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The growing world of small LCD TVs is drunk—positively smashed, even—on variety. There are models designed for just about any use or space, so know how you’re going to use it makes all the diffeernce when selecting you flattie.
Is the set going to be in the kitchen for watching standard TV? Is it going to be an HDTV set for a small room? Will it be used mainly to watch DVD movies? Do you want to use it as a PC monitor as well? What components and other devices would you like to connect to it?
LG’s KU-17WDVD suits certain applications well but isn’t as appropriate for others. It’s an HDTV-capable, widescreen (15:9, 1280×768), 17-inch LCD TV with a built-in “vacuum” progressive-scan DVD player. LG has done a great job with the concept. The DVD player is easy to use, and the side-loading vacuum sucks the DVD into the player’s clutches with no fuss. The player even features a fancy Faroudja DCDi video processor.
Connections are mostly what you’d expect, with some twists. Below the DVD player on the side are composite A/V and S-Video inputs, as well as a headphone jack. In the back, beneath a cover panel are power, antenna and component video inputs, but then there’s some more boutique-y stuff for a small LCD: DVD video out and optical digital out (for connecting the DVD player to another display, or to connect to an A/V receiver for better sound), as well as PC sound input and 15-pin RGB PC monitor input. Note what isn’t there: no DVI, HDMI or 1394, no CableCARD slot, no photo memory card or USB slots.
To be fair, these aren’t commonly found on small LCDs, but you should note that even though the device is HDTV-capable, it doesn’t feature some connections you’d find on most larger HDTVs. In addition, to receive HDTV, you must acquire a tuner or a set-top box with component outputs from your service provider. There’s a built-in NTSC tuner for regular TV, but no ATSC (HDTV) tuner.
The KU-17WDVD stands out because of its glossy back cabinet (LG calls it “noble black”); almost every LCD out there has a silver cabinet, so the black finish makes the set la little bolder than most LCD TVs. It helps boost contrast as well, although the glossiness of the bezel can produce distracting reflections of other light sources in the room. Even the stand looks deluxe by comparison, and it allows you to adjust the vertical viewing angle of the TV three degrees forward and 12 degrees backward; it also can swivel 30 degrees left or right. An optional wall mount is also available. The handle on the back for toting the set around, however, is awkward and somewhat precarious.
As for picture quality the viewing angles on this set (LG says they are 176 degrees) are excellent by LCD standards; you get the same consistent experience at various angles and distances, except at extremely sharp, close angles, when there is screen-door effect. The display is bright, contrast is good, colors are rich, healthy and true, not obnoxious like on many LCDs I’ve seen. However, when watching DVDs blacks are deep, but often lacked detail. Dark scenes are sometimes indecipherable, but really, that’s par for the course with today’s LCDs. With an HDTV signal, supplied by a Zenith HDTV set-top-box tuner, detail was excellent.
LG claims its Super IPS technology reduces distortion and blurring caused by fast motion video, but it can’t completely overcome LCD’s inherent weakness with action. There was still too much noisy visual information, artifacting and blocky edges during high-action scenes, although to a significantly lesser degree than many LCDs I’ve used. HDTV content looked better on this set than DVD movies did, of course. The Young and the Restless in high definition was a revelation, almost stunningly real. Sports, as usual with LCD, enhanced the technology’s flaws.
The menu system is terrific—graphically attractive, easy to use and relatively intuitive. A selection of audio and video presets are available, or you can drill down for manual adjustments.
Audio is decent, with dual five-watt speakers whose natural tendency seemed to be to produce boxy sound. Some tweaking through the menus made things better, though.
For the person with a tight space to fill, this set’s a contender. -Joe Paone
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