Toshiba 40CV550A

Toshiba 40CV550A

Features: Screen resolution: 1920×1080
Frequency: 50/60 Hz
Response time: 8 ms
Wired terminals: VGA, Component Video Input, Composite Video Input, HDMI Input, S-Video Input

Pros: Low power consumption, crisp 1080p detail reproduction, good price.

Cons: No 100Hz technology, overly bright back-light by default.

The final word: As a simple, entry-level 1080p LCD television, Toshiba’s 40CV550A is a good product. Its lack of 100Hz motion compensation may deter enthusiasts and the need to tweak display modes to achieve the best picture quality might be confusing for novice users.

THE Toshiba 40CV550A is a mid-range LCD television that displays 1080p content crisply and vibrantly. Power-saving features lower its overall running costs, but a few problems with the default settings mean that you will need to customise the 40CV550A’s picture to get the best possible experience.

Toshiba faces a lot of competition in the budget 1080p market: almost every television manufacturer has a model with a similar screen size, resolution and feature set. Unlike Toshiba’s other televisions the CV550A doesn’t have a 100Hz motion smoothing mode. This may seem like a crippling omission given it is common in competing models, but the Toshiba 40CV550A reproduces fast motion with only minimal jittering, making a 100Hz mode almost unnecessary.

The thin, piano-black bezel of the Toshiba 40CV550A is fairly typical for an LCD television, but the lower bezel’s curve and line-art design sets it apart from the rest of the crowd. The stand is not too large and the Toshiba 40CV550A is easy to set up, but the LCD television can’t swivel.

Plenty of analog inputs are included on the Toshiba 40CV550A — useful for families who still have VCRs or older DVD players or digital video cameras. One VGA, one component, one S-Video and three composite ports are included, along with two HDMI ports for the latest digital equipment.