I’m obsessed with broadcast delays (no, I’m not much fun at parties).

It all stems from Euro 2020, when my insistence on watching every match in 4K via BBC iPlayer resulted in several goals being spoiled by cheers from my neighbours and the revellers at a pub down the road.

Since then, I've prioritised low latency over outright picture quality when choosing how to watch major sporting events.

But I'd never actually tested the accepted wisdom around broadcast delays. So, with Sky launching its new Real Time feature for Sky Glass and Sky Stream, I decided it was time to find out which viewing method is actually fastest.

So, there I was, on a sweaty Thursday evening, setting up a second TV in my living room so that I could compare different broadcast options during the Czechia v South Africa match.

I needed to remove as many variables as possible, of course, so my two TVs needed to be identical. I therefore borrowed a 65-inch Sony Bravia 8 II OLED to match the one currently in situ in my lounge.

After ensuring that both TVs were running the same software and had the same picture settings, I plugged my now rarely used aerial into the ‘new’ TV (the one on the right in all of the photos sprinkled throughout this piece) and set about comparing that with the alternatives at my disposal.

This is what I discovered.

Freeview (aerial) vs BBC iPlayer

Before I get started, it’s worth noting that everything is delayed.

It simply takes time for anything that's filmed live to make it through all of the broadcast equipment, be encoded and transmitted, travel to and from satellites in space or through underground fibre-optic cables, and finally be decoded and displayed by your TV.

It’s commonly accepted, though, that watching the signals received by your aerial via a Freeview tuner is the least delayed option available. The BBC itself says that it takes 7-8 seconds for something happening live to reach your TV via this method.

So, how much slower was iPlayer than the TV playing Freeview? A hefty 23 seconds. That’s plenty of time for a goal to be spoiled by cheers from the neighbours.

Interestingly, I found no meaningful difference between BBC iPlayer's HD and UHD streams. If you're watching via iPlayer anyway, choosing the 4K feed doesn't appear to add any extra delay.

I also tested the iPlayer app on several devices – the Bravia 8 II itself, a Sky Stream box, and an Apple TV 4K – and the result was always 23 seconds, there or thereabouts.

It’s worth remembering that BBC iPlayer is the only way to watch the World Cup in 4K, and the feeds look terrific, but when immediacy matters, such as when England are playing, foregoing pixels for promptness is the sensible way to go.

Sky Stream/Glass

Time for Sky Stream, and the good news is that this was indeed quicker than BBC iPlayer. The bad news? It was still around 18 seconds behind Freeview.

That’s better, of course, but still more than enough time for a goal to be spoiled.

But, as I mentioned earlier, Sky has a special feature up its sleeve for dealing with this…

Sky Real Time

That feature is Real Time, which is designed to massively reduce the amount of lag experienced during big sporting events.

Sky has rolled Real Time out just in time for the World Cup, and it’s available on the BBC HD, ITV1 HD and ITV4 HD.

It’s worth noting that it’s not turned on by default. Once you tune in to one of the channels mentioned above during a World Cup match, you then need to click the ‘Real Time’ button that appears on the screen. Do that, and you’ll be switched to a special ‘RT’ version of the channel.

So, how much faster is Real Time? A whopping 13 seconds faster than standard Sky Stream, which makes it just five seconds slower than the Freeview tuner.

That’s close enough, I think, to rarely be an issue.

Conclusions, caveats and Sky Q

You’ve probably spotted that there’s a significant absentee from my testing, Sky Q, and there’s an easy explanation for that – I no longer have a satellite dish.

However, Sky has previously told me that Real Time brings Sky Stream/Glass to within three seconds of Sky Q, and the results of my testing certainly suggest that's plausible.

It’s also worth noting that there are plenty of variables that mean your results might vary slightly from mine. Aerial connections and Freeview tuners are remarkably consistent, but network conditions are not. Broadband speeds, router performance, wi-fi quality and even the streaming device itself can all affect how quickly a live stream reaches your screen.

Still, if you want to see how all of these various viewing methods compared, delay-wise, for me, here’s a little graph I whipped up:

Broadcast / reception delay

Here's how long, in seconds, it takes each broadcast type to show you a goal that's just been scored

Delay

Live

0

Freeview (aerial)

8

Sky Q (satellite)

10

Sky Glass/Stream with Real Time

13

Sky Glass/Stream without Real Time

26

BBC iPlayer

31

010203040

Delay Data

Product	Value
Live	0
Freeview (aerial)	8
Sky Q (satellite)	10
Sky Glass/Stream with Real Time	13
Sky Glass/Stream without Real Time	26
BBC iPlayer	31

This is according to my testing – bear in mind that your mileage may vary.

So, is Sky Real Time the saviour of sports fans tired of hearing celebrations before they see the goal?

Not quite. My tests suggest that a good old-fashioned aerial is still the quickest way to watch live TV, and Sky Q via satellite probably remains a touch faster too.

But Sky's new mode narrows the gap dramatically. Instead of lagging tens of seconds behind the live action, Sky Stream and Sky Glass are now close enough to traditional broadcast TV that, in most homes, they're unlikely to be the reason a goal gets spoiled.

For years, choosing streaming TV meant accepting that everyone else would see the goal first. Thanks to Real Time, that trade-off is finally starting to disappear.

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Hands up if at least one of England's Euro 2020 goals was spoiled by the roar from a neighbour's house or the pub down the road?

If you, like me, have your hand up – and you're a Sky customer – you're going to love this upgrade that is rolling out to Sky Glass and Sky Stream.

That upgrade is 'Real Time', and it's designed to reduce latency when watching sport on Sky Glass/Stream – just in time for the World Cup.

Sky Glass and Stream have a fair amount of delay when compared with Sky Q and Freeview via the aerial – about 35-40 seconds against Sky Q's 10-15 seconds and Freeview's 8-10 seconds – but Sky tells me that Real Time reduces this by 22 seconds, and that this makes it "just 3 seconds behind Sky Q".

That means that the delay on Sky Stream should be down to around 13-18 seconds, which should be close enough to significantly reduce the chance of hearing about a goal before you see it.

Here's a graph showing the different delays of the various broadcast/reception methods, because I like that sort of thing:

Broadcast / reception delay

Here's how long, in seconds, it takes each broadcast type to show you a goal that's just been scored

Delay

Live

0

Freeview (aerial)

8

Sky Q (satellite)

10

Sky Glass/Stream with Real Time

13

Sky Glass/Stream without Real Time

35

BBC iPlayer

40

010203040

seconds

Delay Data

Product	Value
Live	0
Freeview (aerial)	8
Sky Q (satellite)	10
Sky Glass/Stream with Real Time	13
Sky Glass/Stream without Real Time	35
BBC iPlayer	40

Sky's new Real Time feature brings Sky Glass and Sky Stream within touching distance of watching via your TV's aerial

Sky Glass and Stream have actually had a low-latency feature for a while, but only for the Sky Sports Main Event channel.

That's no good for the World Cup, though, because all World Cup matches are broadcast in the UK by the BBC and ITV.

That's where Real Time comes in: it works on the BBC HD, ITV1 HD and ITV4 HD channels. And while Sky's press release mentions a somewhat vague "select live sports", a representative confirmed to me that all World Cup 2026 matches will be available with Real Time.

It's worth noting that Real Time won't be activated by default. Instead, once you tune in to the channel showing your match, a Real Time button will pop up. Select that, and the latency should immediately drop.

Another thing to note is that Real Time only works on the HD channels mentioned above. If you want to watch the World Cup in 4K, you will have to do so via BBC iPlayer, but you will have to accept around 40 seconds of delay in that case: the Beeb has been working on low-latency streaming for a while now, but it's seemingly not ready for wholesale rollout.

As always, actual delays can vary depending on factors such as broadband performance and how content is being delivered, but cutting more than 20 seconds from Glass and Stream's latency is a genuinely meaningful improvement.

For football fans, especially during a World Cup summer, it could make spoiled goals a thing of the past. That's a big win in my book.

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If you watch TV through a Freeview aerial or a Freesat satellite dish, you might want to prick up your ears. There are reports that the UK government is in the process of drawing up plans to phase out the TV services.

That’s according to The Telegraph via Cord Busters, who say that a green paper (a document that sets out proposals for discussion before any final decisions are made) has been signed off by both the Culture Secretary and Technology Secretary.

Freeview provides access to the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and more than 70 other live channels through your TV aerial. Freesat does a similar job, but broadcasts are delivered via satellite. Neither requires a wi-fi connection to work.

You have to pay for the installation of a satellite dish if you don’t have one, but if you own a TV that already has Freesat or Freeview built in, then the service doesn’t cost extra. There is also the option to buy a set-top box to add to your system.

So why might the affordable services be meeting their demise? There is no official answer, but it’s clear that companies have been moving towards streaming increasingly over the years.

There is also a platform ready and waiting to take over the live TV duties: Freely. It delivers live TV channels and catch-up content for free through your broadband connection, giving you access to BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 and plenty of other channels. This is good news if you don’t want the faff of installing the extra kit, but it does raise a rather troubling question.

Removing access to free live TV for those without a wi-fi connection means that many households could be left isolated. After all, five per cent of the UK population over the age of 16 does not have home internet access, with many citing affordability as a concern, according to a report from Ofcom.

Under current legislation, traditional TV broadcasting is set to continue until at least 2034. And Cord Busters reports that some conditions must be met before Freesat and Freeview can be ditched, including “superfast broadband is available across the entire UK at affordable prices” as well as providing a subsidy for households that cannot afford it.

We have reached out to Freely for comment, and will update this page with their response. Let’s hope that this possible new legislation keeps live TV affordable and accessible for households across the UK.

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British manufacturer Manhattan TV has announced the Aero 4K TV, and it's swapping aerial-based Freeview for a more modern live TV solution.

As the name suggests, it will allow users to watch content from their favourite services in 4K, and the company has confirmed that it also supports HDR10, HLG and HDR10+. Dolby Vision is, unfortunately, not supported, but Dolby Atmos passthrough thankfully is.

The Aero 4K's main draw is that it supports Freely, which lets you stream over 60 live TV channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 over wi-fi.

While Freely is already supported on TVs from a handful of manufacturers, including Panasonic and Hisense, Manhattan cites research from YouGov, which claims that "over 70% of Samsung and LG users want Freely on their next TV" (from a sample size of 2,149 participants)

The Aero 4K hopes to step in, allowing users to access the internet broadcasting service without having to fully replace their TV.

Furthermore, the TiVo operating system allows users to access a wide range of international streaming apps, including Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video.

On top of that, TiVo is offering its own internet streaming channels via TiVo+, which features over 400 streaming channels and a selection of on-demand shows and movies, all of which are free to watch.

All of this can be navigated using TiVo's voice control system (as well as the included remote), and Manhattan claims that the Aero 4K is "simple to set up and easy to use".

It's rare to see a streamer offer users a free content library this extensive, and this is where Manhattan likely hopes to edge out competitors such as the Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation) and the aforementioned Apple TV 4K.

The Aero 4K undercuts both of those options when it comes to pricing, too. It's set to launch at a wide number of UK retailers in February for £69.99.

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The Premier League returns tonight, and if you're looking for a new TV on which to enjoy it, we've got a great deal for you. The 42-inch Philips 808 OLED TV is reduced by £200, to just £799 at Richer Sounds.

That's a whopping £700 cheaper than its launch price of £1499, making it almost half price.

Best Philips OLED808 deal

We haven't tested this 42-inch model, but the 55OLED808 earned a perfect five out of five. Which was a relief – because of rights issues between Google TV and Freeview Play, the TV was delayed, and wasn't released until October. Sadly the issue was never resolved, and so the TV lacks the usual UK terrestrial catch-up apps (BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITVX and My5). That's easily rectified by adding a streamer like the Google TV Streamer or Amazon Fire TV Stick, but still, it's annoying having to switch devices and having to shell out extra.

That's the bad news out of the way, now on with the good. The OLED808 is a barnstormer of a TV. It has plenty of gaming features like 4K@120Hz, VRR, ALLM and Nvidia G-Sync, though only two HDMI 2.1 ports (one of which is used for a soundbar's eARC functionality) means gamers with a sound system and multiple consoles will have to do some port switching.

This is Philips' first 42-inch OLED TV, and it uses the Next Gen Ambilight system introduced in 2022 – this is brighter and capable of recreating more hues. The picture on the 55-inch model we tested is very sharp indeed, with exceptional levels of detail. 

We can't comment on the 42-incher's picture quality as we haven't reviewed it. But generally speaking, smaller TVs aren't as bright as their larger incarnations, so we would expect this one to be a bit dimmer than the 55-incher that graced our test rooms. But because of the smaller screen, they tend to be a bit sharper. If that's true, you're in for a treat.

And with this discount, you can splash out on some snacks to enjoy in front of the first game of the season.

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Everyone TV has announced that Freely TV is coming to more TV brands, including Panasonic.

Freely launched in April 2024 exclusively to Hisense TVs. It then came to Bush models in May, with the service available on the brand’s 2024 4K smart TVs. Now Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp, and Metz TVs will also be getting in on the action.  

For those who don’t know, Freely is a new and free streaming service that allows users to watch live TV channels and access on-demand content on smart TVs without needing an aerial. It was developed by Everyone TV, a joint venture between BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 and only requires an internet connection to access. Freely also offers a few significant upgrades from Freeview Play, the current iteration of free terrestrial TV in the UK. 

Some of the latest additions to the Freely roster include Panasonic’s new line-up of 4K OLED, QLED, and LED TVs. We have reached out for more information on the specific models that will come with support for Freely. There’s also Sharp’s new range of smart TVs, including the GK4 4K and GM6 4K QLED models. Toshiba and Metz are also releasing new models featuring Fleely TV, including some QLED+ models from Metz which will range from 43 to 65 inches in screen size.

We got to try Freely TV out back in April and were impressed with how much of an upgrade from Freeview Play it appears to be. User interfaces and navigational tools are much more streamlined and in line with what you would expect from a full subscription service like Sky or Virgin.

The main goal of Freely is to make free TV more accessible to everyone across the UK. Over four million homes in the country don’t have a TV aerial, meaning watching Freeview is currently impossible for those viewers. Using Freely doesn’t mean you’ll have to ditch your aerial, however, as it can be used to scan channels and assist in the set-up process. 

Freely offers a few functions which are ‘firsts’ for a free TV service. This includes the ability to ‘pause’ and ‘restart’ live content on certain channels. Users will have a 15-minute pause buffer, which should be plenty of time for a quick pit stop. There won’t be any options for ‘rewinding’ or ‘fast-forwarding’ shows yet, however, these functions could be added later as Freely TV is upgradable, unlike the various iterations of Freeview we've seen over the years. 

The network download speed recommended to use Freely smoothly was quoted as low as just 10Mbps, meaning Freely should be a breeze for almost anyone in the UK with an internet connection to access. In April 2023, Ofcom reported the average download speed in the UK at around 70Mbps, for reference. 

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Hisense has unveiled its 2024 TV, laser TV and projector range for the UK, with everything from Mini LED to ultra-short throw units included. While we saw an early hint towards what this lineup would include at Hisense's CES briefing, this is the confirmed list of models launching here in the UK.

The big news this year is that Hisense is the first TV brand to include the new Freely live television service built into its TVs. This will allow users to stream live TV and on-demand catch-up services without the need for an aerial, with BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 all backing the service with their respective channels and services. Users will be able to switch between live TV and on-demand streaming with either of the new MiniGuide and TV Guide features. 

With screen sizes ranging from 50- to 100-inches across the Mini LED range, Hisense is touting its partnership with the UEFA Euro 2024 football championship as the driving force behind its upgraded sports and gaming performance modes. The inclusion of 144Hz refresh rate panels – an increasingly common occurrence on 2024 TV models – makes for smoother motion when watching sports content, and enhanced responsiveness when gaming on a latest generation console or PC. 

Hisense has also expanded its range of projectors, with the Award-winning PL1 featuring alongside the returning L9, the new all-in-one projector box C1 (which we awarded four stars), and the PX2-Pro. It's still unifying these products under the Laser TV banner, although the C1 is a more traditional long throw unit, while the others are ultra-short throw projectors. Each has the VIDAA streaming platform built-in and support for 4K HDR streaming, making them solid alternatives to TVs if you want to stretch past the 100-inch picture size. 

What's new?

The first TVs to include Freely

Freely is (rightfully) earning a lot of buzz currently, as it is set to revolutionise how we watch live TV in the UK. It will supposedly unify the live channels and on demand catch-up apps into one convenient place, and better yet it'll do so over the internet. 

That means you won't need an aerial to watch BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 content live, and you'll be able to pause, rewind and restart too, thanks to the integration with catch-up streaming apps built in. 

As the name suggests, this will be a free service, and it will serve as the next evolutionary step for Freeview TV. It's also exclusively coming to Hisense TVs (for now at least), meaning these 2024 sets will be the only way to access the service until it makes its way to other devices later down the line. 

Support for all of the HDR formats

Hisense continues its streak of not committing itself to select HDR formats. It's common to see TV manufacturers exclusively use one of the latest dynamic HDR formats; for example, LG and Sony stick with Dolby Vision, whereas Samsung opts for HDR10+. Hisense, on the other hand, isn't interested in backing a particular horse in this race – instead, it aims to support all formats.

It calls this the "Total HDR Solution", as its 2024 TVs support HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG and even the IMAX Enhanced picture mode. This is excellent news for those who regularly watch content from streaming services that predominantly use Dolby Vision (such as Disney Plus and Netflix) and HDR10+ (Amazon Prime Video).

Hisense 2024 Mini LED and QLED TVs

Hisense U8N

Kicking things off with the Hisense U8N, the successor to the flaghship U8K from yesteryear and the highest spec model in its 2024 TV range. This 4K Mini LED TV serves as the cream of Hisense's ULED range crop, with a raft of picture upgrades over the outgoing model. Available in either 65- or 75-inches, the U8N utilises Hisense's Hi-View Engine Pro system with real-time frame-level analysis to optimise for the "ultimate visual journey" – according to Hisense at least. 

Hisense has also taken a leaf from Samsung's book with its glare-reducing Low-Reflection Screen feature which makes viewing in well-lit environments less hassle. This is backed by a Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro system which adjusts contrast and brightness levels based on your viewing environment, which Hisense claims will guarantee "lifelike HDR performance". 

The U8N features full array local dimming for both sizes, with a whopping 1600 zones on the 65-inch model, and over 2000 zones on the 75-inch variant, Hisense promises a new level of detail, colour and black depths. It should be a popular choice for gamers too, with up to 144Hz VRR on supported PCs or 4K/120Hz on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PS5.

HDR support is also a key strength here, with Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG – Hisense calls this the "Total HDR Solution". This TV also supports the IMAX Enhanced picture mode for content on streaming services that support the expanded aspect ratio.

As far as sound is concerned, the U8N comes with a new 2.1.2 multichannel surround system, with an updated front-firing speaker array that reduces distortion. This TV is bundled with a solar-powered remote and an updated octagonal stand with "stability and style in mind".  

The Hisense U8N starts at £1799 / $1500 / AU$2700 for the 65-inch model.

Hisense U7N

Hisense's step-down Mini LED TV shares features with its bigger sibling, including the Hi-View Engine PRO tech, quantum dots, Total HDR Solution and Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro. Gaming support is also a strength when it comes to the U7N, with up to 144Hz VRR supported and Hisense's game bar available for quickly checking and amending settings to make your gaming experience as smooth as possible. 

The U7N features a built in subwoofer and Dolby Atmos sound system, as well as a slightly bulkier stand than the U8N. It's available in five sizes: 55-, 65-, 75-, 85- and 100-inches, with prices starting at £1299 / $800 / AU$TBC.

Hisense U6N

Moving down the lineup once again to the U6N, Hisense is billing this as its TV that "elevates everyday viewing experiences". It features a non-pro version of the HiView Engine with enhanced clarity for text and an adaptive light sensor to automatically adjust brightness. Hisense is also including a TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light feature which reduces eye strain when watching movies or during gaming. 

Ranging in sizes from 50- to 75-inches, the U6N starts at just £799 / $600 / AU$1299.

Hisense E7N Pro

Hisense's gaming-focused TV gets an update for 2024 too, with AMD FreeSync Premium and 240Hz refresh rate on board for those looking to partake in big-screen PC gaming. The E7N Pro has been upgraded with a full-array local dimming system which Hisense claims will enhance clarity, sharpness and contrast. This is paired with the AI Adaptive Depth feature, which dynamically adjusts depth perception, which will reportedly improve immersion.

Motion is also upgraded with Ultra Motion technology, which is set to tackle blur and ghosting, resulting in a "crystal-clear gaming experience". Hisense is crediting deep AI integration for many of the picture upgrades on this set, promising "crisp and detailed visuals that adapt in real-time to the content on screen, ensuring every scene is optimised for maximum impact".

Available in sizes from 55-inches all the way up to 100-inches, the E7N Pro prices start at £999.

