Hitachi L32VP03 review

Despite its appalling remote control, and some other foibles, this Hitachi 32in LCD is an accomplished performer Tested at £400.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Not without foibles, but the Hitachi is in many ways an accomplished performer. And the price is right

Pros

  • +

    Bright, punchy and colourful pictures

  • +

    confident upscaling

  • +

    great specification for the money

Cons

  • -

    More picture noise than we’d like

  • -

    scandalously poor remote control

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Fortunately for the Hitachi L32VP03, first impressions aren't everything. Sure, the cabinet feels a bit cheap, but the TV doesn't look it once positioned in your lounge.

And the specification is encouraging too: 1920 x 1080 resolution, four HDMI inputs and a USB socket for displaying still pictures is much more like it.

It's swift to set up and finds all available TV stations quickly. Pictures from the digital tuner are bright and punchy, with white tones kept very clean, and the Hitachi does good work with even the most unpredictable motion compared to the best.

A shortage of fine detail
There's a shortage of fine detail, though, which makes skintones less than convincing, and this is a set which lost its grip on TV transmissions entirely (admittedly on just one occasion, but still…).

Upscaling DVD pictures all the way to its native resolution shows the L32VP03 off to good advantage.

Watch our vidcast about this TV

The stark, assured contrasts are carried over from TV pictures, as is the secure motion-handling, but here they're joined by improved detail levels, including enjoyable black tones and low-light insight.

Picture noise does rear its head, especially in open long-shots, and there's sometimes edginess to more complicated scenes.

Punchy and engaging picture
All of this, good and bad, is evident when watching a 1080p/24fps copy of Jarhead. Colours are nicely balanced, contrasts strong and sure, even as blacks gain extra depth.

Detail levels are high, and the overall picture is punchy and engaging. It's still noisier than we'd like, though – those endless desert scenes have constantly restless skies – and very complicated patterns provoke some shimmering, too.

Sound is as hard and thin as the TV's cabinet which, tragically, is par for the course. And then there's the stiff competition always lurking around the corner, very near this price point when you take the time and look online...

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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