Although LG’s passive 3D system has comprehensively proven its worth, at least where relatively compact screen sizes are concerned, it still comes as a slight relief to find that the brand’s 42LV550T doesn’t have 3D built in. It means there’s no need to have to get into the whole passive vs active 3D philosophical debate again, allowing this review to focus solely on the product itself rather than larger issues beyond it. What’s more, despite its lack of 3D, the 42-inch smart TV has a decent quantity of tricks to get stuck into. The LV550T series does, after all, represent [...]

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The Sony KDL-40CX523 steers clear of the potential minefield that is 3D, aiming instead for good old-fashioned value for money. Six hundred quid really isn’t a lot for a 40-inch TV from what is arguably the world’s most trusted electronics brand, particularly one with as generous a feature set as this. Particularly striking is the provision of Sony’s Bravia Internet Video service, with its startling amount of video streaming sources, while multimedia playback from USB drives, the ability to access content stored on DLNA PCs and the option of making it Wi-Fi ready with an optional [...]

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The Samsung PS64D8000 plasma is arguably the most eagerly awaited 3D TV so far this year. Its immense 64-inch screen fits nicely into the generally accepted ‘bigger is better’ mantra, while gas technology has consistently proved superior to LCD or LED at suppressing the dreaded crosstalk noise. The PS64D8000′s exceedingly lovely design features a brushed silver metallic bezel and transparent outer trim and is impressively slender by plasma standards. While it’s impossible not to draw negative aesthetic comparisons with the stunning near bezel-free designs of Samsung’s [...]

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For over a year Humax’s superb FOXSAT-HDR has been the only Freesat PVR on the market, but other brands are now providing a bit of healthy competition. Among them is the Grundig GUFSDTR500HD, which offers an alternative way of watching and recording Freesat’s growing number of free HD and standard-def channels. Features Inside this gorgeously styled unit sits a 500GB hard disk, which enables you to record up to 125hrs of hi-def or 312hrs of standard-def broadcasting, which is a lot more than the Humax’s 320GB hard disk can hold. The key to the Grundig’s flexibility lies [...]

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Not so long ago the idea of a fully fledged twin-tuner, hi-def PVR with a sub-£500 price tag would have been wishful thinking. Today it’s a reality, courtesy of the S4000 from Turbosat’s housebrand Icecrypt. This well-specified box of Linux-powered tricks sells for £340 (with a 320GB hard disc or £300 without). Other welcome features include hardware blind search, two CI slots, full DiSEqC compatibility for multi-satellite flexibility, the potential that networkability brings and multimedia playback. Build and connectivity As far as styling is concerned the S4000 is quite smart, [...]

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