| HD TV & HD Ready TV |
| THERE ARE THREE "STANDARDS" OF HD TV AVAILABLE IN THE STORES HD READY TV The entry level HD READY format has a resolution of 1366 x 768, giving a total of 3.15 million pixels. Warning: Standard HD Ready TVs are already somewhat "behind the times". Which is why some stores are selling them off cheaply. Pictures on these TVs will be sharper than on an analogue TV, and you will be able to watch Digital programmes on them. But they only have half the number of pixels required to enjoy the full benefit of High Definition television programmes - which are broadcast at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 or 6.2 million pixels. To enjoy HD programmes at their best you need will a Full HD TV or a 1080p HD Ready TV. FULL HD TV FULL HD TVs have a resolution of 1920 x 1080, giving a total of 6.2 million pixels. This resolution matches the broadcast HD signal dot for dot. So there is no loss of picture quality, which could happen with basic HD Ready televisions. 1080p HD READY TV The latest format is confusingly called HD READY 1080p - but it is very different from the basic HD READY format. HD READY 1080p TVs provide all the benefits of Full HD TV, ie 6.2 million pixels. Plus they can display Blu-ray movies at their optimum speed of 24 frames per second. |
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| Compare HD TVs and HD Ready TVs | Top 10 Ten HD TVs | Top Ten 10 HD Ready TVs | Independent HD TV Reviews |
| JVC have a reputation for building great TVs - and this 42" HD 1080p LDC TV is a perfec example. JVC's Dynapix technology ensures near perfect picture quality - with no picture lag. Black tones are as good as you will find on any LCD TV. Sound quality is excellent - but like almost any TV, surround sound speakers would make it better. Built in FreeView tuner offers around 25 channels. This TV is very slim and is wall-mountable - so it doesn't take up too much space. But if you don't want to mount it on a wall - a stand is included. This was one of the best TVs in our tests - but also one of the most expensive. Our Verdict A great TV - but pricey! Unless you are a BIG fan of JVC, there are better options. |
| This 42" Plasma Full HD TV from Panasonic is pretty near perfect! Real Black Drive system creates absolutely perfect true black tones. This is a plasma screen - so no picture lag - even the fastest action is scalpel sharp! Full HD screen has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels which matches the HD broadcast signal. The built in tuner sets itself up in no time - and DVD, games consoles etc are easy to connect. Sound is excellent - but for a top movie experience you should add surround sound speakers. This TV is wall-mountable and very flat - so it needn't take up much space in your home. |
| Our Verdict If we had to choose just one TV this would probably be the one! |
| Panasonic TH-42PZ80B Full HD Plasma TV |
| The best price we have seen for this TV is £849 from |
| Sharp Aquos LC42B20E 42" HD 1080p Full HD LCD TV |
| Picture quality from the Sharp LC42B20E 42" LCD TV is as good as it gets! 1080 resolution means the screen matches the broadcast picture dot for dot. Sharp's black screen - plus state of the art contrast technology produce near perfect black tones. An LCD refresh of 4-milliseconds means no jumping or blurring during fast action. Built-in Freeview tuner is a piece of cake to set up. The speakers are a tad on the ordinary side - but more than adequate for general TV viewing. If you want a perfect Blue-Ray cinematic experience - add some surround sound speakers. |
| The recommended price for this TV is £949 But shop around! We have seen it for just £699 from |
| Our Verdict A fantastic all round performer that would enhance any home! |
| LG 37LG5010 37" HD Ready 1080p digital LCD TV |
| LG are renowned for the beauty of their products - and they have a good record for reliability. This stunner is fully compatible with Bluray movies - offering a fabulous cinematic experience. Full HD 1080p resolution means that your screen matches the broadcast image dot for dot. It has a built in tuner and the best built in speaker system of all the TVs we tested. Wall-mountable - so it needn't take up much space in your home. The 37" screen is plenty big enough for most room sizes. Our Verdict Fantastic value for money! |
| The best price we have seen is £559 from |
| This 42" 1080p LCD TV from Philips is a star performer. The Full HD screen has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels which matches the HD broadcast signal. 30000 to 1 contrast ratio means superb picture quality with near perfect black tones. Fast refresh rate means no sign of the dreaded LCD picture lag. It is fully compatible with Bluray movies - offering a fabulous cinematic experience. It has a built in tuner and the built in speakers are more than adequate. Wall-mountable - very slim and great looking. Also available in 32" 37" and 47" screen sizes. Our Verdict A truly great TV - but there are others out there just as good - for less money. |