Hisense A6N

Little is known about this TV as of yet, but we're willing to bet it won't be a staggering departure from the existing A6K model. This is one of Hisense's cheapest 4K sets, with very few bells and whistles attached. 

Going off the model it's replacing, the A6N is likely to feature a direct LED backlight with quantum dots and support for HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision. Gaming features are expected to be limited with no support for 120Hz, however, ALLM should be on board. 

It's expected to launch in a total of eight sizes: 43, 50, 55, 58, 65, 70, 75 and 85 inches, and pricing should from as low as £230 / $240 / AU$799 (based on the A6K).

Hisense A5N

A further step down in Hisense's lineup, the A5N is an even cheaper 4K QLED model, which we also know very little about. Judging by its predecessor, the A5K, this TV may only come in two sizes: 32 and 40 inches. 

It should retain the quantum dots and VIDAA smart OS, however it drops the 4K resolution and HDR support. Pricing is unknown at this time, however we anticipate it to start at £199 based on its predecessor. 

Hisense 2024 OLED TVs

Hisense A9H

It may come as a surprise, but Hisense does indeed have a handful of OLED TVs on its roster. None of them are new for 2024, and availability is spotty, but they're out there for those who have their heart set on a Hisense alongside all of the picture benefits of OLED display technology.

The A9H is the most widely available from what we can see. It features a 65-inch 4K OLED display (it only comes in one size), with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. It supports HDR10, and up to Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive when it comes to dynamic HDR formats. Sound-wise, it features an 80W sound system and support for Dolby Atmos.

The A9H is available at select retailers for £2049.

Hisense A85H / A85K 

Here is where Hisense's OLED lineup gets quite muddled. The A85H and A85K seem to be very similar TVs, with the latter looking like the newer of the two. From the outside they appear identical, both coming in 55- and 65-inch options, and featuring the same stand design. Both feature a 4K OLED display, with support for all HDR formats and even the adaptive dynamic formats.

The main differences between the two are the operating system version and price. The A85H is using the VIDAA U6 version, while the A85K seems to be using the newer VIDAA U7 system. 

The A85H is more expensive at £1499 for the 55-inch model, and it appears to be primarily available at Argos. The A85K, on the other hand, is currently sitting around £699; however stock is tricky to come by. We've only seen it for sale at Costco, while Peter Tyson is still stocking the 65-inch variant. 

Hisense 2024 Laser TVs

Hisense seems to be continuing a few of its current laser TV products into 2024. It features a three-strong lineup of ultra-short throw models, alongside its boxy C1 projector. None of the UST models are new for 2024, though, with Hisense instead opting to carry its laser TV lineup over from last year.

These beamers are positioned as TV replacements, ideal for those who want a large-scale cinematic picture, without sacrificing a great deal of space. With picture sizes ranging from 65-inches to a staggering 300-inches, Hisense looks to integrate a cinematic image with the convenience of a TV, thanks to the built-in VIDAA smart platform. 

Hisense C1

The Hisense C1 is a home cinema in a box proposition, with VIDAA built-in and a JBL-tuned speaker system accompanying the laser light source 4K projection unit. It supports all of the current HDR formats (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HLG), as well as Dolby Atmos audio and two HDMI sockets for connecting external media sources. 

We've already reviewed the C1, and the general consensus is that it delivers a fun, punchy picture and surprisingly solid sound performance in a convenient all-in-one package. It is lacking in the subtlety department, and we would prefer to see some more versatility when it comes to set-up, which means it just about held back from the full five stars – but it's a compelling projector for everyday use nonetheless. 

Pricing for the Hisense C1 is currently £1999 / $2500 / AU$2995. 

Hisense PL1

Hisense's entry-level ultra short throw laser projector may sound unassuming at first, but this What Hi-Fi? Award winner is a truly marvellous piece of home cinema kit. The PL1 offers a 4K resolution with HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG HDR formats and support for Dolby Atmos audio. It's a little slim in the connectivity department – just two HDMI sockets, neither of which support 4K/120Hz – but that can be forgiven considering it has the fully-fledged VIDAA smart system on board with a wide range of streaming apps.

Offering a picture from 90- to 130-inches and an impressive 2100 lumens claimed brightness, the PL1 is a stunner in the picture department. It's crisp, and punchy and features impressive black depths by UST projector standards are all key components of this top-notch projector's performance. 

Pricing for the PL1 often fluctuates, but it can currently be yours for £1499 / $2300 / £2995

Hisense PX2-Pro

Moving on to the Hisense PX2-Pro, Hisense's step-up laser cinema unit uses a similar TriChroma Laser light system to the PL1, but it's a fair bit brighter at 2400 lumens and it features a wider colour gamut. It also supports all of the HDR formats we look out for, including HDR10, Dolby Vision and HDR10+, as well as the VIDAA U6 smart platform. Sound-wise, this UST features a 30W sound system and support for Dolby Atmos audio. 

The PX2-Pro is on sale now for £2000 / $2800 /AU$3650.

Hisense L9

At the top of Hisense's laser TV range is the L9. From the outside it looks a lot like the PL1, however, these two units differ in a key way. The L9 is a laser TV specifically, with a bundled low reflectivity UST screen in the box, whereas the PL1 is a laser cinema according to Hisense, meaning it can be used on practically any screen or even a white wall. 

The L9 also features fixed picture sizes, available in either 100- or 120-inch versions, with a 4K resolution and an impressive 3000 lumens of brightness. Unsurprisingly, this laser TV features the same HDR specs as the other models on this list and it supports Dolby Atmos. 

The L9 starts at £3999 / $5500 / AU$6500 for the 100-inch model.

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As it stands, TV services in the UK are either locked behind subscriptions or require an aerial, something many households are ditching in droves. Freely is an upcoming free TV service looking to change all of that. It has been developed by Everyone TV – a joint venture between BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 – and is set to offer additional features and upgrades missing from existing services such as Freeview Play, the current iteration of free terrestrial TV service available in the UK. While we don’t know the exact date of Freely’s arrival, we have been told that it’s coming ‘very soon’, or even ‘imminently’, so keep your eyes peeled. 

With prices of streaming services constantly rising and many users turning away, a truly modern free TV service is great news. But what does Freely offer and why is it an improvement over existing services? Following our demo of Freely and trying it out firsthand, here are five things we are excited about, and a couple of things we hope to see improved or remedied following Freely’s launch.  

Like: pause and restart live TV

Some of the main functions offered by Freely are in fact ‘firsts’ for Free TV. This includes the ability to ‘pause’ live TV as well as ‘restart’ content on certain channels. At launch, users will have a 15-minute pause buffer, which is plenty of time to grab a snack or stick the kettle on. 

There won’t be any options for ‘rewinding’ or ‘fast-forwarding’ shows just yet, however, it’s very possible that Everyone TV could add these functions further down the line. More on that later…

Like: no aerial required

More than four million households in the UK, not an insignificant number by any means, don’t have a terrestrial TV aerial at all. This includes myself, meaning that Freeview is completely inaccessible to me. To help bring free TV into the modern day, Freely removes this barrier to entry – it requires only an internet connection. 

You won’t be forced to ditch your aerial, though. You can use it to scan channels in and assist with the set-up process if you wish; it’s genuinely excellent news, though, to hear that a free TV service requiring only an internet connection is on the horizon. 

Dislike: exclusive to Hisense TVs at launch

Hisense has been announced as Freely’s launch partner, meaning the service will be exclusive to the company’s TVs for the time being. Everyone TV has also revealed that its next partner is set to be Vestel and that they are in talks with other brands as they aim to spread access to Freely across all major TV models.

It’s a little disappointing to see a service that is all about accessibility be restricted to just one brand at launch; Hisense, at least, has been quoted as being the fastest-growing TV brand in the UK at the moment, and we expect to see Freely come to many more brands soon, so things should improve soon enough.

UPDATE: Metz has been in touch to point out that its MQE7600 series QLED TVs will feature Freely and will be available 'at the end of June'.

Like: Freely can be updated and upgraded 

EveryoneTV is very happy with Freely in its current state and is eager to share its new product with the UK; it is also excited, though, about the fact that the service can be upgraded as time goes on, unlike Freeview Play which is stuck in its current state. 

A few features are missing or limited as it stands, such as the absence of any ‘rewind’ or ‘fast-forward’ options, but it’s very likely that functions such as these will be added in the future. 

Dislike: users have to log in to each app separately 

It may disappoint some users to find out that they will be required to log in to each service provider separately (BBC iPlayer, ITVX, etc). This is because the content is deep-linked to the provider and simply played via the Freely platform. Anyone hoping for the same instant access as previous versions of Freeview will be sadly mistaken. 

This shouldn’t take up much of your time and hopefully should be a one-time-only process, but it’s a small gripe that I picked up on personally. Especially if you struggle to keep track of the endless different passwords you have for all of your online accounts. Everyone TV is exploring the possibility of a unified login process, but it’s not something anyone should expect any time soon.

Like: user interface and navigation 

The Freely interfaces and menus are a huge improvement over what is available with Freeview. The navigation of schedules and lists now feels closer to subscription services offered by the likes of Virgin and Sky, which most people have become accustomed to. 

Everything is very clean, clear, and easy to navigate, from scrolling through channels and reading the schedule for the day to flicking through recommendations. It’s a very welcome upgrade from the clunkier displays offered by previous iterations of free TV services. 

Dislike: suggestions are chosen editorially, not personalised

At launch, any suggestions or promoted content will be chosen editorially by the providers (such as BBC, ITV, and Channel 4) rather than being personalised based on your viewing preferences and habits. 

This is slightly frustrating, as content providers will be able to push the same recommended shows and series towards all users with no variance based on tastes or previous choices. Everyone TV specified that suggestions won’t be personalised at launch, so we are hopeful that this is something that could change at a later date. 

Like: low internet bandwidth requirements 

During the demo, the required network download speed was quoted as just 10Mbps. In April 2023, Ofcom reported the average download speed in the UK at around 70Mbps, meaning Freely should be easily accessible to almost anyone in the country with an internet connection. 

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Hisense has gone big on Mini LED TV technology with its current range, delivering no fewer than three separate Mini LED TV series taking in sizes from 55 inches all the way up to 100 inches. 

Of this new Mini LED range trio, the ‘entry-level’ U6KQT series we’re looking at here is arguably the most interesting. Partly because it’s the most self-conscious attempt we’ve seen to deliver a budget Mini LED TV, and partly because some of the features it has had to trim or limit to keep the price down let us see Mini LED naked, as it were, providing the chance to see how much of a difference using ultra-small LED lights can make when not necessarily backed up by lots of other premium picture features.

Price

The Hisense 65U6KQT costs a very reasonable (considering it’s a 65-inch Mini LED TV) £799 in the UK and an attractive $1599 in Australia. These wouldn’t be bad prices even for a 65-inch TV with regular LED lighting, so they look like potential steals for a Mini LED model. Though as we’ll see, you do have to swallow a few specification compromises elsewhere in return for getting Mini LED lighting for so little.

While there’s a 65U6KQT model on sale in the US (for an incredibly low $600), it doesn’t feature exactly the same specification as the UK/Australian model. It uses Google TV smarts for one thing, rather than the VIDAA system used on the UK/Australian models and – significantly from a picture performance perspective – it seems that the US version uses a VA style of LCD panel, while the UK version uses an IPS panel. So US readers shouldn’t consider this review as necessarily applicable to the version available there.

Design

The Hisense U6KQT looks pleasant enough without setting the world of TV fashion alight.

The frame around the screen is fairly rather than spectacularly narrow, and it features a pleasant rather than particularly premium dark finish. The blade-style feet the screen sits on if you’re not wall hanging it look a bit clunky if you’re viewing the TV from an angle, but they’re slim enough when the TV’s watched straight on to almost vanish from view.

The rear panel is fairly chunky by modern TV standards, though if you happen to be a devotee of rear TV designs for some reason, it’s strikingly sculpted and sports a fetching combination of striped and smooth plastic finishes. The rear depth isn’t ideal if you’re wall-hanging the TV, but it shouldn’t be a problem for anyone else. 

The 65U6KQT’s build quality is fair for its money. The bodywork is mostly plastic and feels quite lightweight by Mini LED standards, but it doesn’t feel unstable or flimsy.

The remote control Hisense provides with the TV is pretty plasticky and lightweight too – though it does stand out from the crowd courtesy of a large selection of direct access app buttons at its top end that include Netflix, Freeview Play, Apple TV+, Pluto TV, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube and Rakuten TV.

Features

Despite its aggressive pricing, the Hisense 65U6KQT delivers an eye-catching combination of Mini LED lighting, local backlight dimming and Quantum Dot colours. 

Mini LEDs can potentially deliver more light control than regular big old LEDs, while its local dimming system refines things even more by delivering a counted and verified 192 separately controlled backlight zones. This isn’t a particularly high number by Hisense standards, but it’s a good effort for such a cheap Mini LED TV. 

The Quantum Dot colour system should open up a wider colour gamut than regular colour filter TVs – especially since Hisense claims the 65U6KQT to be capable of a promising (for its money) peak brightness of 600 nits.

The 65U6KQT does feature a couple of up-front hardware limitations, though. First, it uses an IPS panel rather than a VA one, meaning that unless it breaks with years of IPS tradition, it may struggle to deliver dark scenes as effectively as the VA alternative. Though the IPS approach does mean its pictures should hold up better than those of VA panels when watched from an angle. 

The other big limitation is that the 65U6KQT has a 60Hz refresh rate, so there’s no support for 120Hz gaming. That doesn’t mean it’s a gaming bust, though; it supports VRR (albeit only up to 60Hz), ALLM switching to toggle the TV into its fastest response mode when a gaming source is detected, and even a low-latency mode that supports gaming in both the regular HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR formats. Naturally, the Dolby Vision support extends to video as well as game sources.

The 65U6KQT’s Game picture preset reduces the time the 65U6KQT takes to produce its pictures to a very respectable 16.6ms.

It’s worth at this point comparing some of the 65U6KQT’s features with those of arguably its closest direct rival: TCL’s C745K range. The TCL models don’t use Mini LED lighting and only get around half as many dimming zones. But they feature VA panels with 120Hz gaming support, as well as adding compatibility for the HDR10+ premium HDR format alongside Dolby Vision support. 

Hisense has equipped the 65U6KQT with its Hi-View picture processing engine, complete, now, with AI elements to help it deliver better results on the fly with different types of content – especially when it comes to colour management and upscaling HD content to the screen’s native 4K resolution.

Smart features on the UK and Australian 65U6KQT models are provided by Hisense’s own VIDAA platform. This has improved rapidly from an ‘also-ran’ three or four years ago into a very likeable and content-rich smart platform, with a simple, easy-to-follow interface and carriage of all of the most popular streaming services – including the catch-up platforms for all the big terrestrial TV broadcasters in the UK, provided within the Freeview Play umbrella app.

The 65U6KQT’s connections, finally, are solid for its money, with highlights of three HDMIs (though as we’ve seen, none of these support 120Hz refresh rates due to the screen only handling 60Hz), an optical audio output, two USBs, and the now expected wi-fi and Bluetooth wireless options.

Picture

The big question here is whether the use of Mini LED lighting and a decent number of local dimming zones can overcome the potential contrast weaknesses inherent to the IPS screen found in the UK 65U6KQT. And the short answer is that no, it can’t. At least not as successfully as we’d hoped.

Dark scenes routinely look quite grey as even the combination of Mini LED lighting and local dimming can’t stop the IPS screen from letting through too much backlight to deliver the inky black colours the best VA LCD screens can deliver. This makes dark scenes look both flatter and less convincing than the 65U6KQT’s bright scenes, and also less convincing than they look on the TCL 55C745K (which we were able to run side by side with the Hisense model).

We don’t feel too badly distracted by the sort of blooming noise around stand-out bright objects you can often get with locally dimmed TVs – though to some extent this is because the screen’s general black levels are so shallow that potential blooming doesn’t stand out much.  

The fact that the local dimming isn’t able to make a really profound impact on black levels also means that scenes containing a bold mixture of bright and dark content can feel a bit flat, as the backlight engine struggles to adapt itself to such mixed content. The compromises required mean bright bits don’t look quite as bright as we’d like, while dark bits don’t look as dark.

The 65U6KQT’s colours are problematic too. In the Standard preset that arguably delivers the most all-round enjoyable pictures, some colours – especially reds – tend to look excessively bold and vibrant, while other tones in the same image can look a bit wan and lifeless. The Dynamic mode actually makes the heavy saturations more consistently present but tends to leave things looking cartoonish and unnatural. 

The HDR Day and HDR Night presets Hisense provides appear to be designed to give you a more ‘accurate’, balanced colour performance. However, while it’s true that you don’t get the same problems with over-saturation of some tones that you get with the other presets, both modes look oddly jaundiced and washed out. It doesn’t help, either, that both of these presets seem to use the TV’s local dimming and Adaptive Contrast features on a less powerful level than the Standard mode does, resulting in even greyer-looking dark scenes.

Direct comparisons again find that while the TCL C745K is a little coarse with some of its colours, it’s overall more consistent, balanced and bold-looking than the Hisense right across all of its picture presets.

These aren’t the only comparisons where the TCL comes out on top. It also looks brighter with both full-screen bright content and small bright highlights, and consistently sharper and more detailed with both native 4K and upscaled HD content. This slight softness of the Hisense 65U6KQT’s pictures appears to be a result of it not being able to produce as much contrast, which denies objects and small shading differences the same degree of prominence the TCL achieves.

The 65U6KQT can certainly have its good moments as well, though. Bright scenes often look bold and engaging for the TV’s price so long as you stick with the Standard picture preset – especially as the really over-wrought colours we mentioned earlier only tend to be a distraction with heavily saturated colour content that doesn’t typically crop up in day to day viewing (or even most movies) all that often.

While the 65U6KQT’s brightness might not be as intense as that of the TCL C745K, it’s still actually pretty good for such an affordable 65-inch TV. The set also handles motion quite well with 24 frames a second movie content if you use the provided Clear motion processing mode. In fact, this is one area where the 65U6KQT outperforms its TCL C745K rival. At the same time, though, the C745K’s 120Hz support gives it a smooth, responsive edge for gaming over the 60Hz-limited Hisense.

While the 65U6KQT delivers enough good times and moments of picture quality to remind us that Hisense is a brand generally on the up, though, its indisciplined colours and the damage to dark scenes done by using an IPS panel ultimately leave it stuck in the average lane.

Sound

The Hisense 65U6KQT is on more consistently solid ground with its sound, starting with the fact that its speaker system delivers more volume and detail than you’d expect from its claimed 20W of output power. There’s also enough dynamic range to allow action scenes to escalate believably, with no falling away or dropping out when the going gets seriously tough. 

The sound doesn’t feel trapped in either, with movie mix sound effects being thrown with decent accuracy beyond the edges of the TV’s bodywork. This is especially true if you feed the TV a Dolby Atmos mix, with which the 65U6KQT even manages to present a mild sense of height – or, at least, the impression of sound coming from slightly above the screen.

Bass is handled quite effectively too, getting deeper than most similarly priced TVs without starting to crackle or buzz. There’s a rather ‘low-fi’ feel to high frequency sounds if we’re being picky, but overall the 65U6KQT sounds good enough to make adding a soundbar feel more like a luxury option rather than a necessity.

Verdict

While it’s great to find Hisense willing to mix things up in a bid to bring big-screen Mini LED technology to a wider audience, in the end the 65U6KQT doesn’t quite get the mix completely right.

SCORES

• Picture 3
• Sound 4
• Features 4

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2024 has already seen one company shake up its choice of TV operating system, with Panasonic announcing that it will be doing away its My Home Screen software, in favour of Fire TV. Philips, on the other hand, is doing the complete opposite; ditching an established operating system in favour of a nicher solution, but not on all of its TVs. 

TP Vision (the company that licenses Philips TVs in Europe and other select markets such as Latin America) has revealed that it will partner with Titan OS S.L, a European software development company that has created its own smart TV platform called Titan OS.  It will feature on its upcoming entry-level Mini LED and LCD TVs, including the PML9009 Xtra Mini-LED and "The One" LCD (also known as the PUS8909).

It's not only coming to Philips TVs though, as TP Vision has announced that it has also partenered with UK technology retailer Currys to launch Titan OS on its selection of JVC TVs. For those unitiated, Currys manufacturers and distributes JVC sets here in the UK,

Interestingly, Philips has shopped around the TV smart platforms in recent years. Just last year it swapped from Android TV to Google TV on the OLED808 and OLED908. However, after being plagued with various licesning issues between Google TV and Freeview Play, the company had to delay its latest OLED TVs to October of last year, hence our surprise when it already announced replacements for these models just three months on. That being said, it will continue to use Google TV on the newly announced OLED+959 and OLED+909. 

