JVC LT-42P300 LCD HDTV Review

The LT-42P300 is the 42-inch model of JVC's updated lineup of LCD HDTVs with an integrated iPod/iPhone dock. The dock folds down from the bottom front of the HDTV and is lit by glowing blue lights, which can be turned off if you like. The LT-42P300 is available for a suggested retail price of $1150, but can be found for significantly less if you shop around.

In addition to the iPod/iPhone dock the LT-42P300 sports 3 HDMI ports, optical audio output and a reasonable selection of additional ports. JVC has significantly improved the interface for managing your iPod/iPhone media, with better access to playlists and content types. Your device is also charged while in the dock and can even be synchronized with a computer attached to the television. There is also a USB port on the television that can be used to view photos from USB devices, although the interface is not as elegant as the iPod/iPhone interface. We like that the LT-42P300 supports a full 1080p resolution, so it can handle the highest quality HD content.

The JVC LT-42P300's remote is large, ungainly and not particularly attractive. If you don't mind the design it can be used as a universal remote. We did like the audio quality from the built-in speakers, although if you want surround sound quality you'll want to purchase a separate speaker setup. The menu system is simple and easy to use.

Performance (Read the full lab performance results at Televisioninfo.com)

The JVC LT-42P300's black level was unimpressive, but the peak brightness was above average. The combination of the two works out to a mediocre total contrast ratio. The television's color temperature was rock solid, so you won't see a blue or yellow tint to your content as you do on some HDTVs. Unfortunately the color accuracy displayed some problems, in particular the HDTV had trouble producing bright colors, which can lead to loss of detail in particularly bright parts of a scene.

The LT-42P300's motion performance was unimpressive. We noticed significant blurring of detail as items moved across the screen. The JVC LT-42P300's viewing angle is about average for an LCD television, which means you won't be able to get a good picture from a very wide angle from center but you should be fine sitting anywhere on a wide sofa directly in front of the HDTV.

Comparisons (Read more in-depth comparisons at Televisioninfo.com)

The JVC LT-42P300's killer feature is obviously the integrated iPod/iPhone dock, which JVC calls the TeleDock. We really like the improvements to the interface that JVC has brought to their updated lineup of TeleDock televisions. From a performance standpoint the LT-42P300 is only middling. The black level, contrast ratio along and motion handling are all below average. If you're paying the full asking price of $1150 you can find significantly better performance at a similar price from televisions like the Vizio SV470XVT or the Sony Bravia KDL-46W4100. If you're enamored of the iPod/iPhone dock, however, and you can find it for a price closer to $800 the LT-42P300 is probably a reasonable value.

For a more in-depth review, visit the JVC LT-42P300 Review at our partner TelevisionInfo.com