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Hitachi UT42MX70 42in LCD TV

Author John Archer
Published 6th Jul 2008
Manufacturer Hitachi
Price £1,739.13 (Exc VAT)
as reviewed £2,000.00 (Inc VAT)
Latest Price Click here
Design Score 10 for Design
Features Score 8 for Features
Image Quality Score 9 for Image Quality
Value Score 7 for Value
Overall Score 9 for Overall
Hitachi UT42MX70 42in LCD TV
award recommended

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If this is all starting to sound a wee bit complicated to you, then you may be interested to note that later in the year - probably around October - a separate multimedia box will be launched for the TVs containing a tuner and all manner of AV inputs. You'll just sit this box in a cupboard somewhere away from the screen, using it to switch what you're watching, while a single HDMI cable runs from the multimedia box to the screen. This optional box will remove the necessity to build a wider installation around the TV.

While we're talking about options for the UT42MX70, we should add too that the set will likely also be purchasable in a selection of colours (probably blue, black and white), and can be perched atop an optional (£140) floorstand.


As you might hope of a 42in TV costing the not inconsiderable sum of two grand, the UT42MX70 does not rely merely on its groundbreaking girth to justify its expense. It's also stuffed to the gunnels with fancy features. These are actually too numerous to cover in full without boring the pants off you all, but there are one or two highlights we really must get into.

Potentially the single most significant trick is Picture Master HD, an image processing system which includes 16-bit colour recognition for more authentic skin tones and greater surface definition; a ‘twin dynamic enhancer' which improves the reproduction of shiny image elements like, say, Tesla's amazing machines in the Blu-ray of awesome magician movie The Prestige; and noise reduction routines focussing on removing background fuzz.


More processing cleverness comes from a 100Hz engine to improve motion sharpness, while the strangely basic-looking onscreen menus include a very helpful series of themed image presets; extremely fine adjustments of the backlight output; the option to manually adjust the TV to accept Deep Colour (if you can find a source!); MPEG, cross colour and standard noise reduction options; a game mode that reduces the screen's response time; multiple adjustments to the TV's 3D Comb Filter; and a film mode that adjusts the set's progressive scanning to suit your sources - including 1080p/24 from Blu-ray discs.

There are also a couple of audio features of note, namely a pseudo surround mode and a Clear Voice processor that brings out the dialogue more if you're struggling to hear it in the mix. It's important that you realise, though, that no speakers are included with the UT42MX70 as standard.

 

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Comment Matthew Bunton said on 7th July 2008

1 HDMI input is a joke what on earth were they thinking especially considering the lack of an internal tuner. Price is very high also you could by the class leading Pioneer Kuro 50... more

Comment Ironduke said on 7th July 2008

most hitachi products are inferior or lack class to their competitors, its obvious this tv is for the style over Value for money ala Macbook Air, However if you have a hdmi Recieve... more

Comment DEB said on 8th July 2008

Looks like a stunning piece of design and engineering from what I have seen and read. The price is high but not unreasonable for what is arguable the most cutting edge display on ... more

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