~An all in one tv/ dvd/ iPod home entertainment unit!~
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The 24 inch Bush tv/ combi unit that I am reviewing here is a slightly more up to date looking smooth and sleek unit than the one shown here, that offers a neat and modern minimal effect which looks as good as some other more expensive digital products are on sale at the moment for more money. The older style product shown here has a slightly dated look when comparing it to the updated tv I purchased although both share the same model number and basic spec. The tv I have has well sized 24 inch matt finish rectangular screen, which has a simple almost gloss finish black plastic housing that runs around the screen on all sides which I feel is subtle and easy on the eye.

This Bush LCD TV is 100% HD ready, so that you can simply plug it in to a power outlet, scan for new channels using the easy to get to grips with remote control and then watch programmes on your new tv within a matter of a few minutes after unpacking and setting things up. This super quick set up is helped by the auto set up mode that it built in to the unit and it is something that I found very useful when setting up the tv ready for it's first use. This model is a digital lcd tv with it's own built in Freeview tuner that lets you to watch programmes after the digital switch over without the need for an additional set top box, allowing you to enjoy the sleek modern look of the tv which blends well with a variety of room themes.

The tv comes well packed in a sturdy cardboard box which is fairly light but bulky to carry, which included plenty of information printed on the outside of the box that I found easy to read and understand. Once out of the box the unit was ready to set up for use as it came with all the right leads, including the power lead. The tv aerial cable had to be slotted in at the side of the tv rather than being placed at the back of the product, which allowed the cable to be sited securely, although I did find that a little odd. I found that the tv had a set of 2 AAA batteries included for use with the remote control unit as well as an information leaflet which I found helpful when setting up the unit for the first time.


~Quick and easy programme set up~
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The on screen set up guide gives prompts on screen to guide the user through the set up process quickly and easily. All you need to do is select a region and language for use with your product so that you can begin the search for digital tv channels. The tv is able to do this on it's own once you have followed the on screen instructions, which makes for a very quick and easy set up and as soon as the ok button has been pressed the process of searching and ordering channels begins. Once the tv is in regular use you may need/ or want to do a manual channel re scan from time to time (just in case a new channel has become available in your area) which is also easy and quick to do. I have found that this tv is able to receive programmes from BBC1, BBC2 BBC3, BBC4, ITV1,2,3 and plus one channels. Additional channels such as 4, 4 plus 1, more 4, 5, 5 star, 5 USA etc are also available and all channels the tv has access to seem to show nice clear looking, easy to view pictures on the screen.


~Using the dvd player~
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In use the dvd player works well enough although it does lack a certain amount of finish and finesse. As this is an all in one style product I didn't expect too much from it although I have found that in use it does work quite well, with the slight exception of the black plactic dvd holder that is sited at one side of the tv screen. Whilst this part of the unit does the job it was intended for relatively well, the over all feel and finish of the simple slide out dvd disc holder is flimsy and plasticy. The dvd holder is meant to slide out for you to insert a dvd onto the holder, although I have found you do need to help it along. Once a dvd has been placed in to the holder it needs to be pushed back in to place, with the only thing keeping it there being a small clip style fixing. Once set up for use dvds can be fast forwarded or paused as needed, with the unit being operated by the all in one remote control.


~Using the iPod dock~
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The weighted base/ tabletop stand that the tv screen sits on works well as it helps to keep the tv stable when in use, with the built in speakers positioned on each side of the base unit. The centre part of the base unit has a built in iPod dock which works well, allowing you to play your mp3 tracks with ease. The information given with the product state that the iPod dock is compatible with Nano, Classic, Touch and Mini making it a versatile option. The beauty of this model is that the whole unit allows the user to listen to music, watch videos and photos via the TV screen which come direct from the ipod when it is in the dock. I have found that you can control your iPod using the tv remote control allowing you to scroll through track lists etc. The dock functions well as it also charges your iPod whilst it is docked.


~A useful extra for iPhone users!~
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An additional use for the iPod Dock that I have found is that it can also charge up your iPhone even if it the latest model, which makes this tv combi unit even more versatile in my opinion. It is so quick and simple to place your iPhone in to the iPod dock and leave it there in sleep mode whilst you watch tv, listen to the radio or watch a dvd, whilst your iPhone is quietly charging up. Charging an iPhone this way seems to be nice and quick too! The size of the iPhone is just about short enough to sit in the iPod dock without it getting in the way of the tv screen and the fact that you can put the phone to sleep, leaving a plain black screen on show means that it never interferes with your viewing.

The tv screen can be used to display photographs taken with your iPhone as well as video! Having tried this out myself I can honestly say that the on screen images produced are of good quality and I was really pleased with the results when watching a video on this tv that had been filmed on an iPhone. The sound quality when viewing video footage from your iPhone is very good and the twin speakers set in to the base of the unit cope very well indeed. The only slight downside to using this feature is the fact that the dock connection is quite firm once the phone is set in place, which means you do need to take care when trying to extract the phone from the docking cradle. Other than that it works really well and is another feature that makes this tv unit stand out from others I have seen.


~Product features and observations~
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With this being a 24in widescreen TV with a well proportioned screen size, the pictures given off are always clean and clear looking to the eye and there is no distortion to be seen even when viewing from some distance. The screen resolution is 1328 x 768 pixels which allows for a smooth line free picture and you can adjust the clarity or sharpness of on screen images when using the remote control once you access the tv settings screen. The tv comes with a useful HDMI socket, 1 SCART socket which is at a rather odd side angle, 1 PC input socket, a useful headphone socket and an AV socket. I have found that both the scart and av sockets work well enough and keep secure trouble free connections although the side placement is a little awkward to use at first.

The tv has a set of rather decent speakers set in to the weighted base unit, which offer a reasonable 2 x 2 5 watt RMS power output when in use. These small and compact speakers work their socks off when you have the unit in iPod mode and the sounds that come from them are clear with a fair blend of base and treble. Loudness can be adjusted via the remote control handset and the sound only distorts to an unacceptable level when the speakers are switched to their full sound output. This tv combi unit is also able to pick up digital audio broadcasting programmes (DAB) and displays information about the radio programme and channel selected by the user which I have found quite helpful.

There is a built in now and next 7 day programme guide which has a reasonably sized display that shows on the tv screen allowing you to decide which programmes you want to watch and once again this feature is easily accessed via the remote control handset. There is also a built in sleep timer which I have yet to use, as well as a child lock feature. I have found that the remote control works all features although it does sometimes take a second or two for the tv unit to react. The unit comes with 2 x AAA batteries included and the batteries are easy to replace should you need to do so.


~Rating and price~
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As a budget priced tv, dvd, combi unit for use around the home this is ideal product choice as it offers a range of features for a reasonable outlay. With prices for the product being set at around £189 to £199 it offers value for money when compared to other fancier looking branded products that offer less versatility for more money. What the product lacks in finish in areas such as the dvd holder etc, it makes up for in terms of that fact that you can go from watching tv programmes, to using the iPod dock, then go on to watch a dvd and finally listen to your favorite DAB radio programme in just a few easy steps. For this reason I feel that this product offers good value for money making it worthy of a 4 star product rating.