Mirai T37156 Cobra review

The high-resolution (1366x768) widescreen panel will accept high-definition signals in all commonly used formats, including 720p and 1080i, so you can receive Sky's imminent HDTV broadcasts and watch upscaled high-definition images from a compatible DVD player. Although high-definition compatibility is undoubtedly the star of the specification there's a decent supporting cast of functions for the price.

The colourful menu system is presented with a range of typical picture and sound settings. You can choose between several preset options, with the 'Fantastic' mode performing best, or customise your own picture settings. There is also a set of advanced adjustments such as digital noise reduction, a black-white expander and vertical sharpness enhancer. But the effectiveness of these functions is questionable and involves the improvement of one picture element at the demise of another. For instance, the black-white expander creates more depth but loses detail, especially in dark scenes.

Standard sound settings are accompanied by a basic SRS surround option, which attempts to add a sense of spaciousness to the ordinary audio from the stereo speakers. And there's also a decent Picture-in-Picture system that allows you to view and listen to other sources in a small window in the main picture. It's ideal if you want to keep an eye on the match while, say, watching a film.

Although the impact of some functions is debatable, there are more features than you may expect at this price level. And the fuss-free operation, including quick access keys on the remote for practically every adjustment, makes the Mirai very easy to use.

Performance
Picture performance is mixed, with a few surprises that contradict the connection hierarchy used with input sources. Playing DVDs through Scart or component analogue inputs produces pure, well-defined images with strong, engaging colours. And deep black levels give the images density and perceived contrast that enhances overall realism. But the expected improvement usually associated with upgrading to a digital video input never arrives.

If anything, using HDMI with an upscaled 720p signal from a DVD player like Denon's DVD-1920 only impairs the picture. Over-bright images appear to bleach black levels, softening detail and contrast, while colours are muted by comparison. The picture is still immaculately clean and noise-free with impressively cohesive movement but it's less striking and detailed than the images afforded by analogue inputs.

The performance of the analogue TV tuner is only average. Programmes are consistently afflicted by grainy instability, overcooked colours and softly defined edges. Connecting a separate digital Freeview box improves the picture greatly, but obviously involves another expense. And sound performance is also disappointing with restricted dynamics and not enough weight or expression to enhance film scores.

Edited by Mary Lojkine
Additional editing by Kate Macefield