A US$799 TV set that has a 4-inch screen may sound absurd - but every time I slip the Marantz LCD TV out of my pocket and start watching it, a crowd of people assembles; most of them would like one for themselves. If the reception's good, the picture is that good.
The surprisingly bright, clear picture can even be watched outdoors, if you position it to minimize reflections. Its flexible design with movable screen and antennae help. But it's really the broad viewing angle of the active-matrix thin-film-transistor screen that makes this possible; you get full brightness and contrast within about 30 degrees to either side of the screen's axis and a reasonable view from 60 degrees. When you're finished watching it, the Marantz folds like a clam shell, forming a tidy package about the size of a supermarket paperback.
The mini speaker's tinny audio is not in the same league as the picture, but the sound through earphones (not provided) is good. The set's earphone jack is monophonic, so hearing the sound in both ears requires stereo headphones and a $1.19 Radio Shack adapter (#274-368).
TV reception is good in New York City. In my suburb, 30 miles away, reception is good on channels 7 to 13 and the UHF band comes in fair to poor on the lower channels. If you're farther from broadcasting sources, you'll have to attach an external antenna. On my commuter train, VHF stations don't come in well until I am nearly in the city, but UHF stations come in clearly from the moment I get on board. In fact, this little Marantz picks up UHF channels better than any bigger portable I've tried.
The manual is a trifle murky on how to store TV channels for quick tuning. A more serious problem is that the set doesn't say which channel you're picking up, so you have to guess while you're setting up the numbers. Also, six AA batteries last only about two and a half hours and aren't rechargeable. But an AC adapter is supplied if you're near an outlet.
All in all, the LCD-410 is just a portable television. What makes it special is that it's very good - and very, very portable.
Marantz LCD-410: US$799. Marantz America: +1 (708) 307 3100, fax +1 (708) 307 2687.
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