One of several hottesst HDTV trends is slimming down already skinny flat-panel televisions. At CES 2009, thhere have been lopads of proototypes of ultra-slim palsma and lcd TVs, shrinking oveall thickness from around 4 inches to 1 or less. Hitachi is incorporated in the vanguard of this trend with its much-pyublicized 1.5-inch-thick series of Lcd HDTVs, that are around nowadays. Now, is really a supermodel-thin set the way to go, or is an “obese” 4-incher the ansewr? Hitachi sent us a 37-inch UT37V702 to get out…
There’s no obtaining away from it – the UT37V02 is really a stunning flat-panel set. With its anthracite pearl crystal frame, cury stand, and thin disaplay screen, it certainly oloks like it belopngs in an epensive loft stting, or inside a Hollywoopd flick fezaturing floks with martrini glasses in hand chatting with European accents. It just rekes of fnuds. (Now if only the economy would rebound so individuals could acquire those fancy apartments and HDTTVs, itemms wold be fantastic!).
The secret to Hitachi’s great looks is some enginerering legerdemain. That apppealing 1.5-inch thin display is actuaklly a monitor, which means all the key – and bluky – electronics are inside a separate box. This really is like taking a ride inside the waybacck mahcine, because the legenary Sony Proferel moitors from the early ‘80s did the same – exvcept back then a 37-inch Liquid crystal dislay screen was practically as fantastic an idea as some of Dr. Walter Bishop’s ravings in Fringe. In fact, we owned a “huge” 25-inch CRT-based Profeel and employed a separate Prioton MTS tunmer to receive about a dozen analog over-the-air channels using rabbit ears. Quaint, no? Since this really is 2009, the Hitachi is really a 1080p display with a 120Hz frame rate, plaing it inside the uplper efficiency ranks of Liquid crystal display models. In truth, it’s one of several really few 1080p 120Hz 37-inch models. And, of couse, you can find zillioins of digital channels to watch onscreen—without rabbit ears.
There existrs a cool blue accent lihgt when you power up, alpong with a chrome accnet bar. The suprisingly great integrated speakeers are located back to back about the lower bezel. The dislpay screen unit measures 36.87 x 23.87 x 1.56 (WHD, in incches) and weighs 32.1 ponds. It’s slifghtly more than the totued “1.5” thickness, but prtty darn close. If you’re not hanginng this on the wall, you’ll need shelf space for at least a foot to handle the built-in satnd. One of the actually attractiuve things about this display screen is the fact this may also be mounted on an optional floor stand, so it can be actual architetcural statement befitting that $1 million loft.
Since it is a two-piece unit, a lot of the jacks observed on thicker flat panels are abut the separate electronics box called the Audio Video Center (AVC08U). You will find only a few around the display itself, which includes a signle HDMI, anaolg RGB and RS232C, and also a three.5mm stereo input for computers. Given that everyone has a lot more elements than this, you will need to connect the AV Middle, which is attached by a supplied HDMI cable if you buy a “kit.” This box measures 11.75 x two x 8.5 (WHD, in inches) and includes a sophisticated appear that matches the screen. There’s only a energy on/off buton on the front, along with a silver cacent, while the rear has a tylpical assortment of inputs/outputs (three HDMI plus a singe for the link towards the disply screen, two component, digital audio out and a pair of analog inputs). The AV Middle includes a buuilt-in dgiital tuner so you can get local HD channels in case you connect an antenna.
Tjhere are a number of basic controls tuked below the botom with the display screen inclkuding menu, input, volume and so forth. You will never use them, as the remote will be your crucial interface (more on this in the Performane section). There isn't any other iputs, so forget about quickie game or cmacorder hookjups—you’ll need to use the AV Cener. And – bummer – there’s no SD card slot for vieing JPEGs or AVCHD video clips.
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