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Introduction
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01.Tour & Design
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02.Blacks & Whites
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03.Color Accuracy
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04.Motion
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05.Viewing Effects
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06.Calibration
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07.Remote Control
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08.Connectivity
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09.Audio & Menus
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10.Formats & Media
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11.Power Consumption
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12.Vs Panasonic TCP42S1
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13.Vs Samsung LN40B610
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14.Vs Sony KDL40W5100
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15.Conclusion
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16.Series Comparison
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17.Ratings & Specs
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18.Comments
VIZIO VL420M
Previous: Page 8
ConnectivityNext: Page 10
Formats & Media
Audio & Menus Summary
Editorial Note: This is a review of the Vizio VL420M. The other sizes of TVs in this series include the VL260M, VL320M, VL370M and VL470M. Test results are for this model, but should indicate the general performance of other models in the VL series. Read here for more details on series differences.
• Built in speakers produce weak sound with muddy bass
• Menus are mostly easy to use
Audio Quality (4.5)
The stwo 10 watt peakers that are built into the body of the VL420M were less than impressive: the bass adequate, but high frequencies were too low in the mix. Vizio's choice of presets for the five channel equalizer are also rather odd: there are presets for a flat response, for pop, rock, classic and jazz music, but no presets for movies or voice. The SRS TruSurround pseudo-surround sound is also disappointing; rather than create a real surround-sound feel, it turns the sound into a muddy mess, with bass that sounds like it is being played in another room. If you are looking for a convincing theater quality sound experience, buy a separate set of surround sound speakers.
Menu Interface (6.5)
The VL420M uses the standard Vizio menu style: pressing the menu bring up the main screen which has options for picture, Audio, TV, and Setup. You can either hit the OK button to go into the sub-menu, or use the left and right buttons to change the mode for that feature. For instance, if the picture mode is highlighted, you can switch between picture modes by going left and right, or go into the full picture menu by hitting OK. It's a little confusing when you first use it, but it does a good job of making changing modes easy; it takes just one button press to get access to the picture modes.
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| The main menu of the VL420M |
Each of the sub-menus for the main options has one or more screens worth of options, and there are several options that lead to further sub-sub menus.
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| When playing back photos, the on-screen menus give access to features to control the slideshow |
Manual (8.0)
Vizio usually does a good job of writing simple, clear manuals, and the VL410M is no exception; the fold-out quick start guide clearly explains the basic setup of the display, and the full manual explains the controls clearly, with plenty of illustrations. You can find the Vizio VL420M's manual online here.
| Other Models in the VL Series | |||||||
| This is a review of the Vizio VL420M. The other sizes of HDTVs in this series should be similar in terms of performance and usability. For details about any differences, click on the image to jump to the Series Comparison page. | |||||||
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| VL260M 26' |
VL320M 32' |
VL370M 37' |
VL470M 47' |
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