So what does Titan OS have to offer? From what we can see, it features a majority of the apps we'd expect to see, including Disney Plus, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, as well as regional services such as BBC iPlayer, ITV X and Channel 4. However, there was no mention of Apple TV or Now (formerly Now TV) in Philip's most recent release, so we can't confirm if these services will feature on the platform. 

In the brief look we've had at the platform, it appears to be a fusion of Google TV and webOS in design. It features a top-mounted navigation bar to swap between home, apps, channels and a search function, while the bottom of the home screen features content suggestions and a selection of favourite (possibly recently used) streaming apps. 

Philips is also highlighting Titan OS' capabilities when it comes to advertising, noting that the Titan Advertising portion of the company will be launching alongside this partnership. Philips suggests that Titan will "enable TV manufacturers to extend their business beyond hardware", allowing them to access "continuous revenue streams for the 40% of the TV market that lacks its own operating system". Could this be a dig at LG's webOS and Samsung's Tizen OS? 

You can expect to see Titan OS launch on the two afformentioned Philips models in the first half of 2024. We might be reading too much into Philips' word choices here, but it did say that this it will "initially feature on two Philips branded 2024 models", meaning we could see the software on more Philips models coming later down the line. 

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Over the last few years, Philips has produced some of the very best OLED TVs to grace our test rooms. It was with great sadness, therefore, that we learned back in August that the brand’s first 2023 model, the OLED808, would not only miss our annual Awards deadline but indeed wouldn’t make it into the UK until at least October.

The problem? Some sort of licensing issue between Google TV and Freeview Play was the reason given, with Philips apparently not wanting to launch the TVs in the UK without the full suite of terrestrial channel catch-up services.

Unfortunately, that issue hasn’t been resolved and the OLED808 has to do without the BBC iPlayer, ITV X and Channel 4 apps. Fortunately, though, the TV is now available and, having subjected it to our rigorous, comparative testing process, we can confirm that it’s a corker.

Price

At launch, the 55-inch OLED808 was priced at £1800 (around $2300 / AU$3400). That was a bit of an issue – its main rivals, most obviously the Sony A80L and LG C3, had already been available for some time and so had been discounted to well below the OLED808’s launch price.

Thankfully, this issue has been rapidly addressed and the OLED808 has already dropped to £1399 (around $1785 / AU$2655), which means it's roughly on par with those rivals mentioned. In fact, at the specific time of writing, the Philips is £100 cheaper than both the Sony A80L and LG C3 in the UK (it’s not available in the US or Australia). Prices are very volatile at the moment, though, so it’s probably best to think of all three models as coming in at essentially the same price.

The OLED808 is available in a variety of sizes ranging from 42 inches (that’s Philips’ first 42-inch OLED) all the way up to 77 inches, but it’s the 55-inch version that we’ve tested for this review.

Design

The main chassis of the TV looks very similar to that of the OLED807, and that’s no bad thing. It combines super-slim panel areas with a plastic enclosure that’s slimmer and sleeker than many in this class, and it feels solidly made.

The stand is entirely new, though, with Philips having transitioned from the striking but somewhat awkward T-bar of the OLED807 to a more practical pedestal that has a usefully compact footprint and allows the set to swivel. OLED TVs don’t have the viewing angle issues of their backlit counterparts, but being able to swivel the screen can still be useful, not least when it comes to swapping cables in and out.

The stand lifts the TV a reasonable way above the furniture upon which it’s placed, too, and it doesn’t protrude much further than the bottom lip of the screen – both factors that make soundbar placement a more straightforward affair than it is with some rivals. Although the sort of feet that Philips used to use (and that Sony still does) are generally even more accommodating of a soundbar.

Features

The rear of the Philips OLED808 actually has quite a lot to tell us about its features. The most obvious thing is that it’s got bright, coloured LEDs dotted around three sides of the plastic section. As anyone who has experienced a Philips TV at any point over the last ten or so years will be able to tell you, those LEDs are the core components of the Ambilight system. This can be used to create bias lighting, which some people appreciate for its eye strain-relieving and/or contrast-enhancing properties, or to dynamically extend the on-screen action onto the wall around the TV in the form of coloured light.

The latter application is most commonly used and most attractive to Ambilight fans, and the OLED808 uses the ‘Next Gen’ version of Ambilight that Philips introduced last year, which is brighter and capable of recreating more hues, at once improving both the spectacle and accuracy of the system. To some, Ambilight is a distracting light show, but to others, it’s a key reason to buy a Philips TV over any other. Hardcore Ambilight fans might be disappointed to learn that integration with Hue smart lighting is not supported by new Philips TVs.

Also around the back of the TV, slap-bang in the middle of the plastic section, is a large subwoofer which, along with hidden stereo speakers, forms a 2.1 sound system rated to a claimed 70W. As you would expect, Dolby Atmos is supported. 

Finally on our tour of the OLED808’s revealing behind is the array of connections, which includes four HDMIs, two of which are HDMI 2.1 certified to the current maximum-available data rate of 48Gbps. As is the norm for TVs with two HDMI 2.1 sockets, one is also the eARC port, which you will want to use to connect a soundbar or AV amplifier, should you choose to add one, leaving you with just one top-notch HDMI with which you can take full advantage of a games console’s or gaming PC’s advanced features. Philips used to offer a unique workaround to this common problem by offering standard ARC via the other three HDMI sockets (so you could get at least compressed Dolby Atmos via them) but alas, this workaround is not available for the OLED808.

Philips does provide something of a consolation, though, in that the two standard HDMI 2.0 sockets do at least support ALLM and VRR up to 60Hz, with only 4K/120Hz being restricted to the HDMI 2.1 sockets. The HDMI 2.0 sockets of most rivals don’t support VRR at all. For what it’s worth, all three current formats of VRR are on board, so that’s AMD FreeSync (Premium in this case), Nvidia G-Sync and standard HDMI VRR.

Another boon for Xbox Series X gamers is support for Dolby Vision gaming right up to 4K/120Hz. This is still something of a rarity outside LG’s OLED range.

Dolby Vision is also of course supported for movies and TV shows, as is rival dynamic HDR format HDR10+, as well as the ‘static’ HDR formats of HLG and standard HDR10.

As you can probably tell, Philips really is doing its very best to cover all of the bases, which probably explains why it was so reluctant to release the OLED808 in the UK without the full set of catch-up apps. That is a shame, for sure, but it’s at least fairly easily and inexpensively overcome through the addition of a streamer such as the Chromecast with Google TV. The fact does remain that that shouldn’t be necessary.

The smart platform is otherwise very well appointed, though, with support for the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Disney+, with all content supporting Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and/or Dolby Atmos when it should. Discovery+ (the new home of TNT Sports, previously BT Sport) and Now are both on board, so live sport is covered, and you can even stream your Steam games right through the TV via the GeForce Now app.

These apps are all accessed via the Google TV operating system, which isn’t as slick as the bespoke systems of LG or Samsung but is pretty straightforward in use and does a decent job of directing you to content you might like. Google TV also runs faster and more fluidly here than it does on many rivals we’ve tested, including the Award-winning Sony A80L.

One reason for this snappiness could be Philips’ new 7th Gen P5 AI processor, which powers the OLED808. As the name suggests, this includes AI technology that Philips claims ‘processes images in a manner similar to a human brain’ and delivers ‘lifelike detail and contrast, rich colour and smooth motion’. The new processor also brings with it a new menu system that is a little more responsive and intuitive, though it still lacks the cohesiveness of LG’s 2023 TV menus.

What you don’t get with the OLED808 is MLA technology or a fancy heatsink – you’ll need to step up to the OLED908 to get those – but Philips says that this more mainstream model does use the latest OLED EX panel from LG Display and that the set is capable of hitting a peak brightness figure of around 1000 nits.

Picture

Kicking off with The Creator in Dolby Vision, the first decision to be made is which picture preset to use. As is often the case with Philips TVs, this decision isn’t as straightforward as it probably should be.

The most true-to-the-source-material setting, at least theoretically, is the Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode. This is the first time we’ve encountered such a mode, but it broadly takes the same approach that a Dolby Vision Dark mode does on other sets by minimising picture processing and offering an approach to colours and contrast that’s designed to deliver the creative intent when watching in a dark room. However, we find this preset a little too dull, even when viewing in a pitch-black room. We find that’s also the case with the Dolby Vision Dark mode of some rival sets, including the Sony A80L.

With the Sony A80L, you can simply switch to the Dolby Vision Bright preset and more or less be done with it, so well is it implemented, but the OLED808’s Dolby Vision Bright mode adds too much distracting processing, most noticeably in the form of aggressive motion processing and over-sharpening.

Thankfully, you can adjust individual settings within the Dolby Vision Bright mode, and we hope that buyers make the effort: once the motion processing has been switched to Pure Cinema or Movie (more on which below), the Light Level Optimisation, Dark Detail Optimisation and Colour Temperature Optimisation features have been switched off (though you might want to make use of these if you watch movies in varied lighting conditions), Texture Enhancement is turned off and Sharpness Enhancement is dialled down (phew!), the OLED808 produces a beautiful picture.

Even with those sharpness-enhancing features turned off, the Philips’ picture is a little more crisply defined than that of the Sony A80L, which is itself a very sharp performer. The Creator’s fascinating dystopian vistas are rendered with depth-enhancing solidity but without any realism-busting exaggeration creeping in.

Detail levels are exceptional, too, with the set digging up specific blades of grass and fine skin blemishes with no trouble at all and again without exaggeration. The intentional film grain is reproduced as it should be, too, and doesn’t become distracting as long as you avoid that extra sharpening we reduced earlier.

Philips TVs of old could be guilty of boosting colours in a way that, while not exactly garish and certainly not unpleasant, didn’t always look truly authentic, but the OLED808 is cinematically warm and rich but also very well balanced. We’re not quite talking Panasonic MZ980 levels of colour accuracy here, but the OLED808 is close and avoids the slightly blue coolness that creeps into the brightest parts of the Sony A80L’s picture.

Despite remaining authentically warm in tonal balance, the OLED808 delivers bright highlights with excellent impact. It’s close to the Sony A80L in this regard and certainly more impactful than the LG C3. At the same time, subtle shading is handled fairly expertly. There’s none of the slight clumsiness to colours and contrast that you get from the Samsung S95C.

The scene in the troop transport towards the start of The Creator demonstrates another key strength of the OLED808; its shadow detail. It’s even better than the Sony A80L in this regard, more readily revealing neat touches such as the tear that rolls down Colonel Howell’s cheek as she recalls the decidedly brutal circumstances of her son’s demise. The Sony A80L’s blacks are a little more forcefully delivered, which does add an extra degree of drama in some scenes, but the Philips is more revealing without giving the sense that it’s digging up picture elements that were supposed to remain buried.

Switching to Blade Runner 2049 in HDR10, we opt for the HDR Filmmaker Mode but add some contrast enhancement to get a little more pop from the picture. Again, the performance that the OLED808 delivers is packed with detail, super-solid, and nicely balanced in terms of contrast and colours.

We do notice some minor issues in its handling of motion, though. Most of the time, the Movie motion processing mode is excellent, smoothing and sharpening panning shots without adding fizzy edges to less predictable motion or the dreaded soap opera effect. It does, though, add some very peculiar stutter in places we’ve never seen it before, such as the steam rising from the kettle in Sapper Morton’s farm. While not always obvious, this strange behaviour is occasionally distracting enough for us to avoid the Movie setting entirely and instead opt for Pure Cinema, which isn’t as smooth in its delivery but doesn’t have the same odd issue.

Back to the good stuff, and the OLED808 proves to be a talented upscaler of non-4K content, delivering decent detail and edge definition without much in the way of noise or fizz so long as you again avoid the more aggressive elements of Philips’ active processing.

Sound

Back to Blade Runner 2049, the OLED808 proves to have good sound by the standards of TVs at this level. It’s quite well-balanced tonally, with reasonably deep and tuneful bass for a modern TV. And, unlike the vast majority of rivals, it doesn’t get even slightly flappy at the start of chapter two.

Clarity is good for a TV and dynamics are decent, too, but the OLED808 doesn’t have the subtlety in terms of detail or low-level dynamics that the Sony A80L has, and it’s nothing like as spacious or three-dimensional in its delivery. Still, it sounds comfortably better than the LG C3.

Of course, whether you buy any of the OLED TVs mentioned above, we recommend that you add a dedicated sound system, even if it’s an entry-level model such as the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar.

If you do buy the OLED808 and are determined to use its built-in speakers, we find the Original sound setting to be the best overall. The Entertainment setting is arguably more impactful but it’s also a little too insistent, with a little harshness creeping in from time to time.

Verdict

The effort that Philips has put into the OLED808 is clear to see: the company has gone out of its way to support all of the latest gaming features and every HDR format; it has seemingly squeezed every drop of performance out of its ‘standard’ OLED panel while still delivering cinematic authenticity; it has managed to produce good sound from speakers that you can’t see (at least from the front); and it has continued to offer Ambilight while keeping the price in line with rivals, none of which have an answer to that unique Philips feature.

It’s of course a shame that the BBC iPlayer, ITV X and Channel 4 apps are all missing, but in the face of so much quality that doesn’t feel like something worth dwelling on. If you’re in the UK and in the market for a new mid-range OLED TV, you simply must consider the Philips OLED808.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

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Also consider the Sony A80L and LG C3

What about Panasonic? Check out our Panasonic MZ980 review

And here are all of the very best TVs available right now

First announced in February of this year, the Philips OLED808 was shaping up to be a worthy adversary to the LG C3 OLED; that was until it was delayed indefinitely here in the UK. 

Plagued with a licensing issue between Google TV and Freeview Play, Philips had to push back the launch of its latest OLED TV, and missed the original August release date. Thankfully, it looks like we won't have to wait for too much longer. 

We've had confirmation that the Philips OLED808 will finally launch in the UK in mid-October – though sadly, this isn't due to Philips resolving its issue with the lack of Freeview Play support. 

Instead, the company has decided to cut its losses and release the TV without the ability to download the usual suite of UK streaming apps, including BBC iPlayer, ITV X and Channel 4.

While this might be a deal-breaker for some, we'd recommend investing in a media streamer, maybe an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max or an Apple TV 4K (2022), for a simple fix to the issue.

Philips has also shared pricing for all available sizes, and we have a full breakdown below.

Philips OLED808 price breakdown

• Philips 42OLED808: £1400 (around $1745 / AU$2720)
• Philips 48OLED808: £1600 (around $1990 / AU$3110)
• Philips 55OLED808: £1800 (around $2240 / AU$3500)
• Philips 65OLED808: £2100 (around $2620 / AU$4080)
• Philips 77OLED808: £3800 (around $4730 / AU$7390)

Comparatively, the LG C3 has had some time to marinate and has since come down in price, with some equivalent-size models now costing less than the Philips. 

For example: the 42-inch LG C3 is now closer to £1100, the 55-inch LG undercuts the Philips by £300, costing £1500, and the 65-inch C3 matches the OLED808 at £2100.

So is it better late than never for Philips, or has the ship already sailed for the OLED808? You'll have to wait for our full review to find out.

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Read our full Philips OLED807 review

And our early Philips OLED908 hands-on review

Check out our picks for the best TVs

At a time when everything seems to be getting more and more expensive, bargains stand out more than ever – and that's what we appear to have before us today. Historic German tech brand Metz has just announced its first TVs for the UK, and there are two things you need to know right off the bat: these are super-smart Roku TVs, and the 4K models start at just £229.

That eye-openingly low price will get you a fairly slick-looking 43-inch set, but the range (known as MRD6000) also includes 50-inch (£279), 55-inch (£329) and 65-inch (£449) models. As well as boasting a 4K resolution, the MRD6000 TVs also support HDR10 and HLG, and Dolby and DTS audio (though unsurprisingly not Dolby Atmos or DTS:X) can be output by the TV's two-channel sound system.

Processing comes from Metz’s own Trochilus Extreme picture engine, and the IPS-type LCD panel has a direct LED backlight with apparently lower blue light than other backlit TVs, with the intention of reducing eye strain, particularly when watching at night.

Of course, the decision to go with the Roku smart platform is an important and sensible one, in that it immediately grants access to every major app and streaming service and makes everything very user-friendly. There are slicker, more exciting platforms out there, but none are as straightforward as Roku. The Freeview Play service is built-in too, so access to live and on-demand TV is equally simple.

The MRD6000 also supports Apple AirPlay for streaming from a phone, and the set ‘works with’ Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home. Hopefully ensuring that all of this streaming works snappily is super-fast Wi-Fi 5.

Should you want to bolster all of the streaming smarts with separate sources such as games consoles, set-top boxes or a Blu-ray player, the MRD6000 has three HDMI sockets, one of which also supports eARC for lossless output of sound to a compatible soundbar or AV amp. Predictably these aren't HDMI 2.1 sockets, so hardcore gamers will likely want to look elsewhere.

If the 43-inch model isn't small enough or cheap enough for you, Metz is also launching Full HD 32-inch and 40-inch MTD6000 models as well, priced at £159 and £199 respectively. These TVs have just two HDMI sockets each and use VA-type panels, but they otherwise appear to be similarly specced to the larger MRD6000 TVs.

All models in the new Metz Roku TV range are expected to go on sale in October.

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Mitchell & Brown might sound like the name of a law firm but it is in fact a family-run British TV brand. Why are we telling you this? Because the Bolton-based company has just announced its 2021 TV line-up. 

There are 30 models to choose from, ranging from entry-level HD Ready bedroom sets with built-in DVD players, to the flagship UHD18114KBL 4K Smart Near-Borderless series, which comes in 43-inch, 50-inch and 55-inch screen sizes.

The top-spec 'Near-Borderless' models boast a super-slim bezel, Freeview HD and a decent array of apps including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Freeview Play and YouTube. The range also supports Alexa, so you can switch the sets on and off using your voice.

Mitchell & Brown says its "Ultra HD screens use the latest Dolby HDR (High Dynamic Range)", and we're assuming HDR10 and HLG also feature, although there's no specific mention of either on the spec sheet. Price-wise, the 4K Smart Near-Borderless series starts at £530 for the 43-inch model and rises to £800 for the largest 55-inch. 

That's pretty aggressive pricing, especially when you consider that every model comes with a seven-year guarantee. Still, cheap isn't always cheerful. We've yet to review any of Mitchell & Brown's wares so we can't say how they'd compare to the best cheap TVs, but we are looking to find out as soon as possible.

The 2021 Mitchell & Brown range launches this month and is available through independent high street retailers and online at the company's website.

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Android TV has rolled out a home screen update for Freeview Play designed to make it easier for viewers to explore content relevant to their tastes.

Users will now have access to a new ‘Discover’ tab that offers personalised suggestions based on viewing history, interests and Google trends. A forthcoming update will add recommendations from the 30,000 hours of on-demand content on Freeview Play. 

Additionally, the main interface's  ‘On Now’ row has been simplified to give clearer programme information with a new tile providing quick access to the live TV guide. 

To make it easy for viewers to watch Freeview Play's on-demand programmes, content rows have been updated with player tiles that will link viewers straight to the app they are interested in.  

Previously the integration of Android TV and Freeview Play hasn't always made for the easiest of combinations, resulting in an interface that felt convoluted. Speaking about the changes Ed Corn, Head of Android TV Partnerships, said: “People in Britain cherish a helpful and smart TV experience. 

"We are glad that through our work with Freeview Play, more UK viewers will profit from an updated Android TV experience that makes it easy for them to find and watch their favourite shows.”

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Freeview Play: what is it? How can you get it?

See all our Freeview digital TV box reviews

Read our Humax Aura review: Android TV, Freeview Play and 4K HDR

Despite lacking an Oxbridge education, the Humax Aura PVR managed a double-first at launch by being not only Humax's first Freeview set-top box with Android TV, but also its first with 4K HDR support.

The Humax Aura can be a number of things to different people and it feels as though it has been priced to interest everyone. Its most obvious use is of course as a Freeview Play recorder, with enough internal storage options to capture hours of live Full HD and standard-definition television.

However, with its Android TV platform, you can also use it as a Chromecast with benefits – a way of adding over 5000 apps and streaming services to feed your television or projector with plenty of 4K fun. With its USB sockets, hi-res audio and 3D home cinema codec support, there’s an option to use it for local film file playback too – it’s quite the box of tricks.

Having first reviewed the Humax Aura back in 2021, our expert testers are now taking another look at it, primarily because its predecessor, the excellent FVP-5000T, has finally been discontinued.

Pricing

The Humax Aura costs £249 for the 1TB model, which can store up to 250 hours of HD (or 500 of SD) programming, and £279 for the 2TB model, which can store up to 500 hours of Full HD (1000 of SD) programming.

If you’re serious enough about live TV to want to record it on a regular basis, then the extra £30 for double the amount of space feels like a no-brainer.

Despite having now been available for roughly three years, the price hasn't permanently dropped, though slight, short-term discounts aren't unheard of.

Features

Humax has had great success with its What Hi-Fi? Award-winning FVP-5000T set-top box and, four years into its life, a replacement was long overdue when the Aura launched in 2020. For both specs and looks, the Aura was the upgrade we had been waiting for.

