The Bottom Line
If you're looking for an entry-level LCD like a Vizio or Insignia then take a look at Westinghouse's SK-32H240S. The price is very competitive, possibly lower.
Picture enhancement is rare in televisions of this price and this one has it. This alone makes it stand out to me. I also liked the placement of the inputs on the panel.
At the time of this review, the SK-32H240S was priced about $700 at many retailers.
Pros
- ATI video processing
- ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuners
- 2 HDMI inputs
- A/V connections are on the side of the panel
- Closed caption is easy to access
Cons
- Colors aren't as vibrant as higher-priced LCDs
- No picture-in-picture (PIP) capabilities
- Remote control isn't universal
- Auto Source can be a pain if not wanting to change inputs automatically
Description
- Picture enhancement is significant in LCDs and this is what separates the SK-32H240S from other entry-level LCDs.
- I can't understate the importance of connections on the spine. It makes it much easier to connect (mounted or not).
- The Electronic Program Guide is pretty good. It does what it's supposed to. The graphics are somewhat outdated.
- The panel weighs about 40lbs. It is VESA compliant for wall mounting.
- Auto-Source feature can be an annoyance. This feature switches to new sources when powered on. It can be turned off.
Guide Review - Westinghouse Model SK-32H240S
The key specifications are:
- Screen Size: 32"
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Native Resolution: 1366 x 768
- Color Capability: 16.7 Million colors
- Modes: NTSC/ATSC,ClearQAM 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i
- Contrast Ratio: 1200:1
- Lamp Life: 50,000 Hrs
- Response Time: 8 ms
The SK-32H240S also has digital technologies:{/p]
- Progressive Scan
- 3D Noise Reduction
- Inverse 3:2 Pulldown
- De-Interlacing
- 3D Adaptive Comb Filter
- 2D OSD Graphics Engine
The Picture
Analog and standard digital (480i) images are good, not great. I preferred to watch them in 4:3 rather than 16:9 because of the better image. It struggled with the conversion from 4:3 to 16:9, but many LCD TVs struggle with this conversion.
High definition (1080i) was very good. It had enough horse to compete with higher priced models.
I played hours of XBOX 360 and the 480p reproduction was clearly a notch above 480i, though colors weren't as crisp as I would like.
Bottom line is that the SK-32H240S produced pretty good images. I was slightly disappointed in the color reproduction.
Color Reproduction
Colors just weren't as rich in the SK-32H240S as other models I've seen. Yes, the contrast ratio is average (1200:1) but I think it is more/less a result of the DayBright technology.
This feature acts much like a glare-free glass in a picture frame. It works and I think this is part of the reason colors seem flatter. I recommend calibrating colors out of the box.
Moving Images
Motion is a bugaboo of LCD TVs. The SK-32H240S processed motion with slight blurring. That is expected of an entry-level LCD.
Moving text processed without issue. Fast-moving images didn't have ghosting. Video game play is good. High definition was very good.