REVIEWS
STRAP
DOLBY PRO-LOGIC TVs
HEAD
HITACHI C2976TN AND TOSHIBA 2857DB
COPY
It is barely five years since Toshiba single-handedly
created a new generation of
televisions with the first set to have a built-in
Dolby Surround decoder. For a couple of years they were out there on their own,
the rest of the industry remained highly sceptical. Then, in 1993 Hitachi upped
the stakes with the first TV to have the more advanced Dolby Pro Logic (DPL) decoder,
now they’re all at it. It’s not difficult to see why, the number of stereo
sound sources carrying Dolby Stereo encoded movies and TV programmes has
multiplied with the arrival of satellite TV, and the falling cost of NICAM VCRs,
moreover they’re still the simplest and most convenient way of putting together
a home cinema system.
Toshiba and Hitachi are still the undisputed
brand leaders and sales of DPL televisions in the UK have been soaring,
effectively doubling each year, up from 6% of the colour TV market in 1994 to
an estimated 12% this year.
The indications are that this growth pattern
will continue for the foreseeable future, and needless to say Hitachi and
Toshiba will be doing their utmost to secure their share of it. We’ve brought two
of their two latest DPL sets together in a head-to-head showdown. They’re the
Hitachi C2976TN and Toshiba 2875DB. They both sell for £1000, they’re within a
whisker of each other when it comes to overall dimensions, layout, screen size
and type, moreover they have the same basic facilities, namely NICAM stereo and
fastext.
There’s not a lot to choose between them when
it comes to their respective audio systems. They both have internal sub-woofers
and come with a pair of rear channel speakers plus generous connecting cables,
and are supplied with console-stands that have built-in centre-channel speakers.
In addition to Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby 3 Stereo the two sets have four-mode digital
sound processors with hall, disco and stadium effects, Hitachi call their fourth
DSP mode arena, Toshiba’s is theatre. The 2875 has a pseudo surround setting
whilst the Hitachi DSP has a stereo wide facility.
The main stereo speakers in both sets comprise
a pair of forward-firing 4.5-inch elipticals mounted either side of the screen.
Connections to the outside world are handled by twin SCART AV sockets and front
AV terminals. In a darkened room you really would have a tough time telling
them apart. Peas and pods spring immediately to mind, so are there any differences?
Not that many. The Hitachi set has the more
powerful sound system, with a total of 70 watts, compared with 55 watts from
the Tosh TV. The C2976 also has a few extra convenience features, including auto-tuning
and a remote control handset that can be programmed to operate a wide range of
VCRs and satellite receivers. We’re scraping the barrel now. The remaining distinctions
are mostly confined to the gadgets and toys. The Toshiba set has an on/off
timer and tone presets (in addition to adjustable bass and treble) but we reckon
they’re cancelled out by the wacky Hitachi remote that has buttons which light
up in the dark...
A few more differences begin to emerge when
you switch them on for the first time. After one button press the Hitachi set goes
into a well thought-out set-up routine, giving the user the option of auto or
manual tuning. Auto-tuning is fast and efficient and once it has finished it
takes only a few more moments to sort the stored channels into the desired
order. Toshiba’s tuner is a DIY job, involving lots of button pressing, mucking
around with cursors and winking displays. Hitachi’s on-screen display system is
a lot more refined, though maybe a bit too clever for it’s own good. It can
take a while to get to some functions which are deeply buried in unsignposted
menus. It pays to keep the instruction book handy.
Carrying out routine picture and sound adjustments
is not a problem on either set. Video and audio settings are shown together on single
menu screens on the Hitachi TV, they have to be selected individually on the
Tosh set. Hitachi have included some extra video features on an ‘enhanced
feature’ menu, such as a switchable comb filter and CTI (colour transient
improvement) mode, though we can’t figure out why as turning any of them off
results in a reduction in picture quality. Toshiba confine themselves to a
noise filter, but again switching it off degrades the picture. Dolby Pro-logic
set-up in both cases is fairly straightforward, the plus and minus points just
about cancel each other out.
PERFORMANCE
By now you’re probably expecting us to say
the picture and sound performance is the same too. Well, you’re half right. There
are some subtle differences in the picture quality on these TVs but they’re so
small we’d defy anyone to notice them other than in lengthy side-by-side
comparison of test patterns. Even then we suspect the differences, which are mainly
textural in nature and not concerned with resolution or definition, would barely
raise an eyebrow. In short picture quality is very good, on both sets.
However, when it comes to the audio
performance in general, and DPL in particular there are some significant disparities.
The Hitachi set has a much beefier sound and this can be put down to the gutsy sub-woofer.
Unfortunately the frontal sound-stage tends to dominate and the back channel
speakers really have to be wound up to compete, even they’re struggling. The
Toshiba comes across as more evenly balanced, and the DPL decoder is better at
picking out the more intricate effects, but it lacks the bass muscle of it’s
rival, giving a slightly thinner sound.
So which is best? It’s an impossible choice
with two so evenly matched products. If the main criteria is DPL performance
then we’d have to say the Hitachi set has a slight edge in smaller rooms, where
the underpowered back channels won’t be so noticeable and the more dynamic bass
can get to work. On the other hand Toshiba’s decoder is a lot sharper, and
gives its best on more detailed material, that doesn’t rely on bangs and
explosions. It’s a bit of a cop-out but in the end the balance tips slightly in
Hitachi’s favour, but only because of secondary considerations, like handy
remote, slicker on-screen display and auto-tuning.
BOX COPY 1
DATASTREAM
HITACHI C2976TN, £1000
Pros - good picture, hunky bass, remote
handset
Cons - shallow back channel, slightly muddy
DPL
Dimensions 762
x 591 x 484
HITACHI SALES (UK) LTD, Hitachi House,
Station Road, Middlesex UB3 4DR.
Telephone 0181-849 2000
Performance 8
Build 8
Value for money 8
Overall total 88%
BOX COPY 2
FEATURES
* Dolby Pro-Logic
* NICAM stereo
* Fastext
* hall, disco, stadium & arena DSP modes
* auto tune
* VCR/Satellite remote commands
* 16:9 display
* twin SCART & front AV terminal
* illuminated remote control
BOX COPY 3
DATASTREAM
TOSHIBA 2857DB, £1000
Pros - good picture, good DPL resolution
Cons - long-winded set-up, where’s the bass?
Dimensions 760
x 569 x 480 mm
TOSHIBA UK LTD, Units 6 & 7 Admiralty
Way, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3DT.
Telephone (01276) 62222
Performance 8
Build 8
Value for money 8
Overall total 85%
BOX COPY 4
FEATURES
* Dolby Pro-Logic
* NICAM stereo
* Fastext
* hall, theatre, disco, stadium and pseudo
surround DSP modes
* on/off timer
* 16:9 display
* twin SCART & front AV terminal
---end---
Ó R. Maybury 1995 0510
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