Home theatre audio is a complicated business. Chris Ruggles talks you through 5 of the 10 most common surround sound mistakes.
Brands and models tested
- Hisense HL40K26PZL
- Hisense HL42K16PL
- Kogan KGNFHDLEDH40VAA
- LG 42LV5500
- LG 42LW6500
- LG 42PT250
- Panasonic TH-L42E30A
- Panasonic TH-P42GT30A
- Panasonic TH-P42ST30A
- Panasonic TH-P42U30A
- Samsung UA40D5000
- Samsung UA40D6000
- Samsung UA40D6400
- Samsung UA40D6600
- Sanyo LCD40XR11F
- Sharp LC-40LE820X
- Soniq E42Z10B
- Sony KDL40CX520
- Sony KDL40EX520
- Sony KDL40EX720
- Sony KDL40NX720
- Toshiba 40LV800A
- Toshiba 42SL800A
How we test
Picture quality Our testers set up all models in our specialised TV test lab and adjusted their controls to get the best picture quality possible. They keep the lighting in the room low and the sound muted, and three experts watch a variety of footage (from HD broadcast TV, DVD movies, Blu-ray as well as some still photos and a computer game) simultaneously on all the screens. They evaluate the picture quality and rate it out of 10 for each input. A special reference test Blu-Ray disc and two reference DVDs are used to provide test patterns and movie scenes.
- They check how well each TV produces accurate colour, solid blacks and whites without a colour shift.
- They display a number of test patterns from a high-quality Blu-ray/DVD player, to measure if any of the picture was cut off at the edges.
- They play movies and other footage to check the screen’s ability to produce images without colour-banding, jerkiness, blurring and vibration.
- They also check for colours bleeding in high contrast or very intensely saturated parts of the image and that there are no trails behind fast-moving objects on the screen.
Sound quality Our testers listen to movies and music to check for rattles, hums, hisses or distortion, as well as making a judgment on how well the high and low sounds were produced.
Ease of use Testers use the remote control, front panel controls and onscreen display to perform a number of common tasks such as channel and volume changing, setting up favourites and re-scanning channels.
• They look for logical menus and clear labelling, buttons and controls that are easily identified and can be used without interfering with other controls.
Energy score If the star rating on the label is less than 1.5 or more than 6 stars, our testers use a calibrated power supply and power meter to measure the power consumed by the TV when in use and on standby. This is done using 'out-of-the-box' settings as required by the new mandatory power rating standard.
DVR James records to both a USB hard drive and solid state media (USB stick) where appropriate and checks to see if the recording is compatible with other TVs of the same brand, or other TVs of a different brand. He assesses how easy it is to set up a recording and manage the recordings once on the media. Scores are recorded, but not used inthe overall assessment at this stage.
Our report will save you money for years to come and goes beyond the sales hype to reveal:
- Whether you really need to spend more on higher resolution.
- Which of the cheaper models performed best.
- Which of the televisions cost the least to run.
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