PICTURE QUALITY This model's high-definition picture quality was only fair, well below that of most other sets. It did a very good job displaying fine detail. Images details were a bit over-enhanced but not distractingly so, and we could not minimize this with the sharpness control. Edges of objects in the image stood out too much because of over-enhancement. There was some slight loss of fine texture likely due to noise reduction processing. Color accuracy was acceptable, but below that of most sets. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. This was one of the brighter sets we've tested, so the picture quality should be fine even in a very sunny room. Black levels were only fair with darker areas of the image looking unnaturally illuminated. Highlights in the image looked a little to bright. Dark scenes, in particular, were visibly lacking in contrast, giving images a flatter, less dynamic appearance. Images had a slight degree of enhancement that slightly diminished the realism of people and objects. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did a very good job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. The deinterlacing and film mode operations were excellent on HD content; there was little or no trace of jaggies on the edges of objects for video and film-based 1080i video content, such as from cable.
VIEWING ANGLE This Haier 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 strong loss of color so flesh tones looked very washed out, along with a moderate color shift. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was very good. The picture showed minimal change in color, contrast, and black level.
MOTION BLUR This Haier TV has only fair motion performance, with significant blurring on our motion tests. This is typical of LCD TVs with the basic 60Hz frame rate. 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 Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. 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 has fair sound quality with below average performance. It's acceptable for typical programming, but shortcomings become obvious with movie soundtracks and music. With movies, dialog clarity was lacking, with voices sounding notably muffled and thin, and overall a bit recessed, but background soundtrack music and other sounds remained well balanced. Base extension was lacking, and treble was thin, and the overall sound was closed in and lacked detail. Its volume range is limited, just adequate for a smaller, quiet listening environment. If sound quality matters to you, you might want to add a soundbar or other external speaker system to this set, but if this smaller-screen set is a secondary TV you might find its sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set was easy to use for the most part. Setting up the TV for the first time was fairly straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is moderately easy to navigate.
When making a video adjustment, the on-screen menu covers a significant part of the screen making it difficult to see the picture as you make adjustments. It lacks the ability to add custom labels to different input sources.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is fairly straightforward. The stand requires the assembly of a few parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include access to a library of applications via "Roku Channel Store
CONNECTIONS This TV includes three 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, coaxial digital audio out, one USB port, and Wi-Fi. 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 remote with batteries, and Roku Streaming Stick. 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.
