[The News Bot]

Reviewed by Phil Hinton
Toshiba have managed to make a full HD set which provides good features and has great detail levels with natural and accurate colours; a greyscale that tracks well and provides plenty of shadow detail and overall at a price that even 6 months ago would have been unheard off. We can only suggest that if you are in the market for an LCD which can do everything above par and at a seriously good price point, we suggest you have a look at the 42X3030D – recommended.

Read the full review...

[HSC]

Hi Phil
Good review - I have this set in the family room and have been very pleased with it.

I know you said you are not going to tell us exactly what settings you used to calibrate the set - but can you at least tell us if you used the dynamic backlight or did you turn it off..?

Many Thanks

[Phil Hinton]

Originally Posted by HSC

Hi Phil
Good review - I have this set in the family room and have been very pleased with it.

I know you said you are not going to tell us exactly what settings you used to calibrate the set - but can you at least tell us if you used the dynamic backlight or did you turn it off..?

Many Thanks

I had it switched off for our review.

[David Mackenzie]

Great review Phil, I've not seen the Toshiba Xs but I did get a chance to try out the budget C-Series. I didn't do any calibration like you did but came away with similar thoughts, Toshiba seem to have got the video processing side up and running very nicely on their TVs. The deinterlacing in my own TV (Sony KDL-40W2000) was jaggy-riffic by comparison.

[Poobik The Hare]

a good review, but I'd like to know how it performs with a 360/PS3 attached to it, did you try them?

regards

[Phil Hinton]

Originally Posted by Poobik The Hare

a good review, but I'd like to know how it performs with a 360/PS3 attached to it, did you try them?

regards

I played a couple of PS3 games in both calibrated and non calibrated modes and games look fine, response time was adequate with no visible problems other than light gradation issues and some jaggies here and there which is more game sourced than anything to do with the set.

Hope that helps.

[Fistynuts]

I have an older non-1080p WLT68 which has a great picture except for one thing - the black level. Your review seems to suggest that this is also the case for the X-series. Would you agree? This is the one thing that really annoys me about my (otherwise nice) Tosh.

[Phil Hinton]

It's possible to get the black level looking ok after a full calibration and correct settings for brightness and contrast (within your own enviroment), it's certainly no worse than any other LCD in it's price range.

[Smurfin]

I briefly owned the C version of this, and couldn't live with it! I resigned myself to the fact that I couldn't live with the awful awful black levels - compared to both plasma and my DLP projector. But if you mainly watch during the day time (my viewing was always at night, with the lights off), then maybe it wasn't so bad. I found the dynamic backlight very annoying, which is maybe why Phil had it turned off on this new model? (good idea too!)

[Phil Hinton]

Originally Posted by Smurfin

I briefly owned the C version of this, and couldn't live with it! I resigned myself to the fact that I couldn't live with the awful awful black levels - compared to both plasma and my DLP projector. But if you mainly watch during the day time (my viewing was always at night, with the lights off), then maybe it wasn't so bad. I found the dynamic backlight very annoying, which is maybe why Phil had it turned off on this new model? (good idea too!)

Hi Matt, yes you have hit the nail on the head, the black levels are acceptable on the 3030D in normal ambient lighting conditions when calibrated correctly, but features like the dynamic backlight control should be switched off in my opinion. I would never recommend viewing an LCD in total blackout conditions, the technology is just not there yet to allow accurate viewing and silky blacks, if thats your poison then it has to be plasma or a projector.

[DaveH]

Great review.

Very true what you say about watching in the dark. Although I'll be honest I always watch my 3030D with the lights out and occasionally I do notice the poorish black performance. But I prefer to watch my films this way so I can live with it.

My biggest niggle with the TV though is the poor viewing angle which really shows up the lack of black if you are not head on to the set.

Being selfish I always sit in front of the set so it does not bother me too much.

All in all though I think it is a great set and you have done a terrific review there.

[daveleeuk]

Cool, I was looking to buy a new TV for my study after Christmas, at around this budget, would you say this is the best i'd do for this price range (main use - Xbox 360).

Also I did follow the links to purchase it but couldn't find out if it has a wall bracket available for it, don't suppose you know if they do them?

EDIT: is the low price because it's LCD as opposed to plasma?

Took delivery of this set a few weeks ago.
Only payed £799 inc delivery from Laskys and I must say it was between this and the Sharp 42XD1E.
I chose the Toshiba because its picture quality with SD DVDs thru Component just beat the Sharp slightly in contrast, natural skintone and noise levels. Can't wait to get a Tosh EP30 HD DVD player, then the fun will really begin.

I can fully recommend the Toshiba 42X3030D

Peace

[id0mrg]

Hello,


I'm just about to buy my first flat panel TV.

Although I'm not qualified to comment, this looked like a very helpful review for which, many thanks. It was very revealing to learn that to gain the best from an LCD panel requires individual optimisation of its display.

Although I've done a search, without success, I wonder whether there are any tutorials on calibration of LCD panels available on the forums, or elsewhere. If not, would such a thread be possible, including information on kit (hardware, software and procedure) that would allow a tenacious amateur to perform calibration of their panel?

Alternatively, is there a directory of professionals, organised by geographical location, who can offer calibration services?

Many thanks.

[jegan111]

I'm very tempted by this set after the awful geo problems and fuzzy edges of my Sammy WS32Z429TQX, "allegidly" HD ready....

I too am a bit of an amatuer here so found this review very helpful indeed.

Thanks.



PS, I've found a bracket on Ebay for TV's this size, tilts and swivels etc, anyone got any experience with these or opinions??

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/37-63-SWIVEL-L...QQcmdZViewItem

[Phil Hinton]

Originally Posted by id0mrg

Hello,


I'm just about to buy my first flat panel TV.

Although I'm not qualified to comment, this looked like a very helpful review for which, many thanks. It was very revealing to learn that to gain the best from an LCD panel requires individual optimisation of its display.

Although I've done a search, without success, I wonder whether there are any tutorials on calibration of LCD panels available on the forums, or elsewhere. If not, would such a thread be possible, including information on kit (hardware, software and procedure) that would allow a tenacious amateur to perform calibration of their panel?

Alternatively, is there a directory of professionals, organised by geographical location, who can offer calibration services?

Many thanks.

If you have a look in the ISF forum (under the calibration main forum) you should find details of what you ask about as well as the professional calibrators who use this forum.

[Greynerd]

I possess this set and am very pleased with it. Sky 1080i is awesome especially outdoor scenes. The banding issue is very infrequent and not something that is annoying. I have not noticed any motion issues. Excellent value and I would have always been paranoid rightly or wrongly about etching problems on a plasma screen. Plasma is nature's way of telling you that your children are looking at too much CBeebies. - I must add not so sure now though. Looking at 'Superman Returns' in letterbox mode there was a definite greening. All grey shadows were green and skies turquoise. I have noticed the colur before in some films had a strange turquoisey affect. I will see if any DVDs give the same affect.

[billydwarf]

Is the stand the same size as that of a 42wlt66.
Just asking because I might buy one and I have a large glass pedestal stand from my 66 which would need to fit.
Sorry its not a technical question as such.

[homer timpson]

I've had the 32WLT66 - I think the stand is the same as the 42WLT66.

I've upgraded to the 42X3030D and the stand is slightly bigger/longer.

It still physically fitted on the original Alphason corner stand that I bought - though the 42X3030D did look a tad too big for it overall.

Yours will certainly fit and, as it's a larger stand to start with, should still look OK with the new TV on it.

Not very technical either - but you know what I'm getting at


Homer