JVC uses its proprietary HD-ILA design in the HD-56FN97, producing a 56-inch HDTV that delivers an intense 1,080p picture. HD-ILA is a variation of LCoS, and compared to DLP and LCD projection technology, it does a fine job displaying deep blacks. Thanks to a number of price drops, the HD-56FN97 is also much more reasonably priced than even a few months ago.

With its internal ATSC tuner, the HD-56FN97 can display HD signals from an over-the-air antenna or cable source without the need for an external receiver. In addition, the HD-56FN97's QAM tuner and CableCARD slot make it fully digital cable-ready.

JVC's Digital Image Scaling Technology (DIST) converts all incoming signals to display on the wide-format screen at 1,080p. In addition to rich blacks and plenty of detail in shadow, the HD-56FN97 also produces bright, clear whites. Color accuracy is less than impressive out of the box, so you may need to spend some time calibrating the HD-56FN97 to get the picture to your liking. This is helped by a color management system that lets you adjust five different colors separately. Also, there are five picture presets to quickly adjust the settings.

The HD-56FN97's stereo speakers produce 10 watts of audio output per channel, and their below-the-screen location contributes to this HDTV's small footprint (relatively speaking, of course). Audio options include simulated surround sound, bass boost and vocal enhancement. PIP and split-screen viewing options are present, but the HD-56FN97 requires a second tuner to enable them. Other useful features include a full-screen picture freeze, multiple timers, a favorite-channel memory and a front-panel lock. There are four viewing modes for standard content and three for high-definition content. JVC packages a universal remote control with the HD-56FN97, but the confusing layout and tightly packed buttons present a rather steep learning curve.

The HD-56FN97 excels in the connectivity department. This HDTV offers two 1,080p-compatible HDMI digital-to-digital inputs, a PC input for surfing and gaming on the big screen, two IEEE 1394 (FireWire) ports and a central-channel input for turning the television into the center speaker in a home theater system. Other connections include two component video inputs, two S-video inputs and a coaxial digital audio output, plus four composite video inputs and an RF input.

The JVC HD-56FN97 brings you strong performance and a long feature list, and the recent price drops make it an attractive projection HDTV purchase.


Pros: Solid 1,080p picture with deep black levels, good input/output selection
Cons: Single-tuner PIP, poorly designed remote, colors require calibration

Warranty
1 year parts and labor