Published On: April 30, 2010

Toshiba 46UX600U LED LCD HDTV Reviewed

Published On: April 30, 2010
Last Updated on: October 31, 2020
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Toshiba 46UX600U LED LCD HDTV Reviewed

Toshiba earned a thumbs-up from us for last year's SV670 Series of full-array LED-based LCDs. Now the company is trying out the edge-lit LED approach in its UX600 Series. The 46-inch 46UX600U also has a 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Volume, and the NET TV Web platform.

Toshiba 46UX600U LED LCD HDTV Reviewed

By Author: Adrienne Maxwell
Adrienne Maxwell is the former Managing Editor of HomeTheaterReview.com, Home Theater Magazine, and HDTVEtc.com. Adrienne has also written for Wirecutter, Home Entertainment Magazine, AVRev.com, ModernHomeTheater.com, and other top specialty audio/video publications. She is an ISF Level II-certified video calibrator who specializes in reviews of flat-panel HDTVs, front video projectors, video screens, video servers, and video source devices, both disc- and streaming-based.

Toshiba-46UX600U-46inchLEDHDTVReviewed.gifThe new UX600 Series is the first Toshiba line to use edge LED lighting; instead of placing a full array of LED backlights behind the screen, these TVs place LEDs around the edges of the screen and direct the light inward. (Last year, the company released the well-received SV670 Series, which features full-array LED backlighting with local-dimming technology. Those models are still available.) As a higher-end series in the company's 2010 lineup, the UX600 models include some of Toshiba's most advanced imaging technologies and features, and the line offers screen sizes of 40, 46, and 55 inches. We have not performed a hands-on review of the 46UX600U ($1,699.99), but here is an overview of the TV's features. In addition to its edge-lit LED design that allows the TV to measure less than 2 inches in depth, this 46-inch, 1080p LCD uses Toshiba's PixelPure 5G engine with 14-bit video processing, and it includes Resolution+ Super Resolution technology to improve the upconversion of standard-def sources, Dolby Volume to minimize sound-level variations, and ClearFrame 120Hz technology to reduce motion blur. (Toshiba opted to use its 120Hz implementation here, rather than its ClearScan 240Hz.) Via either a wired or wireless network connection, the 46UX600U can receive streamed content from a DLNA-compliant server, and it can access Toshiba's NET TV platform, which includes VUDU video-on-demand, Pandora, Facebook, Twitter, Picasa, YouTube and more. This TV is EnergyStar 4.0-compliant.

Additional Resources
• Read more LED HDTV reviews on HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Explore how Toshiba plans to create the future of HDTV.

The 46UX600U's thorough connection panel includes four HDMI, two component video, and one PC input, plus a single RF input to access the internal ATSC and Clear-QAM tuners. The HDMI inputs accept both a 1080p/60 and 1080p/24 signal, and two are located on the side panel for easy access. Also on the side panel, you'll find an SD card slot and a USB port for JPEG playback, as well as an Ethernet port for a wired network connection. There's also a second USB port to which you can attach the supplied 802.11n adapter. An IR output is provided on the TV's back panel.

The 46UX600U offers an excellent assortment of picture adjustments, beginning with six picture modes. The AutoView picture mode automatically adjusts the picture quality based on ambient room light and source content, while the Gaming mode improves response time when mating the TV with a gaming console. The menu includes a 10-step color-temperature control, as well as RGB offset and gain controls to precisely adjust white balance. There are several ways to adjust the TV's backlight: a fixed backlight control, a DynaLight mode that automatically tailors the backlight to suit the source content, and an Auto Brightness sensor that adjusts the backlight based on the room's ambient light, with a Backlight Adjustment Pro menu to set parameters. You can choose between multiple Resolution+ levels, and the setup menu also offers gamma adjustment and digital/MPEG noise reduction. The ClearFrame control (on/off) addresses the issue of motion blur, while the Film Stabilization mode (off/standard/smooth) deals with the problem of judder in film sources, using various levels of motion interpolation to produce smoother movement. The ColorMaster feature lets you adjust the hue, saturation and brightness of the six main color points, and the Expert mode isolates red, green or blue in the signal to help adjust color and tint. Finally, the TV has eight aspect-ratio options, including Native and Dot by Dot modes for viewing images with no overscan.

The 46UX600U has a glossy black frame with clear edges, a rounded base, and invisible speakers. Toshiba is one of the few TV manufacturers to incorporate Dolby Volume, designed to even out the inconsistent volume levels between commercials and TV content--with low, high and off modes in the setup menu. The audio menu also includes bass, treble and balance settings, plus surround, voice enhancement and dynamic bass boost controls.

The Energy Savings menu includes options for automatic power down after four hours, no-signal power down after 15 minutes, and a power-on mode (with fast and power-saving options).

Read about the high points and the low points of the 46UX600 on Page 2.

Toshiba-46UX600U-46inchLEDHDTVReviewed.gifHigh Points
• This TV has a 1080p resolution and will accept 24p sources via its HDMI inputs.
• ClearFrame 120Hz technology effectively reduces motion blur, with a separate Film Stabilization mode to address film judder.
• The edge-lit LED design allows for a slim cabinet depth.
• LCDs can be very bright, which makes them a good choice for a brightly lit viewing environment.
• The TV has numerous connection options and picture adjustments.
• Dolby Volume is available to level out volume variations.
• The TV can connect to a network via a wired or wireless connection,
receive streamed content from a DLNA server, and access Toshiba's NET
TV platform.

Low Points
• Edge-lit LED-based LCD TVs can suffer from brightness-uniformity
issues, and their black levels are generally not as deep as you'll find
with the better full-array LED-based TVs with local dimming.
• LCD viewing angles are not as good you'll find with a plasma TV.
• The 46UX600U lacks 3D capability.

Competition and Comparison
To compare the Toshiba 46UX600U against its competition read our reviews for the 
Mitsubishi Unisen LT-46164 LED LCD HDTV and Vizio's M550NV RazorLED LCD HDTV.  You can also find more information by visiting our LCD HDTV Section.

Conclusion
The Toshiba 46UX600U offers an excellent assortment of higher-end
technologies and features at a price that's competitive with other
LED-based LCDs at this screen size. The TV's edge-lit LED design and
slim profile give it a higher price premium than a traditional LCD
display; so, if you don't care about the TV's cabinet depth and want to
save some money, you might want to consider a traditional LCD with a
CCFL backlight. Toshiba has lagged a bit behind the competition in
terms of Web-based services, but they've remedied that with NET TV: The
UX600 Series is one of the first TV lines to support NET TV's
video-on-demand, DLNA media streaming and other Web services, and this
addition--along with the supplied WiFi adapter--only serves to enhance
the TV's overall value.

Additional Resources
• Read more LED HDTV reviews on HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Explore how Toshiba plans to create the future of HDTV.

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