Stand the two next to one another and the sculpted lines of the low-slung Aura more easily fit into the category of contemporary industrial design, and while it's large by the standards of streaming boxes such as the Sky Stream Puck, it still looks fairly smart today. 

The Aura is a tidy 26cm by 20cm box that takes up about the same space as your wi-fi router. Its gloss black body is accented by an LED strip on the underside, which changes from red to blue to violet to orange depending on whether it’s off, on, recording or recording in standby. It’s a useful indicator and reminiscent of K.I.T.T from Knight Rider in standby mode.

But if it’s a party at the front of the Aura, then around the back is the serious business. Here you’ll find the single HDMI 2.1-out along with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 (Type A) sockets for local media. There’s also an optical audio-out and a LAN connection if you’d rather leave the 2.4/5GHz wi-fi alone.

The Aura remote feels a bit cheap, particularly in the spongey buttons, but it's fully featured, with dedicated buttons for just about everything you could need, including shortcuts to streaming services, recordings, the guide, the Freeview Play platform and the Android TV homepage. You’ll need to pair the remote with the Aura box using Bluetooth for the Google Assistant voice system to work.

The Humax Aura’s three Freeview Play tuners bring access to over 70 non-subscription live TV channels and over 20,000 hours of on-demand entertainment through the catch-up services, with BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and My5 all present. Those tuners allow you to pause and rewind TV, as well as record up to four channels while watching a fifth one live.

The Aura mobile app is a handy tool in its own right. It brings a full view of the electronic programme guide (EPG) to your small screen and allows users to schedule recordings, watch recordings and even enjoy live TV on mobile – just the ticket for keeping track of Countdown while you put the kettle on.

The Aura’s big-screen offering is also bolstered by Android TV, and that means another 5000 or so apps from Google Play are at your disposal, with apps for big-hitters such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV (including the excellent pay-as-you-go movie service), alongside some more niche but useful apps, such as Discovery+ (the new home of TNT Sports, previously known as BT Sport).

There are significant gaps, though, most notably Now and the Netflix app. Somewhat ironically, Netflix is actually one of the few non-catch-up apps available on the older FVP-5000T. Fortunately, the Aura’s built-in Chromecast functionality allows users to cast these missing apps from mobile, tablet or browser instead, but that solution is far from ideal.

Away from the video side, the hi-res audio support is a welcome addition. It means those connecting the Aura to a decent external speaker system can get a strong performance from locally stored or streamed audio files, even if connecting through the HDMI, which can handle up to 24-bit/192 kHz levels.

You’ll need to download a third-party app such as VLC to play local media and Plex if you want to connect a NAS drive or similar from your home network. The Aura’s support for 4K HDR (HDR10 and HLG) and 3D audio codecs offers the potential to do justice to any high-quality movie files you own.

In our original review, we stated that the quad-core 1.8GHz CPU and 3GB RAM combo resulted in a snappy user experience, but in our recent re-test it feels a bit sluggish. You might assume that this is down to newer features and updates slowing the system down, but Humax itself hasn't issued a firmware update since 2021 – itself something of a concern.

The twinning of Freeview Play and Android TV doesn’t make for the easiest of combinations, either. Each offers its own home page experience, leaving the user unsure as to which one to use. You’ll find some apps on both, but others just on one, and both home pages have their own settings menus. Fortunately, the shortcuts on the remote mean that you can sometimes go straight to whatever it is that you’re looking for, but that doesn't really excuse the poor integration of the two interfaces.

Each interface is good in its own right, at least. We particularly like Freeview Play's Kids' Zone – a brightly coloured area with TV programmes specially selected for younger viewers. Content can be searched according to duration and timeslot, and parents can use this to block certain apps and channels from appearing.

Picture

The picture quality through the Freeview Play tuners in both SD and Full HD is every bit as good as that of the FVP-5000T. Watching Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is on BBC2, we get some inviting shots of a French antiques market on a cloudless summer’s day. The cobbled streets and stalls are bright and colourful, but with a realistic sense of tonality and texture.

The Aura trades a touch of detail for this better blending and, while some might prefer harder edges to stone walls, it feels like a well-judged decision from Humax. There’s a proper sense of complexity to the bright blue TV shelf as one of the bargain hunters haggles over a few Euros. It makes for a more natural aesthetic to the picture and feels believable when upscaled to 4K.

That arrangement is justified even further when switching to SD on the BBC News channel. Low-res content can seem particularly harsh and blocky when upscaled, but the Aura’s slightly softer approach smooths out a few more of those unwanted edges than its predecessor and adds some much-needed subtlety to clothing colours and skin tones.

However, the app platform is not quite as adept. Compared with a budget streaming stick, the Aura’s skill with a 4K HDR app is a little less assured than it might be. We watch The Boys on Prime Video and while the picture is punchy and dynamic, some of the finer detail is lost, particularly at the brightest and darkest extremes of the contrast spectrum. Viewing a scene set in the White House, the backlit silk curtains are missing folds in the material and the Aura doesn’t reveal the number of freckles on ex-CIA Deputy Director Grace Mallory’s skin that we might expect.

One aspect of the Aura's performance that has been improved since launch is the addition of comparatively straightforward dynamic range and refresh rate matching options. There are lots of specific settings here that you can dig into if you like, but there are also broader, catch-all options that should mean that even the uninitiated should get a consistent and smooth performance across different content types.

Sound

The Aura’s hi-res music support offers an excellent opportunity to get good quality sound from this box through both locally stored files and streamed music services. Plugging it into our reference system, we fire up the Tidal Masters version of Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival and, by the standards of PVRs and video streamers, we’re struck by how well it captures the recording.

There’s a spacious sound to the vocals and guitars that gives a fabulous feel to the acoustics of the room where the recording was made. Compared with other, similarly priced streaming products, there is an added dimension to the track. There’s a good dose of dynamics that brings excitement and character to all of the instruments. We can visualise the drums at the start of the track and every time the first snare of each bar is hit with an accent.

The back and forth between the guitar and the vocals is like listening to a conversation. It’s a cohesive sound from top to bottom and we feel confident that there’s little we’re missing in the music. Some streamers at this level might offer a touch more crispness to the rhythm, but not without some loss of the excitement we get with the Aura.

All of that translates to an enjoyably emotional feel for home cinema as we switch to AV with the Live Aid scene at the end of Bohemian Rhapsody on Prime Video. The thuds of the kick drum are wonderfully solid and offer a genuine sense of timbre and resonance as the pedal first hits the skin at the beginning of the set.

When Brian May plays his solo at the end of the piece, it’s like he’s making his guitar sing. Again, the sense of place is captured brilliantly in a credible rendition of the sound of the old Wembley Stadium full of 72,000 people clapping in time and singing along to Radio Ga Ga.

Sound such as this is a huge leg up for any home cinema device. Whether capturing the atmosphere of a rock concert or the special effects of an action scene, the Aura really delivers on this front.

Verdict

The Humax Aura does its main job well. It’s a good Freeview recorder for both Full HD and standard definition with an easy-to-use TV guide, plenty of space and handy remote recording features. The problem is that Humax has offered – and is charging – more this time around and this box doesn’t deliver these extras quite so well.

If you’re going to promise more apps, then the omission of the most popular one of all is an issue. You also need to make sure your handling of streamed TV and film content is up to the same high standards as the competition, and that isn’t quite the case with the Aura. Tacking on the Android TV platform also means that the overall user interface loses a little focus.

While the Aura is spot on for sound, we still recommend that you buy the cheaper but still brilliant Humax FVP-5000T while you still can, and add a Google Chromecast with Google TV if you also want streaming. The experience won’t feel much more split than the Aura already does but, more importantly, the smart offering will be more complete and a little better for picture quality too.

That said, if you have your heart set on a single-box solution for your TV recording and video streaming, the Aura is a solid choice.

Review published: 2023. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 5
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our guide to the best set-top boxes

Read our Humax FVP-5000T review

As Humax picks up the What Hi-Fi? Award for the best non-subscription set-top box for four years, we were beginning to wonder if the company was just kicking back and resting on its laurels. But it appears not – the company has just launched the first-ever Android TV-powered 4K recorder with Freeview Play. 

The Humax Aura can be seen as a PVR or a Chromecast with benefits. Its Android TV system means it comes chocked with all Google has to offer on the media streaming front, i.e. Google Assistant voice control, plus access to more than 5,000 apps from the Google Play store and the ability to easily cast Chromecast-supported apps from your phone, tablet or laptop to your TV screen.

On the set-top box side of things are 70+ channels available courtesy of Freeview Play, space for up to 1000 hours of storage, and enough digital tuners that you can record up to four programmes at once while watching a fifth.

It will play hi-res audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz, as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D audio formats, through its HDMI port.

But the big jump for the Humax Aura, compared to the multi-Award-winning Humax FVP-5000T PVR, is its ability to record 4K HDR content. The pairing of Freeview Play and Android TV also means that there should be fewer app gaps with the likes of All 4 and, hopefully, Britbox all present and correct alongside big hitters such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and BT Sport.

Another handy addition is the Kids' Zone, an area with children-safe material – including timed content.

The Humax Aura is available from November in the UK and comes in two sizes – 1TB (£249, about AU$459) and 2TB (£279, about AU$519). Australian pricing and availability is yet to be announced.

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Take a look at our best set-top boxes Award-winners.

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We’d all love a flagship TV – of course we would – but few can afford one and fewer still can justify buying one.

But what if you could get a healthy chunk of flagship performance without spending flagship money? That’s the dream isn’t it? Well the Q70R makes that dream a reality.

It offers many of the features of the top-of-the-range Q90R but with a very substantial discount. In fact, this 65in variant (the Q70R is available in sizes ranging from 49in to 82in) undercuts the equivalent Q90R by £1000. That’s enough money leftover for a very decent sound system. Or an extra telly for your bedroom. Or nearly seven years of Netflix in 4K. 

Of course, the Q70R doesn’t offer all of the features of the Q90R; that would be silly. So the question becomes, is this a cut-price piece of premium TV gold, or has so much good stuff been chipped away that we’re left with the televisual equivalent of a lump of lead?

Design

The Q70R continues the Samsung QLED trend of thin bezels, sharp lines and pointed corners, but differs from the flagship Q90R with its darker finish and dainty legs. Those legs simply slot into the underside of the chassis, no bolts necessary, but do give the TV a footprint that will prove too wide for some furniture. 

This is a QLED TV with a direct LED backlight, just like the Q90R, and that extra layer in the display’s construction adds thickness to the overall design. That said, the almost uniform 6.2cm thickness of the Q70R means it’s only a centimetre and a half thicker than the 65in OLED C9 at its thickest point, although the C9 also has wafer thin panel sections.

Features

Unlike the Q90R, the Q70R doesn’t have a separate One Connect box to house its connections, so every cable runs into its rear, just as it does on the vast majority of non-Samsung TVs.

Those connections include four HDMIs, three USBs, an optical output, and aerial and satellite sockets for the Freeview and Freesat tuners respectively. The HDMIs lack full 2.1 certification but do support 2.1 features such as eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate).

Samsung’s QLEDs also support FreeSync, a particular form of VRR supported by the Xbox One and some PCs. Add some useful game-enhancing picture settings and an input lag of just 16ms, and you’ve got a very tempting display for the hard-core gamers out there.

On the HDR front, the Q70R – like its siblings – supports HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+, but not Dolby Vision. The lack of Dolby Vision always has been and continues to be a shame. HDR10+ is technically very similar but far less well supported, with only a handful of 4K Blu-rays and a chunk of Amazon Prime content (which is also generally available in Dolby Vision) offered in the format. It’s not, though, a reason to not buy the Q70R.

Alongside Amazon Prime Video, the Q70R offers subscription-based streaming via Netflix (also in 4K and HDR) and Now TV (HD at best), as well as pay-as-you-go movies and TV through Google Play, Rakuten and Apple TV. The latter offers the most substantial selection of 4K films available anywhere.

These apps are made available via the best operating system in the business. Clearly laid out and snappy in use, it allows you to get to the content you want in no time.

Picture settings are simple and straightforward, too, and the TV needs next to no tweaking in order to look its best: the Eco Solution settings need switching off, of course, and the Adaptive Brightness, then for 4K HDR we simply turn off the Digital Clean View (noise reduction) feature and select our preferred motion processing mode, Custom, though others might prefer turning it off entirely.

• Best 65 inch TVs

Picture

It’s a slight shame that the TV forces you to choose a compromise when it comes to motion, but Sony remains the only brand to have properly nailed this particularly tricky aspect of picture processing.

Compared with most TVs, the Q70R’s Custom mode – left on its default Blur Reduction and Judder Reduction settings of 10 and 3 respectively – does a good job sharpening and smoothing motion without introducing the dreaded soap opera-like over processing.

Only occasionally do you notice a smidgen of artifacting around very tricky bits of motion. Crucially, there’s no difference in the way the Q70R handles motion compared to the much more expensive Q90R.

In overall performance terms, the Q70R is very much a Q90R lite – in the best possible way. It lacks the flagship TV’s extra helping of picture whizz-bangery, most noticeably in terms of brightness and local dimming, but delivers a lot of what makes the Q90R great, only at a much lower price.

Looking at the night-time cityscape at the opening of the 4K Blu-ray of John Wick: Chapter 2, it’s clear that the Q70R lacks the Q90R brightness peaks (the Q70R is rated to around 1000 nits while the Q90R is 2000 nits) and close contrast control (the Q70R has only a fraction of the Q90R's number of dimming zones), but against similarly priced rivals the dynamism on offer is spectacular.

Blacks are deep for a backlit set and the thousands of lights from the buildings, cars, streetlights and billboards stand out proudly from the gloom around them. The garishly pink frontage of a Victoria’s Secret shop is fabulously punchy, while its reflections in the wet tarmac illustrate good subtlety of shading.

When the action moves to a dimly lit office, it becomes clear that the Q70R’s blacks are fairly detailed as well as satisfyingly deep, and that skin tones, while a little warmer than truly neutral, are nuanced and generally natural.

It is worth noting, though, that the Q70R lacks the Q90R’s wide viewing angle tech, and that means colours wash out somewhat when the TV is viewed off axis. It’s no worse in this regard than other, similarly priced backlit TVs, but is worth bearing in mind all the same.

Detail and definition are exceptional. Edges are razor sharp without looking artificially enhanced, and every bristle of a henchman’s fabulous handlebar moustache is clearly visible.

Switching to the 1080p Blu-ray of The Hateful Eight, the Q70R remains a very satisfying performer. Again, this isn’t as bright a performance as that of the Q90R, which means the snow isn’t as crisply white, but the general balance in terms of colours and contrast is more or less the same. As is the way the image is upscaled delicately, preserving the essential filmic quality of Tarantino’s grim Western.

Switching to Bargain Hunt in standard definition (the things we do in the name of testing), the Q70R sensibly plays things fairly cautiously, resulting in colours that are a little subdued next to some, but avoid the far spikier pitfall of garish over-exuberance.

LG’s OLEDs remain the masters of upscaling these very low resolution signals, delivering almost impossible smoothness and clarity, but the Q70R is as clean and controlled as its flagship sibling and perfectly watchable in its own right.

Sound

It almost goes without saying at this point that even the best sounding TV can be beaten for audio quality by a decent soundbar. But if you absolutely insist on using the built-in speakers, the Q70R is decent enough, with plenty of clarity and projection through the midrange.

That said, it is lacking somewhat in the bass department and isn’t exceptionally spacious in its delivery, even with the worthwhile Adaptive Sound turned on.

For everyday TV viewing, the sound is perfectly acceptable, but the best sounding TV around this price comfortably remains the Sony KD-65XG9505.

Verdict

Those looking for a premium performance at midrange money simply have to check out the QE65Q70R. It lacks the cutting-edge specs that make the flagship Q90R so spectacular, but the Q70R’s downgrades are sensibly chosen and the result is a Q90-lite performance that’s excellent for the money.

Throw in the best operating system money can currently buy, and the most substantial selection of apps available anywhere, and you’ve got a real belter of a midrange TV.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Features 5
• Sound 3
• Ease of use 5

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For the last few years, LG has consistently proved it can make some of the best TVs around. Granted, we're talking about the brand's premium OLED TVs, which have more than proven their worth against rivals at the top end of the market.

But what about those who can’t afford over £1000 (and up to £5000) for an OLED TV? Of course, LED TVs are still the most popular and widespread TV type in people’s homes due to its accessibility and affordability. LG has several 4K Ultra HD LED ranges - such as the UK6400, whose 43UK6400PLF (43in), 49UK6400PL (49in), 55UK6400PLF (55in) and 65UK6400PLF (65in) models have been on the end of some generous discounting, now available for between £329 and £629.

That fantastic on-paper value will certainly raise some eyebrows, but are these Ultra HD TVs worth spending your money on? We haven't reviewed the LG UK6400 4K TV range, however breaking down the specs will help us make an educated guess...

MORE: The best 4K TV deals 2019

The short answer: The UK6400 TVs are middle-sitters within LG’s Ultra HD 4K TV series, which lies below the company’s premium Super Ultra HD and OLED TV ranges.

But while they aren’t among  the best LG TVs, they more than cover the basics for the modern TV, with 4K resolution, HDR support, smart apps and even AI and voice control functionality.

So if your priority is screen size, value and smart features, and you don’t mind missing out on the very best audiovisual experience offered by much pricier TVs and the utmost slimness of OLED, we’d trust these to offer a good all-round experience.

• LG 43UK6400PLF (43in) £369 £309 at Argos
• LG 43UK6400PLF (43in) £369 £309 at John Lewis
• LG 43UK6400PLF (43in) £369 £309 at Richer Sounds

• LG 49UK6400PL (49in) £449 £349 at Argos 
• LG 49UK6400PL (49in) £449 £379 at John Lewis
• LG 49UK6400PL (49in) £449 £379 at Richer Sounds

• LG 55 Inch 55UK6400PLF £399 at Richer Sounds
• LG 55 Inch 55UK6400PLF £429 at John Lewis
• LG 55UK6400PLF (55in) £429 at Argos

LG 43UK6400PLF, 49UK6400PL, 55UK6400PLF and 65UK6400PLF: everything you need to know

Sandwiched between LG’s UK6300 and UK6470 4K TV ranges, the 43UK6400PLF, 49UK6400PL, 55UK6400PLF and 65UK6400PLF TVs boast the two most important visual technologies: 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution for pin-sharp images, and High Dynamic Range (HDR) for wide and subtle colour reproduction.

On the latter, there are several important HDR formats, including HDR10 and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) - both of which you’ll be glad to hear are supported by these TVs! Dolby Vision is a dynamic metadata format that LG supports in its premium TVs, however unsurprisingly these budget TVs overlook it. That means you won’t be able to playback Dolby Vision content available on Ultra HD Blu-rays and streaming services such as Netflix, but considering most HDR content is available in HDR 10 instead of or as well as Dolby Vision, that shouldn’t bother too many people after a TV bargain. These TVs actually utilise what LG calls its ‘Active HDR’, too, which the company claims is a better application of HDR.

And what of smart features? Running LG’s webOS platform (which has long-been our favourite for its feature-set and intuitiveness), these TVs boast smart apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and UK catch-up apps like BBC iPlayer, All4 and ITV Hub, plus tons more. Then there’s Freeview HD for broadcast telly, and of course multiple USB and HDMI ports for connecting a, say, games console or Blu-ray player.

LG has promised these TVs will receive a software update this year gifting them built-in Google Assistant voice control, meaning users will be able to control the TV and ask it questions simply using their own voice. The TVs also support Amazon’s version of voice control, Alexa, however that requires an Alexa speaker such as an Amazon Echo.

As for the picture, needless to say LG has a good track record. If its OLED TVs are anything to go by, we’d expect good levels of sharpness and rich yet natural colours.

LG says it’s worked hard to improve the viewing angles of this panel compared to last year’s equivalent, too.

Verdict: While we can only truly vouch for the top-ranging LG OLED TVs we’ve reviewed in the last year or two (it’s proven increasingly difficult for us to get hold of samples of lower-ranging TVs), the UK6400 models’ are certainly well specc’d when it comes to network smart apps, voice control and multiple HDR support. If the picture quality was up to scratch, you could be looking at some of the best-value TVs this Black Friday.

At these prices, it’s fair to say we’d take a punt on them.

Want an alternative? See our round-up of the best 4K TV deals 2019, including this fantastic Award-winning Philips 50PUS6703 for just £399. 

MORE: Best budget TVs 2019: The best cheap 4K TVs

The biggest match in European football takes place this Saturday. The Champions League final is Real Madrid vs Liverpool, with kick-off at 7.45pm UK time, and anyone with an internet connection can watch it for free.

You can watch it on TV, online or even on your mobile, whether you're a BT Sport subscriber or not. And even in 4K Ultra HD. Read on for all the details.

