Control tweakery

The set’s picture performance lies on the decent side of routine. There’s plenty of control offered in the menus, and you’re encouraged to get your hands dirty with Static Gamma adjustments, Noise Reduction, Active backlight control and so on

Resolution +, a picture processing mainstay for Toshiba, is a particularly effective enhancement tool for standard def sources such as Freeview and DVD. It delicately adds subtle shadow detail and extra edge definition. The results are effective but never obvious. While the set’s colour fidelity is bold, reds edge toward being orangey.

Missed opportunity? Streaming content options could be more comprehensive

Unfortunately, this panel is rather hampered by austerity measures. It lacks Toshiba’s Active Vision fast refreshing, and that puts a limit on just how sharp the picture remains during movement. I measured motion resolution at around 650 lines.

The black level also tends to go grey in rooms with low ambient light, and there’s some low level luminance noise and fizz in the picture. The edge lighting itself is revealed by four pools of back-light in each corner of the screen; but at least they’re largely consistent.

For such a slim set, the 42RL853 makes a reasonable din. While thin, there’s a good stereo spread. A welcome sonic embellishment is Dolby Volume, which levels out disparities between channels and programmes/advertisements.

Verdict



Overall, the 42RL853 has some appeal. It’s an affordable large-screen that’s not been hit with an ugly stick. But equally, its functionality is limited. Media streaming is basic and if you’re seeking more than just IPTV from the Beeb and YouTube, there are better choices to be had. ®

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