| PHILIPS 42PFL7603 42" HD Ready 1080p digital LCD TV |
The best price we have seen for this TV is £906 from
| SONY KDL40V4000 40" HD READY 1080p LCD TV |
| The sleek, piano black Sony 40" HD 1080p LCD TV is absolutely stunning. Features include the incredibly clear Bravia Engine 2 picture enhancement system, 6.2 mega pixel picture resolution 1920 x 1080, 33000:1 contrast ratio - so excellent black tones. It is fully compatible with Bluray movies - offering a fabulous cinematic experience. It has a built in tuner providing all Freeview channels. This TV is wall-mountable - so it needn't take up much space in your home. |
| Recommended Retail Price - £1149 The best price we have seen is £594 from |
| Our Verdict A tremendous TV and Fantastic value for money at Digital Direct if you buy online! |
| Toshiba 42XV505 Regza XV 1080p HD 42 inch LCD TV |
| Full 1080p HD Ready LCD TV in the slimmest, most stylish casing you are ever likely to find. Toshiba's Active Vision LCD Picture Processing Technology creates the best high definition images in the business. Colours are vibrant, and the depth of field is amazing - almost three dimensional. Exact Scan, pixel-for-pixel image mapping ensures you see the picture exactly as it is broadcast. Luma Sens technology automatically adjusts image contrast according the ambient room lighting. Sound quality is stunning. There is a dedicated games mode. And it has a built in Freeview tuner. |
| Our Verdict A fantastic TV that would be extremely hard to beat. |
| Recommended Retail Price - £1189 But we have seen this amazing TV for just £619 |
| Toshiba 37XV505 Regza XV Full 1080p HD 37 inch LCD TV |
| Toshiba's new Regza XV 1080p HD 37" LCD TV, is a fantastic bargain at Digital Direct. This stunner is every bit as good as the 42" model - but smaller and cheaper. Active Vision LCD Technology creates the best high definition images in the business. Colours are vibrant, and the depth of field is amazing - almost three dimensional. Exact Scan, pixel-for-pixel image mapping means you see the picture exactly as it is broadcast. Luma Sens technology adjusts the image contrast according the ambient room lighting. Sound quality is stunning. There is a dedicated games mode. And it has a built in Freeview tuner. |
| Our Verdict A fantastic TV from one of the world's leading manufacturers. |
| Recommended Retail Price - £1009 But we have seen this amazing TV for just £539 from |
| THE TOP 10 HD TVs We looked at just about every HD TV and HD Ready TV on the UK market - and we spoke to hundreds of owners - in our search for the Top Ten. The Top Ten Site is not a price comparison site. Our primary interests are product quality and customer satisfaction. However, if we know of a particular bargain or a reliable outlet - we will say so in our reviews. |
| JVC LT42DS9BJ 42" 1080p HD LCD TV |
| The best price we have seen for this TV is £1169 at |
| Samsung have a well earned reputation for quality and value for money. However, they have recently started to target the top end of the market. We think this could be a mistake. We have no doubt that this is a great TV. Full HD Broadcast resolution. Great picture. Good Sound. Built in tuner. 50,000/1 contrast. If this TV was £200 cheaper we would be insisting that you buy it! But for the same money you can get a Sony, or a Panasonic, or a Toshiba! Our Verdict A very competent all-rounder - but not the "bargain price" we expect from Samsung. |
| The best price we have seen for this TV is £849 at |
| Samsung LE40A656A 1080p 40 inch HD LCD TV |
| If you are looking for a 37" Full 1080p HD TV for less than £500 - this is it! The Hitachi L37v01U 1080p HD TV is an absolute bargain! This is Full HD TV with the broadcast resolution - for the price of a basic HD Ready TV. Picture quality is excellent, surround sound is top notch, refresh rate is very acceptable. It has a built-in Freeview Tuner and easy game console connections. This TV is almost as good as the very best - for less than half the price! Our Verdict If you are on a tight budget - this TV is a far better option than an entry level HD Ready TV. For £499 (at Currys) you are getting the full broadcast HD picture. |
| HITACHI L37V01U 37" 1080p Full HD LCD TV |
| The best price we have seen for this TV is £499 at |
Best Buy Sept 2008
| Exceptional Value Sept 2008 |
| Exceptional Value Sept 2008 |
| Best Budget Buy Sept 2008 |
| Sky TV The Ideal Digital Solution - Or A Big Fat Con? Read our Review |
| Some More Choices - From Our Favourite Outlets Mouse over the images for bigger pictures |