Toshiba 42WL58E (42-inch LCD)

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Shopping for an LCD TV for the living room can be a challenge for many. The shortage of 42-inch variety adds to the frustration as smaller models just can't cut it for meeting the best visual experience. Now, if you have S$6,399 (US$4,593.02) to part, Toshiba has just the right offering with its high-performance 42WL58E 42-inch LCD TV.

Design
For a 42-inch LCD TV, the Toshiba 42WL58E is one of the narrowest displays measuring a mere 1,044mm long. This is achieved by adopting the popular streamline "Jet Slit" speaker system which sits directly below the LCD panel. Despite the six built-in speakers and recessed grills, Toshiba has managed to keep the thickness in check, maintaining a sleek 108mm depth for a near picturesque form factor--that is provided you are willing to fork out another S$199 (US$142.84) for the optional wall mounting kit bundled with free installation.

	3-in-2 card reader on the left flank of the chassis. (Click for larger image)

Black is seemingly making a comeback, having been featured in numerous new A/V releases, and the Stasia is no exception. Dressed in gun-metal adorned with matt-silver rims, the set manifests a trendy and eye-catching styling which ranks high in aesthetic appeal. The borders of the chassis are also put to good use housing a set of easy-access terminals and a 3-in-2 carder reader. The latter has its own dedicated cover ideal for keeping dust at bay.

Our enthusiasm was somehow shaken by the uninspiring design of the bundled silver remote controller. One major gripe we had was the omission of the direct A/V selection buttons making switching between the seven inputs an agonizing test of patience. Nonetheless, the remote does perform well in functionality offering VCR and DVD playback controls at the flip of a switch.

Fiddling with the 42WL58E intuitive user menu was a rewarding experience as we landed ourselves a set of competent audio and video settings. In addition to the usual mix of contrast and brightness controls, there is also backlight intensity, six-color tone adjustment, noise reductions and bass/treble fine-tuning options. Just in case you are not familiar with these terminologies, there is always an informative 55-page owner manual for clearing your doubts.

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