The Sum ‘n’ substance:

Thumbs up: Cheaper compared to LED based LCD’s; picture quality was very clear and vivid; plenty of picture adjustment features; extensive connectivity with four HDMI and one PC input; superb design; infra-red universal remote control.

Thumbs down: Off-angle performance was poor; fluctuation in back-lights; light reflected due to glossy screen.

Inside the trunk: LCD TV ; Diagonal size: 55 inch Widescreen; Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 2000000:1; Technology: TFT active matrix; Resolution 1920 x 1080; the two widescreen modes: Theater Wide , Conventional 4:3; Progressive scanning; LED Backlight technology;

Sound Output Mode: Stereo; 2 speakers included; slot for a SD Memory Card; Connector Type 1 x Digital audio input (optical) – Rear , 1 x VGA input ( 15 pin D-Sub (DB-15) ) – Rear , 3 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) – Rear , 2 x HD component input ( RCA phono x 3 ) – Rear , 3 x Audio line-in ( RCA phono x 2 ) – Rear , 1 x Fixed audio output ( RCA phono x 2 ) – Rear , 1 x Audio line-in ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ) – Rear , 1 x Remote control ( RCA phono ) – Rear , 1 x Composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ) – Side , 1 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) – Side , 1 x S-Video input ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) – Rear , 1 x USB – Side , 1 x Composite video input ( RCA phono ) – Rear. Priced between: $2,195.00 – $2,999.99

The whiz-kid speaks: Toshiba seem to have to have got it almost right, the 55SV670U is a very smart piece of engineering with a sleek design to go along with it. It also is very well priced. Lets but the new toshiba under the scanner.

Razzle- dazzle: The 55SV670U has a very sleek design and has a glossy finish. The S models have a sheet of transparent material covering the face of the panel, that deceives the observer that the whole thing being composed of one glass pane when viewed from the side.

The frame around the screen of the SV670U series is framed out of silver metal, which borders a silver background that gradually fades gracefully in to black. On closer inspection you will notice that the black fade is suspended slightly above the sliver background and the silver consists many tiny little squares that curve inwards from the extreme edge of the panel. It is a complicated design which is engineered delicately with utmost precision and that results in a very bold and attractive yet unusual look. Just like the Z models, the S have a bulkier look because of the extra frame area. The external package is completed with a matching swivel stand provided by the company.

Inside dope: The sliver and black design is carried forward on to the remote. The remote makes good use of the size and placement of the buttons. On the downside, no back-light provision and also people with fairly small palms might have a tough reaching for basic buttons.

The LED backlighting added with local dimming is the sole culprit for the SV670U’s price hike over the company’s step-down models.

The SV670U does have a 240Hz refresh rate which translates as, the TV takes each frame from a standard 60Hz source and repeats it four times.

This TV also features dejudder processing accompanied with its Smooth settings. Toshiba grants the user to get anti-blurring effects of 240Hz without having to engage dejudder at all. Picture adjustments are massive on the SV670U series. The 55SV670U also features a total of six modes, five of which are adjustable picture modes and one is called the “Auto-View,” that adjusts certain parameters (like brightness, contrast etc.) automatically ,by using its own logic, depending upon the amount of ambient lighting and picture content. The other modes are independent as per user input.

Also included in the toshiba bag of goodies are the 31-position gamma slider that permits a great deal of fine-tune settings such as the ability to lock or save your settings; to adjust the red, blue and green filters, which allow you to make small adjustments on the color and tint; and for the first time from Toshiba, a full colour temperature controller ; and the millions of automatic adjustments, including dynamic contrast and the automatic room lighting sensor, which is also manually adjustable.

Leaving the dimming on improves the performance of the back level performance.

The picture and video quality were exceptionally good although there was some blooming in the dark areas. The delivery of the black levels were well above average. The color of the Toshiba’s LED-based LCD display were outstanding; very vivid and distinct. The brightness levels were pretty good too.

The video processing had a film stabilization setting consisting of three modes: off, standard and smooth. the overall video- and film-based de-interlacing were handled very well by toshiba.

One issue to be pointed out was the poor off-angle performance. When we viewed The image, from just one side of the couch to the other side there was a washed look and the image lacked impact.

Nitty-Gritty: The SV670U’s Resolution+ processing, something that toshiba banked on as aide to standard- definition processing did not impress much. Bottom line being that toshiba offers a lot a functionality besides the off angle performance and the slight blooming. It also comes in at a very low cost and tops it all of with a great design. If you ask me, I’d say go for it.