Champions League Final on TV

BT TV, Sky, Virgin, TalkTalk and EE customers all have ways to watch the big match on their big-screen, but of course they need to have the right subscription.

BT Sport subscribers can watch on channel 409 (BT Sport 2 SD), channel 431 (BT Sport 2 HD) or channel 433 (BT Sport 4K UHD).

Sky subscribers can watch on 414 (BT Sport 2 HD), provided they have the necessary BT Sport subscription. There isn't access to the 4K channel however.

Virgin TV customers will be able to watch in SD, HD and 4K for the first time. Access is via channel 532 (BT Sport 2 SD) or 528 (BT Sport 2 HD), and the red button for 4K Ultra HD.

TalkTalk users can view channel 409 (BT Sport 2) while many EE customers will have access via the BT Sport app.

While the match is being described as 'free-to-air', it's not available directly on Freeview or Freesat, but...

Champions League Final online

...there will be a free Champions League final live stream online that anyone can watch. Head to btsport.com/final at 6pm to get access to the free match stream.

But there's more. There will be also be a free 4K Champions League stream (and SD/HD) on the BT Sport YouTube channel. So anyone with an internet connection can watch the final for free.

Provided you have a suitable TV or monitor, and a decent internet connection, you will be able to enjoy the match in pixel-packed 4K Ultra HD.

Champions League Final on mobile

Stuck out and about and need to watch on your phone? The BT Sport app, available for Android and iOS, will have a free Real Madrid vs Liverpool stream.

MORE: How to watch the World Cup –TV, 4K, online, mobile

MORE: How to watch 4K video online and on TV

As far as unique selling points go, a pedestal stand with adjustable height doesn’t seem especially thrilling, particularly if, as is the case here, it’s a rather inelegant, labour-intensive feature.

It’s a good job, then, that the Panasonic TX-50EX750B has more to offer than a bizarrely low-tech height-adjustment function. But can it compete with the best televisions in its class?

MORE: What is Ultra HD TV and 4K TV? Everything you need to know

Build

If weight was a measure of success, the TX-50EX750B would be an instant winner. It weighs 22.5kg, which is an incredible amount for a 50in TV.

A huge portion of that weight is in the metal stand, which not only gives the TV a solid, cross-shaped footprint, it also extends up the back of the TV to give it a giraffe-like, extendable neck.

Being able to adjust the height of the screen is a nice idea, but doing so here involves lying the TV down then disassembling, moving, and reassembling part of the stand. While the height adjustment is of limited usefulness, this is a fairly snazzy TV.

The thin silver bezel gives the telly a classy note, and the glossy, cross-shaped pedestal looks smart and offers a solid footing too.

MORE: How to set up your TV and get the best picture

Features

Turn the telly on and you’re presented with some straight-laced set-up menus. There’s none of the welcoming colour or slickness that you get from an LG or Samsung TV.

Initial installation is quick and straightforward, though, and before long you find yourself dealing with the Firefox-based operating system proper.

This, too, is a bit of a mixed bag: it’s all built around three main areas (Live TV, Apps and Devices), but the actual menu structure is a bit odd and some menus and features overlap in a way that can be confusing.

Still, you will get used to it, particularly if you take a little bit of time in the first instance to pin your favourites to a special shortcut menu.

And there are lots of features to enjoy, too. There’s Freeview Play on board, and dedicated apps for all of the expected catch-up channels, too. The TX-50EX750B will also play Blue Planet II in 4K HDR via the iPlayer app.

You also get Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, both in 4K HDR form, so there’s plenty of HDR content here. And while Dolby Vision isn’t supported, HDR10+ is on the way via a firmware update and HDR10 and HLG are there out of the box.

MORE: HDR10+ – everything you need to know

Picture

Our first port of call is a 4K HDR Blu-ray of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.2. It’s fast becoming a favourite thanks to its stunning colours and rapid action, and the Panasonic does a pretty good job with it.

Motion, in particular, is extremely impressive here, with the Intelligent Frame Creation reducing blur without introducing any of that unpleasant soap opera effect. In fact, only Sony marginally betters this Panasonic for motion.

The EX750B delivers plenty of punch, with the film’s first fight scene proving a dazzling feast for the eyes. As lasers fire across the screen, the tentacle monster breathes deadly rainbows at the darting Guardians and the bright, neon credits appear on screen.

MORE: 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray – all the 4K discs on sale and coming soon

But there’s something missing. The image is bright, but it’s clear that black depth has had to be sacrificed, and the effect is less overall contrast than rival TVs offer.

This impacts on almost all aspects of the image: it looks a bit flatter, with the dark elements that contribute to solidity not quite dark enough.

Colours are bright, but not particularly lush or vibrant, and details aren’t emphasised as they are on other sets. It’s just a less engaging and enticing image compared to the best in class.

The uneven backlighting on our review sample doesn’t help either.

The Panasonic is a little lacking when it comes to fine details and nuanced shading, too, with faces missing the realism and subtlety available elsewhere. We’re not saying this is a bad 4K HDR performance, but the picture doesn’t pop or sizzle as you might expect.

With 1080p the EX750B is actually much closer to its competitors. Detail levels are high by Full HD standards, with all of the grime and sweat visible on Bond’s face in the aftermath of Quantum Of Solace’s opening car chase.

Colours here are natural and balanced, with skin tones now subtler and more realistic, and motion is once again excellent.

MORE: HDR TV – What is it? How can you get it?

The picture is a bit subdued, though, with Siena looking more overcast than sweatily hot, and the lights in the tunnels beneath Piazza del Campo looking less bright than they should.

There’s some detail missing in the dark parts of the image, too, with the brickwork less distinctly drawn and the shoulder of Bond’s suit blending into the shaded background a little more than it should.

While the Panasonic lacks some of the sparkle of its rivals, it’s natural, neutral balance, strong detail and excellent motion processing make it a strong screen for Full HD.

Drop down to standard definition via the aerial or satellite tuners or from a DVD, and that natural touch makes for a surprisingly pleasant image. There’s a little more fuzz around edges than the very best can muster, but this is a clean, controlled image by SD standards.

If you’re a gamer you’ll be a little bit disappointed to discover that Game Mode is rather buried in the menus and doesn’t have a shortcut button, but also pleased to hear that we’ve measured input lag at a very impressive 26ms.

That’s more than fast enough to be completely unnoticeable.

Sound

We always recommend partnering your new TV with a separate sound system if possible, and that’s most certainly the case with the Panasonic EX750.

This isn’t a terrible-sounding set, and its built-in speakers are relatively balanced and clear, but its presentation is quite narrow and congested, offering none of the spaciousness or punch of the best flatscreens around.

There is a Surround mode, but this doesn’t open the soundstage up as much as you’d expect.

MORE: Best soundbar and soundbase deals

Verdict

The Panasonic TX-50EX750B is a likeable TV that offers a natural, consistent performance across all sources and looks smart while doing so. But it also lacks both the sparkle and subtlety of the best TVs around.

At £850 it’s certainly not bad value, but at this point in 2017 there are discounts available on loads of premium TVs.

For example, the Award-winning Sony KD-49XE9005 is available for £1000 or less if you shop around, and while that is more than you’d pay for the Panasonic, it’s well worth the extra money.

See all our Panasonic reviews

In German, if you need to make a new word, you can simply combine two (or three, or four) existing words together.

It's this linguistic dexterity that means words like "Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz" (literally, the "beef-labelling supervision duties delegation law") exist.

Philosophically speaking, this is the approach British TV manufacturer Cello Electronics has taken towards its new line of Platinum LED televisions. TVs are known for having lacklustre sound quality, which is why we usually recommend pairing them with a good soundbar. Cello's solution? Integrate a soundbar into the TV stand itself.

There are five televisions in this range, from 32in to 65in - everything over 50in has 4K Ultra HD resolution. On the bottom of each telly is the soundbar, which has four drivers (inside the 32in model) and six drivers (in all the others).

The televisions run an Android Smart operating system - which looks like a simple Android tablet scaled up to the size of a television - meaning you get all of Google's services alongside streaming apps like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

They'll be coming next month, with prices starting at £300 for the 32in model. The rest of the range costs £450 (for the 43in), £600 (50in), £680 (55in) and £980 (for the 65in model).

MORE:

Best TV deals – OLED, 4K and smart TVs

November 2017 issue on sale now!

New Amazon Fire TV supports 4K HDR video and Dolby Atmos

FVP-5000T is Humax’s most versatile Freeview Play recorder yet

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4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: all the 4K discs on sale and coming soon

You need hardly be in British Mensa to recognise the pattern here: Humax releases a home recording device, it gets five stars – it’s as straightforward as that.

Like the underappreciated factory worker who punches the holes in Polos, Humax knows its role and gets on with it.

You’ll have noticed, then, the five stars at the top of this review suggesting, or rather denoting, that the rousingly named HDR-2000T is no exception.

Whether this talented set top box is worth the £150 spend will depend upon your specific needs, but not the quality of the work it does.

Features

This is a Freeview HD+ digital TV recorder, which essentially means you have subscription-free access to the live broadcasts of all Freeview channels, including ten in high definition, and its radio stations, and can record up to 300 hours of standard definition or up to 125 in HD.

As ever, though, Humax enables this in the most intuitive way it can; an eight-day television guide allows you to plan well ahead, with a series record function eradicating the need to do so manually for the same show each week, and a twin digital tuner allows you to record two programmes simultaneously or record one and watch another.

Remember when you were too young to stay up and watch the football, so you’d tape it on VHS, only for extra time and penalties to be chopped off the end? Well Humax’s accurate recording won’t let that happen, nor will it record extra time and penalties if you’re after the following programme.

You can begin watching your programme even if it’s halfway through recording, and you also have the power to pause and rewind live TV.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But this is precisely what we mean by Humax knowing its part and playing it; we’d soon notice if any of these were missing. But this is, of course, more than just a television recorder.

Like the rest of Humax’s range, it has a well-stocked suite of smart features, including catch-up channels and access to YouTube and internet radio, as well as the ability to play videos and MP3, and share photos via its USB ports.

MORE: Best set-top boxes 2016

Our expectations of Humax products are such that it’s only really disappointment that could surprise us, so perhaps we’re less enthused than we could be when we lift the HDR-2000T’s stylishly slick chassis from its box.

The remote control isn’t the most substantial we’ve grasped, but it’s comfortable and no trouble to use. Set-up is as simple as plugging in power, TV aerial, Ethernet cable (a dongle is available separately for wireless connection) and HDMI into our TV, in this case the Samsung UE65JU7000.

Switching the box on, we breeze through the opening setup menus, update to the newest software, and that’s it. There’s nothing more to it; within five minutes we’re ready to flick through the Humax’s functions.

Whereas the home screens on these boxes have in the past been quite colourful affairs, the HDR-2000T seems to have opted for a more reserved, cleaner setup.

Performance

We stick on Flog It on BBC1 and are prompted immediately to press OK for the HD service, a shortcut available wherever there is an HD alternative, but stop first to admire the picture in standard definition.

Flicking between the two broadcasts, it’s clear that if the Humax box isn’t giving us as good quality as the direct feed from our TV, but the difference is relatively small.

We also press pause and play a few times – a fun game in itself – and are pleased with the sensitivity of this live TV control.

Sound quality too, is as we’ve come to expect from this class-leading TV; switching to YouTube we play the video for Frightened Rabbit’s Get Out and enjoy as dynamic and expressive a performance as our telly speakers are capable.

Essentially, you can be assured the famed idiom about cooks and broth does not apply here.

Verdict

So, a familiar pattern then? Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

But if it’s too repetitive, come back when a Humax box doesn’t get a five-star review; that’ll be the day it doesn’t do everything it says on the box.

See all our Humax reviews

See all out set-top box reviews

The first of the new models is the Panasonic DMR-BWT850 (above). It’s a networked 3D Blu-ray player and recorder with a twin HD tuner. It comes with Freeview Play which allows you to scroll back through an electronic programme guide (EPG) by up to seven days, and view catch-up content from selected broadcasters: BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

It supports 4K video and jpeg playback, so you can play content recorded on 4K cameras for example. It also features 4K upscaling, bringing Blu-ray images to near-4K quality. 4K content can also be recorded onto the hard-drive in a bit rate up to 100mbps and a resolution of up to 3840 x 2160. A 4K Ultra HD TV is required to view any 4K content.

FLAC and WAV file formats are supported for high-res audio playback, and the DMR-BWT850 also comes with Panasonic’s Pure Sound Mode, which is said to improve sound quality when listening to music.

As for TV, two channels can be recorded at the same time thanks to its twin HD tuner, and the DMR-BWT850 has a 1TB built-in hard drive.

Other features include TV Anywhere, which allows you to view recorded programmes and live TV broadcasts on a smartphone or tablet over the internet. The service will work even if you’re abroad, but relies on a stable broadband internet connection. The Panasonic Media Centre app is required to use the service too.

A range of apps are available on the Panasonic DMR-BWT850, including Amazon Instant Video, Netflix and BBC iPlayer, and further content can be accessed from USB devices and SDXC cards.

The Panasonic DMR-BWT850 will be available from October, priced £599.

The Panasonic DMR-PWT655 (above) comes with many of the same features as the DMR-BWT850, but can only play Blu-ray discs, rather than record them. It can record on to DVD though and has a 1TB built-in hard drive. It too comes with a twin HD tuner and Freeview Play for seven day catch-up.

4K video can be played and recorded onto the hard-drive and Blu-ray discs can be upscaled to near 4K quality. It also supports the TV Anywhere service. Video streaming and on-demand apps come installed and content can be accessed from USB devices and SDXC cards.

The DMR-PWT550 has all the same features as the DMR-PWT655 but instead comes with a 500GB hard-drive as opposed to 1TB, and can’t support playback from SDXC cards.

Both models will be available from October. The Panasonic DMR-PWT655 will cost £399 while the DMR-PWT550 will cost £350.

Moving down the range and we get to the Panasonic DMR-HWT250. This is a networked HDD recorder with twin HD tuner and Freeview Play seven day catch-up. Programmes can be recorded to the 1TB hard drive and viewed on a smartphone or tablet via TV Anywhere. 4K content can’t be recorded to the hard drive and can only be viewed from a connected USB device.

It also comes with the same video streaming and on-demand apps as the other models.

The Panasonic DMR-HWT150 has the same features and functionality as the HWT250, but instead comes with a smaller 500GB hard-drive.

Both models will be available from October, with the DMR-HWT250 costing £319 while the DMR-HWT150 will cost £269.

Finally, the Panasonic DMR-EX97 is a DVD recorder with twin HD tuner. It doesn’t come with Freeview Play, TV Anywhere or 4K networking. It’s a Freeview+ device, so can pause and rewind live TV programmes, and record them to its 500GB hard drive. It doesn’t have built-in wi-fi (all other models do) and doesn’t have smart functions such as video streaming and on-demand apps.

The Panasonic DMR-EX97 will be available from October for £350.

Ultra HD broadcast TV has finally arrived, and BT is first past the post with its BT Sport Ultra HD channel.

We watch the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle and even a dreadful performance from both sides looks eye-poppingly marvellous on the screen.

Picture

This is what a hawk must feel like. The level of detail and clarity is remarkable. Not only can you make out the individual beads of sweat on Bastian Schweinsteiger’s brow – you can count the lines on the shirt of a Toon fan’s shirt 50 yards behind.

Then there’s this year’s hideous Premier League ball. Even during wide shots, it’s easy to make out its splashes of orange, spinning in the grass. It’s a stable image too, the super-slow pans show barely a hint of judder.

It’s not just a little sharper than regular HD, it’s a huge step up.

Granted, the regular HD broadcast isn’t the best we’ve seen, but the UHD performance is next-level stuff. Once you’ve sampled UHD, it will be very hard to go back.

MORE: 5 things we learned watching BT Sport Ultra HD

Features

What about the hardware? BT continues its partnership with Humax, who actually build the box. Despite all the BT branding and an appearance that fits in with BT’s routers (everything looks like a 1995 modem) the device’s real name is the Humax DTR-T4000.

Essentially, the hardware is the same as every Humax YouView box we’ve reviewed. It’s a set-top box with a built-in hard disk, which lets you record broadcast programming.

This unit has 1TB of storage, which we’re told is good for 60 hours of UHD content. That translates to 250 hours of HD recordings, or 600 hours of standard definition. Operation is a swift, stable affair, although start-up time is very long if you have ‘eco mode’ activated.

MORE: BT Sport Ultra HD: What is it? How can you get it?

The software is where the fun is. YouView’s interface is full of features, lovely to use and nice to look at too. For newcomers, YouView is a free service that uses the internet to bring Freeview and on-demand services under a single roof.

Regular broadcasts work alongside a bunch of popular apps: BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All 4, Demand 5, BT Player, Now TV, UKTV Play, Sky Store, Quest and S4C – with Netflix coming later.

You get a clever electronic programme guide that lets you scroll back and forth by seven days. Seen something you missed? If it’s tied to an app (say, BBC iPlayer for The Great British Bake Off), you’ll be taken straight to it. You can also pause, rewind and record live TV, as well as set timers to schedule recordings.

What does BT bring to the party? Extra channels, including BT Sports 1 and 2, BT Sport Europe and BT Sport ESPN, but the main course is channel 434, where you’ll find UHD content.

MORE: Has BT Sport HD dropped in quality after Ultra HD launch?

Ease-of-use

But unfortunately, you can’t just buy a BT Ultra HD YouView box and watch 4K straight away. Firstly, you must be a BT Infinity subscriber, and you’ll need a line with a minimum download speed of 44Mbps.

Then you’ll have to subscribe to the BT Entertainment Ultra HD package, yours for £15 per month, on top of the standard £17.99 a month line rental, £44 engineer installation fee, and £50 for the box.

Newcomers to BT will get the box for free, but they need to pay an activation fee of £35 for Infinity, as well as a Home Hub delivery charge of £6.95.

Then you’ll want a compatible 4K TV. That’s a set of 2160p resolution, with an HDMI 2.0 connection that supports HDCP 2.2 content protection – many older sets won’t cut it. Of course, you can watch downscaled 4K on a regular HD TV, but you won’t get your money’s worth.

All set? The final thing you’ll need is patience. Only certain events are being filmed and broadcast in UHD. It’s mostly football – Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup matches.

There’s also Aviva Premiership rugby and the NBA basketball match from London. In between, you get endless adverts for UHD and for BT.

Verdict

Is it worth it? Yes if you’re a sports fan with an existing BT Infinity subscription. Yes even if you’re not, but desperately want to watch UHD TV right now.

No doubt about it – this is most accomplished live TV you can watch right now, and BT deserves a gold star for being the first to deliver it.

Our only concern is the amount of money you have to spend for what is currently a very limited amount of content. If BT can give us more to watch, we can reconsider that fifth star.

See all our set-top box reviews

MORE: Best 4K TVs 2015

We first reviewed the Panasonic TX-58AX802 in July. Our experience was dampened by some software issues relating to Netflix 4K, but now Panasonic has released a software update, it’s only fair to take another look. What follows is our updated review.

We’re sad and excited. Sad because we’re still not quite over the demise of Panasonic’s plasma TVs, but excited to see what’s next.

What’s next? The Panasonic TX-58AX802B, that’s what.

MORE: Panasonic 2015 TVs - release dates, specs and features

Specs

The stand is roughly the size of the Oxford English Dictionary and the screen itself is unusually heavy.

It’s well equipped though, complete with a pop-up camera and a generous set of connections including four HDMI 2.0, three USBs (one rated 3.0), an SD card slot and Freeview HD and Freesat.

Wi-fi is built in, although you get an ethernet socket too. It’s worth noting that of the four HDMI slots, only one can handle 4K.

At launch, the AX802 was not able to stream 4K from Netflix, which is one of the only sources of 4K footage at the moment. Since then, Panasonic has released an update to rectify this issue.

Panasonic joins rivals such as the Sony KD-55X8505B, Samsung UE55HU7500 and LG 55UB950V in being able to stream Kevin Spacey’s face at 3840x2160.

Features

This is a shame, because in many areas the AX802 is rather good. We’ve long been fans of Panasonic’s smart TV interface, but this year it’s even better.

The ‘My Home Screen’ system makes a return, letting you choose from pre-set screens or build your own, and the Freetime TV guide lets you scroll back on primary channels to watch shows broadcast up to seven days ago.

‘My Stream’ offers suggestions for online and tuner content based on things you’ve marked as favourites.

The flashiest element here is the Info Bar. The TV goes from standby to a semi-conscious state, showing a band of data at the bottom of the screen – it’s activated by a proximity sensor and is a neat idea, although the sensor can be triggered by bright lights or wandering pets.

We managed to activate it just by drinking a cup of tea. Thankfully you can turn it off, although it’s tempting to keep it on and see how the cat reacts.

Slightly more useful is TV Anywhere, which lets you stream live or USB-based content to your smartphone or tablet.

