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DECEMBER SHOP WINDOW -- LCD TV/monitors
HEAD
SMALL SCREEN GEMS?
INTRO
Pocket TVs are not just gimmicky gadgets,
some of them can also be used as portable colour monitors, we've been going
boss-eyed looking at the latest models
COPY
Pocket LCD TVs were all the rage a couple of
years ago, now they're just another clever little gadget that we all take for
granted. Of course, they're handy for watching TV programmes when you're out
and about or there's no mains set handy, and they have tremendous novelty value
but we're interested in their abilities as portable colour video monitors.
The picture quality of LCD screens varies,
from barely watchable, to fairly good, but in all cases the picture tends to be
quite coarse (compared with a CRT display), so they can make manual focusing
quite difficult and most LCD screens
have a limited ability to accurately display colour so they can only show up
extreme white balance errors. So why bother? They can be useful for
differentiating between similar looking subjects -- cars in a race for example -- most of them have built in speakers, and some people just like
the idea of watching their video-movies
in colour when they're out and about.
Sets with screens measuring 3 to 3.5 inches
across (they're measured diagonally) are the most convenient size for
monitoring, it's hard work watching smaller screens, and larger ones can be
unwieldy. Two of the sets in this roundup are marketed as camcorder monitors
and include specially designed sun visors, mounting kits and AV leads, TV tuner
modules are available as optional extras. Most of the others have mounting
threads on the cabinets which can be used to attach the sets to optional
mounting hardware.
Pocket TVs consume batteries at an alarming
rate, you'll be fortunate to get more than an hour or two's viewing from three
or four pounds worth of alkaline batteries, so use a mains adaptor whenever
possible, and re-chargeable instead of ordinary batteries. The fluorescent
tubes used to back-light LCD displays have a limited life, typically three to
four years or 5,000 hours, depending on the amount of use. They can be quite
expensive to replace, in some instances as much as 50% of the original cost of
the set. Whilst we're on the subject, the price of LCD TVs seems to vary
exponentially with screen size; basic pocket TVs with two-inch screens sell for
around £100, a set with a five-inch screen can cost ten times as much!
We have noticed a small reduction in the
number of new pocket TVs coming on to the market in the last year or two.
Several manufacturers have withdrawn altogether or turned their attention to
other, broader-based applications for LCD colour screens, such as TV/VCR combos
or video 'Walkman', portable CD-i players, games and computer displays and yes,
even camcorders. Quite a few machines now have tiny colour LCD viewfinders,
moreover, the three Sharp View Cams and the soon to be launched Sony SC5 have
three and four-inch monitor screens built-in. In general a colour viewfinder
adds £100 or so to the cost of a camcorder, the Sharp and Sony machines cost
between £900 and £1400, so if you like the idea of on the spot replay in
colour, an LCD pocket TV can be a cost-effective alternative, here's a few
camcorder-friendly models to look or rather squint at...
CITIZEN T740
Screen size 3.9 inches
Guide price £339
Smart design with a built-in, fold-out sun
hood and supplied with its own corded remote control, table stand, and mains
adaptor. Fair to middling picture though grain evident if you get too close and
rapid movement tends to blur. Sensitive tuner covering UHF and VHF bands, sound
quality passable. Mounting socket on underside so handy as a part-time monitor,
though a tad pricey.
Picture quality 7
Camcorder friendliness 7
Value for money 7
CITIZEN M329
Screen size 2.9 inches
Guide price £165
Simple and elegant colour monitor kit
complete with connecting leads (phono and JVC-type AV sockets), mounting
brackets for machines with and without accessory shoes. Also included is a
folding sun visor; an AC adaptor and tuner module are available as optional
extras. Picture quality is reasonable, helped by the visor which cuts out
reflected light, sets the viewing distance and restricts the viewing angle.
Some image lag so movement can appear blurred. No on-board speaker but it does
have an earphone socket for audio monitoring.
Picture quality 7
Camcorder friendliness 9
Value for money 8
CITIZEN M938
Screen size 3.8 inches
Guide price £239
Larger screen version of the M329 with the
same type of folding sun visor, and
similar (though less comprehensive) mounting hardware and accessories. This
model is also SECAM compatible. Surprisingly the larger picture looks coarser
than the 329 and viewed too closely looks quite ragged, colours can be garish and
it also suffers from the same pronounced image lag which doesn't help when
trying to watch or analyse movement. Stick with what you've got...
Picture quality 6
Camcorder friendliness 9
Value for money 6
CITIZEN T530
Screen size 3.0 inches
Guide price £160
The T530 is the only set in this roundup to
have an AM/FM radio as well and
although it has an AV input socket it is first and foremost a travel set, ideal
for catching up with your favourite TV programme when on holiday, or camping; a
mains adaptor and cost carry-case are included. After some fiddling around with
the rather touchy brightness and colour controls it produces a fairly average
picture but all things considered it is quite good value.
