LG’s latest offer to the TV world is the 1080p resolution plasma, LG50PG30 and it’s also one of the least expensive TVs to have come out of its ranks. The unit fares well on the feature count when compared to models like Samsung PN50A550 and the Panasonic TH-50PZ85U, and in addition to many imaginative picture control options, it possesses other impressive traits that uphold its desirability. Nevertheless, it misses on the more important picture quality points, subsequently delivering lighter black levels and less accurate colours as compared to its contemporaries. As far as handling standard-definition sources are concerned, the unit proves its mettle, and in case you like styling, it will better serve your purpose if you insist on 1080p resolution.

The design of the deck is rather subdued, but that doesn’t mean that it looks immodest or something like that. In fact, there are many amongst you who will appreciate its appearance and build quality that closely resembles other LG models like the LG 32LG5700. The frame has sleekly rounded corners and the bottom angles back to facilitate mild visual accent, while the speakers and safely tucked away from public view.

The best part of the deck lies in its 1080p native resolution that ensures that you get to view the most comprehensive high-definition images available today. The screen size however is an issue here as you will at times find it difficult to comprehend the difference between 1080p and lower-resolution displays, just like the company’s own 50PG20.

Picture control options are also an advantage with the deck, despite lacking the 10-point grayscale calibration feature. You will especially drool over the unit’s Expert menu option as it will guide you in adjusting the deck’s color temperature beyond the typical three presets. Then, also included in the deck are a number of other advanced features like gamma, black level and a complete colour management system to play with primary and secondary color points as well as colour decoding.

The first 50 inch Vizio plasma HDTV was off the charts in terms of style and generated a lot of positive vibes for the company. In fact, it proved to be a torchbearer of a special kind by virtue of its superb picture quality and outrageously cheap price. The latest from the company is the VP505XVT, and despite being a budget player there is nothing cheap about its external experience.

Sitting at the top of the list of impressive features is the unique “1080p” and “HQV processing.” The former feature is an important addition when you consider that it is the highest resolution available today. The latter feature is even more impressive as it is yet to be adopted by its rivals, and consequently separates it from the pack.

The unit also hosts a plethora of picture control functions and includes five picture modes that are adjustable. Moreover, each of them is independent per input thereby entrusting you with a great deal of flexibility while setting it up. As already mentioned, coming from an unknown manufacturer, the plasma is less expensive than other 50 inch mainstream models like the Pioneer PDP-LX5090, for instance. Furthermore, the contrast option available here with the Vizio plasma is also quite a revelation as you can set Contrast in the Movie mode of HDMI 1 different from the Contrast of Movie mode on HDMI 2. You will be delighted that this option is available for many of the picture parameters.

The picture quality of the deck can be effectively optimised via a number of advanced feature options that are provided with the unit including a Custom colour temperature setting, replete with both gain and offset controls, Colour Transient Improvement, a Flesh Tone setting, Adaptive Luma, et al.

Onkyo over the last couple of years has been consistently dishing out some memorable receivers, especially on the lower end of the price scale, which are all high on sound fidelity. It consequently has acted as an encouragement for the discerning public who by now are increasingly beginning to have high expectations from the company. They are actually filled with excitement and anticipation regarding the high-end products that the company has lined up for the customers. The excitement stems from the deduction that if the company can deliver such amazing stuff via its low end products, then they in all likelihood will bring the house down with their high-end products!

The latest from the company’s high-end bandwagon is the Onkyo TX-NR906 AV Receiver, and is the follow up to the universally acclaimed TX-NR905. As a high-end product, the Onkyo TX-NR 906 will cost you a fortune, but what is impressive is that its specifications are absolutely staggering, and gives a virtual demo of how contemporary AV receivers have evolved and progressed beyond our imaginations. The unit is not only game to decoding simple movie soundtracks, but is much more in the sense that it performs a whole lot of other activities, not all of which are audio related.

Going through the product specifications, the networking capability of the unit simply stands apart and allows you to stream MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, FLAC, and Ogg Vorbis audio tracks from a networked PC, in addition to providing you the leverage to listen to internet radio stations, all thanks to the vTuner portal feature that has also been included.

The video upscaling capability at 1080p compares favourably with its contemporaries. The unique aspect of this upscaler is that it utilizes technology, recognised as one of the most advanced video processors. Meanwhile, the TX-NR906 to put into perspective also happens to be the world’s first AV receiver to feature video calibration facilities.

The Philips HTS6100 Soundbar Home Cinema System, the latest offering from the company’s HT series, is significant in the sense that it is specially designed to be compatible with 37inch TVs; unlike its cousin the HTS8140, which was intended for 42 inch TVs. To start with, the unit lacks some of the features that were available in the HTS8140, the most notable being the Faroudja DCDi video processing, in addition to an integrated iPod dock. The reason for this is simply because it is a budget player and has therefore done away with some of the less critical and essential features.

