Toshiba 46ZV555DB review

Blu-ray's rise shows no sign of slowing, yet Toshiba still resiliently refuses to embrace it and continues to mourn the demise of its HD-DVD format.

Still, it has to find some way to entice consumers away from HD, which is where Resolution+ comes in.

Resolution+ is effectively a detail and edge enhancer that, says Toshiba, ‘allows your TV to display standard definition images at near high definition'. With the 46ZV555DB you can select between five levels.

Resolving the Resolution+
Play a challenging DVD such as The Departed and Resolution+ has an obvious effect. However, what it's effectively doing is over-exaggerating edges and making-up detail, which is far from ideal. It also adds a touch of noise to the picture.

We preferred to leave the setting off; this way the Toshiba produces a more natural, honest picture, albeit one with a touch of softness.

The overall colour balance is on the warm side of neutral, even on the cool setting, which adds a pleasant degree of rosiness to skin tones without over-cooking them.

Blacks aren't as deep as they could be, and there's a touch of smear to motion, but this is generally a solid and enjoyable picture.

A touch of motion smear
Load a Blu-ray and the Toshiba shows it in fine style, defining detail and edges with confidence. Motion shows just a touch of smear, but remains judder-free, while colours are warm yet natural.

It's fair to say the Toshiba falls short of the scintillating detail and contrast offered by Sony's KDL-46W4500, but it's £300 cheaper, too.

The likeability of the set continues with Freeview – the tuner doesn't go over the top with detail, but pleases with an extremely stable, balanced delivery.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said of the sound, which lacks clarity and directness compared with the best. The FOCUS option helps in this regard, but it also introduces some sibilance.

In the end, the 46ZV555DB is what we've come to expect from Toshiba in recent years – a very solid performer at a very tempting price.