LG 42LP1D 42-inch LCD television

Upside

As you'll often read us mention here on CNET.com.au, high definition screens are only as good as the source you can display. And with most plasma and LCDs only shipping with analog tuners, forking out an extras few hundred dollars for a digital set top box is practically mandatory.

So hooray for LG! Not only was the Korean manufacturer one of the first to release plasma televisions with integrated digital tuners, but they've backed that up with a new range of LCDs that also feature digital capability. That means that these LG LCD sets will be able to display high definition TV signals straight out of the box.

The new LG LCD range comes in three flavours -- the 32-inch 32LX2D (AU$3999), the 37-inch 37LP1D (AU$4999) and the 42-inch 42LP1D (AU$6999). The models sport a simple yet stylish design, with the screen being framed in black and the base of the unit decked out in silver. The sets boasts some decent specs, including a 1200:1 contrast ratio, high resolution of 1366x768 pixels and a brightness of 600cd/m2. It also has a 8ms response time, meaning fast moving images should be relayed crisply and cleanly. And in another major plus, the LG LCD set features HDMI connectivity. Both the 37-inch and 42-inch model feature an X-Studio 9-in-2 card slot, which enables music and images stored on a memory card to be played on the television.

Downside

With built-in HD tuners and HDMI, the new range of LG LCDs is hard to fault just on their specs alone. We'll have to take them through their paces in a full CNET.com.au review before we see if there are any quirks underneath the positive exterior.

Outlook

LG's definitely going in the right direction with its new range of LCD televisions thanks to its built-in HD tuner and HDMI capability.