HDTV Reviews

Hitachi does a first for a major HDTV name and have released a 37-inch LCD for under £900, the 37LD8600. TrustedReviews have a review, saying as you might expect of a £900 37in LCD TV that can’t even be bothered to include a digital tuner, other interesting features are in seriously short supply. HD Ready status is, thankfully, wrapped up by compatibility with the necessary 720p and 1080i HD formats together with a sufficiently high native pixel count of 1,366 x 768. You’re also provided with an optional video noise reduction system, 3DS processing for producing a pseudo surround sound stage from the built-in speakers, and an optional 3D comb filter that should improve colour transitions.

Feeding it a bright, colourful high definition signal after watching the analogue tuner, for instance, is like turning a light on in a dark room. Suddenly, for instance, the picture gets that sense of crispness and detailing we so like to see on an LCD TV. Colours, too, become a whole lot more natural and vibrant, and noise levels drop dramatically.

ow appealing the 37LD8600 is depends entirely on who you are – or rather, what you watch. If you like a diet of dark horror movies, or will likely end up mostly watching the analogue tuner, we’d recommend that you steer well clear. But if you’re looking for a perfectly decent HD picture that also holds up quite nicely with strong Sky Digital or digital cable broadcasts, it’s certainly worth considering. Especially if you’d originally thought your £900 budget would only stretch to a 32in set.