240Hz refresh rate makes its way to Toshiba LCDs
Toshiba's ZV650 series, Toshiba's step-up line of flat-panel LCDs, offers a 240Hz refresh rate, among other enhancements.
Now that LCD TVs with 120Hz refresh rates are becoming commonplace, manufacturers including Toshiba are implementing 240Hz to bolster claims of smoother images with improved blur reduction.
Toshiba's ZV650 series includes three screen sizes, the 42-inch 42ZV650, the 46-inch 46ZV650, and the 55-inch 55ZV650, and will be available in April (prices were not announced).
In describing its 240Hz models, the company called it a "240Hz effect" to be extra-careful. Compared to 120Hz models, the company claims that 240Hz delivers smoother images with less blurring--although if our review of the
Like LG and Vizio, Toshiba uses the scanning backlight version of 240Hz, which turns the backlight on and off very rapidly. Sony and Samsung use a different version, which interpolates three extra frames for every true frame. We doubt many viewers will be able to tell the difference, but we'll wait till we can compare the two 240Hz methods.
Toshiba also touts its proprietary video processing, citing 14 bit "gradation creation." The company has slightly rebranded and supposedly improved the SRT standard-def upconversion seen on the
Toshiba will also be among the first to incorporate Dolby Volume, an automatic volume limiter designed to level out peaks and valleys in volume. New for 2009, the company is adding an "expert" mode, with user-menu gains and cuts, and a "special backlight control." It also has a video-capable USB port, and an IR pass-through that can send your remote signals through to components in hidden in cabinets.
Finally, the company joins the ranks of LCD makers that incorporate shiny screens, first seen on Samsung LCDs, which should improve bright-room black-level performance at the expense of creating more reflections. We prefer matte screens, but we understand people like shiny things.