Picture

Start watching it and this screen feels much like a Panasonic plasma of old, right down to the warm colour reproduction and ink-deep blacks.

Flicking through Netflix 4K, as well as our server of 4K stock video and film clips, it’s hard not to be amazed by the colour reproduction. While the richness of the palette may not be entirely lifelike, the wide range of hues breathes real life into the picture.

When it gets dark it is properly dark, although the normally sky-high levels of detail are occasionally compromised in the darker areas.

Contrast is excellent throughout. In terms of outright sharpness, the Panasonic’s subdued approach feels nice and natural.

Blu-rays and Freeview HD are upscaled with skill, although it is not as crisp a screen as rivals such as the Samsung UE55HU7500. As for 3D, you get two pairs of active-shutter glasses.

There’s an inevitable degree of image instability in action scenes, but we like the sense of depth. It’s not perfect, however.

Viewing angles aren’t particularly wide, and you don’t need to go far off axis before the contrast and colours start to wash out.

Remotes

The main handset’s lovely metal finish and clear layout instantly make it one of our favourites, but a simplified smart remote is unintuitive.

Sadly, both seem to suffer from a degree of lag with menus, too.

Verdict

The first time we tested the Panasonic TX-55AX802, we gave it three stars. We were disappointed in its inability to handle 4K from Netflix.

Now that the TV has been updated and this is no longer an issue, we’re happy to give this TV an extra star.

We admire its features, and we’re impressed by its picture. It still can’t quite hold off the competition, but if you’re after a fine 4K TV, it’s well worth investigating.

MORE: Best 4K TV 2014

See all our TV reviews

Harder, better, faster, stronger could summarise the Humax DTR-T2000.

Rather than doing something entirely new, Humax has sprinkled tiny improvements all over its YouView box. After all, why throw out something that works?

This year’s DTR-T2000 is not very different from last year’s Award-winning DTR-T1010 - but it’s certainly better.

MORE: Awards 2014 - Best set-top boxes

For the uninitiated, YouView is like Freeview on steroids. It’s a free service with access to more than 70 TV and radio channels, but that’s where similarities end.

There’s all manner of web-based services on tap, too. The box accesses your broadband to get content from the major catch-up services. These are integrated with the electronic programme guide (EPG), which allows you scroll back seven days.

Simply browse the listings, pick something you missed and the corresponding catch-up service will load. The Great British Bake-Off, for instance, will bring up the BBC iPlayer app.

There’s also the ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5. Other apps include Sky’s Now TV (subscription film and TV streaming), Sky Store (pay-as-you-go films), Milkshake! (for kids), S4C (in Wales), STV (in Scotland), and UKTV (Dave, Really and Yesterday).

It’s fine if you don’t want to play catch-up: scroll forward up to seven days and set the box to record upcoming attractions.

Build and design

The T2000 looks very similar to the T1010, but there are a few changes. It’s smaller. The power supply is now an external block, keeping the device cooler, which means no noisy fan – and it’s also primarily made of metal rather than plastic.

Sadly there’s no display to show info on what you’re watching or recording.

But you do get a flap hiding a USB port, which isn’t for end-user use. Instead you need to use the internal hard drive, with 500GB storage, which allows you to record around 300 hours in standard-def or 125 in HD.

There’s no 1TB model, but we wouldn’t be surprised if that appeared. The back of the machine offers standard connections: aerial pass-through, HDMI out (plus scart and RCA just in case), digital optical out, another USB port and ethernet in.

Wi-fi is still missing, though.

Set-up is easy. Plug in the bundled HDMI and LAN cables, add your own RF lead, and power it up. On-screen instructions take care of the rest.

Interface

We’ve always been fans of the YouView interface. It’s neat and nice to look at, with a welcoming blue tint.

Press the ‘YouView’ button on the well-designed remote and you’re presented with settings, apps, recordings and search.

The search function is universal. Just type in the name of the programme you want and you’ll be told the service that offers it.

There’s a good amount of info for programmes, and it’s nice to see related broadcasts in case you need advice. Start-up times vary because of the power-saving ‘Eco Mode’.

Have it set high and the box will go into a deep sleep on standby. Set it to low and it will spring to life in 10-15 seconds (slightly better than its predecessor).

There’s little lag when it comes to flicking through menus. Button presses respond well.

Performance

Video quality depends on the strength and stability of your signal, but if you get good TV reception normally then you’ll be fine.

The tuners do a solid job: standard and HD pictures are clean and detailed, with decent motion-handling and sharply drawn edges. You can record one channel and watch another, or record two channels at once while you watch on-demand content.

On-demand quality is also dependant on connections, but whichever service we used pictures were clear and judder-free.

Verdict

The Humax DTR-T2000 box is better than its predecessor in nearly every way.

Things may have moved on in the last year, with many more TVs getting some catch-up features of their own - along with Facebook and Spotify.

But when it comes to the pure simplicity of enhancing your TV-viewing experience for little outlay, there’s nothing quite like YouView.

MORE: Awards 2014 - all the winners

A 4K TV for less than £500! That’s quite something, considering the exorbitant prices bandied about just six months ago. Too good to be true, you say? Well quite.

What seemed so appealing on paper turns out to be a massive disappointment. For this, dear reader, is the cautionary tale of the Bush LE-39GBP-A.

Design

Considering it’s a budget TV, we’re not surprised to see it has a very ordinary design. A glossy black rectangle sits atop a glossy black pedestal.

It’s the same look favoured by hundreds of the more cheerful sets to pass through our doors. It’s inoffensive, and the build is strong enough to give the impression of sturdiness.

We’ve seen prettier sets for a similar price, but then again none of them aspired to handle Ultra High Definition. Take a tour around the back and it’s a stripped-down offering.

There are three HDMI 1.4 sockets, a USB port, Scart (with adaptors for component and composite input), VGA for use as a monitor, and a Freeview antenna. Digital audio is handled by an optical output, and analogue by 3.5mm headphone jack.

There is no internet. You don’t get wi-fi, and there’s no ethernet socket either. That means there is no smart content of any kind, and certainly no Netflix 4K. Your only source of 4K, then, is through HDMI, although the 1.4 certification means it will come at a maximum 30Hz.

According to the latest guidelines set forth by the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association), that means this isn’t Ultra HD.

As always, we begin by calibrating the picture, starting with a THX Optimizer disc. The experience could be better. The interface looks dated and utterly workmanlike.

Given the lack of smart features, we hope what remains will be vaguely polished. Not so. It doesn’t help that the settings are rather limited.

There’s no way to adjust backlight levels, for instance, and there are no processing options except noise reduction. To make things worse, it’s not particularly responsive.

Button inputs are usually accompanied by noticeable lag. Occasionally we have to wait several seconds between command and reaction.

4K

Time for video, and our feature presentation is a selection of Ultra HD film clips and stock footage.

It seems the Bush is fussy about inputs, because it refuses to yield a single pixel when confronted with our server – which we’ve used successfully on many other 4K TVs.

It doesn’t help to have our source rejected when content is already so rare. And it’s not as if we can use Netflix 4K either – because there’s no web connectivity.

As a last resort, we hook up a laptop via HDMI. It works: the screen fills up and we are told it is showing a 3840 x 2160 picture running at 30Hz.

We aren’t expecting the lovely picture of pricier sets, but the performance could be better. Pixel chasers will be satisfied, as it’s appropriately sharp and detailed.

But we note some motion instability, and colours are not subtle. There is little nuance in the shading and gradation is poor, especially around contours.

This is more apparent when we’re closer to the screen. On better sets, it can be almost like looking out of a window. Here, the image gets patchy if you get too close.

Blacks are fine for an LCD panel, but there’s little differentiation between the shades of dark. White-level distinction is even less clear.

Full HD

While we wait for 4K to take off properly, most people will be viewing ‘just’ 1080p – so we spin a few Blu-rays. It’s a serviceable picture, but hardly satisfying.

Without the benefit of the full eight-million pixels, the lack of subtlety becomes even more apparent. Motion is still unstable, colours look unnatural and whites are even harder to distinguish.

You don’t have to move too close to the screen before you start noticing the rather clumsy patches of colour. Alternatives to Blu-ray? There’s no 3D, nor is there Freeview HD.

We’re less fussed about the 3D, but it seems rather limited for a TV of this price not to have HD TV channels these days. We re-tune the TV several times and scroll all the way through just to make sure.

No luck – the EPG skips straight from BBC Parliament to porn.

Standard definition

We take the plunge down to standard definition, and the picture is shockingly bad. It’s hugely unsubtle. Colours are downright garish, and detail is poor.

Those patches of unsubtle shading return with a vengeance. And that’s just on DVD. Given a Freeview feed to chew on, the Bush introduces all manner of noise and fuzz.

You can set noise reduction on high, but that’s like bringing a dinghy to the Titanic. Processed, and not in a good way. From standard definition all the way up to 4K, there is some kind of motion-processing that makes everything look over-etched.

The effect isn’t overblown, but it is distractingly artificial. And it looks like there’s no option to turn it off either.

HDMI upscaling

Bundled with the TV is the Seiki U-Vision cable. It seems like an ordinary HDMI cable, until you see that one end has a USB cable sticking out. It’s supposed to draw power from your TV.

Why would an HDMI cable need power? To upscale what goes through it: 480p to 1080p, 1080p to 2160p (says the box). It also claims to enhance details, restore edges and cut noise.

Does it work well? Not really. The picture does get sharper, but everything looks awfully processed and artificial.

Edges look unnaturally hard, and people sometimes look almost green-screened. And there’s more picture noise.

Sound

We never expect much from the sound of flatscreen TVs, but still we find ourselves disappointed.

The Bush is sharp and brittle, with little weight anywhere on the frequency scale. More than once we find ourselves wincing.

Verdict

We cannot recommend this TV in any way. It barely fulfils its promise of 4K, and it lacks upscaling skills to fall back on.

The picture is poor in Full HD, and we’re frankly aghast at the SD performance. And that’s before we consider the technical limitations.

We’re disappointed with the lack of web connection, smart connectivity and Freeview HD, which were seen on similarly priced TVs even two years ago.

This is a most futile investment of time and money.

Avoid it.

Panasonic has today unveiled a deal that will see Freesat's Freetime service included on selected Panasonic Viera smart TVs (from the midrange AS660 series and upwards), including both Freesat and Freeview models. The first model so equipped is the Ultra HD 4K Panasonic TX-50AX802B pictured above.

Users of the service will be able to view a smart TV guide that lets you scroll back and watch shows from the past seven days, and gain access to on-demand services including the full range of UK catch-up TV services: BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5. Also included are BBC News and BBC Sports apps.

Viewers will also receive daily programme recommendations in the Showcase section, handpicked by Freesat's editorial team. The Freetime service will work with the Freesat app for smartphones and tablets, although not yet at launch. Also impending is the YouTube app, although you can still access the video app through Panasonic's smart TV portal.

MORE: BBC launches new iPlayer "for a multiscreen world"

At the launch today we also caught our brief first glimpse of one of Panasonic's new 2014 Viera smart TVs – the TX-50AX802B. The 50in LCD/LED model is an Ultra HD 4K set, and is also available in 58in and 65in screen sizes. It's part of the Panasonic AX800 4K range for 2014.

The TX-50AX802B features advanced technology for faithful colour reproduction for 4K, displaying a brighter panel (a claimed 37 per cent more than 2013 models) while also ensuring deep black levels without compromising detail – all of which Panasonic claims surpasses the picture performance seen on previous Panasonic plasma screens.

The set includes the latest HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2a connections for playing 4K content. It's also equipped with HDCP 2.2 and HEVC (H.265) coding that provides further future-proofing for 4K sources and streamed content, such as Netflix's proposed 4K streaming service.

Around the back, we also spied three HDMI inputs (for Full HD 1080p), three USB ports, an SD card slot, Freeview and Freesat tuners, and an ethernet port.

The two remotes supplied with the screen – a standard and a smart touch remote – have also been given a sleek redesign.

Also featured on the set are enhanced smart TV features, such as a spruced-up My Home Screen, a new MyStream sevice, and improved voice interaction. Read our CES 2014 report for more details on these features.

We'll bring you futher information and updates on this set, and the rest of Panasonic's 2014 TV range, when we get more details.

Freesat has previously been available on select Panasonic and Samsung smart TVs, but this is the first time that Freetime has been available on a TV, and for Freeview sets as well.

Freesat Freetime improves the free-to-air satellite service by adding on-demand content. It was launched in September 2012 and Freetime boxes now account for 40 per cent of all Freesat set-top box sales.

Craig Cunningham, Panasonic's TV product manager, says: "We've had a long standing relationship with Freesat and I'm really excited that we are the first manufacturer to have the Freetime service on our TVs."

Freesat has alreay had a strong start to 2014 following a positive fourth quarter in 2013 in which it added 31,000 new homes, taking its base to over 1.8 million.

MORE: Panasonic 2014 TVs

by Max Langridge

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The LG 32LN575V TV is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. It gathers all the main features you’d want in a smart TV – from a Full HD screen and network connection, to video on demand services and smartphone compatibility – and packs them into a 32in screen that costs a competitive £400.

LG 32LN575V: smart TV

Samsung currently rules the roost when it comes to catch-up TV, but LG has the upper hand with movies thanks to its LoveFilm, Netflix and Blinkbox apps, and the fact LG is the only TV manufacturer with the Now TV app.

You also get BBC iPlayer and YouTube to catch up with TV and cat videos, while social apps (Facebook, Twitter, Skype) and a web browser round-up the internet content available on the Premium Apps portal.

The Premium section – a panel of thumbnails for all the apps available on the LG 32LN575V – is a colourful and intuitive interface where you can also download a variety of games and news apps.

Press the My Apps button on the remote (or control app – see below), and a panel pops up from the bottom of the screen with only a selection of apps for quick access.

LG 32LN575V: picture quality

It’s a very easy-to-watch screen, with a decent colour balance and good level of detail. It might not be the most impressive picture, but its noise-free and comfortable approach across Blu-rays and standard Freeview channels makes it watchable.

The 32LN575V lacks the absolute clarity and subtlety found in rival sets such as the Philips 32PFL4258T and the Panasonic TX-L32E6B: its black levels aren’t as deep or textured, and there’s a slight yellow tinge to the palette.

That yellowness makes the picture look a little anaemic at times, and with the lack of subtlety, it doesn’t come across too lively. Skin tones in particular look sallow, and blacks end up grey and muddled at times. Unlike the Sony KDL-32W653A, which has clean whites despite a similar way with skin tones, the LG isn’t quite as stark.

James Bond’s shirts don’t look as crisp and white in Skyfall, while the Victorian setting in the Guy Ritchie/Robert Downey Jr Sherlock Holmes DVD looks a touch too sepia-toned.

MORE: Best TVs to buy in 2013

When we start testing a TV we tend to keep picture-processing turned off at first. This lets us assess the screen’s basic character before we gradually add the effects. In this case, turning Super Resolution to ‘Low’ does add a little more punch and depth to the picture.

LG 32LN575V: sound quality

This is quite a loud and brash-sounding TV, but it isn’t the thin or sibilant sound we’ve come to expect from flatscreens.

This must be partly due to the LG’s chunkier build. It isn’t a subtle sound, but on the plus side it has weight and doesn’t grate too much on the ears.

Delve into the audio settings and there’s a pretty exhaustive list of options to tweak. We’d steer clear of turning on the Smart Sound Mode, Clear Voice or Virtual Surround Plus, but Sound Optimizer is useful.

Set it to Normal, Stand or Wall Mount depending on how you position your TV to get a clearer, more cohesive sound.

LG 32LN575V: connections

Bad news if you’ve spent hours meticulously ripping your CDs into a high-quality digital archive: the 32LN575V doesn’t support WAV or FLAC audio files. Better news if you’ve done it slightly lower-fi, though, because it can handle AAC and MP3.

Your home network needs to be stable to keep your media streaming steady and smooth – LG offers both wired ethernet and built-in wi-fi options on this TV.

The SimplyShare portion of the smart portal shows all your connected (physically or wirelessly) devices, be it a USB hard drive, a NAS device, laptop or smartphone.

One of the LN575’s three HDMI inputs supports MHL (Mobile High-definition Link), so you can connect your Android smartphone directly to play HD content stored on it.

On the other hand, Miracast support means you can stream music wirelessly straight from a compatible Android device.

Three USB ports means you can use at least one of them to record TV programmes, while analogue connectivity is catered for with composite, component and RGB Scart inputs. There are also digital audio and headphone outputs.

LG 32LN575V: remote and interface

The remote control and LG’s interface share a similar feel: they offer everything you’ll need and are perfectly fine, except they can feel cluttered.

The petite handset is nice to hold, although the small buttons can sometimes be fiddly. The colourful interface is easy to use, but we can’t help feeling it looks a little dated.

The thumbnails feel crowded and even the settings menu lacks polish and simplicity.

The experience isn’t as sluggish as the Toshiba 32L6353’s, but rivals such as the Panasonic TX-L32E6B and Sony KDL-32W654A offer a more streamlined and elegant experience.

There’s also the option to use LG’s Magic Remote with the TV, even though it doesn’t come packed with the 32LN575V. It supports voice control, too.

LG’s free control app (available for iOS and Android devices) shares the similar pink-themed interface of the TV’s menus.

It’s a decent piece of software, with responsive touch commands and a free-form cursor pad (which admittedly takes a few goes to get used to). There are basic controls and hotkeys for smart features, too.

While it can be a bit fiddly to use at times, you can view the current TV programme you’re watching on the smartphone, and can browse through channel lists and pick a programme to watch on the TV - which can be a simpler experience than using the TV’s on-screen guide.

One nifty little feature is that you can take screenshots of what’s on the TV screen just by pressing the camera icon – there’s no need to try to position and focus your smartphone’s camera and try to get a decent photo of anything on the TV screen – the app does it all for you.

LG 32LN575V review: verdict

While the LG 32LN575V doesn’t offer the most insightful picture in absolute terms, it’s still a decent screen for the money.

The Panasonic TX-L32E6B offers more depth of detail for the same price, but the LG isn’t far off, and delivers a comfortable watching experience overall.

And let’s not forget that the host of streaming options and smart features makes this one of the best-connected TVs we’ve seen at this screen size – if you want a small screen that offers a hub of smart activity, this LG is worth a look.

See all our TV Best Buys

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Sony has issued a statement 'clarifying' what caused many of its DVD/HDD recorders to freeze or lose access to Freeview channels following a firmware update. The BBC was inundated with complaints last week after the firmware 1.70 update caused many owners' boxes to lose their Freeview channels.

Users who ran the update over the weekend of July 20th/22nd got error messages such as "Stuck in update" or "No digital channels".

Initially it was thought that a change in the way the DVD recorders were receiving EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) data from Arqiva, who own and operate Freeview in the UK, might have been the cause of the problem.

Now Sony says in its statement:

"To clarify, Sony does not blame Arqiva for this, as the issue arose due to corrupt data originated by broadcasters, and how this data was processed by affected Sony devices.

"Sony has been working with the broadcasters to try to work out why this issue has occurred and how to remedy it."

If your Sony DVD recorder has been affected, head over the the company's Support Forums for help and advice. The main recommendation is that users should switch off the device, disconnect it from the mains, wait for 30 seconds, reconnect it and switch it back on. It should then work normally.

However, in some instances it may be necessary to carry out a full factory reset.

The models affected are DVD/HDD recorders produced in 2007/8, specifically:

Sony RDR-HXD770/790/870/890/970/995/1070/1095.

By Andy Clough

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YouView has given Freeview the kick up the backside it needed. With its elegant blending of on-demand content, live broadcasts and your own recordings, it’s bringing a taste of the Sky and Virgin experience to people who don’t fancy handing over a chunk of their paycheck for the privilege.

Humax has been leading the YouView charge with its Award-winning DTR-T1000, and now it’s looking to sprinkle a bit of that magic onto Freesat with this Humax HDR-1000S. Thinking of this as the Freesat version of YouView might be a bit premature, though.

MORE: Awards 2013

If the ability to record up to 125 hours of HD content to the 500GB hard drive doesn't sound like enough, then there's a 1TB version for just £20 more.

First impressions are mixed. On one hand the squat, curvy casework is nice,

but the HDR-1000S is rather lightweight and insubstantial.

Despite it being slightly stuttery, the Freetime animation that appears when you first turn the HDR-1000S on is a sign of good things to come. Freetime, you see, is the name given to the new TV Guide, and we have to say it’s rather brilliant.

Press the ‘Home’ button and the programme you’re watching shrinks to about a third of the full screen, with a list of clear menu options in a column on the left and a sample of the highlighted menu’s content at the bottom.

Navigation

That list on the left gives you access to settings, your recordings and the EPG, but our favourite is Showcase: it shows you six picks of what to watch today on the main screen, with a scroll to the right providing suggestions for later in the week and a flick to the left showing you the best stuff that you’ve missed but is available on-demand.

