Mitsubishi Unisen LT-151 Series 1080p LCD HDTV | LT-40151, LT46151 and LT-52151

Mitsubishi’s Unisen 151 model of 1080p LCD HDTVs (40 inch LT-40151, 46 inch LT-46151 and 52 inch LT-52151) are the entry level models of the Unisen series. They are differentiated from their competition by the quality of the sound system. The 151 model has a comparatively superior 16 speaker (mounted in a row below the screen) virtual surround sound system based on Dolby Digital 5.1. For those who want Mitsubishi’s latest, premium picture technologies combined with surround sound without the wiring and extra components, then the Mitsubishi LT-151 is worth considering.

Mitsubishi Unisen Series 151

The Mitsubishi Unisen 151 models have a fluorescent backlight (adjustable), so contrast and black levels are not as good as those common to the premium LED backlit LCDs which may also come with local dimming. Highlights related to the display include the rich detail of Full HD (1080p), Smooth120 technology for motion blur reduction and 24p encoding correction.

120Hz Film Motion with Dejudder Processing

Mitsubishi’s Variable Smooth120Hz technology improves sports broadcasts and action movies by reducing motion blur. This is achieved by creating extra interpolated frames between the original frames, providing smaller transitions between frames and smoother motion. Smooth120Hz also smooths film judder (image vibration) which is more prevalent in film based (24fps) content. Mitsubishi have provided a setup menu that offers the surprising flexibility to tailor the amount of motion interpolation used through a 10-step variable adjustment.

Picture adjustments available are satisfyingly extensive and include Picture Mode (brilliant, game, bright, natural and special), contrast, brightness, color, tint, sharpness, color temp (high, low), video noise (high, medium, low, off), SharpEdge, DeepField Imager and backlight. The Game Mode optimizes picture and video processing to achieve the best performance for gaming consoles for which factors such as processing lag can be annoying.

Mitsubishi have included their excellent Video Noise Reduction system which identifies and eliminates video noise from video input signals.

Integrated Sound Projector

The Integrated Sound Projector (ISP) which is attached to the TV’s bottom panel, is a solution for those who don’t want a forest of speakers mounted around their HDTV viewing area, whether it be because of space limitations or a dislike of the clutter.

The 18-speaker ISP is designed to create a complete multichannel surround soundfield through the reflection of sound waves off room walls. The ISP setup menu includes manual and automatic options and a microphone is available to perform the auto setup. To handle sound inputs there are internal Dolby Digital 5.1 and Pro Logic decoders. Audio setup options include four preset sound modes (stereo, surround, music and night), bass, treble, and balance controls and a handy sound levelling feature to minimize volume discrepancies (eg. commercials).

The ISP works through the use of an advanced algorithm which delays the sound beams and projects them independently from the 16 speakers at varying intervals, to create fully immersive surround sound field. The result is that the speaker array generates 5.1 distinct sound beams that are focused both directly and indirectly to the listener. From the diagram, it can be seen that the ISP makes use of walls and other surfaces to reflect the left, right and surround sound beams to the listener. With the sound beam reflection the side and back walls of the room become virtual speakers.

Other Notable Features

DeepField Imager constantly adjusts brightness and contrast for optimum settings in all areas of the picture. Mitsubishi’s algorithms dynamically adjust for areas that are too high or low in contrast and/or too dark or bright displaying the best balanced picture in every scene.

PerfecTint provides the ability to adjust the tint of six separate colors independently of each other and separately for every input.

SharpEdge is Mitsubishi’s latest edge-definition signal processing system for enhancing the rendering of horizontal and vertical edges for sharp images.

Six Color Processing enhances color saturation. Rather than using only the red, green, and blue primaries to create all on-screen colors, this system analyzes the video signal and extracts the three secondary colors (cyan, yellow, magenta).

Plush1080p 5G 18-bit Digital Video Processing is Mitsubishi’s scaling processor technology for other resolution video sources for the native 1080p resolution of the display. Accurate scaling is essential for a quality HDTV.

PerfectColor provides the ability to adjust the intensity of six separate colors independently of each other and separately for every input.

NetCommand refers to a functionality which supports the IR (infrared) control of products such as VCRs, DVD players, cable boxes, and satel¬lite receivers. NetCommand can “learn” remote control signals directly from many devices, allowing you to create a customized NetCommand-controlled home-theater system.

Connectivity

Connection options include 3x component video inputs (2 rear/1 side), 4x (rear) HDMI, digital audio input (coaxial) and a wired IR input. The Mitsubishi Unisen will accept video signals from 480i right through to 1080p.

The Mitsubishi Unisen LCD HDTV can read image (JPEG) or music (mp3/WMA) digital files (10MB max) from a USB drive, USB card reader or a digital camera. Music can be played simultaneously with a photo slide show as a mini presentation.

It should be noted that there is no dedicated PC connection with the result that a connection must be by HDMI, DVI-to-HDMI cable or a HDMI cable with an HDMI-to- DVI adapter.