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Smart LCD TVs are creeping into fashion as a way of getting a nice computer monitor and a small television all in one.
The latest entrant into the market is Packard Bell. The company is not usually associated with household items such as televisions so we tested this with interest.
This Packard Bell is a very slick-looking piece of kit. The silver bezel and grey trim are certainly smart and reinforce the idea that this is as much a good-looking TV as a PC peripheral.
Setting up a LCD TV is a little more involved than putting together a standard portable TV or a conventional monitor. The main reason is the fact that so much can be plugged in. It's all pretty self-explanatory once you look at the wiring, however.
There are plenty of inputs on the back of the screen. The composite video and audio inputs are popular for video recorders and games consoles and the same can be said of the SCART socket.
There is a standard antenna socket for a conventional TV aerial and the VGA connector is on hand for PC connections.
As it is a TV, the Packard Bell has built-in speakers. These are quite small and sound is a touch tinny as result. They are also available for PC use thanks to a sound input plug. The final socket is pretty useful too - a headphone socket for watching the TV in silence.
It's a shame that the inputs are obscured by the stand, a particular issue with the headphone and SCART sockets.
As a monitor, the Packard Bell does a good job. Some of the settings are a little too tucked away in the menu system but at least the menu is easy to navigate.
The screen image is characteristic of TFT displays, lacking the vibrancy of a standard monitor, but is pleasant to use nevertheless.
As a TV the picture was pretty good, although we did have to spend some time tinkering with the controls to get a balanced image.
DETAILS
Price: £799
Contact: Packard Bell 01628 512456
www.packardbell.co.uk
See also:
All Flat Panel monitors
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