Recommendations

For 32" iDTVs, see easiest to use 32" iDTVs.
For 26" iDTVs, see easiest to use 26" iDTVs.
For 20" iDTVs, see easiest to use 20" iDTVs.
For a summary of our general findings on iDTVs, see iDTVs pros and cons.

If you want a new TV you should certainly consider an iDTV. We first tested 32” models because they are the most popular, but 26” come a close second. Either could replace your main TV, with the 26" suiting a smaller sitting room. The best viewing distance for a 32” screen is about two and a half metres, and for a 42” screen you need a viewing distance of three and a half metres or more.

You can pay well over £1,000 for the really big LCD or plasma iDTVs. We have tested a wide range of brands and prices but with a £1,000 limit for 32" LCD iDTVs. Those on test were generally watchable – with some giving a good picture, and you would not notice much wrong with the sound.

It’s well worth considering a 26” iDTV – some did pretty well in our tests and they cost a lot less than 32” ones. They are smaller and perhaps neater for your main room or bedrooms. But you don't need to go too small, even for a tight space, because LCDs are slim and most can be wall hung. We have tested a few 20" LCD iDTVs so far and expect to see more coming on to the market in.

You can make recordings from most iDTVs by connecting a VCR to one of the TV’s SCART outputs. But doing it this way means you cannot record one digital channel while watching another. To do this you need a digital TV recorder (sometimes called a PVR) or a DVD recorder that has a digital tuner. Or, there are a few iDTVs that include a PVR. Most cost over £1,000 but the Humax LP32-TDR1 cost £900, so we included it in our tests. It was not too easy to use – see iDTV test reports.

For the digital TV recorders that did best in our tests, see easiest digital TV recorders.

For test reports on products that are no longer manufactured, see discontinued products.

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