PICTURE QUALITY This model's high-definition picture quality, though good, was below that of most other sets. It did a top-notch job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was very good, with images looking quite natural. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images showed some depth and dimension. In this respect, the TV was similar to most of the models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was only good, as was deinterlacing performance. There were visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes on movies, and jaggies were also visible when converting 1080i video content to the display's native resolution.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY. The screen surface on this LCD TV has a near-matte-like finish that does a decent job reducing distracting mirror-like reflections. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
VIEWING ANGLE This Hitachi has a narrow viewing angle overall, below-average performance among LCD sets on this attribute. Only those seated directly in front of the screen will see the best picture quality. If your family is seated in chairs off to the sides of the TV, they will see increasing degradation of image quality the farther they sit from center.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was fair; the picture showed a moderate loss of color so flesh tones looked washed out, along with a moderate color shift. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy. Even when viewed from right in front of the screen, dark scenes were brighter at the sides due to the limited horizontal sweet spot. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was good. The picture showed some change in color, contrast, and black level.
MOTION BLUR This Hitachi TV has only fair motion performance, with significant blurring on our motion tests. Though this model includes Reel120 Motion, a feature designed to reduce motion blur, we found it was ineffective. On typical program content, the blurring effect is often fleeting and may not bother most people. However, keen-eyed viewers may detect the loss of texture and detail on scenes with movement, especially in high-quality video such as a Blu-ray movie.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY The screen surface on this LCD TV has a near-matte-like finish that does a decent job reducing distracting mirror-like reflections. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
SOUND QUALITY This TV's sound was only fair, acceptable for typical programming but shortcomings become obvious with movie soundtracks and music. It has a limited volume range allowing the TV to play just adequately loud, but there was also audible cabinet resonance which was present even at lower volume settings. At more typical listener volume settings the overall sound was thin and lacked bass. If sound quality matters to you, you might want to add a soundbar or other external speaker system to this set.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set very easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was very easy, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was excellent. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is very easy to navigate.
Remote has a dedicated button for selecting each video source (Video1, Video2, etc.).
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included one-piece support stand is easy.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV does not have access to the Internet.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes four HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), one VGA input, optical digital audio out, and one USB port. This TV has no type of wireless connectivity. The cable connections on the rear panel are recessed with side or bottom-facing ports, so wires don't protrude beyond the display's depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, a quick start guide, and a remote with batteries.
ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
