TESTED: VIZIO VO42LF LCD HDTV

Value: A 42”, 1080p LCD HDTV Under a Grand

User Interface

On Screen Display

A combination of light blue and dark blue graphic and text elements, along with a dash of orange (Vizio’s corporate color) makes the OSD easy to decipher, with three sub-menu choices (Picture, Sound, Setup). The slider bar adjustment indicators feature numerical readouts as well (always a good thing), and adjustment controls don’t “run and hide” after a few seconds as is often the case, making tuning easier when using test patterns from a pokey disc player.

Remote Control

Clear white labels on soft black rubber buttons is a plus, and there are semi-direct source selectors per input type (HDMI, Component, A/V, plus the set’s internal tuner). There is backlighting, but only for the cursor keypad, but any backlighting is better than none. The remote only operates the Vizio however; there’s no provision for control of cable or satellite boxes, etc.

RECOMMENDED SETTINGS

• Color: 35
  
• Tint: 0
  
• Sharpness: 3
  
• Picture Mode: Movie
  
• HD size (pixel-to-pixel): Wide
  
• Color Temperature: Normal
  
• Backlight: 10-20 should be fine

PERFORMANCE

Blu-ray Evaluation: Pineapple Express

Detail

The disc's menu features crisp elements that highlight the set's 1080p native pixel-for-pixel mode (curiously named Wide). 

Color

This movies color is definitely turned up to 11, but in the Movie mode with the Color turn down, skin tones are realistic and not cartoonish.

Blacks

A great (if totally unrealistic) cop car chase scene has black and white police cruisers chasing two stoners in another cop car, and the VIZIO does a good job of showing deep blacks (but the backlighting must be turned way down for best results).