JVC's HD-52G886 is a 52-inch widescreen HDTV that delivers excellent performance in a cabinet compact enough to sit on a tabletop or counter.

The HD-52G886's many features include a CableCARD slot, digital cable capability, and a built-in HDTV tuner. The silver cabinet has speakers below the screen, along with easy-to-reach inputs for quickly connecting a camcorder or game console.

All signals are up-converted to 720p, and a 3-D Y/C digital comb filter eliminates rainbow effects and dot crawl. Automatic 3:2 pulldown conversion ensures that even fast action scenes in movies are smooth, with no uneven or jerking movement. Five video modes make quick work of switching settings between video games, movies, and other content. A five-point digital color management system creates lifelike colors, with adjustments to green, red, yellow, blue and flesh tones.

The stereo speakers produce 20 total watts of audio output, and BBE high-definition audio enhances low and high tones. Surround sound can be simulated using only the two internal speakers, or the HD-52G886 can serve as the center channel in a home theater speaker system.

This set has a single tuner, so another video source is required to enable picture-in-picture features such as split-screen and index viewing. Images can be frozen on the screen with the touch of a button. Other convenience features include a world clock, sleep timer, V-chip parental controls, front-panel lock and XDS ID display of program information.

The HD-52G886 is generously outfitted with a full range of connectivity options for use with digital and analog components. These include an RF input, three S-video inputs (one on the front panel), four composite video inputs (one front), two HD component video inputs, an HDMI digital-to-digital interface and two IEEE 1394 (FireWire) connections. The universal remote control has fully illuminated buttons, so there's no fumbling in the dark when switching settings or channels.

The HD-52G886 uses JVC's direct-drive image light amplifier (D-ILA) LCoS technology, which produces a very smooth picture with good contrast and none of the burn-in issues associated with plasma.

Warranty
1 year parts and labor