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FACT FILE

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27in LCD TV Dolby Virtual Sound 1,024 x 768 pixels DVI input Sliver or black finish

Thomson 27LCDB03B T

FEATURES 27in 16:9 LCD TV; built-in tuner; autotuning; high-def and prog scan compatible; three levels of noise reduction; three levels of black level boost; multiple sound and vision presets; graphic equaliser; Dolby Virtual; Nicam sound; native resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels; 500:1 contrast ratio; 2 x 10W RMS; 500cd/m2 brightness; PC compatibility; teletext; multiple aspect ratio support; TV lock; 170 viewing angle; Hi-Pix; dimensions: 832(w) x 452(h) x 87(d)mm; weight: 24kg SOCKETS One RGB Scart; component video inputs; composite video input; S-video input; prog scan/HD D-Sub input; DVI input; stereo audio inputs for component, D-Sub, DVI and composite/S-video inputs; aerial input; stereo audio output; headphone jack CONTACT www.thomson-europe.com TEST DATA Colour: very good practically no bleed, reasonably solid edges, and just a touch of edge echo Geometry: excellent Frequency response: excellent effortless clarity to 5.8MHz For a full explanation of test data, see page 126

27in LCD TV 1,500

especially high definition feeds. Here the haloing disappears and fine detail levels improve dramatically. Superb. The 27LCDB03Bs sound isnt as accomplished as its pictures. The overriding problem is a simple lack of dynamic range, leaving big sonic moments a bit flat. At least theres no over-emphasis of trebles, though, so harshness isnt often a problem. The so-so sound only detracts slightly from the 27LCDB03Bs appeal, though. Its design, price and above all, picture quality, simply confirm Thomsons arrival in the LCD premier league John Archer
Some buttons are a bit too small
homson may have taken a while to get its LCD finger out, but now its here, it seems to be here with a vengeance. Last issue we checked out and very much liked Thomsons debut 20in screen, the 20LCDB03B. No sooner have we caught our breath from that than Thomson has hit us with something bigger: the 27in 27LCDB03B. This latest Thomson LCD is another very comely effort, irrespective of whether you go for our silver or the black finish that is also available. Connectivity is very impressive too once you get past the disappointing inclusion of just a single Scart socket. Highlights include a PC DVI feed, a standard PC 15-pin input and component video inputs. Please note that theres a bit of a set-up oddity, though, in that to enjoy progressive DVD feeds and high definition pictures, you need to connect your progressive/HD source not to the YCrCb component feeds but to the D-Sub connector using a provided adaptor. Features beyond high definition and progressive compatibility are dominated by Thomsons Hi-Pix system. Already admired by us on Thomson CRT TVs, Hi-Pix basically does two things. Firstly, it analyses incoming pictures and calculates extra pixels of detail, delivering around four times more dots per line. Secondly, it doubles the sampling of the red and blue elements of the YUV colour system during its digitalisation process to deliver brighter, sharper colours. The only other highlights on the set are multi-level noise reduction, multi-level
black expansion, Dolby Virtual audio processing (with adjustable processing level), and adjustment of the screens backlight intensity.

PERFORMANCE

After recovering from the trauma of having to spend ages manually putting right a useless autotuning effort, we were relieved to find the 27LCDB03B easily lived up to our high expectations. Meanies that we are, we started out with that ultimate test of any LCD TV: analogue tuner footage. But the 27LCDB03B nailed it, with the contrast range playing a particularly large part in its success. The set boasts one of the best attempts at delivering a true black weve seen on an LCD screen and as ever, this has a profoundly positive impact on both depth of field and colour vitality. Also impressive is the lack of motion smearing and except for the odd flesh tone during low-lit scenes the naturalness of the colour balance, which shows none of the over-ripeness some LCD TVs suffer from. Even noise is well handled with tuner feeds, leaving our only gripe as minor haloing around sharply contrasting edges. In fact, the 27LCDB03B is so good with tuner feeds that we didnt see as much of a step up with RGB DVD and Sky digibox feeds as usual. In fact, RGB DVD playback is actually a touch disappointing, being marred by a bit of grain and by faint vertical lines down parts of the picture, possibly caused by the Hi-Pix processing. Where the 27LCDB03B really leaps forward is with progressive scan DVD and

WHATS GOOD

Picture mostly; design; connectivity mostly

WHATS BAD

Vertical lining on non-progressive DVD footage; only one RGB Scart; small writing on onscreen menus
PICTURE SOUND FEATURES EASE OF USE VALUE ALSO CONSIDER.
JVC LT-26C31 Delivers superb, detail-boosted pictures and great sound in a beautifully designed body but costs nearly a grand more while being an inch smaller Reviewed: Feb 04 TOSHIBA 26WL36 Average pictures are the Achilles heel of this gorgeous-looking LCD TV Reviewed: Dec 03

