PICTURE QUALITY It did a very good job displaying fine detail. 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. The model had deep black levels, just shy of the best models. There was visible banding (unnatural contours) on scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, rather than smooth transitions. 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 Vizio has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing TVs we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of this model. When we viewed the TV from the sides, image quality got worse. The picture showed a strong loss of color, so flesh tones looked very washed out, along with a slight color shift. Black levels visibly brightened, reducing contrast especially on dark scenes. 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 Vizio TV has poor motion performance, with obvious blurring on our motion tests. This is worse than average for LCD TVs with the basic 60Hz frame rate. This model does not include a blur reduction feature. The visibility of blurring on typical program content is often subtle and may not bother most people, but keen-eyed viewers may detect some loss of texture and detail on scenes with movement.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some models, 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 model 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 and natural sounding but background music and other sounds were slightly recessed. Bass was lacking and a tad boomy. Treble was nicely detailed, but was a bit thin. The speakers produced a good volume -- so this model should play sufficiently loud in typical room environments, and sound quality degraded at the highest volume settings a little audible distortion . If sound quality matters to you, you might want to add a soundbar or other external speaker system -- but if this smaller-screen set is a secondary TV, you might find its sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, it was very easy to setup and OK to do routine things. On first power up there is an on-screen guide that helps you through setting up the TV.
STAND ASSEMBLY The TV's base does not come pre-attached, so some assembly is required. 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 does not have access to the Internet. [Source not found]. [Source not found].
CONNECTIONS This model has two HDMI inputs--one supports a Mobile High-definition Link (MHL), one component input, and one composite input, a component/composite shared input (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time). It also has one USB port, an optical digital audio out.
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 A quick start guide. A remote control with batteries. A detachable power cord. No printed manual is included.
ABOUT CR's TV VIEWING CONDITIONS: Our picture settings are optimized for a dimmer home viewing environment. If the settings we recommend don't suit your taste or your environment, use the picture controls to achieve an image you consider "just right."
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. 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), or USB port, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu, or home 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.
