Toshiba 22LV610U – A Small Problem-Solver
Posted by hdtv buying guide on August 26, 2009 under HDTV Reviews, LCD HDTV, Toshiba | 
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One of the upsides of flat-panel televisions is the ability to be hung on a wall, eliminating bulky entertainment centers. But that same ease of placement is also a downside, because DVD players and other peripherals still need a place to live.
The Toshiba 22LV610U has that problem all worked out, though. Built into the case is a slot-loading DVD player. It adds an inch or two to the depth of the television, but that’s a minor price to pay for such convenience.
Speaking of minor price, the 22-inch, 720 resolution 22LV610U is only $399.99. That puts it on par with high-end offerings from Sony and Samsung, but with the bonus of a built-in DVD player. Amazon.com has the 22LV610U listed for $323.99.
The 22LV610U has earned raves in online forums and on retail sites for its image quality. “This is a great TV and after doing weeks of comparisons I am convinced it is the best of the class,” wrote one reviewer on Amazon.
Toshiba thought ahead and enabled the 22LV610U with DivX support, meaning it can play high-quality video files on discs through the built-in player.
As media takes further steps toward digital copies of everything, that’s important. Downloaded content can be burned to a disc at home and watched on a television, rather than a computer screen.
But for every positive feature, there’s often a downside. The 22LV610U has only one HDMI port, compared to two or three on other models.
While the built-in DVD player eliminates the need for a wide array, you’ll have to rely upon a small home theater receiver to supply more. That could hamper the gaming aspirations for some buyers.
Additionally, the almost-universal knock on the 22LV610U is sound quality. But that makes sense as well, given the diminutive size of the product itself. There’s not a lot of room for large, high-quality speakers in such a small device.
Because of those deficiencies, the Toshiba 22LV610U is perhaps best suited to bedroom or kitchen use, where loud speakers might not be necessary. Relying upon it as a main television might not yield the best results.
It’s best to keep that in mind when shopping for 22-inch televisions. Most often, the features that make a television the best screen in the house aren’t available in this size.
So find the features you have to have at the price you need, and enjoy.
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