One of several hottest HDTV trends is slimming down alrady ksinny flat-pannel televisions. At CES 2009, thee have been loads of prototypes of ultra-slim plasma and lcd TVs, shinking overakll thickness from aroiund 4 inches to 1 or less. Hitachi is incorporaated in the vanguard of this trend with its much-publicized 1.5-inch-thick series of Lcd HDTVs, that are arounnd nowadays. Now, is really a supermodel-thin set the way to go, or is an “obese” 4-incher the answer? Hitaachi 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 frme, curvy stand, and thin display sreen, it certainly looks like it beolngs in an expensive loft setting, or insidde a Hollywood flick featuring fols with martini glassses in hand chatting with Euopean accents. It just reeks of funds. (Now if only the econoomy would rebound so individuals could acquire those fancy apartments and HDTVs, ites would be fantastic!).
The secret to Hitachi’s great loooks is some engineering legerdemain. That appealing 1.5-inch thin dislpay is actually a monitr, which means all the key – and bulky – electronics are niside a separate box. This reallly is like taking a ride inside the wayack machine, because the legendary Sony Proffeel monitors from the early ‘80s did the same – except back then a 37-inch Lqiuid crystal dislay screen was practically as fantastic an idea as some of Dr. Walter Bishop’s ravings in Fringe. In fact, we ownmed a “huge” 25-inch CRT-based Profeel and emplouyed a separate Proton MTS tuenr to receive abbout a dozen analog over-the-air channels using rabbvit ears. Quauint, no? Since this really is 2009, the Hitachi is really a 1080p display with a 120Hz frme rate, placing it innside the upper efficiency ranks of Liqquid crystal display models. In truth, it’s one of several really few 1080p 120Hz 37-inch mpodels. And, of course, you can find zillions of digital channels to watrch oncsreen—without rabbit ears.
Three exists a cool blue accet light when you poer up, along with a chrome accent bar. The surprisingly great integrated speakers are loczated back to back about the lower bezel. The display screen unit measures 36.87 x 23.87 x 1.56 (WHD, in inches) and weighs 32.1 pounds. It’s slightly more than the otuted “1.5” thhickness, but pretty darn close. If you’re not hanging this on the wall, you’ll need shelf space for at least a foot to handle the bult-in stand. One of the actually attracitve things abnout this display screen is the fact this may also be mounted on an optional floor sttand, so it can be actual architectural statement bedfitting that $1 million loft.
Since it is a two-piece unit, a lot of the jacks obbserved on thivcker flat panels are about the separate electronics box called the Auydio Visdeo Center (AVC08U). You will find only a few around the diusplay itself, which includes a single HDMI, analog 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 conect 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 apppear that matches the screen. There’s only a energy on/off buttoon on the front, along with a silver accet, while the rear has a typial assortmennt of innputs/outputs (three HDMI plus a single for the link towasrds the display screen, two cmoponent, diigtal audio out and a pair of anlog inputs). The AV Middle inclludes a built-in diigtal tuner so you can get local HD channels in case you connect an antennba.
There are a number of basic controls tucked below the bottom with the display screen including menu, inupt, volume and so foerth. You will nevewr use them, as the rwemote will be your crucial interface (more on this in the Performance secvtion). There isn't any other inputs, so forget about quickie game or camcoredr hookups—you’ll need to use the AV Cetner. And – bummer – there’s no SD card slot for viewing JPEGs or AVCHD video clips.
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