The EPG has the same system: listings for the next seven days to the right, shows from the past seven days on-demand to the left. A click takes you straight to that programme – for people who are used to using an EPG but unsure about smart TV functions this is great introduction.

Content

There is a problem, though: a slight lack of content. BBC iPlayer and ITV Player are both present, but the HDR-1000S is still waiting for 4OD and Demand 5, both of which are ‘expected 2012’.

YouView, by comparison, has all of the above plus on-demand movies from Sky’s Now TV or BT/TalkTalk, depending on which box you go for. On-demand content doesn’t show up in search results either, rather undermining what is otherwise a very useful feature.

Performance

Having said all that, the HDR-1000S is the best Freesat box we’ve tested. It’s a pleasure to use, with all the menus proving clear, colourful and quick to navigate. Picture and sound quality are also supreme – HD is crisp and clean, while standard-def content retains a natural colour balance and avoids fuzziness to impressive effect.

Surround sound audio 5.1 is supplied through the HDMI connection – a feat Sky still can’t manage – and it’s punchy and detailed. You can record one channel and watch another, or record two at once.

Verdict

So if great sound, superb picture quality and one of the most user-friendly TV experiences out there sounds like everything you want from a PVR, the Humax HDR-1000S is the one to get. Just don’t go thinking this is Freesat’s answer to YouView. It isn’t quite that yet.

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At £550, this Toshiba 40TL963 40in TV is cheaper than many direct rivals. But don’t let that fool you into thinking Toshiba has scrimped on features. This set is fully kitted out with internet-enabled smart features, has four HDMI ports and two USB ports, Freesat and Freeview HD tuners, and active 3D.

Toshiba Places is where you can view online multimedia content, and the media hub is organised into categories for TV, Movie on demand, Music, Social Place, News, and Games/Apps.

Along with the now-standard BBC iPlayer and YouTube, you can also watch movies via Acetrax and view pictures from Flickr. You can make different accounts in Toshiba Places for different users, making the smart experience customised to your personal settings.

Toshiba 40TL963: Installation
You can connect your TV to your home network via wired or wireless connection to pull up images, music and videos stored on external devices. You can also plug memory sticks into either of the two USB ports. Files supported are JPEG pictures, MP3 and MP4 audio, and DivX+HD and MKV videos. WAV files are not playable.

Active-shutter 3D glasses aren’t included, but you can buy them online for around £45 a pair.

Setting up the TV, however, is more of a struggle compared to rivals from the likes of Sony, Samsung and Panasonic. We always use a THX calibration disc for optimising the picture, but even after that we spent a long time fiddling with the brightness and contrast levels to get a more satisfactory picture.

Toshiba 40TL963: Sound quality
The contrast on this set is not strong enough for colours to make an impact; dark scenes are swathed in murky shadows that overwhelm subtle details. Brighter scenes such as those in daylight fare better, and you can appreciate the clean and decently detailed picture, especially when watching standard-def daytime TV.

The colour balance is on the lean side, and this lack of enthusiasm gives a dulled picture even with high-definition Blu-ray pictures: details blend into the background as edges between objects aren’t as clearly defined. Skin tones aren’t as natural looking as others either.

A more overriding issue is the LED backlighting, which struggles to be uniform. There are splotches of uneven backlighting that clearly permeate the screen and affect what you’re watching.

Watching DVDs on this set, on the other hand, is a much more pleasant experience. We put on Luc Besson’s Leon: The Professional, and when upscaling to 1080p the TL963 is capable of delivering clean and smooth images that are decently detailed. The contrast issues are still there, but still, it’s good news for those with a more DVDs than Blu-rays in their collections.

Toshiba 42VL963: VerdictThe bargain price means this set could have been a four-star product like its big brother the Toshiba 42VL963, with its decent standard-definition viewing and spread of features, but the backlight issue has to knock it down a star.

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We understand if you have to take our word for it on this one, but suffice to say that somehow a 70in TV seems a heck of a lot bigger than a 65in TV.

We’ve become strangely accustomed to the likes of 50in+ sets in recent years, and have to consciously remind ourselves how big these TVs are when it comes to testing. Remembering what we have room for in our own homes normally does the trick.

But with a 70in TV such as this Sharp LC-70LE741E (a suitably large model name), we don’t need reminding.

And yet, check out the price. Sharp is no stranger to supersize screens – it commands a dedicated section on the Sharp website, no less – but last time we saw a 60in set, a relative minnow, it had a price tag of £3300.

So even as we heave it out of the box/small shed in which it’s delivered, we’re thinking this 70in LCD TV has the potential to be something of a steal.

Sharp LC-70LE741E: Design and style

Hats off to Sharp for managing to make this massive TV so presentable. It's a little fatter than the super-slim screens we might be used to of late, but it's still pretty thin and also sports a bezel as slight as the average out there.

Given that it sits on a standard pedestal stand, we're a little bemused that you can't rotate the screen but figure it's most likely that that the majority of buyers will get this set mounted on a wall. With the Sharp weighing in at 56Kg, just make sure it's a strong one.

The chassis is chunkier than that of the average set, unsurprisingly, measuring nearly 9cm in depth – without which you might worry about its stability in high winds. Inside, there’s everything you’d expect in a TV in 2012.

Sharp LC-70LE741E: Tech specs

It’s a full HD resolution, active-shutter 3D TV, with edge LED backlighting. There’s a Freeview HD tuner, four HDMI inputs, two USB inputs, and the option of wired or wireless internet connectivity.

Connect to your network and as well as DLNA streaming of your own content you can access Sharp’s Aquos Net+ content portal.

Sadly, the selection here is a little limited: there’s no BBC iPlayer nor any catch-up TV service, and the only video content comes from YouTube and the not-particularly-well-stocked Box Office 365 and Viewster.

That said, there is Aupeo! internet radio and the iConcerts pay-as-you-go live music app, which also has a wealth of free content.

It has to be said: moving around the Sharp’s interface, and between sources, could be slicker.

The TV is sluggish to react to commands and neither the main home menu nor the EPG gives you an in-picture view of the live TV screen, which is a little frustrating.

Sharp LC-70LE741E: Remote control

The Sharp remote looks fairly ordinary but is slim, lightweight and pretty simple to get your head around. Sensibly, the main buttons are grouped together towards the bottom, within thumbing distance, with the volume and channel controls just above.

With all that said, our main issue is with the sluggishness of responses to button presses. It’s most notable when changing channels, skipping up and down taking a good few seconds.

A similar pause is required if you want to scroll through a series of channels.

The main home button takes you to a smart-looking home screen. Icons here allow you to access the TV's key features. Strangely, you seem to have to come through this screen to access the picture settings, which, by contrast, use a tired-looking set of scrolling menus.

Talking of which, the EPG doesn’t look too easy on the eyes, either. There’s no picture-in-picture option so you can’t keep an eye on EastEnders as you see what’s on later, and the chosen font and general mass of text makes for a pretty ugly experience. That said, it is just a button press away, getting its own dedicated key on the remote.

Sharp LC-70LE741E: Picture quality

Still, once you’re settled on some content, the quality of the picture goes a long way to making up for it.

Watching the Freeview tuner, colours are vibrant, black levels are solid, and there’s good attention to detail. Standard definition channels hold up well to being upscaled to fit the 1920 x 1080 resolution screen, while switch to HD and the picture sharpens and looks clean.

Watching DVD or Blu-ray discs you don’t quite get the contrast levels of some (smaller) screens and fast motion isn’t rock solid, but it’s still an enjoyable picture, remaining largely free from noise and instability, and delivering punchy colours.

You’ll have to buy the USB rechargeable 3D glasses separately, but do so and it’s more of the same as far as the extra dimension's concerned: we do notice the motion issues, but there’s decent depth and the rest of the picture is pretty strong.

Sharp LC-70LE741E: Verdict

The size does matter – we can’t help but be drawn to watching everything in super-size when the quality’s good. Remind yourself of the price, and you’ll realise why we think this TV is a real steal.

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Pretty much everyone wants a Sky-like experience for their TV, but far from everyone is prepared to pay the £50-odd a month for it.

That’s where a Freeview HD PVR comes in, with its hefty chunk of channels, sprinkling of HD, and the ability to pause, rewind and record live (free) TV.

Buy a device like this Panasonic, and you even get Blu-ray playback in 3D and 2D, too.

The Panasonic’s credentials are increased further by its ability to record two channels at once, stream from DLNA servers on your network and access Panasonic’s web portal.

No BBC iPlayer access
We do have a couple of minor gripes, though: the 320GB of storage should be enough for most folk, but many PVRs come with 500GB. And there’s no BBC iPlayer access, among other internet omissions.

In terms of performance it’s hard to fault, though. It’s clean, controlled, balanced, and eminently watchable all-round with standard-definition content, and in HD it’s beautifully sharp, detailed and vibrant.

Our Award-winning Samsung BD-DT7800 is perhaps just a smidge crisper overall, but that’s a standalone PVR.

Impressive picture and sound
The Panasonic, on the other hand, also has a Blu-ray player built-in – and it’s a good ’un.

Play Thor in 2D and you get very detailed, precisely defined pictures with solid motion and colours. Switch to the 3D version and it’s equally impressive, with images that impress with their depth and comfort-enhancing control.

True to the form established by the company’s standalone players, the PWT500 also has a robust way with sound.

For the same price as the DMP-PWT500 you could buy the DMP-BDT110 and Samsung BD-DT7800 PVR, and on close inspection that would give you a marginally better performance and a better web portal.

But if you want a neat all-in-one and can live without BBC iPlayer, the DMP-PWT500 makes a lot of sense.

See all our Freeview set-top box reviews

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If you aren’t convinced that the Panasonic TX-P55VT30 is big enough for your abode, then perhaps this 65in version will suffice.

The jump in size does mean it has to work a little harder, but a set of this calibre is more than up to the task. Size is the only difference between this Panasonic and the 55in model.

Specification is identical to its smaller sibling, this includes a quartet of HDMI inputs, a wi-fi dongle and Freesat and Freeview HD TV tuners.

Two pairs of active shutter, 3D glasses thrown in as standard – although if we were spending this kind of cash on a new TV we might expect a couple more pairs thrown in just to soften the blow on our bank balance.

If you have read our musings on the 55in version you probably won’t be too shocked when we tell you that our appraisal of this version runs along the same lines.

Vibrant, pin-sharp image
Considering its screen is so large, the fact that the Panasonic’s picture remains so clean and cohesive is quite a remarkable feat. Even when it’s forced to make the most of standard-def TV signals, the set’s processing and internal scaler show there’s no job too big.

Of course, the switch to 1080i HD broadcast of Doctor Who from the BBC or the 1080p/24fps video of a Blu-ray proves a snugger fit and more apt for a TV of this ilk.

Images are pin-sharp, colours are wonderfully vivid yet natural and convincing. Contrast is as brilliant and shadow detail as insightful as we described on the 55in version, while motion is relatively smooth with only minimal flicker creeping in.

That’s impressive considering the size of the task in hand.

As is the case with the Award-winning 55in version, the way the screen handles 3D playback is worthy of serious praise. While some smaller sets suffer from crosstalk, the Panasonic remains resolute, serving up a beautifully rounded and inviting 3D picture.

Avatar in 3D looks stunning, whether you’re being captivated by the on-screen action or sitting back and admiring the bright, colourful scenery of Pandora.

Viera Connect online services
Panasonic’s Viera Connect platform provides all the online services enjoyed on the smaller screen, including BBC iPlayer and Acetrax movies, as well as Skype, Facebook and more.

Stream Eastenders in iPlayer’s version of high-definition and the picture holds up extremely well in terms of clarity and detail compared with rival sets.

And, once again, the VT30 proves to be one of the better-sounding sets in this class. Using the same three-speaker configuration of its smaller sibling, you might think the TV could struggle – but there’s still an acceptable amount of weight fired out, combined with a decent level of detail and sense of directness.

If you want the best that this screen size has to offer we’d argue that you’re looking at it. The 65in VT30 is stupendous for the money and its size.

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If you are looking for a low priced plasma TV check out this £710 Samsung. And that isn’t even the cheapest price we found when doing our research, so shop around and you could bag a 3D plasma for well under £700.

This TV looks much more premium than its price tag suggests, and at just 56mm deep it’ll look extra stylish on the wall.

Of course, at this price, sacrifices have been made – so the resolution is just 1365 x 768 and there’s no web content, despite the presence of a LAN socket (used for firmware updates).

Freeview HD tuner
The D495 does, however, have a Freeview HD tuner, and as the part number-decoders among you will have gathered, the panel actually measures 51in on the diagonal.

What’s intriguing is that while the D495’s menus are a bit 2010 in looks, its options are almost identical to those found on the premium Samsung PS51D8000

The same is true of the EPG, which is a pleasant combination of a Freeview mini-picture in the top-left with a clear table of channels below.

Selecting Dickinson’s Real Deal, the Freeview tuner proves very capable. True, the worst of the bad patterned suits confuses the D495 a bit, but the D8000 struggles with the same pattern.

Vibrant, controlled colours
In fact, other than a little missing detail, the D495 gives little away to its sibling, and produces a picture with vibrant, controlled colours and little noise.

Switch to The Dilemma on DVD and the Samsung impresses again. There’s a surprisingly small gap in detail between it and the D8000, which means it’s more insightful than some rivals.

Contrast isn’t as impressive as the more premium sets in the test, but the D495’s combination of deep blacks and punchy whites is very impressive for the money.

Of course, an HD Ready TV doesn’t have to work as hard as a Full HD set when upscaling, but it works harder when playing a Full HD Blu-ray, as it’s having to downscale the image to match its panel.

However, while the D495 has its limitations, it’s still a decidedly impressive displayer of Blu-rays. Spin up Let The Right One In and its detail, edge definition and black depth put the LG 50PW450 – and the budget price tag – to shame.

In isolation, the performance would be very hard to fault; only some rather juddery motion lets the side down.

Motion handling suffers in 3D
Perhaps unsurprisingly the Samsung struggles more with 3D. The motion issues are exacerbated and it lacks the resolution to make the 3D images really pop from the screen or immerse you in the action.

But it’s a very clean picture, and watching Despicable Me is enough of an enjoyable, non-tiring experience to seem like very good value for money.

The budget clearly didn’t stretch to decent speakers, though. Audio is hard and scruffy, and cluttered and bright if you select the TruSurround mode.

Still, in every other way the Samsung is a very pleasant surprise: not only is
it an extremely affordable 3D plasma, it’s actually a very capable one.

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We could use a whole page outlining the Panasonic DMR-BWT700’s features and functionality.

Here we have a 3D Blu-ray player that’s also a Blu-ray recorder, is fitted with a 320GB hard drive, includes web connectivity, media-streaming, twin Freeview HD tuners, and can be fitted with a Skype camera.

It’s even compatible with DVD-RAM. More than enough to cram into one fairly bland-looking box, we’re sure you’ll agree.

The instruction manual is unsurprisingly huge, but even the most conscientious owner will be referring to it time and again – this is far from the most intuitive device. Patience does bring rewards, though.

Impressive with Blu-ray
Panasonic’s most recent Blu-ray efforts have been extremely impressive, and the BWT700 doesn’t let the side down.

A 2D copy of Paul is enjoyable across the board, with the neutral colour balance, fine motion handling and high detail levels particular highlights.

Switching to a 3D copy of Despicable Me retains most of the performance pluses (motion loses just a sliver of certainty) while offering believable depth of field and convincing edges. Sound quality is well up to prevailing standards.

There’s very little wrong with the way the BWT700 upscales DVDs, either. Some motion hesitancy can be detected in the toughest scenes and there’s a smattering of picture noise in evidence, but it’s on a par with its Blu-ray player siblings.

The BWT700 offers a number of compression options for recording to disc or hard disk; ‘DR’ mode (which aspires to broadcast quality) makes the best copies.

Crisp Freeview HD images
The Freeview HD tuners serve up crisp images and, bar a hint of shimmer to the most complex patterns, that’s how copies look too. Copies made from external sources (a Sky box, say, or a camcorder), though, are only ever in standard def.

Navigating the tuners could be friendlier, too. Panasonic is wise to have ditched the on-screen adverts its EPGs sometimes carry, but denying the user a little box on the EPG page playing the channel they’re currently viewing is remiss.

One big drawback is the length of time it takes it actually to do stuff.

Disc-loading times are reminiscent of Blu-ray players from years ago, and navigating the submenus to switch from recording a TV broadcast to watching a disc is laborious.

Still, if you want one box to undertake a chunk of your home entertainment duties, and you don’t mind keeping the manual handy, this is an appealing proposition.

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TV Product of the Year - Awards 2011

Have we mentioned Panasonic’s pricing policy before? It’s even more pronounced with the TX-P42GT30. We've tested this set before, in a Group Test in June 2011 which it won, and at the time we quoted a nominal price of £1300.

A third of a year later it’s back to defend its title, with a www.shop.panasonic.co.uk price of £1400 and a real-world price of around £900. Go figure.

Add in Freesat, Skype and 3D
The extra cash buys 3D capability (but no 3D glasses – quite where Panasonic gets off building a 3D TV that can’t be used in 3D without extra outlay is anyone’s guess), Freesat reception to go alongside Freeview HD, Viera Connect online services like BBC iPlayer, AceTrax movie rental, YouTube, Facebook and the like, Skype and a more sophisticated looking chassis.

The GT30 bears comparison with its cheaper sibling (the £700 Panasonic TX-P42G30) for performance, too.

Rather than the G30’s easily corrected tendency to overstate green tones, our GT30 has a rather ruddy cast when straight from the box; easing back on the red tones helps take a lot of the warmth out of upscaled DVD pictures, leaving a beautifully neutral colour palette and the familial punchy contrasts.

With the majority of the picture-processing options defeated, the Panasonic handles motion really well too.

Freesat better than Freeview
Given the choice of the two high-definition tuners, we’d opt for Freesat – it’s slightly more vibrant and has even greater mastery of motion than the Freeview HD equivalent – although those without a satellite dish are hardly likely to be disappointed by the Freeview HD images the GT30 serves up.

In either case, blacks are impressively deep and detailed, and picture noise is kept to a bare minimum. Detail levels are high, edges are crisply drawn and contrasts punchy in the manner of Floyd Mayweather.

Blu-ray pictures in 2D are equally vivid, but never overblown, and images are impeccably lit (it may be something to do with Blu-ray’ s full-house resolution, but it’s even more important here than elsewhere to make sure the GT30’s colour temperature is set to ‘cool’.)

An accomplished all-rounder
The Panasonic’s just a hugely accomplished all-rounder. Put on a pair of 3D glasses and set appropriate content spinning, and the GT30 turns in a surefooted performance. Images are a trifle dim, but they’re virtually free from crosstalk and offer a more ‘rounded’, less terraced 3D picture than some rivals.

Only gruelling motion causes alarms, and the Panasonic doesn’t insist you sit bolt upright directly in front of the screen to enjoy the 3D effect.

The GT30 sounds relatively weighty and substantial. That’s definitely A Good Thing, too, although it struggles to escape the confines of the cabinet – some competitors sound a bit more spacious.

That’s a trifling complaint, though: just don’t pay the first price you see and there’s little downside to the GT30.

Watch our Awards video on the Panasonic TX-P42GT30

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We took our first look at a 2011 Panasonic TV in May 2011. It was a premium (£1200) 37in set, and performed superbly.

But if bells and whistles aren’t what you’re after, Panasonic suggests you look at its E30 range, such as this 32in edge-LED LCD – yours for around half the price.

But make no mistake: this ‘stripped-down’ TX-L32E30B still packs plenty of features.

It has a Freeview HD tuner; the Viera Connect internet TV service; USB recording to an external HDD; four HDMI and three USB connections; a digital audio output and SD card input… The only box that isn’t ticked is 3D.

Subtle yet punchy picture
The Viera Connect service itself is good. BBC iPlayer, Acetrax movies, Facebook, YouTube, Skype, Twitter are all present and correct.

The basic layout is clear, too; the TV’s interface is similarly simple and there’s a sensible rather than daunting amount of tweakable picture-processing options.

We dabbled with the Intelligent Frame Creation, which we think introduces a little instability, but Clear Cinema works better.

Motion isn’t perfect watching the Blu-ray of Gulliver’s Travels – in comparison with the best, certainly – but it’s good enough not to be distracting in isolation.

The natural colour palette is poised, offering punch and subtlety, while insight is excellent and edges are sharp.

Black levels are dark and true but do lack detail at times.

Good internet TV offering
Switch to Freeview HD and you get a bright, punchy picture that’s largely free of noise and again sporting plenty of detail, with only wide-angle, expansive shots lacking sharpness.

Standard-definition channels need reigning in at times thanks to their bright colours, but this is a decent TV tuner.

It’s a shame that the sound is no great shakes, getting screechy at high volume.

This television’s strengths lie with its price-tag, the excellent video performance and thorough internet TV offering. If that matches your wish-list, it could be for you.

