Toshiba has revealed its 2019 TV lineup, made up of four models and headlined by the premium UL7A and UL5A TVs
The range consists of the UL7A, TL7A, U5LA and VL5A with Toshiba’s goal to bring “leading-edge” technologies and “added value” to a wider audience.
The UL7A and TL7A arrive in 49″ (£449) and 55″ (£549) sizes as Toshiba focuses on sizes that can be accomodated in most homes. The more affordable U5LA comes in 43″ (£349), 49 (£399) and 55″ (£479). The U5LA with the Toshiba Connect device − more on that below − is available in the same sizes as the standard U5LA for £369, £419 and £499 respectively.
The VL5A − exclusive to Dixons − has a bigger spread of sizes from 43″ (£349), 50″ £399, 55″ (£479) and 65″ (£699) models.
Beginning with Toshiba’s flagship, the UL7A features an ELED (Edge Emitting LED) panel and supports Wide Colour Gamut (WCG), HDR10 and dynamic metadata in Dolby Vision HDR. Audio performance has been given a boost with enhanced 42W speakers designed in collaboration with Onkyo.
The TL7A follows the similar specifications, but drops the U7LA’s enhanced speakers for front-firing efforts. The U5LA and VL5A omit the ELED panel completely for DLED (Direct LED) back-lighting and neither of these models has WCG. They do, however, have Dolby Vision HDR, ensuring all models can play Dolby Vision content.
Toshiba’s TRU Picture Engine is available across the range and works to control the set’s micro dimming for better contrast; motion control for minimal judder and the upscaling of non-4K content to near 4K quality.
The Toshiba VL5A is exclusive to Dixons
Perhaps the most notable feature is an accessory in the Toshiba Connect device. It’s a far-field microphone that can be connected via one of the TV’s USB ports and adds Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant in a far more integrated way than seen on other sets.
From the comfort of their settee, viewers can ask Alexa to turn the TV on or off, change the volume/channel/inputs, as well as set reminders, view the latest news or search for their favourite tracks on Amazon Music. Compatible smart products in the home can also be controlled through Alexa, too.
It’s currently only available as part of the U5LA but will be made available as a separate accessory in the coming months
European Sales and Marketing Director, Bart Kuijten, commented: “With our 2019 series, we’re making innovative TV technology accessible to all. Transforming everyday viewing, we’re ensuring that the picture quality of everything from live TV to old DVD collections can be improved. Whilst we’re continuing to build on audio visual standards with a whole host of partner technologies and new accessories, we’re also thinking outside the box, tapping into the as-yet unfulfilled potential of TV to offer next-level digital voice assistance with Alexa.”
The U7LA can be bought from Dixons, while the T7LA can be found at AO.com. The U5LA version with Toshiba Connect is available from Argos and the VL5A is exclusive to Dixons.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