OVERALL VERDICT

A frequently stunning performer in pretty clothing going for a seriously appealing price
110 June 2004 s WHAT VIDEO AND WIDESCREEN TV

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ON TEST

FEATURES
Built-in tuner; autotuning; high def and prog scan compatible; 3 levels of noise reduction; 3 levels of black level boost; multiple sound and vision presets; graphic equaliser; Virtual Dolby; Nicam Sound; 500:1 contrast ratio; 2x10W RMS; 500cd/m2 brightness; PC compatibility; teletext; multiple aspect ratio support; TV lock; 170 viewing angle; Hi-Pix Weight: 24kg SOCKETS RGB Scart; component video input; composite video input; S-video input; prog scan/HD D-Sub Input; stereo audio inputs for component; D-Sub, DVI and composite/S-video inputs; aerial input; stereo audio output; headphone jack CONTACT Thomson : www.thomson-europe.com TEST DATA Colour: Very good Geometry: Excellent Frequency Response:Excellent Contrast: Excellent COMPATIBILITY DVD (NTSC) 480i DVD & DVB (PAL) 576i NTSC/PAL progressive 480p/576p High Definition 720p
"Simply put, its the best screen in this size and price category"

YES YES YES YES

Thomson 27LCDBO3B
Thomsons biggest LCD has a small price, but does it cut the mustard?

Performance

Most noteworthy is the contrast level, which is one of the best weve seen on any LCD panel. Across all sources we noticed a real vibrancy in the colours, while skin tones remained natural. Brightness was also superb, with the panel not suffering at the hands of ambient light intrusion. With RGB signals things get even better. There was very little motion blur evident, in fact there was very little anything in regards to the artefacts weve come to expect on LCDs. Thomson has commendably invested in the eradication of LCD problems, with only some blurred skin tones to mark as a minus point. Its sometimes a problem when a dark scene is being played, but the contrast ensures a lot of shadow detail is still on display. Also, there is some minor haloing around sharp edges: check out Nemos orange body against the dark of the ocean for an example. Its not pervasive, nor does it spoil the picture, but it is present. Step up again to component or DVI input, and you realise that the Thomson hasnt even got into its stride. Both sources eradicated the aforementioned problems to give a near perfect result. Simply put, its the best television in this size category, and whats even better about the package is the affordable price: at 1,500 it represents fantastic value for money. However, at 10W each, the speakers should be capable of delivering bass and nuance, but they lack range. Bombastic action movies dont sound quite as impressive as they should, that said they are fine for the likes of Coronation Street. If you are searching for a screen that provides the best picture quality available (and lets face it, who isnt?), Thomsons 27LCDB03B should be right up there at the top of your list. Its picture processing technologies work well and without fuss, while the connections we always look out for have been included. Sure, it could do with some of the finer touches that only Japanese manufacturers seem capable of, but quite frankly the picture quality was so stable across all sources we have little reason for complaint. If youre going to be using a separate sound system, and have a DVI compatible DVD player, then youre looking at the missing piece of your home entertainment system. WPS

homson entered the LCD market with typical French lan. This 27in ups the ante over its excellent 20in brother (opposite), but will it have the performance to match its style? An initial glance reveals that not too much has changed in design over the smaller model. We particularly like the sleek curves, and while its an unassuming exterior, it is surrounded by a pair of natty 10W speakers. Our sample was silver, bit its also available in a polished black finish. More importantly, the unit comes equipped with a DVI socket; something that is still relatively rare for a 27in LCD. Not only does this mean you can use it as an oversized PC monitor, but the latest generation DVD players will deliver a beautiful all-digital picture. This applies to both PAL and NTSC and the result is a sharp, flicker-free image. Setting the television up with an analogue feed proved to be no real challenge for the 27LCDB03B, which handled the sometimes blurry output of Crystal Palaces transmitter expertly. Its not the easiest or quickest television weve had to set up partly down to the rather small buttons on the remote control but a good signal gives very detailed pictures, indeed. This set also imports the Hi-Pix feature, as previously seen on Thomsons CRT technology. The system can calculate extra pixels of detail, which is handy for digital television, and also double the red and blue constituents of the YUV colour system. The latter results in brighter and sharper colours, which was definitely evident even from the lowly analogue source we fed in.

THE FLAT FACTS

I 27IN 16:9 LCD TV I 1,500 I RESOLUTION: 1,024 x 768 I DIMENSIONS: W: 832 H: 452 D: 87 (mm) I SPEAKERS: YES I TV TUNER: YES I SCARTS: 1 (1 RGB)

RATINGS

FOR Excellent connection; price; image AGAINST Sound; issues on non-component feeds PICTURE.##### SOUND.###$$ LOOKS.####$ FEATURES.####$ EASE OF USE.####$ VALUE.#####

VERDICT #####

A real corker great looks, features and performance, and at a great price. WHAT PLASMA & LCD TV 109

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