Group test: 37in LCD

Is it just me or does it seem like only yesterday that we were all totally unable to consider buying a TV bigger than 32in across? Those hulking old 32in CRT models just seemed to dominate so much of your room - and cost such an extraordinary amount of money, now I come to think of it - that getting anything larger was the exclusive remit of the filthy rich with living rooms as large as their bank accounts. Today, though, 37in is apparently our TV size of choice - as in, the mainstream size most people are buying, not the mega size most people would own in a perfect world. So never one to miss a bandwagon, let's give you people what you want and get stuck into no less than four new 37in LCD models. Overview Price: £900 More info: JVC Size: 919(w) x 652(h) x 230(d)mm Weight (inc stand): 19.4kg Native aspect ratio: 16:9 Claimed max contrast ratio: 1000:1 Claimed max brightness: 500cd/m2 Connections: Two HDMI inputs, two Scarts (both RGB), component video input, composite video input, Digital audio output, headphone jack, stereo audio inputs, CAM slot, RF input, RS-232 JVC LT-37DG82LMD70 At just £900, the 37DG8 is exceptionally cheap by JVC's usually quite premium standards. But its design gives no hint of its affordability. The unusually svelte black bezel and neatly angular speaker bar along the bottom edge all help build a likeable 'retro chic' image. The set's specifications are rather more bog-standard, though. The screen's native resolution is 1366x768 rather than a 'full HD' 1920x1080, and the claimed native contrast ratio of 1000:1 is nothing to write home about. It also lacks a D-Sub PC connection. Darn. Though you do at least get twin HDMIs, two Scarts, and a component video input. Note though, that the HDMIs do not take 1080p HD feeds; 1080i is as high as you can go. An understandably limited list of features is dominated by the appearance of JVC's DynaPix image processing. However, closer examination reveals that this is DynaPix Plus, a stripped down version of the full DynaPix HD system that's delivered such likeable results in recent times. Compared with DynaPix HD, DynaPix Plus has less processing power, and fewer contrast management facilities. This doesn't stop it from delivering some occasionally great picture quality, though. Fine detail levels are especially outstanding, helping high definition pictures look so sharp it's hard to believe this isn't a full HD TV. Even standard definition pictures survive the journey up to 37in better than is common. Contributing to this general sense of sharpness, too, is motion that suffers surprisingly little (given this TV's price) with LCD technology's blurring problems. Colours during bright scenes are another highlight, blazing off the screen in such a way as to give pictures a remarkable sense of solidity. The 37DG8 does have one telling flaw in its make-up though, and it's a depressingly common one: average black levels. Dark scenes appear behind a sort of grey filter, and as a result can feel flat and oddly coloured. Verdict Plus points Attractive price, nice looks, good audio, rich colour response Minus points Black level issues, colour tones slide occasionally

Overview Price: £800 More info: LG Size (no stand): 927(w) x 630(h) x 88(d)mm Weight (inc stand): 16kg Native aspect ratio: 16:9 Claimed max contrast ratio: 5000:1 Claimed max brightness: 500cd/m2 Connections: Two HDMI inputs (PC and video), two Scarts (1 RGB), component video input, composite video input, S-Video input, D-Sub PC input, stereo audio output, headphone jack, stereo audio inputs, CAM slot, RF input, digital audio output, service port LG 37LF66 If you thought JVC's 37DG8 was cheap, then check out the £800 figure on the LG 37LF66's price tag. Attractive, isn't it? Especially when that price gets you a very chic gloss-black design and, amazingly, a full HD pixel count of 1920x1080. Blimey! It's got plenty of other tricks up its sleeve, too. For instance, connections include two HDMIs, a component video input, and two Scarts, with the HDMIs able to take 1080p feeds from HD DVD/Blu-ray players. Next up is the TV's XD Engine picture processing, a proprietary LG system designed to improve colours, black levels (an impressive 5000:1 contrast ratio is claimed), sharpness and motion handling. What's more, XD Engine is joined by Faroudja's DCDi processing for making contoured edges less jagged. So far, it's fair to say the 37LF66 is currently registering off the scale on our value meter. So it's a mighty shame it falls at the final, most important hurdle: picture quality. As with the JVC model, the main problem is an inadequate black level response. Once again, dark scenes lose their depth and credibility thanks to the appearance of a grey pall over everything, and dark colours tend to look a bit off key. The 37LF66 is also found rather wanting with standard definition sources, leaving them looking rather noisy and fuzzy. Where it definitely succeeds though, is with colours during bright scenes, which are if quite possibly the most aggressively vibrant we've ever seen. Its HD sharpness is exemplary too, as its 1920x1080 resolution is put to great use in showing HD's extras clarity and texturing in all its lovely glory. Overall, though, a picture that's great during bright scenes but very average during dark ones does not add up to a consistently impressive effort overall.

Verdict Plus points Great price, good looks, full HD pixel count, plenty of features, very rich colours Minus points Black level issues, colour tone issues, standard def performance not great

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