Despite missing on these two important features, as the title indicates, the best part of the system is the inclusion of soundbars, the company’s indigenous production, which are by far the best looking on the market. Aesthetics is another synonym of the Philips HTS6100 as it is jealously stylish, with the translucent panel on the front being the most riveting. You will, however, miss the touch screen controls functions which were an integral part of the earlier model, as they are replaced by a row of small silver buttons on top.

Connectivity of the Philips unit is another solid aspect as you are provided with comprehensive input and output options. Sockets are there on both the soundbar unit and subwoofer. The soundbar, in addition, plays host to an HDMI output that is capable of providing a continuous series of upscaled images, usually 1080p, 1080i, 720p and 576p or 480p, to a competent TV set. Moreover, it’s ably supported by an RGB-capable SCART output and component video output, in addition to a stereo audio input that usually comes into play when playing external sources through the system.

Playback compatibility is also a colorful one as it competently dishes out a wide range of formats including DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, Video CD, Super Video CD and CD-R/-RW. More importantly, the unit also supports DivX Ultra), MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MP3, WMA and JPEG files making it a true live wire. There is however no support for AAC, just like its big brother.

A player that has been creating a lot of buzz and has captivated the imagination of movie enthusiasts is the Aiwa XD-DV370KN. The unit starts to impress you from the word go with its impressive design and easily fits into TV/VCR or Hi-fi set-ups, with colour being the only real consideration.

The access time of the unit is dependent on the disc type, and plays CDR, CDRW, MP3, VCD, along with the trademark DVD discs. An aspect that may bother you is that it takes a considerably long time to load an MP3 disc, depending upon the disc structure and track content. Moreover, you might even encounter noise while the player skips to and fro reading the TOC.

Noise levels are however, nonexistent when the disc is played, irrespective of formats, and scene selection and access track is also pleasantly quiet. The on-screen GUI menus, which to an extent are identical to those offered by LG units, such as the LG DVX-392H, are easy and quick to navigate and comprises of all the contemporary options. The unit’s audio output feature unit is a colourful one and possesses all the modern requirements ranging from PCM to Bitstream. The video output features, on the other hand, include 4:3, 4:3 Pan and Scan, and 16:9 wide.

Connectivity wise you will have very little to complain as it consists of 1x SCART, which is RGB, Composite and S-video. Then, Coaxial and optical connectors are there as well that will especially help those with DTS and Digital amps. The remote of the unit however lacks in imagination, especially its insipid design. It is however, quite functional and well laid out.

There are valid reasons why brands like Denon are still lurking in the fringes while prominent brands like Sony, Samsung, Panasonic maintain their enviable position under the sun. Take for example, the Denon DVD-1740 which has pretty much done all the things right, especially with its performance, which is simply marvelous. Where it went wrong is that it doesn’t have DVD-A, SACD, WMV and AAC playback features which happen to be trade mark feathers of products in its price category. Furthermore, the absence of a USB port turns out to be an even bigger disappointment.

The real head turner of the unit happens to be its superb image quality, which quite unfortunately and somewhat ironically gets overshadowed by the glaring lacks. The omission of DVD-Audio and SACD playback features, on the other hand, rips it of the universal tag, a status that was enjoyed by its big brother the DVD-1940. Other notable misses include the Faroudja progressive scan engine and aluminium front panel.

Despite missing so many key features, there are enough good reasons to make the unit tempting, if not irresistible. Another one of the Denon DVD-1740’s aspect that should catch the fancy of HDTV owners is the presence of an HDMI output, which has the impressive quality of churning out video upscaled to 1080p, 1080i or 720p, depending on what’s best for your display. Alternatively, owners of older TVs can use the RGB-capable Scart, S-video, composite or component video outputs. The composite feature is of special interest as it offers you the capability of progressive scan via the Matsushita chip.

You also get to have a reasonable range of compressed media formats including MP3, WMA and JPEG, apart from having the prestigious DivX Ultra certification. The certification implies that it is more than capable of effectively handling every type of file from 3.11 through to 6 and will also play VOD content.

With the launch of STR-DA7100ES, Sony has maintained its impressive sequence of high quality receivers that started with the STR-DA5200ES (incidentally the company’s first A/V receiver to incorporate a true menu-driven graphical user interface (GUI) as well). This unique feature has contributed to the STR-DA5200ES earning a great deal of accolades. It has also given the device a kick start when compared to the more archaic models offered by the other companies, which still rely on looking onscreen displays with blocky white text and other such obsolete technologies.

The aesthetically designed unit is also replete with many a fearsome feature that allow it to deliver a devilish performance. Moreover, the set is prepared with the goal of enduring a lot of grinding and should come in handy for day-to-day use.

