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Philips 221TE2L 21.5in monitor and Freeview TV combo
Double vision?
Visual display
Also, being based on TN panel technology, the display suffers somewhat from rather narrow viewing angles, especially in the vertically direction. This is something you may well notice if you’re viewing the monitor from up close.
Appealing for its simplicity and size
Setting up as a TV is simple using the remote control, which gives you access to a large, clear menu system. Select ‘Setup’ and then ‘Installation’. From here you can kick off the auto tuning procedure which takes a couple of minutes to find analogue, digital and radio channels for you.
Despite its less than brilliant results, the 221TE2L still a quite watchable and in fact rather likeable TV. It’s certainly designed for convenience more than anything else and in this respect it definitely delivers.
Verdict
At £209, the 221TE2l costs around double what you’d pay for a similarly specified LED monitor without the built-in tuner. With the money you save, you could easily afford a superior set-top box or a plug-in TV tuner for your PC complete with extra goodies such as FreeviewHD support and the ability to record TV. Yet, despite its shortcomings, this display is a very convenient and effortlessly simple way to add digital TV capability to your PC or for use as a lightweight portable telly. ®
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