In previous reviews, we have already become acquainted with several televisions of the Vinga brand: the 32-inch Vinga L32FHD20B and the 55-inch Vinga L55UHD20B.. They share the absence of Smart TV technology and a more affordable price tag. If desired, this functionality can be added using an external media player, such as Vinga 021 or Vinga 031.

However, there will probably be users who want to immediately get a TV with implemented Smart TV support. For them, Vinga has several models in its arsenal. The most affordable and compact is the Vinga S42FHD20B, which we propose to get acquainted with in this review. It is built on a 42-inch LCD panel, has a built-in Wi-Fi module and LAN interface, and runs on Android 5.1 OS. We will get to know more about its other features later, but for now, let's take a look at the key specifications.

Specification

Packaging and Delivery Set

The Vinga S42FHD20B TV arrived at our test lab in a regular cardboard box, which, through pictograms and inscriptions in English and Ukrainian, highlights the key advantages of the device itself. There are also holes on the sides for convenient transportation.

Inside the box, we found only a user manual, a warranty card, a pair of legs and bolts for their attachment, as well as a remote control with a pair of batteries.

The design and functionality of the remote control are already familiar to us from previous reviews of Vinga TVs, so we will just remind you that it fits comfortably in hand and allows not only channel switching but also navigating through the menu and controlling playback parameters of multimedia content from an external storage device. If necessary, the remote even replaces a mouse, but the speed of moving the cursor to the desired object using the arrows is not very high.

Appearance and Features of Use

The Vinga S42FHD20B TV cannot boast an exquisite design, but for its price category, this is not necessary. The black frame around the perimeter and two elegant legs on the sides give it a restrained and pleasant appearance. The screen position cannot be adjusted, but a VESA bracket is supported for wall mounting.

The power supply unit is integrated into the body and located in its central part, with all available interfaces placed on either side. In the center, you can notice four holes for VESA mounting (200 x 200 mm) and a sticker with useful technical information.

Even with wall mounting, the user retains convenient access to the interface connectors thanks to their thoughtful downward or sideways orientation. All of them are labeled, making it easy to find the desired connector. It's nice to highlight the presence of ports: RJ45, D-Sub (VGA), two HDMI (one supports MHL), two USB for connecting external storage devices or peripheral devices, two 3.5 mm audio for connecting a microphone and headphones or external speakers, as well as SCART, YPbPr, CI+, and Coax ports. Two connectors are provided for connecting antennas: "RF (S2)" is used for a satellite antenna, and "RF (T2)" for a regular TV antenna.

In case of loss or malfunction of the remote control, a set of basic control elements is provided on one of the side panels. With their help, you can change the volume level, switch channels, open the menu, select the signal source, and put it into standby mode.

At the bottom are stereo speakers with a total power of 16 W (2 x 8 W). Their sound quality can be compared to small desktop speakers. The frequency spectrum includes weakly expressed lows but quite quality and clear mids and highs. There were no distortions even at maximum volume. The audio subsystem's capabilities are quite sufficient for comfortable viewing of movies or music in a small room.

The Vinga S42FHD20B TV has rich functionality. Firstly, it allows you to play digital channels in excellent quality thanks to the built-in tuner supporting the DVB-T2 standard relevant for our country.

Secondly, external storage can be connected to the USB ports for watching videos or listening to audio. We were able to read MKV + AC3, TS + MPEG2, HDTV, MP4 (MPEG4) formats without any problems.

The built-in Wi-Fi module allows connecting to the internet. During testing, the maximum download and upload speeds slightly fell short of 15 Mbps with a channel width of 50 Mbps.

But if you use an Ethernet cable to connect to the global network, you can achieve even higher rates: 52.76 Mbps for data download and 22.12 Mbps for upload.

The TV runs on Android 5.1.1 OS with a set of useful pre-installed applications. If desired, you can install other programs or games from the Play Market.

