Toshiba 32WLT58 - LCD TV

While many of the sets on test struggled to produce a decent picture on standard TV, the Toshiba 32WLT58 managed to address many of the usual blockiness and colour issues experienced when watching broadcast telly programmes on an LCD set. Generally speaking, the image was quite soft, but the picture actually tends to benefit from this.

Unfortunately, the Toshiba’s strong standard definition broadcast performance was balanced by a mildly disappointing image quality on the DVD and HD side of things. Although the colours were strong and detail was good, we noticed quite a bit of motion blur on a DVD played through the RGB and HDMI inputs, although it was slightly less noticeable with the true high-definition test footage via the component input. This could be down to a slow response time, as with the Sharp model.

When we asked Toshiba to provide us witha response time figure, however, it refused. A spokers person offered us only the slightly patronising explanation that ‘we don’t quote for response time as it often confuses
consumers’.

That aside, the 32WLT58 is well-equipped to handle almost anything you’d ever want to plug into it. It comes with two HDMI sockets, as well as a VGA port for a PC and the usual array of Scart, composite and
S-video inputs. Some of these can be found on the side panel of the unit, which makes it easy to hook up a camcorder or games console. The speakers are placed under the screen rather than either side. The speakers are quite small but pack a fairly good punch, particularly when the sound is set to SRSWOW 3D surround.

It’s a shame about the motion issues because the 32WLT58’s performance on SD broadcast material would have made it ideal for the here and now, when most of us will still be watching mainly standard definition sources.

As it is, it is rather difficult to justify at a price of just under £1,200.

[via: activehome]