reuben in his garden, check out the sheer vibrancy of this outdoor scene
Star performer Eyes front
If you can prise your eyes away from the front, then check out the useful socket selection at the back. One superior RGB-capable Scart is provided (ideal for DVD players and digital TV adapters), along with composite, S-video and stereo audio inputs for other devices. A row of buttons is mounted on the side to control everything the set has to offer and the remote control is a wonderful device. Installation is quick and painless thanks to auto tuning, while channel re-ordering is equally simple. The bold, blue menus let you alter the usual aspects of the picture or you can Performance is best summed up in one word: awesome. Starting with pictures from the analogue TV tuner, we find the images to be bright, vivacious and extremely dense. Blacks really look black, and untroubled by the 'white mist' that can plague many LCD TVs. Colours are stunning. Viewing an England rugby match, we found the green grass to be luscious, the red of England's rose emblem strongly saturated and onscreen captions radiant. There was some picture noise, but not enough to worry about. The same qualities permeate DVD playback via the RGB Scart. The sophisticated colour palette of Ocean's Eleven has never looked better on an LCD screen, and great detail resolution means that clarity is excellent. The quality of pictures is matched by the sound. TV material is dynamic and strident from the Nicam stereo speakers, while DVDs sound magnificent. Our test movie benefits from a healthy amount of bottom end boom and pleasing detail great news if you decide to use the Panasonic as a second-room set with no accompanying home cinema equipment. It's only beaten for sound by the Sharp LC-15B2EA. So there you have it its sensational performance and sizzling looks make this Further Info the best smallscreen LCD in Call 357 or visit www.panasonic.co.uk the business.

Figuratively speaking

Check out the shot of the boxing match it resolves every figure sharply

Good Points

Amazing pictures, solid sound and looks to die for

Bad Points

Only one Scart socket.but thats it

Overall

Blistering looks and pictures put this at the top of the LCD premier league

Ratings

Style Ease of use Features Picture Sound Value Overall
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32 What Home Cinema

June 2003

0309wv02 Toshiba LCD TV

17/7/2003

3:49 pm

Page 68

TOSHIBA 14VL43

14in 4:3 Nicam LCD TV

Specification

FEATURES 14in 4:3 LCD screen; VGA (640 x 480-pixel) resolution; 400:1 contrast ratio; 450cd/m2 brightness; fast panel response; Nicam stereo; 5W audio output; SRS WOW 3D surround sound; 160 viewing angle; multistandard tuner with auto tuning; teletext; picture reversal; off-timer; 45W power consumption SOCKETS Side: 1 RGB Scart; S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio input; headphone jack Rear: S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio input; stereo audio output; RF input TEST DATA Colour: very good. Minor edge tizzing and bleed Geometry: perfect Frequency response: very good. Visible detail at 5.8MHz, very slightly affected by noise DIMENSIONS 358(w) x 417(h) x 177(d)mm CONTACT Toshiba www.home-entertainment. toshiba.co.uk

Hi-tech hero

First of a string of Toshiba LCD sets for 2003, the 14VL43 better be good. Danny Phillips is the judge of that
Toshiba is backing LCD big-time in 2003. Its latest Stasia range boasts five models ranging from 14in to 32in, all of which feature Toshibas new rapid-response liquid crystal display panel. The 14in 14VL43 is first out of the traps, hoping to capitalise on the success of Toshibas LCD debut, the 15VL26P much lauded when reviewed in our January 03 issue. The set boasts a very alluring hi-tech design. The screen is attached to the main silver stand with a hinge, allowing it to tilt up and down, but it doesnt swivel. The block beneath the screen houses the speakers, capable of pumping out 2 x 2.5W of power. Happily, Toshiba has had the common sense to side-mount the Scart socket. On the rear (under a removable flap) is a set of S-video, composite video and stereo audio inputs, with an identical set of inputs on the side. The remote control is worth a mention for its unusual design the buttons are see-through beads and the light-silver finish is very stylish. The uniformity of the buttons caused us a few problems, but its generally easy to use. The onscreen displays are rudimentary but do the job. Basic picture adjustments are included (brightness, contrast, colour and sharpness), while sonic tweaks include bass and treble. More unusual is SRS WOW, an audio feature that creates a three dimensional surround sound field from stereo sources, apparently. Auto tuning is provided, but sets channels in the wrong order. The cryptic menus dont make it clear how to swap them, meaning the manual is a must. Teletext, picture reversal and an off-timer complete the feature lineup. The 14VL43s panel resolution is VGA (640 x 480), the contrast ratio is given as 400:1, brightness is 450cd/m2 and the viewing angle is around 160.

PERFORMANCE

Whats most pleasing when you first clap eyes on the 14VL43s picture is its awesome black level. Toshibas proud boasts about a black coating that prevents light reflecting off the screen are justified it really does make blacks look deep and solid. They also look good from a wide viewing angle. The can-can scene in Moulin Rouge demonstrates this best. The suits worn by the gentlemen on the dance floor are not misty, not grey, just pure black. This set also has a talent for picking out different shades of black within each suit, so you get to see details like lapels and buttons rather than a torso-shaped black lump. Contrast levels are as good as weve seen on an LCD TV, helping to create a dazzlingly well-defined image. It coaxes out the rich reds and glowing greens, contributing

to a warm and welcoming picture. While these colours are dazzling when they need to be, the 14VL43 also reproduces subtle shades with expert judgement. Picture noise does make a cameo appearance, but its no more than a walk-on part most of the time its hardly noticeable. Noise and tizzing inevitably increase with analogue tuner and composite video pictures, but they still look impressive enough. One final success to report the LCD panel does indeed have a fast response time, as quick-moving objects zip about the screen with no lag or smearing. Admirably, the sets audio isnt tinny or muted as on some of its rivals. These speakers do a bang-up job of delivering crisp dialogue and respectable bass, though wed like a bit more poke at high levels. SRS WOW gives the soundstage added width and energy. Overall, the 14VL43 looks like a winner and performs like one too, making it one of the best small-screen LCDs around s

What we think

WHATS GOOD Pictures; fast panel response; connections; sound WHATS BAD Slight picture noise PICTURE. SOUND. FEATURES. EASE OF USE VALUE.77777.77777.77777.77777.77777

Also consider.

SHARP LC-15E1E Another tremendous picture performer, but with an extra inch of screen and a stylish picture frame design. Also sells for 700 Reviewed July 03 PANASONIC TX-15LT2 A lot pricier but sports a 15in 16:9 screen the ideal shape for movies Reviewed March 02

Verdict 77777

A space-age set that provides hugely enjoyable pictures
Sleek and silver with see-through buttons
68 September 2003 s WHAT VIDEO WIDESCREEN ENTERTAINMENT