Mar 25 Podcast #471: Hannspree 42 inch 120Hz LCD HDTV
Back when we started this podcast (six years ago on Thursday) we never dreamt of being able to purchase a 42 inch LCD for around $460. And if you could would it be any good? Today that dream has come true with the Hannspree ST42DMSB 42 inch 120Hz LCD HDTV. As you would expect with a 42 inch TV at this price point there aren’t a ton of bells and whistles. What you get is a solid basic HDTV that can be used in your main or secondary room without breaking the bank.
Amazon Prime is a great way to save money and support the show.
Listen to the show
Today's Show:
Blu-ray Reviews:
News:
- Mitsubishi Downsizes TV Ops, Drops LCD
- Boxee 1.05 bringing 'huge browser update' by end of March
- Netflix streaming loses current Showtime shows
- TWCable iPad app upsets TV networks
- Sony Pictures eyes cheaper film downloads
Other:
- On Blu-ray 3/29
- www.visorwiper.com: A new product to help motorcycle riders ride in the rain.
Hannspree 42 inch 120Hz LCD HDTV
Price: $459.99
Back when we started this podcast (six years ago on Thursday) we never dreamt of being able to purchase a 42 inch LCD for around $460. And if you could would it be any good? Today that dream has come true with the Hannspree ST42DMSB 42 inch 120Hz LCD HDTV. As you would expect with a 42 inch TV at this price point there aren’t a ton of bells and whistles. What you get is a solid basic HDTV that can be used in your main or secondary room without breaking the bank.
Features:
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Contrast Ratio: 15,000:1 (X-Contrast)
- Four HDMI inputs
- Brightness: 470cd/m²
- Response Time: 4.5ms
- Viewing Angle (H/V): 176° x 176°
- USB 2.0 Flash Drive Input (Photos & Music only)
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 31.1” x 22.6” x 7.8” (with stand)
- Weight: 44.1 lbs
As you can see there really aren’t any special features that this HDTV has. There isn’t any Internet Apps, Netflix, 3D, and so on. What you get is a solidly built television for $460.
Setup:
Connecting three cables to the TV is all it took to bring it to life. One HDMI from the receiver, one coax cable to connect the antenna and power. Done in less than two minutes! The next thing was to scan digital channels and we were good to go. One small issue we noticed was that moving around in the menus was kind of a pain. Either the remote wasn’t sending out a good IR signal of the TV wasn’t receiving the signal well. But that was only an issue during setup.
We adjusted the TV settings and will add the values to the end of this review and post them to our television settings section of our website. We encourage you to add your TV settings as well. Please use these only as starting points. Your results will vary.
Performance:
We didn’t have high expectations for a low cost HDTV from a relatively unheard of brand so we were pleasantly surprised at how well it performed. The TV excelled were you would expect it to, bright high definition content. Colors looked good with natural looking skin tones. This was true with Satellite, OTA, and Blu-ray. Dark scenes were decent and you don’t lose too much detail in the shadows. The black levels are good but not quite up to par with the LED LCDs or Plasmas. Also, we found off angle viewing to be adequate with some color fade as you move off center. But all in all, a good performer, especially at the everyday price of $460!
There are two minor issues that we saw. First, even though the TV is 120Hz we saw a little ghosting while playing some single person shooter games on the Xbox 360. Second, we found the speakers a bit lacking in tonal quality. But to be honest, speakers on just about all TVs aren’t that good. For bedroom viewing they’ll be fine. If this is your main room TV you’ll want to route the audio through a receiver or sound bar.
We don’t have much information on reliability so only time will tell if the unit will hold up. If the retailer sells an extended warranty it may be something you might want to consider for piece of mind.
Conclusion:
If you are looking for a larger format TV and want to spend less than $500 the Hannspree 42 in HDTV should be on your short list! It doesn’t have a ton of bells and whistles but it does produce a great High Definition picture!
TV Settings:
Picture Mode: User
Brightness: 45
Contrast: 24
Sharpness: 33
Color: 45
Tint: 0
Color Temp: Standard
Back Light: 3
Digital NR: Off
Reader Comments (4)
I have heeded your advice with all my purchases for tv/video. Last week I walked into SAM's & found they were getting rid of some of their displays. I needed a TV for the bedroom. Largest it could be was 42 inches. They had a 37 inch Vizio for $259. The only drawback was that it came without a box. Which is actually a benefit since I don't have to recycle the box nor advertise to the neighbor "Hey I got a new TV!". It has 720p/1080i picture format. It works great for the bedroom. It replaced a 20 inch tube (which is now with the exercise equipment room)
I have Comcast out here in Michigan. I have cut back, using only the digital box they provided for their low end customers, so they don't provide me with anything better than 420p.
Your mantra should be "Don"t overspend unless its for you Home Theater system."
If you're looking for a Blu-ray player that turns on and loads quickly, go with an LG! For the past two product cycles, LG has been putting out some of the fastest players.
Great flashback on the first show. I loved the fact that a 50" plasma was $4500 and you guys thought it was a great deal.
Just placed an order for the Hannspree based on your review. This will be my first HD TV, can't wait! I've been debating what to get for the longest time, your positive review and the low cost made this an easy decision. Thanks!