With their help, you can, for example, watch movies online.

Enjoy videos from YouTube or just surf the internet. Of course, having a keyboard and mouse (preferably wireless) will greatly simplify the use of these features. For games, it is best to acquire a gamepad.

On-Screen Menu

The activity indicator on the Vinga S42FHD20B is located in the lower right corner, so it does not attract much attention. In the active state of the TV, it lights up green, and when switching to power-saving mode, it turns red.

To access the menu and configure settings, you can use the control elements on the side panel of the TV, but it is more comfortable to do so using the remote control. The functional capabilities allow you to select the input signal source, a pre-installed image profile, or audio subsystem mode, set the time and sleep timer, set channel lock, specify the image format, and much more. The presence of high-quality Ukrainian language localization in the menu was pleasing.

Testing

During the testing of the Vinga S42FHD20B TV, the hardware platform was a ZOTAC ZBOX nano ID65 PLUS mini-computer. You will find a full description of the research methodology in the corresponding material.

The display includes four color profiles: "Dynamic," "User," "Standard," and "Mild." For convenience, we have compiled all their parameters into a single table:

The declared brightness is 240 cd/m². In reality, we obtained values ranging from 184 to 218 cd/m², which can be considered good indicators. However, the black field brightness turned out to be very high, which negatively affected the static contrast ratio - a maximum of 80:1, although the specifications claim 2800:1.

Color coverage

CIE diagrams of the «Dynamic» profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB spaces

CIE diagrams of the «Custom» profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB spaces

CIE diagrams of the «Standard» profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB spaces

CIE diagrams of the «Moderate» profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB spaces

The color space coverage of sRGB in the Vinga S42FHD20B TV reaches 94%, and Adobe RGB - 65%. These are sufficient indicators for non-professional solutions.

In the CIE diagrams themselves, the «Standard» profile performed best: in it, two corners of the triangle are shifted, not all three. As a result, for the sRGB space, there is oversaturation in the areas of green, yellow, pink, and magenta colors, as well as a lack in the blue and cyan areas. For Adobe RGB, we observe oversaturation in the areas of pink and magenta shades, as well as a lack in the green, cyan, and blue areas. In other profiles, all three reference points are shifted. 

Color accuracy

Deviation diagram of primary colors and shades from standards in the «Dynamic» profile

Deviation diagram of primary colors and shades from standards in the «Custom» profile

Deviation diagram of primary colors and shades from standards in the «Standard» profile

Deviation diagram of primary colors and shades from standards in the «Moderate» profile

In terms of color accuracy, no profile met the necessary criteria. That is, the average and maximum deviation ΔE were above 1.5 and 4, respectively. The "Standard" profile performed the worst in the test. In other cases, the situation is not as alarming, but still, 6-7 shades are calibrated incorrectly.

RGB Levels

RGB levels graph of the "Dynamic" profile

RGB levels graph of the "Custom" profile

RGB levels graph of the "Standard" profile

RGB levels graph of the "Moderate" profile

However, the RGB levels settings were pleasantly surprising: although not all of them lie on the 100% reference line, they are mostly within ±10%. This means the image will have a maximally neutral character, without a tilt towards warm or cool shades.

Gamma

Gamma curves graph in the "Dynamic" profile

Gamma curves graph in the "Custom" profile

Gamma curves graph in the "Standard" profile

Gamma curves graph in the "Moderate" profile

The gamma curves settings in all cases turned out to be almost identical: they are slightly above the reference black line. This may cause overexposure of midtones and loss of detail in bright areas of the image.

Brightness Range

Based on the test results, the most balanced profile in the Vinga S42FHD20B TV is the "Custom" one, so further research was conducted based on it.

The brightness range was from 86 to 284 cd/m², exceeding the declared value of 240 cd/m². The minimum brightness may be somewhat excessive for viewing in the dark, but the upper limit will ensure comfortable work in bright sunlight.

