In The Lab

Color temperature (Low setting before/after calibration) low window NA/6,486 K high window 7,184/6,506 K Brightness (before/after calibration) 22.3 /20.7 ftL

With its Medium color-temperature preset selected, the Loewe Aconda measured reasonably close to the NTSC color standard on the high-window test pattern from Ovation Software's Avia DVD, but the low-window pattern was off the measurement scale. After calibration, the TV measured 6,500 K at both ends of the grayscale, tracking within 500 K at each 10-IRE increment, which is a little below average performance. (Calibration needs to be performed by a qualified technician with specialized equipment, so discuss it with your dealer before purchase, or call the Imaging Science Foundation at 561-997-9073.)

Resolution with DVD test patterns measured the maximum 540 lines for the format. The TV's ability to hold black was excellent, and its color decoder was very accurate. Focus was slightly soft at the corners of the screen, but picture geometry was excellent, and overscan was a better than average 2% on all sides. With a composite-video connection, a few dot-crawl artifacts were visible between the bars on an SMPTE color-bars pattern, indicating only average performance from the set's digital comb filter. Of course, it would be something of a crime to use a composite-video connection with this TV. - A.G