Taking a cue from its predecessor the STR-DA5200E, which is celebrated for its radical interface, the STR-DA5300ES is a hub of versatile features. The unit also pleasingly retains most of the remarkable features of its predecessor and has an amazing six HDMI inputs, far more than the Sony STR-DA 3400 ES has, for example. Then, the DA7100ES also includes the customary Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding features as well. Moreover, Sony has further refined the graphical user interface so that each HDMI input can be renamed.

he STR-DA5200E has also refurbished the video quality, and its upscaling capability from all analogue sources has been increased to 1080p.

The Onkyo TX-SR576 AV Receiver has come as a real blessing for those who are looking for an inexpensive arrangement that is equipped with the expertise to handle the latest formats. Blu-ray players may still prove to be a rather costly proposition, particularly when you are on a tight budget. The TX-SR576 apart from being pretty affordable, gives you instant and uninterrupted access to HD audio.

The best thing about the unit is its built-in Dolby Digital Plus decoding feature, which allows you to connect a Blu-ray player to one of its three HDMI v1.2a inputs so that you can enjoy some enthralling sound that has been intrinsically enhanced. Quite interestingly, if your Blu-ray player can internally decode HD audio formats to uncompressed multichannel PCM, then you can use it as a source for the Onkyo TX-SR 576 via HDMI and enjoy the benefits of Dolby True HD, DTS HD and DTS HD Master Audio. Moreover, it has onboard Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS Neo:6 and DTS 96/24 decoding features.

Meanwhile, it also supports full 1080p HDMI video switching, which means that can pass up to three hi-def video sources through the unit to your display. The lack of an upscaling option is, however, quite glaring. The unit is also generous as far as video socket is concerned and provides you two component video inputs and one output, three S-video inputs and one output, apart from three composite inputs and two outputs.

The audio socket section, on the other hand, is decorated by two optical and two coaxial digital audio inputs, four analogue stereo inputs and a set of colour-coded 7.1-channel analogue inputs. The last feature, in particular, is quite significant as it allows you to feed in decoded audio signals from Blu-ray, DVD-Audio or SACD players.

The Panasonic EX77 is a hard-disk Freeview PVR that comes with a built-in DVD burner. This special feature means you no longer have to bear the heartbreak of deleting your old archive of favourite programmes and classic shows. Actually an upgrade of the EX75, the EX77 differs from the latter in that it upscales video to 1080p. The unit also comes at reasonable price, making it a good bargain considering its multitude of impressive features.

The design of the unit is rather compact and bears a simple but elegant look. It is also portable enough to fit under any TV without being overly conspicuous.

The focal point of the unit is unambiguously its built-in Freeview receiver and 160GB PVR. It is all the more helpful that the feature is surprisingly simple to use. Using the Panasonic DMR-EX77EB 160GB’s seven-day electronic programme, you can decide upon the programme that you would like to record, and also the location that you would like it to be recorded to.

It has all the customary connections including a pair of Scart sockets, composite video and S-Video outputs, apart from HDMI and component video outputs that play an important role in drawing maximum performance from the unit. An optical digital output that produces a stunning audio output from the DVDs via an external amplifier is present as well.

Another important facet of the EX77 is that it writes to all blank DVD discs. Moreover, since it supports DVD-RAM, it will ensure more write cycles than DVD-RW and consequently the discs will last much longer. The downside though, is that the discs are a bit expensive as compared to regular rewritable DVDs.

Despite being in the TV production for a pretty long time, Akai has failed to achieve what it had set out to achieve: become a household name in the TV market. It has always been found lurking around the fringes with brands like Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic taking the charge. This distracting trend is, however, on the verge of a makeover with Akai coming up with one of the most impressive units to have from its ranks: the L482DDFD. The L482DDFD also marks the company’s latest foray into the flat panel TV market and delivers quite a devilish performance that should put things into perspective.

The single most impressive point of the unit is its superb HDMI connectivity, which makes it a really exciting prospect for the entry level market. The resolution of the screen is static at 1080p. The television is also far larger than those other tiny Akai models, like the Akai DLC-D1502L, that consumers have become accustomed to. However, those who are looking for quality images will be disheartened as the image quality of the unit is not comparable to those generated by high-definition compatible units. Another one of the unit’s flaws is the accompanying noise that steals a great deal of excitement and enjoyment away the performance. The images, by contrast, display a good deal of detail and have a positive overall impact, even if it is softer than your average Full HD panel. The flaws visible in sound can also be avoided by adjusting the viewing distance.

The unit’s black levels are one another of its weak links and are nowhere near what you are accustomed to. Weak black levels mean that you will be hampered while watching your movies and playing games. The colour combination thankfully though, is pretty well balanced and radiates a good deal of vibrancy and liveliness.