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Well 19 inches isn’t exactly mini but in the world of HD Televisions it definitely has a size complex. The Samsung LE19R86 is a decent enough little number with ‘little’ being the operative word. We have nothing against small televisions but in order to really benefit from HD technology (in our humble opinion) you need to be looking at a 32inch television at least.

The Samsung LE19R86 needs quite a bit of tweaking in order to get the best out of it. The three settings (akin to most Samsung TV’s) are Standard, Dynamic and Movie with an extra ‘Game Mode’ for all us Playstation 3 and xBox 260 heads. Read the full story

Remember our review of the Samsung LE37R87BD? Well we’ve just uploaded a video review of the Samsung LE37R88BD, it’s sister set, which you can check out on or Video Review page! Happy viewing from Gadgetheat.

Everybody likes a list so we at HDTV Reviews came up with one. A few years ago if I told you HDTV’s would be under £500 you would have laughed in my face and asked me what I was smoking (ahem) but these days you can get some pretty nifty deals without blowing a hole in your pocket. If you’re looking for a second television or a HDTV dedicated to your games console, spending more than £500 is a bit excessive unless you really have money to spare.

We’ve put together a list of the top 5 HDTV’s for around the £400 - £500 that are definitely worth checking out.

1. Sony KDL32S3000

No surprises as to our number 1 the Sony KDL32S3000. This is a decent sized 32 incher and the SONY quality runs through this like a river. You get 3 HDMI ports plus the Bravia engine technology, what more could you want?

2. Samsung LE32R87BD

This could have easily been a SONY dominated list but we couldn’t over look the Samsung LE32R87BD. The winning feature of this set is the ‘game mode’ which makes all us Ps3 and Xbox 360 addicts extremely grateful

3. Toshiba 32C3035

This was the amongst the first Toshiba we reviewed and so far it has proved to be the best. Easy setup straight out the box, great picture and it also has a slick design that makes it stand out from the normal HDTV crowd.

4. Sony KDL32D3000

This is the bigger brother of the S series. More ounce to the bounce but slightly more expensive. If you’re not happy with the S series for any reason (and you got to be one tough customer not to be) the Sony KDL32D3000 would be a step up in the right direction.

5. Philips 26PFL5522D

We haven’t yet reviewed a Phillips at HDTV Reviews but this is definitely on our list. At 26 inches it is smaller than the other televisions on this list but it’s great value for money and looks fantastic both picture wise and aesthetically. It could do with a few more settings and options in terms of getting the picture just right so it won’t be making it any further up this list.

Toshiba 37X3030

We have a few bees in our bonnet here at GadgetHeat, one of them being the motion blurring on many HDTV’s on the market and the attitude of many manufactures seems to be one of ‘put up and shut up’ (unlike the near flawless Samsung LN46A650).

This is evident from the start in the Toshiba 37X3030. Although Toshiba claim that it has a 24fps (Frames Per Second) capability (which would effectively eliminate motion blurring) the Toshiba 37X3030 cannot actually do anything much with it as it is not fully 24fps compatible. Confused? We know we are….

What is the point of having a feature that is not fully implemented? What this means in effect is that in action sequences or in any panning shots we get the dreaded HDTV blur that makes you yearn for your old CRT monitor. Watching sports in standard definition on the Toshiba 37X3030 is a struggle because of the speed of motion so you will have to sit a reasonable distance away from the set to be able to tolerate it.

Another gripe is the fact that you cannot input 1080i/p through VGA on the Toshiba 37X3030. You have to use HDMI or component. You may see this as a small problem as all Blu-Ray and HD DVD players these days have HDMI connectors / slots but if you have a Xbox 360 (non-Elite) be warned that you will have to use component to get the HD experience on some games.

On the plus side (yes there are some pluses) watching up-scaled DVD’s or HD DVD / Blu-Ray on the Toshiba 37X3030 is amazing. You will have to adjust the settings to suit your room and viewing distance but once that is done you should get the full 1080p benefit from this HDTV.

The Toshiba 37X3030 is a classy looking television set and the piano black finish makes it stand out somewhat from the usual HDTV crowd. It’s not a dust magnet either in particular.

For the price (around £600 - 700) the Toshiba 37X3030 is pretty good for a Full HD (1080p) television and if you have Sky HD and the such you won’t be disappointed - just make allowances for some pixilation when it comes to fast moving images.

This is a big TV. I know some of you will be saying ‘it’s only 40 inches’ but when it’s in an average sized living room the Sony KDL-40W3000 stands out as the big boy. As far as the KDL series goes, the 40W3000 can’t claim to be it’s stand out offering but nevertheless it’s a decent number in it’s own right and a definite contender for the title.

