Product Review: Westinghouse LVM-42w2 42" 1080P Flat Panel LCD TV

Westinghouse's LVM-42w2 is a 42" flat panel LCD TV that has a maximum resolution of 1080P, which is the highest resolution of digital high definition content. At 42", the screen is big enough to fill a large room, but at only 4.5" thick this widescreen beauty is thin enough to fit in a tight space.

Westinghouse makes good looking panels that blend well with any decorating motif. The 42w2 is no exception. The silver and black casing is powerfully simple yet pleasant to look at.

The 42w2 is a 42" widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) that has a resolution of 1920 x 1080, which means it displays over 16.7 colors. The 42w2 is capable of displaying all formats of digital television - 480i, 480p, 1080i and 1080p. However, 1080p is only capable through HDMI and DVI inputs. At most, it weighs about 57 pounds with the base, which weighs about 5 pounds. The panel is actually 41.5" wide and 28" tall with the base.

The 42w2 has a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and brightness of 550 cd/m2. These are common numbers for flat panel LCD TVs. With 60,000 hour lamp life the 42w2 should last well over 25 years at 3 hours of daily viewing.

The response time is rated at 8ms, which is good for a TV of this size. I must note that in my viewing I did not notice any ghosting or motion blur with any images.

The 42w2 comes with two built-in 10 watt speakers and one 10 watt subwoofer. This is plenty of boost for a large room. Let's face it, if you're into sound then you probably already own a surround sound system.

1 HDMI(R)-HDCP + L/R Audio
2 DVI -HDCP + L/R Audio
2 VGA/D-Sub/RGB + Audio mini jack
2 YPbPr Component Video + L/R Audio
1 S-Video+ L/R Audio
1 Composite Video + L/R Audio
1 L/R Audio out, Switched, Fixed & Variable Volume

The 42w2 was a good looking TV on the outside, but the picture was even better. Movement was fluid, colors were crisp and edges were defined. I noticed a significant difference between the wide and standard aspect ratios while watching non-HD satellite, but this wasn't a big thing. Because the screen was so large, I found myself watching in the 4:3 mode more than the 16:9.

I like the fact that this TV can display images in 1080p. While there isn't much content available in 1080p, there is no doubt that this trend will change over time. I liken 1080p to the duo core processors in PCs - a few years away from really seeing their worth but worth every penny right now.

I like the design of the panel. Video and audio connectors are located on both sides of the panel. The panel also has controls located on the right side. The base stand is sturdy, and detachable for wall mounting. Also, you can't see the speakers even though they are there.

DVDs and video game play look fantastic on this LCD TV. Westinghouse claims that the 42w2 can display over 16 million colors. This large pallet makes it possible to display images with more clarity, which is a great for watching movies and playing video games.

This television is actually a monitor. What I mean is that it doesn't come with built-in tuners; it would be useless unless you connected it to an external receiver. Fortunately, most of us use either a cable box or satellite receiver. Westinghouse must be banking on this trend continuing. I think it will.

Is this an issue? Not if you subscribe to cable or satellite.

When the 42w2 was turned off for more than two days I noticed that it wouldn't power-on with the remote control or the power button on the panel. I had to disconnect the power cord and plug it back in until I heard a click. This signaled the unit was ready to turn on.

Is this an issue? It could be if this is a glitch with the monitor, but most people won't go more than 48 hours without turning it on. Therefore, it is not a dealbreaker for me.

The 42w2 had 1 HDMI and 2 DVI ports, but only one composite AV port. In my opinion, this is a design flaw because many people use composite to connect a cable box, VCR and DVD player to a TV. You would either need to use a different type of cable or a video switcher when connecting more than one device to composite.

Is this an issue? Sort of. This TV is set up for the future, which you should be thinking of.

I hope you noticed that I didn't mention anything about the screen when pointing out the things I didn't like. This is because the screen quality on the 42w2 was excellent. Sure, my non-HD satellite feed wasn't DVD quality, but it looked better than a lot of other flat panel LCDs I've reviewed.

I'm concerned that Westinghouse chose to use a loophole in the FCC regulation requiring 42" TVs to have a built-in ATSC tuner. They did this by eliminating all tuners, which makes the 42w2 a monitor. However, they do make 32, 37 and 40" TVs with built-in digital tuners. I must also point out that Westinghouse isn't the only manufacturer that will use this loophole, and many people will find that they won't even use their built-in digital tuner.

While the lack of a built-in tuners brings the price down, it could create a headache for the owner seeking over-the-air reception. At Pricegrabber.com, the 42w2 is priced between $2200-2500. This is a good price for a TV of this quality.

The bottom line is that the LVM-42w2 gets a 4.5 rating because the screen quality meets or exceeds my standards for cable, satellite, high definition, DVD and video game play.

All specifications quoted in this article are courtesy of Westinghouse.