Picture quality 6
Camcorder friendliness 7
Value for money 8
CASIO TV7100
Screen size 3.3 inches
Guide price £219 (camcorder mounting kit £35)
Neatly proportioned 3.3-inch model from the
market leaders. The set is supplied with a detachable sun shield; a camcorder
mounting bracket (part no. 0S51M) is an option costing an extra £35.00, an AV
cable (part no. AVC1) terminated with
two phono leads is also available and will fit all Casio TVs with external AV
inputs. Simple to use and a reasonably good picture though colours are not
sufficiently well defined to make white balance adjustment. Good value, worth
considering.
Picture quality 8
Camcorder friendliness 9
Value for money 9
Other Casio LCDs with AV input (not tested).
CASIO TV1450
Screen size 2.7 inches Guide
price £140
Handy little pocket TV and good value but
rather small, borderline for camcorder monitoring
CASIO TV3100 Screen size 3.3 inches Guide
price £199
Fairly chunky, good sized screen, worth
considering as a monitor.
CASIO TV8500 Screen size 4.0 inches Guide
price £269
A little on the large side for a monitor but
might be worth thinking about as an edit monitor, good value.
CASIO TV7700 Screen size 3.0 inches Guide
price £269
Sharper picture and more versatile tuner
makes this one a good choice for travellers
PANASONIC
TC3PE1G
Screen size
3-inches
Guide price
£310 (camcorder fixing kit £62)
Very classy! The TC3 has been around for a
while but it's still one of the most sophisticated pocket TVs around, with it's
automated tuning system, advanced menu-driven on-screen displays and multi
(PAL) system operation. Accessory kit includes mains adaptor, earphone,
carry-case and aerial adaptor lead. Ideally suited as a monitor with optional
sunshield and mounting kit available for £62. Controls easy to get at and carry
handle doubles up as table stand, audio from the side mounted speaker a little
thin but fine for monitoring. Average resolution for a 3-inch screen, colour
rendition a little better than normal though narrow viewing angle -- common to
all LCD screens -- makes accurate colour assessment difficult. Recommended.
Picture quality 7
Camcorder friendliness 9
Value for money 8
SHARP
6M-10S 'CRYSTALTRON'
Screen size 5.5 inches
Guide price £998.75
Without doubt the ultimate 'pocketable' LCD
TV from the company who lead the way in flat screen technology. Not only is it
the biggest screen currently available, it's also the most expensive, and it
has the best-looking picture. If the price is making your eyes water you might
be interested to know that it doesn't include the cost of an optional battery
pack, that will set you back another £70 or so. But let's be positive, the
5.6-inch screen has 56,160 pixels, which isn't as many as some of the smaller
screens, but its size means the picture can be comfortably viewed at a distance
so the picture appears clearer, colour rendition is definitely better than
average and it will show up quite subtle WB errors. It has a mounting collar,
for attaching to a tripod etc. The TV section is highly advanced, it can
operate on just about every variant of the PAL, NTSC and SECAM standards,
amounting to some 21 different selectable systems. The tuner covers all of the
most commonly used VHF and UHF broadcast bands, it has a 20 channel memory, and
multi-voltage mains adaptor, so it can literally be used anywhere in the world.
It even comes with it's own corded remote control; ideal for travellers, maybe a just a little too
large, and over-specified for video movie-making, but if you're looking for the
best, and you've got the cash, this is it!
Picture quality 9
Camcorder friendliness 7
Value for money 6
SONY FDL-390BE COLOUR WATCHMAN
Screen size 3.0 inches
Guide price £300
At a distance the FDL-390 looks like a rather
ordinary transistor radio. Get a little closer and it all becomes obvious, but
the 3-inch screen still looks a little lost on the front of the fairly
substantial cabinet. A PAL-only design, though it has VHF and UHF coverage, and
a booster for weak signals. Screen resolution is good (89.5k pixels) though
colours tend to be rather coarse, and again the viewing angle is quite narrow.
Sound from the largish speaker is good, the best of the bunch in fact. It's no
featherweight, with around half of it's 1.1kg all-up weight being accounted for
by six 'C' type batteries. Facilities are fairly limited and there's no tuner
presets, though manual tuning is quick and easy. AV not supplied. So-so styling
and rather bulky but build quality is excellent and the price is reasonable.
Worth considering as a table-top monitor or travelling companion.
Picture quality 8
Camcorder friendliness 7
Value for money 8
Contact addresses
CASIO UK Unit 6, 1000 North Circular
Road, London NW2 7JD.
Telephone 081-450 9131
CITIZEN -- see STRONG
PANASONIC UK LTD Panasonic House, Willoughby
Road, Bracknell, Berkshire
RG12 4PF. Telephone (0344) 862444
SHARP UK LTD Thorp Road, Newton Heath,
Manchester M10 9BE.
Telephone 061-205 4255
SONY UK LTD Sony House, South Street,
Staines, Middlesex TW15 4AT.
Telephone (0784) 467000
STRONG, 3/16 Chelsea Garden Market, Chelsea
Harbour, London SW10 OXE
Telephone 071-352 0600
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© R.Maybury 1993 2209
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