LCD TV Reviews

Setup

Elite sets offer a confusing pile of picture presets with names like Elite Pure, Optimum, Movie, and Movie (THX). Upon reading the user manual, you’d think that any of these presets would be a good choice. But only one, Movie (THX), delivers a reasonably accurate picture. (See Test Bench for details.)

Unlike with some other TVs, the PRO-60X5FD lets you adjust its full suite of advanced picture controls when in THX 2D or 3D mode. There are five color temperature presets (including 2- and 10-point custom white balance adjustments), five gamma presets, and a Color Management System menu with Hue, Saturation, and Value sliders that — also unlike some other TVs — have a meaningful, measureable impact.

Other important setup items include three Motion Enhancement modes (FluidMotion, 120Hz High, and 120Hz Low) that can be used to reduce motion blur with video-sourced programs like sports. Both FluidMotion and 120Hz High delivered a noticeable improvement on motion-resolution test patterns, but FluidMotion, which uses a scanning backlight technique to deliver a pseudo-240-Hz display, dims the picture somewhat, making 120Hz High the better option. A Film Mode sub-menu offers Advanced High and Low settings that add frame interpolation to eliminate judder with film-based programs. Both settings added a significant level of motion smoothing (“video effect”) to movies, however, so I preferred to leave them switched off.

And then there’s that Intelligent Variable Contrast feature I mentioned earlier. When combined with Local Dimming, which lowers the black level of specific picture zones, this correspondingly adjusts the intensity of highlights on a dynamic basis. (There are high, middle, and low settings.) But since its various modes lent pictures an overly punchy, “high-contrast” look, I chose to leave IVC off for most of my viewing. (See the Performance section, next, for details.)

Setting up for 3D was straightforward. After charging the supplied glasses by plugging them into a USB port on the TV, I made slight adjustments to the Movie (3D THX) preset, and also took advantage of the 3D Brightness Boost adjustment to add backlight horsepower to the otherwise too-dim picture.