Monitor Calibration

CIE diagrams of the calibrated profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB spaces

Diagram of the deviation of primary colors and shades from the standards in the calibrated profile

RGB levels graph of the calibrated profile

Gamma curves graph in the calibrated profile

The results obtained before and after hardware calibration are summarized in the table.

The results of manual calibration were pleasantly surprising. Firstly, it was possible to reduce the black field brightness by 35 times and increase the contrast from 78:1 to 1428:1. Secondly, the accuracy of all colors and shades was improved. The gamma curves were also harmonized, and the average index approached the reference 2.2. As we can see, the TV uses a fairly high-quality panel, whose capabilities were not revealed by factory calibration. Therefore, after purchase, we recommend performing manual parameter adjustment if possible.

Screen Backlight Uniformity

The maximum brightness deviation from the central area does not exceed 8 cd/m², which can be considered an excellent result.

The deviation of the white point temperature reaches 222 K, but this falls within the acceptable range of ±250 K. Thus, there are no issues, which is clearly visible on the 3D diagram.

In the fill test, the white background resembles gray more, and slight backlight leakage is visible in the corners on black, which is not surprising for a 42-inch diagonal.

Matrix Speed and PWM

The response speed of the matrix in Vinga S42FHD20B was frankly pleasing. It is stated at 9.5 ms, but real testing indicates that the actual value is much lower. In the taken shots, the trails from moving objects are small, so the TV is suitable not only for watching dynamic videos but also for gaming.

Brightness – 25%, exposure – 1/15

The manufacturer does not claim the integration of Flicker Free technology, but a solid front is clearly visible in the shot, indicating the absence of visible backlight flicker. This should reduce eye strain and increase comfort during prolonged screen time.

Viewing Angles

From the start, the manufacturer claimed wide viewing angles (178°), so in practice, we only confirmed the expectations matched reality. You can look at the screen even from fairly sharp angles, which is very important considering the possibility of wall mounting and the absence of an ergonomic stand.

Conclusions

The approximate price of the 42-inch TV Vinga S42FHD20B is 11,000 UAH ($425), placing it in the budget model segment with integrated Smart TV support. You can connect to the internet using the built-in Wi-Fi module or Ethernet cable. As a result, you get a full-fledged entertainment center that allows you to watch digital (including DVB-T2, relevant for our country) or satellite TV, multimedia content from a connected USB drive, and surf the internet for useful information, informative videos, or favorite movies. Additionally, the pre-installed Android 5.1.1 OS allows you to install additional applications or games. Moreover, there are decent quality built-in speakers with an output power of 16 W, providing adequate sound accompaniment for undemanding users.

An unpleasant moment during testing was the very low static contrast (80:1) with factory calibration. However, with manual adjustment, this indicator was raised to 1428:1, and overall, the quality parameters were improved. The high response speed of the matrix and the absence of visible LED backlight flicker were unexpectedly pleasing.

As a result, Vinga S42FHD20B is an attractive option for its price category, combining a nice design and adequate functionality.

Advantages:

• 42-inch panel;
• Smart TV support;
• built-in Wi-Fi module and Ethernet port;
• nice and functionally designed body;
• easy-to-use remote control;
• expanded set of external interfaces;
• ability to play multimedia or text content from an external USB drive;
• digital TV support;
• convenient interface orientation for wall mounting;
• a pair of built-in speakers with a total power of 16 W;
• functional menu with Ukrainian language localization;
• pre-installed Android 5.1.1 OS with access to Play Market and the ability to install apps or games;
• wide viewing angles;
• high response speed;
• support for wall mounting.

Disadvantages:

• the actual static contrast turned out to be much lower than stated.

Author: Sergiy Budilovsky
Translation: Yuriy Koval 

We express our gratitude to BRAIN Computers, the official representative of Vinga, for providing the TV for testing. 

We express our gratitude to ZOTAC for providing equipment for the test stand.