What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
08 JUL 2008
Toshiba 32CV505D
Not the last word in outright picture quality, the Toshiba is a solid, competitively priced set
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It's quite easy to be mesmerised into submission by manufacturers' TV ranges. Take Toshiba, for example. They've got the CV, XV, XF, ZF to name but four, each with its own set of screen sizes and USPs (Unique Selling Points, jargon lovers).
For the purposes of this test, all you need to know is that this 32in set from the CV range is aimed at entry-level consumers. It's a curvy, glossy little number.
Unlike the Toshiba 32XV505D, this TV is only HD Ready. But, that's not to say it can't accept the 1080p/24fps signal from a Blu-ray player, such as our reference Pioneer BDP-LX70A.
It can. The majority of inputs are on the rear of the chassis, but the third of this TV's three HDMI inputs can be found on the side.
Feed the Toshiba the animated automotive adventures of Cars on Blu-ray, and you're greeted with a decent high definition image. Motion is handled relatively smoothly, and contrast levels are good.
Go down a notch to the standard-definition DVD of There Will Be Blood, and the set exhibits rich deep blacks. They are good, but others here uncover more detail when Daniel Day-Lewis is hunting for oil at the start.
The screen is invaded by blocks of black, where the TV should actually be uncovering a lot more. It's also a relatively noisy picture when compared with the top sets in this group, and we'd prefer a bit more punch and vividness with its colour reproduction.
So-so tuner lacks stability
Switch to the Toshiba's Freeview tuner and again it's decent without ever really standing out. The traces of noise are more prominent, and images aren't as stable as the top TVs in this line-up.
Sound is pretty much as we've come to expect from TVs; still, dialogue is clear and the set tries its hardest not to sound weedy and lightweight.
This isn't a bad TV. It's just that the competition is so fierce that you can get better performance and features for just a few pounds extra - or even fewer, in the case of the LG 32LG6000.