Westinghouse TX-42F430S 42-inch LCD HDTV Atlanta GA

Westinghouse has gotten in the swing of producing inexpensive HDTVs that, similar to AOC's Envision series, produce good-quality images but omit the advanced features and sophisticated style common to higher-end models such as LG Electronics' 42LG60 (Scarlet).

In our PC World Test Center lab tests, the set displayed very nice images, earning a score of Good. In fact, this Westinghouse garnered the same performance score as LG's Scarlet. We did notice, however, that the TX-42F430S tends to skew toward red in flesh tones.

Also noteworthy were the speakers, which produced good sound even when the volume was maxed out.

With the remote control, the OSD (on-screen display) menu is easy to navigate to find useful settings such as image and sound adjustment. Not uncommon for a low-price HDTV, the remote feels a little on the cheap side, and it also seems to sport many buttons that have no purpose. I did appreciate its dedicated buttons for quickly changing inputs, however.

The Westinghouse TX-42F430S performs well as an entry-level HDTV. Yes, it lacks style, personality, and extra features such as a functional USB port--but if you're happy with the basics, this low-cost 42-incher may well suffice.