5. PC Monitor

Using the HDMI or VGA input, the LVM-47w1 displayed full 1920x1080 resolution from my desktop computer, and the results were breathtaking. This is where you easily see the benefits of the increased resolution, as all commonly-used applications were very crisp and clean. Text was amazingly sharp and easy to read, and web surfing was fantastic as you could have 2 or 3 windows open at once and read them all with ease. Photos and video looked as good as or even better than comparable HDTV signals, and you could sit anywhere from 5 to 10 feet and view nearly all content with no problem.

Conclusion

The Westinghouse LVM-47w1 is a solid, if unspectacular, 1080p display that performs well with HDTV, DVD and especially computer sources. The design, while somewhat pedestrian, is neutral enough to fit in most well-furnished rooms without offending. Color accuracy is good after some moderate tweaking, with slight blue-cast and reddish flesh tones. Color saturation is excellent, but contrast performance is not quite as good as its more expensive LCD competitors. Non-HD sources have a considerable amount of scaling and signal noise, but that is to be expected with most 1080p displays.

Perhaps the best feature of the LVM-47w1 is its price of $2999 (under $2500 street), which is at least $500-$1000 less then any other 46-47" 1080p display. So while the LVM-47w1 has some deficiencies, it may also be the best large-sized 1080p price/performance option available.

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