What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Much nicer to watch than it is to use, the Toshiba’s modest price makes it well worth considering
Pros
- +
Petite good looks
- +
does good work with HD and DVD sources
- +
price
Cons
- -
TV reception can be marginal
- -
some picture noise regardless of source
- -
an ergonomic dog’s dinner
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
In styling terms, the 19AV615DB follows the most popular template for small screen televisions: make it look like a shrunken version of a bigger, more expensive model.
In terms of pricing, though, this Toshiba's so aggressive that only a few rivals can keep up with it.
The '615DB is blessed with clear, extensive set-up menus, but when you come to adjust brightness and contrast, you'll find them blunt tools.
The EPG changes the channel you're watching as you scroll down, which ceases to be amusing within seconds.
Works admirably with HD
As far as high-definition performance goes, once you've realised the '615DB can't handle a 1080p signal and have changed your source's output settings accordingly, it does admirable work.
1080i images from The Boat That Rocked downscaled to fit the 1366 x 768 resolution are detailed, naturally coloured and stable.
Contrasts are handled deftly and motion is controlled well in all but the most trying circumstances. There's a touch of digital noise in complex scenes, but the '615DB is far from ill-disciplined.
Balanced colours, good detail
It's a similar story with upscaled DVD pictures: colours are balanced, there's decent detail on display and the Toshiba puts good distance between 'very dark' and 'very bright'. Skin tones, though, can be soft and anonymous.
Games console images are coarse, but digital TV pictures are stable and composed. Motion-handling is hit-and-miss, though, and there's more picture noise than the norm.
As for sound, it's predictably thin, but there's not the harshness of many other model.
Like most other small screens, the Toshiba has its shortcomings. But unlike a lot of its competitors, the 19AV615DB has price on its side.
