HDTV Universe

Element ELGFT401 Review: 40” LCD HDTV

Up for Review: Element ELGFT401 LCD TV. Element has designed a wide range of TVs to offer a good variety of entertainment options for the viewer. It has some of the best LCD sets which have just the basic features with a low price. This 40-inch set however, has better features with 1080p resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate. Although the price of the set has gone up a bit with the inclusion of these features, yet the consumer will be happier to buy it. Being a 40-inch set, it will not look very bad in the living room. But if you are interested in the latest 3D sets, then you can keep this TV in your kid’s room. They will be delighted to have a large screen to view their cartoons and also play the games on the gaming console.

Although the normal TV fare will pose no problem when viewed in 720p, the movies you want to see on the Blu-ray player or the games you want to play on the gaming console will need 1080p. Hence, this TV is perfect for the avid movie viewers and games fanatics. It is indeed a pleasure to watch the images in full-HD as it gives crystal clear pictures with crisp outlines. Element needs to do something about the contrast ratio though as it is quite low at 3000:1. This will not be enough to give very dark blacks. But the brightness is good at 500 cd/m2 which helps you watch the TV under any lighting condition.

Element ELGFT401 Features and Specifications Review:

• TV Type (Display technology): LCD
• Vertical Resolution (Digital Compatibility): 1080p
• Screen Size: 40″
• Contrast Ratio: 3000:1
• Brightness (cd/m2): 500
• Response Time (ms): 8
• Refresh rate: 120 Hz
• Viewing Angle (Vertical x Horizontal) Degrees: 178 x 178
• HDMI Inputs: 3
• PC Inputs: 1
• Comb Filter: 3D
• Progressive Scan
• Digital Noise Reduction
• ATSC Built-In Tuner
• Speaker Quantity: 2
• Stereo Sound
• Simulated Surround Sound

It is a pleasure to watch the action sequences in this set. With 120 Hz refresh rate, you won’t find any blurring or artifacts on the screen. So, you can definitely watch the action packed movies and play the interactive games confidently. This refresh rate is also useful for watching all the movies which are filmed at 24 fps. It syncs well with this frame rate and so you get original movie quality just as they were filmed. Unlike the sets with 60 Hz refresh rates which did not sync with 24 fps and produced blurred content, you won’t find anything to complain about in this TV.

Connectivity options are quite good as this set has 3 HDMI and many component and composite video inputs. The HDMI gives you the option to connect Blu-ray players, camcorders, gaming consoles and set top boxes to the TV so that you can watch movies, videos and play games of your choice. By connecting the separate set top box you can view channels which are not free to air and your built-in tuner cannot stream. Audio system was never the forte of Element TVs but you do get simulated surround sound which is helpful if you don’t have a seat near the TV. This set is a good one, if you are not crazy about the Sony or the Panasonic name.

HDTVUniverse.com gives Element ELGFT401 3/5 stars!