PICTURE QUALITY. This model had very good high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail, though added edge enhancement applied to the lowered image fidelity. Color accuracy was very good, with images generally looking natural. Color temperature was slightly on the cool side, lending images a bluish tone. Contrast—the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites—was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. Black levels were only fair with darker areas of the image looking unnaturally illuminated. Dark scenes, in particular, were lacking in contrast. 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. There was a slight display non-uniformity that created brighter cloudy areas, most noticeable on very dark scenes (often visible in the black bars of a letterboxed movie). This is an issue we routinely see with LCD TVs to varying degrees. Check your model for this issue, and if present, see if you find it distracting. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was only good with visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes on movies. Deinterlacing was very good, with minimal jaggies visible when converting 1080i video content, such as from cable, to the display's native resolution.
VIEWING ANGLE. This Hitachi has a wide viewing angle overall, better than that of most LCDs. It will provide the same picture quality, with fewer problems than most LCD sets, for typical viewing conditions—say, if your family is seated across a long sectional or in chairs off to the sides of the TV.
With brighter scenes, like sporting events, the display did a fine job maintaining accurate colors and decent contrast whether we moved off to the sides or were viewing from above or from below screen. The picture did show some dimming from the sides but not to any point we found distracting. With dark scenes the display didn't fare quite as well. When viewed from the sides, the depth of black levels varied depending on the vertical position of the viewer's head. As we moved closer to the screen this limitation became even more apparent, especially if seated on the floor looking upward where black levels brightened significantly. This display's wide viewing angle is best appreciated when viewed at eye level to the screen.
MOTION BLUR. This Hitachi TV has only fair motion performance, with significant blurring on our motion tests. Though it claims to have a higher frame rate than 60Hz, a feature designed to reduce motion blur, it could not be found in the menu, and performance was worse than on models with an effective similar feature. 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 was generally clear, though a bit muffled and sibilant, while background music and other sounds were slightly recessed. Bass extension was lacking, but treble was nicely detailed, while the overall sound a bit thin, and somewhat closed in. 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 easy to use. 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.
The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and 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 support stand to the TV is straightforward. The TV's stand extends to the far ends of the display, which means the table top you'll be setting the TV on will need to be at least as wide as the display itself.
INTERNET FEATURES. This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include access to a library of applications via "Roku Channel Store
CONNECTIONS. This TV includes two 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 quick start guide, and a remote with batteries.
