If you're going to call a TV range 'Design Art', you really are raising expectations of something truly spectacular and unlike anything that's been seen before.

Which is precisely why our first impression of LG's 32LB75 is one of slight disappointment. The simple addition of an arced bottom edge and a glossy, dark red, half-barrel arrangement where the TV attaches to its stand, doesn't make the aesthetic leap we'd hoped for.

To be fair, though, just because it doesn't quite live up to marketing-inspired expectations does not mean it isn't still a very pretty TV.

Features

What's more, it enhances that prettiness with a neat little cable management system built around the rear of the red 'barrel' section. And this cable management system will probably come in very handy given how many connections the 32LB75 has.

Especially striking are its three HDMI sockets - one more than anticipated. What's more, they can take 1080p/24 feeds of the sort now emerging from some high- definition disc players.

Other connections of note include a digital tuner input, a component video input, a PC port, an RS232 control/service port, and a digital audio output for shipping Dolby Digital 5.1 inputs received via the HDMIs.

The 32LB75's features are headed up by LG's Advanced XD Engine. This is the latest incarnation of LG's long-running proprietary image processor with its focus on noise reduction, colour boosting, contrast enhancement, motion blur suppression and fine detail improvement.

You can manually tweak some of its elements, such as the level of standard and MPEG noise reduction. But we actually found the 'auto' mode to work perfectly well by itself.

Other image improvements come courtesy of a dynamic backlight system that helps the set achieve a claimed contrast ratio of 5,000:1; an 'xTreme Contour Compensation' tool designed to reduce picture noise and colour banding over moving objects, plus an efficient black level booster.

Audio wise, the set carries a 3D surround MAX virtual surround processor and LG's innovative dimple speaker design that's claimed to produce the maximum sound from the smallest speakers.

Ease of use

The 32LB75's onscreen menus combine an unusual level of attractiveness with utter clarity and a totally logical structure. The same applies to the remote control.

Picture 

We're pleased to say the 32LB75's efforts have taken a big step forward for LG's LCD picture quality.