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hannspree-ht09-28in-full-hd-tv

The usual sizes for HD televisions are 26″,32″, 42″ etc. HANNspree, always wanting to be different, have come up with the 28″ Full HD Television. What’s in a couple of inches you may be wondering? Money!

The HANNspree HT09 28″ Full HD TV comes in at a wallet-loving £280. You would be hard pressed to find a similar spec and quality television for a cheaper price (unless of course, you don’t mind if your televisions fall apart after a month).

The only drawback of the HANNspree HT09 is that it only comes with two HDMI ports as opposed to the usual three. If you have the range of peripherals that any self-respecting technophile should have, it can get rather annoying having to unplug and swap-out your various set-top boxes and consoles every time you need to hook them up to your TV.

You can pick up the HANNspree HT09 28in Full HD TV (along with a rather generous warranty and after-sales service) direct form the HANNspree website. We’re happy that HANNspree has produced a quality product as a decent price but we loved it when the closest think they got to the norm was a television shaped like a carton of french-fries….

If you were looking for a larger set (and we do mean much larger) then the Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD 60 inches of HD quality may be more up your alley….

The Pioneer Kuro’s release earlier this year signalled a new level of HD television quality for plasma TV sets…nevertheless, the PDP-6020FD is not without it’s faults and boy does it have a few of those.

The first you’ll notice when you switch the PDP-6020FD television on is the deepness of the blacks. This is no washed-out effort plasma television, this is midnight-black at its darkest level.

The next thing that will catch your eye is the size of the thing, even though the Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD is a 60 inch monster, it’s pretty slim as big televisions go and even your grandmother could carry it around if she had to.

On the downside, there is no Cable Card Slot, one of the four HDMI slots is at the side rather being more conveniently placed at the back along with the rest and getting the settings for analogue and digital channels right on the Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD takes some considerable fiddling and is not as intuitive as it could be.

Saying that, Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD is almost (and we use that word with emphasis here) a contender for the SONY Bravia series despite being plasma rather than LCD. I would even put it on par with the Samsung ln46a650 in terms of the quality of the build.

If you like your HD Televisions, big, thin and amazing, you could do worse then checking the Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD out….

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A short while ago we reviewed the Samsung LN46A650, well today we check out it’s less colorful brother the Samsung LN46A550. Now whilst the LN46A650 may be getting all the attention and press shots due to its sparkling good looks, the LN46A650 is no less gifted but without the touch of color granted to its sibling.
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The Samsung LN46A550 comes with the prerequisite (in our books) 3 HDMI ports and is a full HD television meaning it outputs at up to 1080p. The LN46A550 also supports USB 2.0 making it available to plug in all your peripheral USB devices easily (although GadgetHeat still think that wireless connectivity would have been better and more sensible giving the way technology is moving).
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In regards to the technical details, what most people do not realise is that given the nature of the human eye, several criteria have to be fulfilled before you can even notice the true differences between HD televisions. These include the size of the room the LN46A550 will be situated in and how far away you will be seated from it.
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When you read the technical specification and it mentions 5ms response time, reduced from 8ms last year, believe us when we say that you would have to be an absolute geek to have noticed the difference given the way HD televisions are used on a day to day basis (i.e. in the front room about 6 – 10 feet from the viewing position).
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Looks wise the Samsung LN46A550 is not as pretty as its LN46A650 brother but it is still pretty glossy and slick to look at and would be nice addition to any technophiles home. Pictures below.

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As consumers we have just our heads around HDTV and now just as the dust is settling, Hyundai have released the W220S, a 3D HDTV. Perhaps referring to the Hyundai W220S as a 3D HDTV is slightly misleading as in order to obtain the 3D effect of the W220S you need to wear the complimentary (and quite stylish we may add) polarized glasses.

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Wearing the glasses will enable your eyes to view alternate odd and even lines which allows for horizontally interlaced stereoscopic 3D images to be viewed. We have yet to see images or video of this in effect so is it any better than iMax Cinema? We’re not convinced.

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Added to the fact that most people would not want to be wearing glasses just to watch TV, 3D television has never really taken off and GadgetHeat doubts it will until the effect can be achieved without any added peripherals, no matter how stylish.

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The Hyundai W220S is built upon TriDef Technology and is available as a 22 inch model, has HDM/DVI-D interface, WSXGA+ resolution (1680×1050) and built in speakers. The Hyundai W220S is expected to retail at around 590€

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ln46a650

It’s been a while since we did a HDTV review so we thought we’d jump back up on the horse and bring out our rusty review pen on the Samsung LN46A650. If you haven’t seen the advert for the LG Scarlett by now go look it up on YouTube. Why do we mentioned it? Because at first glance the Samsung LN46A650 is its spitting image but if you look a little closer you’ll see that it has a whole lot more to offer under the bonnet.

We’re not going to bore you with all the technical spec you can get that from the sales pitch and if you’ve reached this page through a search engine you’re most probably looking for a straight forward review and that’s what we’re going to give.

The Samsung LN46A650 has 5 major plus points:

1). If you didn’t know already, it looks fantastic. The subtle red highlight gives it a high-quality finish that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere. You may be thinking that it may look gaudy or tacky in you’re front room but if you see the LN46A650 up close, all those fears will dissappear, it’s a sexy beast.

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2). 120Hz Refresh rate. If you have a games console than this is a perk you will definitely enjoy. the higher the refresh rate the smoother your games will play and on a HDTV this size you will definitely notices the difference between this and a set with a lower refresh rate.

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3). 4 HDMI ports. That’s right ladies and gentlemen 4. There are other HDTV’s with 4 ports but not at this price. With 4 ports there is no need to constantly unplug and switch your games console, HD-DVD player, SKY Plus box etc. You can have everything you need attached to the LN46A650 and let them stay plugged in.

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4.) TruSurround. Now I know in this day and age most people who shell out big bugs for a television also have surround sound speaker systems. Most not all. This is where the Samsung LN46A650’s TruSurround feature comes into it’s own. It gives a surround sound feel even if you only use the default speakers on the TV. More than good enough until you invest in a real surround system (if you even want to after hearing this).

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5.) Gloss. That’s right gloss. The Samsung LN46A650 has an extremely glossy screen. Now some of you many see this as a negative (and we can see your point - see cons section) but this gloss makes the colors and contrast even more vibrant and with the blinds drawn or light off the picture really stands out.

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Now for the cons…

If you’ve rad any other reviews you will have heard the complaints about the remote control. To be frank, it’s just weird. It has a scroll wheel that is out of control and extremely sensitive making it seem like a cheap iPod knock-off and it is also a TV-only remote (i.e. not universal) which is a bizarre decision by Samsung and a step back.

Bugs. The Samsung LN46A650 has a nasty habit of suddenly switching itself off. This is a firmware bug and the problem should be largely resolved by a firmware upgrade but can still happen.

Gloss. Yes we know we mentioned it as a pro just a few paragraphs ago but when the light is shining on the screen it can really get on your nerves and impair your viewing pleasure. The thing is just so shiny it hurts.

Only a single antennae input. Now most people use a set-top-box these days but not all and with only a single antennae input on the Samsung LN46A650 you have to make a choice between an antennae and cable input rather than having them both plugged in at the same time.

No USB port. The Samsung LN46A650 bigger brother the 7 series Samsung LN46A750, has a USB port for your MP3 player (or whatever else) and 1GB of inbuilt cache. That is literally the only difference between the two (and about $600) but if USB functionality is your thing, then you’re out of luck with the LN46A650.

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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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