By Stevie Smith Dec 31, 2007, 13:19 GMT
With the digital switchover moving onwards and consumers gradually becoming more and more willing to invest in widescreen HD televisions, the good folk at Tech.co.uk have amassed an end-of-year recommendations list of high-definition televisions for those post-Christmas shoppers looking to make the upgrade.
Tech.co.uk uncovers the top HDTVs of 2007. Credit: Pioneer.
With prices dropping sharply and screen sizes increasing through 2007, Tech.co.uk would like to direct your attention to five of the best high-definition televisions that the market presently has to offer.
In no particular order, consumers might want to take a look at the (still) premium-priced Pioneer ‘KURO’ PDP-508XD, which, while avoiding the price cut war, create a "whole new standard of flat TV performance." Thanks to evolved plasma technology, Tech labels this baby as producing the "single finest black level response the flat TV world has ever seen." It also boasts superb connectivity, flexibility, HD and SD sources, and remarkably rich colour definition.
Then there’s the Panasonic TH-42PZ70, which delivers stunning picture quality for a more pocket-friendly price. The 42-inch plasma TV’s extra resolution offers up great detail in its pictures and also improved subtlety in its colouring, along with impressive black response and "really nice" colour tones. What’s more, Tech lauds the Panasonic plasma for its affordability in light of its solid performance, which will see consumers snapping the TV up for less than 1,000 GBP.
Stepping out of the usual bigger is better categorisation, the Philips 32PFL9632D arrives as a 32-inch LCD television that "crams into its svelte little body more hard technology than most brands use across an entire TV range." And, moreover, the Philips’ set manages to put that technology – and specifically the Perfect Pixel HD engine – to good use by producing picture quality "to die for." The ‘little’ Philips also comes with a 100Hz processor to smooth out clarity issues with objects moving in LCD, and an innovative "Clear LCD" backlighting aspect that boosts black levels and motion handling.
LG Electronics offers its LG 42LT75 for your consideration, which arrives as the UK’s first set officially certified for Freeview Playback. The LG model comes equipped with an in-built digital Freeview DVB-T tuner, a built-in 160GB HDD, and a recording system allowing for the pausing of live TV. Boosted with genuinely user-friendly interfacing and functionality, the 42-inch LCD television also ably manages to produce excellent picture quality for its 1,000 GBP price tag.
Finally, the monstrous 52-inch Samsung LE52F96BD LCD television strides forward in innovation thanks to it replacing traditional LCD backlighting with an array of controllable LED lights. According to Tech, the individually controllable LED lights give "startling results" that provide the "best black levels, richest colours, and arguably [the] finest motion handling the LCD world has yet managed."
Want to learn more? Click HERE for the full 2007 roundup.
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