Tyagi Max19 LCD television

The Tyagi Max19 is a 19in LCD television with an integrated DVD player and a high-definition digital television tuner. Its LCD screen has a high resolution for its size, and it excels when presented with HD video content. It doesn't have the visual impact of more expensive products from big brands, but it is adequate for casual viewing.

The Tyagi Max19 LCD TV has a 1680x1050 native screen resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The aspect ratio means that 16:9 widescreen DVD video and 4:3 television will not take up the entire screen — unless you use the television's zoom function, black bars will appear around most video content. It can display video up to 1080p in resolution (Full HD) through scaling, although we found this introduced a small amount of aliasing and artefacting.

It has a 5000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, achieved through altering the screen's backlight brightness. This contrast ratio gives reasonable tonal accuracy for most content, but we noticed some loss of detail and black crush in demanding Blu-ray movies such as The Dark Knight and Terminator: Salvation. The screen's viewing angles are its weakest point; a loss of contrast and clarity was quickly evident when moving off-axis horizontally or vertically. Thankfully this isn't a crippling problem because of the small size and easy adjustability of the screen.

The design of the Tyagi Max19 LCD television is fashion-forward. We tested the glossy white model, which has a bright orange rear casing, but a more traditional black model is also available. The slot-loading DVD player is hidden behind the right fascia, while all the necessary ports for connecting external devices — HDMI, composite, component, S-Video and VGA — can be found on the left. The bundled remote control is poorly laid out and difficult to use, with the channel and volume adjustment buttons far too small to easily press.

The internal stereo speakers of the Tyagi Max19 are rated at 3W each. They sound acceptable at low and moderate listening volumes but at full power there is significant distortion and a loss of sound quality. In a small room they will perform adequately for television and movies.

The DVD player is simple to use, since the remote control has a five-way navigational pad for controlling it. Discs load without significant delay, and playback is smooth. We're generally fans of televisions with integrated disc players like the Sharp LC40LB700X LED television — they cut down on the number of extra devices needed for an impromptu movie night.

The Tyagi Max19 LCD television is small and cheap, making it an easy addition to a child's playroom or bedroom. If picture quality isn't of paramount importance, this television is an attractive choice.

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