Some of you may have been looking at the Samsung LN46A650 or the Sony 40W2000 but if I were you I would save my money as the 3000 is effectively it’s replacement (hence why we declined to review it on HDTV Reviews).

On the downside, setting up the Sony KDL-40W3000 television can be a nightmare (or a joy depending on how you look at it). You can specify different settings for each of your inputs (SKY HD, Freeview, PS3 etc.) to get the picture you want. Why a nightmare? Because the average user will want just one quick generic setting for all inputs and to be done with it (no quick start help either).

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Depending on how thoroughly you want to read the accompanying manual (which isn’t much good BTW), you may find yourself feeling deflated after an hour of tweaking and fidgeting to get the contrast just so and still not being pleased with the result.

As with all HDTV’s that I come across recently, displaying standard definition on this set may look worse (yes worse) than on a non HD television. This really grates on me as I think if they have the tech to produce a great high definition picture, why does that mean SD output has to suffer? Inevitably you will want to view HD DVD’s and Blu-Ray but you may also feel like you need to purchase a HD broadcasting subscription in order to get full pleasure from the Sony KDL-40W3000 and on average that’s another £250 - £350 a year.

Once you get past the near Mensa challenge of setting the best up your viewing pleasure will probably go through the roof. The contrasts (once you’ve set it up properly) and blacks are superb and the picture detail and colour is intense. The Sony KDL-40W3000 is a definite step up from the Sony KDL-40W2000 so much so that I would discourage anyone form getting the 2000 until they’ve seen it side by side with the Sony KDL-40W3000.

As opposed to lots of HDTV’s I come across the sound on the Sony KDL-40W3000 is also pretty good and not tinny as has been found in some other models.

The television comes with a glut of connectors, the most important being the 3 HDMI ports so you can plug in all your HD sources at once. It also has the standard, component, s-video, scart etc. so whatever peripherals you have, it should slot in nicely.

The Sony KDL-40W3000 has great picture and is a top end build quality (that’s one thing you can depend on with a SONY - build quality) and after the initial adjustments you won’t be disappointed with this television, in fact you’ll probably be quite impressed…..

Check the HDTV Shop for some offers.

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When HDTV Review got to review the Panasonic TX-26LXD70 HDTV we were somewhat excited as this is our first Panasonic review (I know, I know, it’s the small things that makes us happy). We’ve done a few SONY’s and even a review of the Samsung LN46A650 so a Panasonic was a novelty. On first impression everything is sweet and we were all set to give the set a thumbs up … the funny thing is, when the Panasonic TX-26LXD70 is switched on everything is rosy but as soon as you switch it on, your going to hear a sound that should be reserved for dogs.

An annoying whistling sound occurs whenever the set is switched off, so much so that you are going to think its a fault and curse the fact that the only way you can fully switch of the Panasonic TX-26LXD70 is to pull the plug out.

But enough about how shoddy this HDTV is when it’s switched off lol, switched on it’s pretty tasty. The LXD version outputs at 100HZ (as opposed to the LMD version) and this gives a fantastic picture. True, you will still get blurring when it comes to fast moving images and sport but that’s standard for nearly all LCD televisions (CRT sets still have some things in their favour). However with the ‘Motion Picture Pro’ feature this is greatly reduced to be almost unnoticeable in most cases.

Out the box the Panasonic TX-26LXD70 contrast settings are all out of wack leaving images looking weird to say the least but with some tweaking you’ll be enjoying the benefits of the 100HZ technology in no time which includes making SD inputs to great levels, not quite HD but not too far off either.

Another neat feature is the auto update of freeview channels whenever they become available. A message will appear on screen informing you that a new channel has become available and prompting you to update. What’s not so neat about the Panasonic TX-26LXD70 is the stingy 1 HDMI slots it comes with, what’s that about? If a HDTV doesn’t have at least 3 HDMI slots it loses points in my book. You at least want some future proofing.

The Panasonic TX-26LXD70 is simple to use and easy to set-up. The picture is great for a LCD outputting at 100HZ and this boosts SD inputs significantly. The minor gripes are with the whistling sound that can be heard for a few minutes when the set is on standby and the fact that being a LCD you never fully eliminate picture blurring, however slight, in fast moving scenes.

We don’t usually review televisions under 32 inches but we thought, hey, why discriminate on size? Besides i’ve got a 26 incher myself and it ain’t half bad…. The Toshiba 26C3030DB is …. ugly. Yeah I said it, the thingis ugly. Looks like a throwback to the late nineties (can you beleive that we’re almost a decade into the 2000’s?).

