Televisions used to be a simple affair, you
tuned into a channel for the show you want to watch and that's the end of it.
But Toshiba believes that a TV should do much more than being a passive display
for your media consumption. Thus, the company introduced the new Pro Theatre
L4300, a one-of-a-kind smart TV that runs on Android.
A
great TV for full immersion in Full HD entertainment
With a display measuring 50-inches across,
the L4300 has a minimalist design with a relatively slim bezel, rounded corners
and matte black finish. The included stand, which appears small when compared
to the main display, holds up well. From the front, the overall look is sleek,
yet subtle, a quality that you'd want in a TV. However, from the side, the
L4300 measures 84mm thick, which is a tad bulky for a LED TV of this size.
The L4300 comes with two remote controls, a
traditional remote with a number pad, a button for almost every function, and
directional buttons; and an “easy” remote for navigating the TV's smart
features, namely Android.
While the more traditional remote has a
nice matte finish, a satisfying tactile feel, and intuitive enough for the
average TV viewers, the shorter “easy” remote has a glossy face, with
six-buttons, and an analog stick-like slider.
Enjoy
thousands of free apps from the Google Play™
While the “easy” remote makes navigating
the Android menu easier via an on-screen pointer, we often find ourselves with
each remote in hand, as the directional buttons allow for brisk navigation,
especially with long menus.
Picture quality on the L4300 is excellent
as expected. According to Toshiba, the TV uses an Active Motion Rate (AMR) 100
technology, which is capable of simulating a 100 Hz refresh rate. It also
relies on Toshiba's enhanced AutoView technology - Intelligent AutoView - to
reproduce realistic colors.
Experience
the fun, excitement and instant convenience of accessing a huge number of apps
on a larger-than-life, professional big-screen TV
Running on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS with
a custom skin, the L4300 has 2.3GB of onboard memory. It also has a large
number of downloadable apps, with web browsing and Miracast wireless screen
mirroring being some of the better examples. Mirrored games were surprisingly playable,
thanks to a higher frame rate of 60FPS, but at the same time, limited to only
720p resolution.
The L4300 offers a small, yet extensive
selection of connectivity options. On the back, you'll find ports for HDMI, LAN
and VGA, alongside inputs for Component Video, Composite Video, HDMI audio,
analog audio, and a connector for the TV antenna. On the side panel are three
USB ports and one HDMI port.
The
L4300 makes up for its small number of ports with Internet connectivity and
online content
We wished that the L4300 has more HDMI
ports as a typical setup would require one HDMI for a set-top box, another one
for a gaming console, and an additional port for a media player. We also found
that the generously recessed side panel can be hard to reach, especially if you
plan to wall-mount the TV.
For its price, we expected more from the
Toshiba Pro Theatre 50L4300VM. With that being said, it is still a great choice
for those in search of a 50-inch LED TV with an extensive library of Android
apps, excellent picture quality, and smart capabilities.
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Specifications
·
OS: Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) ·
Speakers: 2-channel, 10W ·
Resolution: Full HD ·
Size: 50-inch ·
Price: $1,105.85 ·
Connectors: 1x Analog Antenna, 1x Composite,
1x Component, 2x RCA Audio, 1x HDMI, 1x D-Sub 15-pin, 3x USB, 1x
RCA Output ·
Features: Android OS, Browser, YouTube, Screen
Mirroring, Smartphone Remote, Media Playback, Ambient Light
Sensor ·
Dimensions: 1,136 x 743 x 230 mm (with stand) ·
Weight: 18.0 kg (with stand)
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