The Toshiba 50HM66 is a 50-inch DLP HDTV with a CableCARD slot, so high-definition programming from over-the-air and cable sources can be displayed without the need for an additional set-top box. The slim silver-faced cabinet is stylish without appearing gaudy, with a black frame surrounding the wide-format screen and black trim ornamenting the speaker area in the base.

This tabletop model measures less than 17 inches in depth, placing it among the slimmer DLP TVs currently available, and the under-speaker design contributes to a compact footprint. All of the button controls and a set of composite video/S-video inputs are located along the side panel, where they are out of sight but still within easy reach.

The fine-pitch screen is coated to reduce glare and improve contrast, yielding a picture with bright colors and crisp edges whether you are viewing HD programming, movies or video games. A 3-D Y/C digital comb filter contributes to the quality of the picture, as does digital noise reduction and a 150-watt lamp for a high level of brightness. All content is displayed at 720p for a smooth, detailed image. The stereo speakers are rated at a lively 20 watts of audio output per channel. The 50HM66 can simulate surround sound, or you can route the audio to a home theater receiver and a true surround sound speaker system via the optical digital audio output.

Other useful features on the 50HM66 include channel and input labeling, the ever-present sleep timer, closed captions on mute and a game timer. A convenient channel browser presents thumbnail pictures of the five most recently viewed channels, allowing you to quickly choose one to revisit.

In addition to the side inputs, the rear panel HDTV has two RF inputs, another set of composite video/S-video inputs, two HD component video inputs, two HDMI inputs, the optical digital audio output, a composite video output, a variable audio output and an IR output. All of the buttons on the included universal remote control glow in the dark, and a switch near the base allows you to toggle between associated components.

While it does not have all the bells and whistles found on some higher-price DLP HDTVs, the Toshiba 50HM66 proves to be a winning combination of performance, useful features and affordability.


Pros: Slim tabletop cabinet, day and night settings, channel browser
Cons: No PC input

Warranty
1 year parts and labor