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Samsung was quick out of the blocks with its 2011 range. In April we ran the First Test rule over the UE46D8000, the first 2011 model to reach us.

Hard on its heels comes this, the UE46D7000. Don’t let the model number fool you – it comes from lower down the Samsung pecking order, but we think it’s an even more persuasive option than the D8000.

Differs little
Physically, the D7000 differs little from its more expensive stablemate.

That swish, clear Perspex bezel is a sight narrower than any other manufacturer can currently manage – the result is a 46in screen that occupies no more space than most competitors’ 42in models.

It’s a really attractive showroom proposition – if these things were sold on looks alone, Samsung would be leading the field regardless.

The similarities between the Samsung models are even more pronounced when you compare specifications.

We’ll go further; they’re identical. So the D7000 offers everything you could reasonably demand: Freesat and Freeview HD TV reception, built-in wi-fi for painless access to a plethora of Smart Hub (Samsung’s name for its online platform, discussed at more length overleaf) options, ‘active’ 3D technology and a pair of powered 3D glasses in the box.

The remote is prosaic but useable (plus it has a ‘Social’ button, which can be exciting) , and on-screen menus are crisp.

Given the convergence of their respective specifications, we expected to see a lot of similarities between the way this UE46D7000 performed compared with its more expensive sibling, and that turns out to be the case.

Smooth and detailed reception
The Samsung’s high-definition TV reception (from Freesat or Freeview) is smooth, detailed and high-contrast – although the D7000’s super-slim profile makes attaching a screw-in Freesat aerial an absolute swine – and the D7000 is similarly adept at upscaling DVD pictures.

There’s a smattering of picture noise in extremis, but with motion stability and low-light detail the D7000 is fully competitive.

We reckon the screen is a little darker than that of the UE46D8000 when idling, too (despite our THX Blu-ray set-up disc indicating the screens should be set up nigh-on identically).

But when viewing 2D Blu-ray pictures, the D7000’s fearsome combination of unshakeable stability, extravagant detail levels and colourful, high-contrast picture-making is indistinguishable from that of its more expensive colleague.

It has the same admirable stability in 3D, too, the same nuanced, extensive colour palette and the same immersive, involving quality that makes it a compelling watch.

Why go up the model range?
So by now it’s clear the UE46D7000 is a formidable TV with talent to burn.

The price difference between it and the LG 47LW650T makes us feel the LG represents even better value, but if you’re in the market for a premium product that features premium looks alongside premium performance, the D7000 is the TV for you.

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There are more TVs from Sony in our current Buyer's Guide than from any other manufacturer.

And that total figure – 37 in all – is only around a couple of years' worth of reviews. What's more, just one has got anything less than a four star verdict (the KDL-40EX713, for the record, and that was down to backlight issues).

It seemed like the right thing to do, then, to call in the best 26in TV (of two) in the company's existing line-up.

Basic spec, but a great price
As with the bulk of smaler screen sets, you have to make some sacrifices in terms of specification at this size, but Sony does its best to make it up to you with the odd frill – and of course a knockdown price.

You have to settle for a 1366 x 768, HD Ready screen resolution (though it can handle 1080p/24fps high-definition video), make do without an integrated HD tuner and live without Sony's Bravia Internet Video service.

However, you are treated to a Freeview tuner, a generous four HDMI inputs, a USB connection that supports videos, music and pictures, the Bravia Sync system for controlling all HDMI-connected Sony devices with one remote and a light sensor to adjust the picture according to ambient light.

Sony's XrossMediaBar menu system is present, too. While we were big fans of this when it first appeared on the PS3 and then made the jump to Bravia products, it's starting to look a bit long in the tooth.

What's more, it doesn't seem to have made the leap to this size screen as successfully as on some sets, making it a little harder to navigate than usual.

Anyway, enough poring over the spec sheet. Get down to business with a DVD and it's clear this set has a capable scaler. Pictures are crisp and sharp, and as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World demonstrates, it's capable with bright colours and darker scenes, delivering plenty of detail with both.

Motion is solidly handled too, though for once it might be pipped in absolute smoothness terms by more capable rivals. You'll find still little reason for complaint, though.

Switch to high-def material courtesy of a Blu-ray disc, and again the image impresses. Colours are bright but natural, contrast levels are good and the picture is free from noise.

Tuner could be better
There's arguably a greater gap in performance when it comes to the tuner, where this Sony loses ground
to the very best, with instances of noise and instability on an otherwise nicely balance picture.

We can accept the lower-specification on a TV of this size, but that other sets offer more for the money.

It just goes to show that different screen sizes are different propositions. So, for once, Sony won't be walking away with the plaudits.

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We've observed in the past that there are some things people will pay more for to receive less of, and here's an object lessen.

The Samsung UE40C8000 (our premium 40-inch Award winner) is smaller in every direction than its LE40C750 sibling (despite having the same screen size) and is lighter, too. So naturally it's more expensive. Almost double the price, in fact.

A royal flush of connectivity
If you've the wherewithal, though, it's money well spent. This TV is gloriously desirable, and as far as spec goes, it's what the motor industry calls ‘fully loaded'.

You get LED backlighting (hence that skinny profile), BBC iPlayer, LoveFilm and all the rest via Samsung's Internet@TV service, 200Hz motion processing, USB playback and recording, Freeview HD, DNLA compatibility for streaming network content to the TV… ‘exhaustive' only begins to describe it.

The remote looks equally good, if a trifle convoluted, and Samsung's on-screen menus are among the best around. Set-up is as straightforward or as in-depth as you want it to be.

Better source, better pictures
As far as performance goes, the Samsung starts impressively and gets better as source quality improves. TV reception is stable, and gives an early indication of how accomplished the 'C8000 is where motion is concerned.

It describes colours convincingly, lends bite to high-contrast scenes and digs up detail in black tones. Standard-definition broadcasts can look soft, mind you, particularly from stations such as Dave.

The Samsung's punch is apparent when upscaling DVDs, too. Detailed, smooth and subtly textured images are the C8000's calling-card, and it offers bright, clean whites and fanatically controlled motion. Only a suggestion of coarseness to skin-tones makes any kind of negative impact.

That coarseness is eradicated with the switch to a Blu-ray of Bad Lieutenant, which means the Samsung is pretty much beyond reproach. Its pictures are vibrant, its mastery of motion is obvious, and difficult patterns and edges are handled with assurance.

3D cross-talk remains an issue
Put on Samsung's (lightweight, fairly comfy) 3D glasses, fire up some content and, provided you're sitting up straight and paying attention, it's enjoyable. Though pictures are undeniably darker than 2D images, and a bit ruddier too, the 3D effect is pronounced and stable.

Cross-talk (when one eye receives information intended for the other) is occasionally an issue, just as it is with every other 3D TV we've seen, though it jars here disproportionately because the C8000 is so accomplished with 2D.

The only area where the Samsung can't justify its price compared to its cheaper stablemate is sound. Just like every other super-slim screen here, it sounds toppy and short of substance – though it does at least stop short of outright hardness.

Never mind the sound, though – consider the looks and the picture instead and it's obvious why the UE40C8000 carried off an Award.

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Few televisions have have been more eagerly anticipated on whathifi.com than Panasonic's TX-P50VT20B.

In theory, the VT20B's plasma technology should give it superior 3D performance, with none of the detail-smothering ‘crosstalk', where elements of picture information intended for your left eye are relayed to your right eye, and vice versa, creating a halo effect around objects.

This can sometimes blight 3D on LCD and LED-backlit LCD TVs. That's because plasma has no issue with panel response time, unlike its flatscreen rivals: how ironic that a TV technology some (not us) dismissed as outdated is now being heralded as the saviour of 3D.

Freesat and Freeview HD
Of course, 3D is far from the only tool in the Panasonic's box. It's equipped with both Freesat and Freeview HD tuners, giving free high-definition TV anywhere in the UK.

We'd watch the Freesat tuner given the choice: it's crisper, edges are more precisely described, and digital noise kept more firmly in check. In this case, you don't get Dolby Digital 5.1 from Freeview HD either: see our News story for more.

You'll find extensive connectivity, including four HDMI 1.4 sockets. A Media Player feature handles MP3, AAC, AVCHD and DiVx files from SD card or via USB, while online access is via either ethernet or an optional wi-fi dongle.

This supports Panasonic's Viera Cast online streaming service (recently bolstered with Acetrax online movie streaming) plus DLNA-compatible components on your network. Finally, you can use the 'VT20B as a simple PVR, by connecting an external USB hard-drive.

So what about performance? Out of the box, the picture appears muted: in fact, in comparison to the bright presentation of modern LED-backlit LCD TVs, the TX-P50VT20 appears a little, well, dull. But that's a false first impression: give it a thorough tweaking, and things rapidly change for the better.

Performance is outstanding
Your first task is deciding which of the many preset picture modes to opt for (there are eight). Most offer you a full range of adjustments, with two, the Professional modes, allowing for calibration by an Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) engineer.

However, even inexperienced users can enjoy great results by selecting the Panasonic's THX mode, which works well for DVD and Blu-ray watching, although initially there's a yellow-ish hue to skin textures.

Once that's dialled out, the Panasonic renders solid blacks and natural colours: it copes with rapid movement well too, although we'd disengage the TV's Intelligent Frame Creation (IFC) mode with DVDs: use it, and movement seems less filmic.

Direct comparisons with our reference Pioneer PDP-LX5090 Kuro plasma proved enlightening, because the Pioneer still has the edge for black levels. True, the Panasonic handles motion more smoothly and is arguably more detailed, but it's also more susceptible to banding (visible bands of colour in solid expanses of image).

Deeply satisfying 3D
Of course, you can't buy the Pioneer any more, and the Kuro won't handle 3D either, unlike the VT20. And there's no disputing the Panasonic's 3D ability. Fed with Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, the Panasonic's picture is as stable and sharply defined as any we've yet seen, and seems free from crosstalk.

It's a deeply satisfying experience all round, with the proviso that you'll need still more tweaking to deliver optimum performance in 3D.

We're impressed, and given the acclaim given this set since its launch, that's no surprise. Just about the only area where the Panasonic is less than wonderful is its sound, which is no more than OK.

So why ‘only' four stars? Simply that, as we were working on our review, the Sony KDL-46HX903 arrived and in a head-to-head comparison between the two sets, this remarkable TV bests even the brilliant Panasonic.

Which, given the sky-high standards set here, is some achievement.

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Ah, old friend, we meet again.

The EX503 is something of a hero for Sony, performing superbly at both 32in and 40in sizes, the larger of which walked away with our Product of the Year Award in 2010.

The 32in was only beaten by a more expensive Panasonic, and now it can be found for even less money.

It's what's inside that counts
Don't be perturbed by the design; this is a decidedly uninviting-looking set.

Like others of this size, it's from the budget range and is all about maximising performance per pound, so the case isn't the slimmest and the remote is an old-style Bravia offering.

On the inside, though, there's plenty to shout about – not least Sony's Bravia Internet Video service.

Connect the EX503 to your network, via ethernet or optional wi-fi dongle and you can access plenty of on-demand content including iPlayer, YouTube and LoveFilm. The brand new Qriocity service has been added too, giving access to on-demand music and movies (albeit at a price).

You'll find a Freeview HD tuner, too – shoved down the list of features on Sony's own website, which shows you how well-specified the company thinks it is – plus four HDMI inputs, PC, USB and component inputs and a digital audio optical output, to name but a few. DLNA capability rounds off an exhaustive set of features.

An impressive level of performance
This TV has graced our testing rooms more often than most, but we're still impressed by the level of performance on offer in what arguably still remains the most front-room-friendly screen size.

The TV tuner gets it off to a flying start, delivering the most realistic looking images, complete with expertly weighted colours, sharp edges and a picture that's free from any digital noise.

While we wouldn't be inviting our friends round especially to hear them, we're almost impressed by the speakers, too.

Other rivals deliver a more articulate and easy-on-the-ear sound though, offering adequate bass weight and clarity without harshness in the treble frequencies.

The picture takes a little tweaking to get perfect with DVDs, but we're then treated to a superbly insightful, textured image.

Watching Fargo, the growing tension on our hapless villains' faces is delivered lovely and detailed, while motion is handled smoothly too – we used ‘low' processing and ‘film mode 1'.

Absorbing high-def images
As you might expect, Blu-ray playback ratchets up the quality and shows that the Sony still has plenty left in its locker.

Again, it's the level of insight that stands out, making for a more involving, absorbing watch, helped by faithful, natural colours and masterful handling of light and dark scenes.

Sounds like something of an all-rounder, then. Yep, just a little: all the latest technology is here and it's matched by superb performance across the board. At this sort of price, it really is a no-brainer.

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It's still early days but it seems Sony is back with a vengeance in the battle for supremacy among 2010's TV ranges. The 'EX503 range won a 32in Supertest so we have high hopes for its 37in sibling.

The set is certainly up to its eyeballs in the latest functionality and features.

Media streaming is one of this year's key TV trends and Sony offers Bravia Internet Video here, giving you access to a range of content once your TV is connected to your home network, the highlight of which – and the one that sets it apart from other company's offerings – is the link-up with LoveFilm.

If you're a member of the service you can stream films straight to your set.

Essential viewing is well featured
Part of Sony's ‘Essential' range, at the bottom end of the price spectrum, this is a 100Hz set rather than 200Hz but still includes a Freeview HD tuner, the now-standard 1920 x 1080 screen resolution, DLNA streaming, video playback over USB and four HDMI inputs, including two on the side of the 10cm-deep set.

Sony's XrossMediaBar interface makes navigating fairly easy, and the remote is one of the company's new two-sided affairs - the solitary power button is on the back of the handset.

We auto-tune the digital tuner and are soon enjoying the Freeview HD images from BBC HD, ITV HD and C4 HD.

Sonically it's clear and reasonably dynamic while, more crucially, the standard-definition picture is largely free of noise, displaying crisp edges, smooth motion and good detail.

Smooth motion is a trademark
That smooth motion is now a real trademark of Sony's sets. It may not boast a 200Hz panel but the Motionflow 100Hz screen is clearly more than adequate with fast action, the various fantastic flying animals in Avatar rendered with unwavering edges.

There's a real sense of depth and involvement to the image, too, with superbly natural and revealing skin tones helping us to become fully immersed in what we see.

Colours are natural yet punchy and bright when required, while dark scenes show the Sony's happy delivering sturdy, deep black shades too.

And all this at such a competitive price; see this telly before you think about buying anything else.

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But while you may be getting HD pictures, you may not be getting Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

Why? Because it transpires that not all the Freeview HD TVs and set-top boxes currently on sale are capable of transcoding the multichannel audio signal being broadcast by the BBC on its HD programmes.

It's all to do with the fact that the Beeb has to provide an audio description service on BBC HD, and to do this it has to use the AAC audio codec present in Freeview HD receivers, rather than Dolby Digital.

Hence the main audio is coded as AAC-LC and the audio description as HE-AAC, because the main audio soundtrack and the audio description must use the same encoding family, as explained in this BBC blog by Phil Layton, project manager Digital Service Development, BBC R&D.

So why does this matter? Well, put simply, not all current Freeview HD TVs and set-top boxes can transcode from the AAC format to Dolby Digital so that your current AV equipment will be able to understand it.

According to the Beeb, transcoding will only become mandatory in all Freeview HD products after April 2011, which means there may well be confusion for a while to come.

With that in mind, we've undertaken our own research to find out which Freeview HD products do transcode and output Dolby Digital 5.1 via a digital connection to a home cinema amp/receiver, and which do not, so here are the results:

Goodmans GDB300HD - no

Humax HD-FOX T2 - yes (with this software upgrade)

Icecrypt T2200 - no

Digital Stream DHR8202U - no

Panasonic TX-L37V20 TV - no

Panasonic TX-L37S20 TV - no

Panasonic TX-P46G20 - no

Philips DTR5520 - no

Philips HDT8520 - no

Linsar FHD1 - yes

LG 32LE7900 - yes

Panasonic TX-L32D25 - no

Panasonic TX-l32S20 - no

Samsung UE32C6000 - yes

Sharp LC-32DH510 - no

Sony KDL-32EX503 - yes

Sony KDL-32EX703 - yes

Sony KDL-46EX503 TV - yes

Sony KDL-37EX503 TV - yes

Sony KDL-46HX703 - yes

Toshiba 32RV753 - yes

Samsung UE37C6505 TV - yes

LG 37LE5900 TV - yes

Thanks to professorhat for this exhaustive thread on our Forums in which he tests the Philips DTR8520 and finds it does not output 5.1 sound (among other problems).

If you've recently bought a Freeview HD TV or receiver and are having trouble getting it to output Dolby Digital, please let us know in the Comments box below. We'll add more products to our own list as soon as we test them.

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Although the roll out of Freeview HD isn't complete, Panasonic has wasted no time implementing compatible tuners into its products – and we're not just talking TVs.

Take the 'XW380 PVR. A DVD player and recorder, twin Freeview HD tuners and a 250GB hard disc drive have all been shoehorned into it. (A Blu-ray version is in the pipeline, but will cost extra.)

Freeview HD recordings
The Freeview HD element means you can watch and record channels like ITV1 HD and C4HD without any need for an external dish (if your region has gone live with the service, that is: see freeview.co.uk).

Picture quality is very good across the board. Standard-definition broadcasts exhibit good detail and colours appear rich and vibrant.

Switch to HD and the image is cleaner, producing an insightful and realistic picture with only a trace of noise.

Decent picture quality
When you're recording, the PVR stores the direct stream on to the hard drive. Once stored, you can then edit the content or use one of a handful of ‘DR File Conversion' modes to compress the content into more manageable chunks for your hard drive or a DVD. Picture quality is decent through most compression rates.

There's very little to criticise about DVD performance, too. Black levels are impressive and there's good detail on the walls of the mine shaft during the start of There Will Be Blood.

Our only real reservation about the 'XW380 relates to its price. We can't help but feel that a product like this needs to be around £400 to really tempt.

Yes, it might be discounted in the future, but we have to make judgements on the present. So, four stars it is.

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See our Sharp blog for full tech specs and more pictures

There will be three model ranges in Sharp's 2010 Aquos range: the LC-LE921E, LC-LE821E and LC-LE811E, ranging in price from £1400 to around £2500, plus a flagship 60in version, the LC-60LE920E.

All are equipped with Freeview HD tuners and Sharp's proprietary 'Quattron' QuadPixel technology, which introduces a fourth colour sub-pixel, yellow, to the traditional red, green and blue.

"The revolutionary new four-colour technology enables billions of colours to be displayed, creating more sparkling golds, emerald greens and Caribbean blues," claims Sharp.

Well, at least they're only claiming billions of colours, rather then the trillion colours the company claimed at CES in America back in January.

The new sets come in 40in and 46in sizes across all three ranges, while the flagship LC-60LE920 (shown) is a 60in model. Every set is Full HD/1080p compatible, and they all have Sharp's UltraBrilliant Edge-lit LED technology as standard.

They're just 39mm deep, and the panel glass on the LE921 and LE821 series extends to meet the edge of the TV for a more seamless look.

LED backlighting reduces energy consumption over that of conventional fluorescent-backlit LCDs, says Sharp, and every set has an eco picture control. The LE921E models have the added benefit of E-motion 200Hz motion processing.

However, noticeable by their absence were any new 3D TVs in the 2010 Sharp line-up. They won't be coming until the latter part of this year, with a launch planned at IFA in Berlin during late August.

"We're still slightly nervous about some of the issues around 3D TV," explains Sharp UK managing director Paul Molyneux. "The 3D message is still not clear, and there's currently a lack of content. We haven't discounted 3D TV, and are observing developments, but for now we're concentrating on a technology that exists – Quattron."

Equally absent at today's launch were any new Blu-ray players. Sharp demonstrated a 3D model at CES, and this is "under consideration", says Molyneux, but it won't appear in Europe during the first half of this year.

What we will get, in April, are two new Freeview HD set-top boxes. The TU-T2 model is a straightforward Freeview HD receiver and will sell for £179. The TU-T2HR32 is a 320GB PVR, which will go on sale for £299.

4pm

We're off to Sharp's UK press launch shortly, which is due to begin at 5pm.

We're expecting to get details of all the UK-spec Aquos TVs for 2010, some of which will feature Sharp's proprietary QuadPixel technology, first revealed at CES in January.

As the name suggests, QuadPixel adds a fourth primary colour (yellow) to the ubiquitous red, green and blue – this enables more than a trillion colours to be displayed. This four-colour technology, then, is imaginatively called RGBY.

QuadPixel is expected to feature on the new Aquos LE920 TV, due this Spring – pricing is yet to be confirmed. The LE920 also features LED edge-backlighting and 200Hz motion processing.

Other models in the range will, if what we saw in the US is replicated here in the UK, include the LE820 and LE520 ranges.

There should also be news of a standalone Blu-ray player, and Blu-ray home cinema in a box system.

Join us here on whathifi.com later this evening for live updates from the launch, or follow us on Twitter.