Now all HDTV’s start at a 7/10 at least for picture quality but, taking that into consideration, the picture quality of the Toshiba 26C3030DB is average in the HDTV scale of things as is the sound. It only comes with one HDMI port which would really annoy me as you would have to keep unplugging your console, HD / Blu-Ray DVD player, Sky box or any other HD Source.

The built-in Freeview receiver is a plus as is the card slot that enables you to activate top-up channels, however, the reciever is not as strong as it could be and side-by-side with a standalone freeview set-top box in a poor reception area the Toshiba 26C3030DB will come off worse in terms of picture quality.

For a main TV, i.e. for your living room or lounge, the Toshiba 26C3030DB would not be my television of choice. For an additional TV or a dedicated console television then the 26C303DB becomes more viable. It’s currently under £350 online so it’s a bargain in that respect for a high definition television. So if you’re a bit short of cash and desperate to get your hands on a HDT, not too fussed about picture purffect quality and are only going have one HD source this would fit your bill….I guess.

Tags: LCD, Digital, HD TV, High Definition Television, 1080p

If you’ve read my report on 720p vs 1080p HD TV’s (and why haven’t you??) you’ll know that I really don’t give 2 figs about the difference between the them.

We’re going HDTV Review the 1080p Samsung LE40M87BDX (or LE40M87BDXEU depending on your territory) which is ‘Full HD‘ in that it can display 1080p signals as they are rather than having to up scale them as opposed to 720p HD TV’s.

Despite this step up, this Samsung has the usual HD TV drawback in the SD (Standard) TV images can appear blocky and not fluid. Upon reviewing this TV we’ve decided to push the motto that if you have a HDTV, you should really invest in a HD source for it’s main use in order to reap the full benefits. The Samsung LE40M87BDX/XEU will show up any poor source glaringly and you’ll be saying to yourself ‘HD my ass…’.

Straight out of the box the picture can be a little disappointing as the blacks are less than perfect on even after you spend some time fiddling with the contrast and other picture options.

Another let down is that the sound on this box is a real let down. For such a big shiny machine the sound is more of a whimper than a roar. Plug it into your home cinema and you’ll be better of.

The Samsung LE40M87BDX/XEU has a trio of picture modes (note you will have to set these for each input device you have):

Dynamic - for brightly lit rooms with lots of light

Standard - for your regular lit rooms which is most of us

Movie - for darkened rooms (and those who can’t change a light bulb)

If you want an out the box, ready to use TV then this probably isn’t for you. You virtually have to have a degree in engineering to understand and set all your inputs and modes perfectly.

It’s an excellent TV once it’s all spanked and tweaked but you could save yourself a job and get another 40 inch which requires lesser set-up time and has better sound than the Samsung LE40M87BDX.

At the time of writing there is a known fault in that the optical audio out will drop from time to time. Now I know that nothing is perfect but why release a product with a known fault? Samsung LE40M87BDX/XEU must have been pressed for some 4th quarter results….Look out for my video review coming soon….in the meantime you can check out the store for some bargains.

Finally had time to upload my part 2 of the Sony KDL32S3000 video HDTV review. You can read the written review in my earlier post of the Sony KDL32S3000. Anyway below is the Sony KDL 32S3000 in all it’s glory - enjoy!

Straight out of the box the Samsung LE37R87 can be a little bright for some users but, saying that, the clarity of this latest Samsung can’t really be knocked but at HDTV Reviews, we’re all for knocking….

Yes it will take you a while to fiddle with all the options (especially since you will probably have to switch from the default ‘dynamic’ mode to ’standard’ in order to get the picture pitch you want) but once it is done, this high definition television will perform as good if not better than those which cost up to £200 more….For HD signals.

For Freeview and SD signals reviewers have been given conflicting reports. Some claim that the SD picture is upgraded whilst others claim that it can be fuzzy or deteriorate from scene to scene. It looks like it mostly depends on how you set your viewing options (colour, contrast etc.) so as mentioned, take the time to get it right.

Although the Samsung LE37R87 looks the part, this HDTV is a bit too slick… It’s like a dust magnet so if you’ve got kids, keep them away because you are definitely going to be able to see every sticky little fingerprint they leave behind (not exactly a modern look).

Again on the downside the Samsung LE37R87 does not come with surround sound and it outputs in 720p rather than 1080p (you can read our report on the 720 v 1080 debate here).

Don’t forget to browse our own stock for some HDTV deals.