TESTED: VIZIO VO42LF LCD HDTV

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

Shadow Detail

The final chaotic shootout scenes have ninja-like gangsters hiding in a barn's rafters. With moderate backlighting, the VIZIO does a good job of revealing subtle dark details. 

Artifacts/Noise

None noted.

Broadcast HDTV Evaluation: Treasure Hunter: Kirsten Gum (Travel Channel)

Detail

Extreme close-ups of obsidian (jet-black volcanic glass) samples that the host and her guest are prospecting for are crisp and detailed. 

Color

Some of those same close-ups reveal rainbow-like details in the dark glass under bright sunlight. The default color setting is simply way too high, and turning it down makes a tremendous improvement.

Blacks

More close-ups of obsidian samples show rich black details.

Shadow Detail

On another expedition with underwater diving (always a tough test), the VIZIO does a good job of showing murky depths, and without banding or gradation artifacts.

Artifacts/Noise

None noted.

BOTTOM LINE:            

When building to meet a highly competitive price point, too often the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater. Here VIZIO has made mostly sensible engineering decisions, eschewing frilly features, but keeping the basics intact. The generous input complement will appeal to those with an extensive range of source components, including older analog legacy sources such as a camcorder or VCR, and both digital and analog audio outputs are yet another plus. 

At its highest backlight setting, the VIZIO is ridiculously bright, but the backlighting adjustment range is quite broad, and when dialed way down, the set's blacks and dark gray qualities improve tremendously. Same goes for the color control; the midrange default is way over the top, but it too can be dialed down for just the right amount of color intensity. Overall, the VIZIO is a good performer at a competitive (for now) price.

SPECS & PRICING

Vizio VO42LF LCD HDTV

Screen size: 42” diagonal

Pixel resolution: 1920 x 1080

1:1 Mode: Yes

Video inputs: 4 HDMI, 2 component, 1 S-video, 1 composite (or 2 composite if S-video isn’t used), 1 RGB PC, 1 ATSC/NTSC/ClearQAM RF

Other connections: 3 stereo audio inputs, 1 PC audio input, 1 optical digital output, 1 stereo audio output, 1 USB port (for service only)

Dimensions (W x H x D): 40.4” x 27.6” x 9.6” (w/stand)

Weight: 44.6 lb.

Warranty: 1 year parts & labor

Price: $830

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