Toshiba 50L2200U LED TV Review

Introduction

The Toshiba 50L2200U (MSRP $899) fits firmly in the middle in this spectrum. This is a TV that has no 3D or internet functions and instead relies on its ability to display a picture. That said, we are happy to report that this TV is pretty good at what it does. Color accuracy, motion performance, and screen uniformity are all done well. Even the viewing angle is not bad for an LED TV.

The 50L2200U does have some cosmetic issues: it’s not the prettiest TV and the menu interface also lacks visual appeal. Some technical shortcomings we noticed are the awful infrared signal that comes from the remote, and some connections on the back of the TV that are hard to access.

Design

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The 50L2200U represents function over form.

Toshiba is capable of making super-model slim TVs, the 47L7200U being a good example. But that slimness comes at a price, the 47L7200Ul is $1000 more than this big hunk of plastic. The 50L2200U is not an atrocious-looking TV—it is merely average-looking. This TV is thick in depth and wide in bezel. The base it sits on is a functional and uninspired rectangle. There is a metallic-looking plastic strip underneath the bezel that adds a touch of class, but that’s about as interesting as it gets.

There are some design caveats to watch out for. The first involves the remote, which will not function at all unless it is pointed directly at the infrared sensor on the TV, located under the logo on the front. The second flaw to look out for is how poorly some of the connections were implemented. A number of the ports are facing downwards on the back of the 50L2200U, which makes accessing them rather difficult.

{{photo_gallery "Design Landing Page Photo", "Front Tour Image", "Back Tour Image", "Sides Tour Image", "Connectivity Tour Image 1", "Connectivity Tour Image 2", "Connectivity Extra Photo", "Stand Photo", "Controls Photo", "Remote Control Photo"}}

Smart TV Features

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The menu interface may not be pretty, but it is functional.

The menu on this Toshiba isn’t particularly appealing, but it does get the job done. There are five menu categories: Picture, Audio, Preferences, Locks, and Setup. There are enough options to satisfy all but the most enthusiastic of consumers. As mentioned before, the remote has a weak signal to the IR sensor, which makes changing menu settings a chore if the remote is not pointed directly at this sensor.

{{photo_gallery "Software and Internet Landing Page Photo", "Internet Features 1 Photo", "Internet Features 2 Photo", "Internet Features 3 Photo", "Browser 1 Photo", "Browser 2 Photo", "Browser 3 Photo", "Apps 1 Photo", "Apps 2 Photo", "Apps 3 Photo", "Local Media Playback 1 Photo", "Local Media Playback 2 Photo", "Menu Main Photo", "Menu 2 Photo"}}

Picture Quality

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Toshiba succeeds in making a good, old-fashioned television.

The Toshiba 50L2200U may not be able to take you into the third dimension or deliver cutting-edge streaming content via the internet, but it does produce a very good picture. The contrast was decent and so were the colors. The motion performance was pretty darn good for a budget TV with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The best feature we noticed on the 50L2200U was its excellent screen uniformity. Say what you want about this TV's technical shortcomings, but it does what a TV should do: display a good picture.

Conclusion

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The 50L2200U doesn't do many things wrong.

The Toshiba 50L2200U produces good colors, has deep blacks, and gets modestly bright. Aside from a few aesthetic details, the 50L2200U didn’t give us much to complain about. There is the nagging issue of an unresponsive remote, but that was the biggest complaint with this TV.

For the relatively low price of admission—the 50L2200U can be found for around $200 less than its MSRP online—this means it's a great investment for people who do not want 3D or smart features on their TVs. If using your television as a means to watch cable content and movies is your main criteria when looking for a TV, then consider the Toshiba 50L2200U.

Science Introduction

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Some of the best features on the Toshiba 50L2200U include its decent viewing angle and its very good motion performance. Color consistency was average on this TV and its contrast was acceptable.

Viewing Angle

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The viewing angle on the 50L2200U is decent for an LED TV.

This Toshiba’s total viewing angle of 53° is in line with most LED TVs. It’s not quite as good as the Philips 55PFL5706, but it beats the Insignia NS-50L240A13 and blows away the Haier L55B2181. More on how we test viewing angle.

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Motion Performance

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There was very little motion artifacting on this Toshiba.

For a budget-friendly TV with a 60 Hz refresh rate, the Toshiba 50L2200U did very well in our motion performance tests. Image blurriness, which we test by having a picture moving quickly across the screen, was not bad at all. Our line test, which involves vertical lines moving horizontally across the screen, produced minimal jagged lines—something that much more expensive TVs can’t always do. Finally, there was very little color trailing.

We were not able to test the 50L2200U’s performance with motion enhancement on because it does not offer any.

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Other Tests

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