Bush LCD 15TV

A monitor and TV set, but it isn't cheap.

Price: £700

Manufacturer: Bush

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Verdict

TV tuner or no, this is far too much money for a flatpanel monitor. There are cheaper, better-made options out there.

Andy Gordon, What PC? 07 May 2002

At the same time as flatpanel monitors are becoming more affordable for many PC users, Bush has decided to try and broaden the screen technology's appeal even more. For as well as acting as a computer monitor, the company's new LCD15TV doubles up as a television set.

The advantage over a traditional cathode-ray tube (CRT) TV is plain: TFT technology means the unit is barely 6cm deep, considerably shallower than a tube-driven display. At 4.6kg it is easily transportable and does not require a hefty stand. All in all, a very flexible option.

Like any TV worth its salt, the LCD15TV comes with inputs for a TV aerial, S-Video, composite video, audio and SCART. To make it a truly standalone option, two speakers are built into the case on the front, below the screen.

As a PC monitor it could not be easier to set up, using on-screen menus, and the display is clear with vivid colours. However, it does not support the latest DVI connection for producing the clearest digital pictures possible, and that could be fairly expected at this price.

As a TV, the picture is good enough, but we cannot recommend the speakers. The sound is tinny and, on our test model, it echoed around the case and reduced clarity.

That's not our final gripe, though. The stand does not inspire confidence. It needs more sticking power and with the screen tilted more than a few degrees from the vertical, it hinted at toppling. In general, the build quality is poor: from the plastic finish to the fixed, non-swivel stand, it does not feel like £700-worth of TV/monitor.

There are other flatpanel screens that double as TVs, notably from Samsung, and we would recommend any over Bush's LCD15TV.

Specifications