Cello ZSO291: 19 Inch Cello - Review 🏆

The Cello ZSO291 is a 19-inch LED TV that provides a compact option for smaller spaces like kitchens, bedrooms, and offices. Despite its small size, it packs in some great features like a built-in Freeview HD tuner and satellite receiver. Made by Cello Electronics in the UK, this TV aims to deliver solid performance and versatility at an affordable price point.

With its slim and lightweight design, the ZSO291 can fit easily on a counter, desk, or wall mount. The LED display provides a crisp HD resolution, while built-in speakers offer stereo sound. For connectivity, options like HDMI, USB, and headphone ports allow you to hook up external devices or listen privately. The inclusion of both Freeview and satellite makes this model very flexible, supporting cable, over-the-air, and dish programming.

Overall, the Cello ZSO291 caters to those seeking a secondary TV or one for small spaces. It skips smart features in favor of a plug-and-play experience, focusing on core functionality and ease of use. Read on for more details on how this compact yet capable TV performs.

Design

The Cello ZSO291 19" TV has a sleek and modern design that will fit well in small spaces. It has a piano black bezel and rear casing that gives it a nice polished look. The TV itself has dimensions of 44 x 28 x 6.5cm and weighs just 2.5kg, making it lightweight and easy to mount or move around. Despite its compact form factor, it doesn't feel flimsy or cheap. The plastics have a matte texture that resists fingerprints and smudges. The stand has a rectangular base with brushed silver accents. It attaches securely to the back of the TV and has a surprisingly sturdy feel given the small footprint. You can also opt to wall mount it using a VESA 100x100 bracket. Overall the design is simple yet stylish, with a thin profile that doesn't take up much space. The piano black and silver color scheme gives it an elegant, high-end look that punches above its price point. In addition, the Cello C43RTS: 43 Inch offers an impressive viewing experience with 4K resolution and smart features for streaming your favorite content. Its sleek design and larger screen size make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to elevate their home entertainment setup. For more details, visit Cello C43RTS: 43 Inch.

Display

The Cello ZSO291 features a 19-inch LED display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. This provides a crisp, clear viewing experience with decent detail. The screen size is well-suited for smaller spaces like kitchens, bedrooms, and offices where you don't need an overly large screen.

The LED backlighting ensures an energy efficient and long-lasting display. It provides good brightness levels and contrast for watching TV shows, movies, sports, and more. The native resolution is HD ready, so you can view high definition content, though it misses out on full 1080p resolution. Still, the picture quality is quite good for a budget TV and better than lower resolution options.

Overall, the display size and resolution combination make this TV a solid choice for secondary rooms where you want a smaller screen with decent HD viewing capabilities. The LED panel provides bright, vibrant images without costing too much to operate over time. So you get good visual performance without breaking the bank.

In comparison, the Cello ZF0223: 32 Inch offers a larger 32-inch screen, making it ideal for those seeking a more immersive viewing experience. With a higher resolution and enhanced picture clarity, users can enjoy movies, sports, and gaming with better detail. The larger size is perfect for living rooms or home theaters, providing versatility beyond the smaller models. Furthermore, its sleek design complements modern décor while delivering strong performance, making it another excellent option for TV enthusiasts.

Features

The Cello ZSO291 19" TV comes with some great features that make it versatile for different uses. One of the key features is the built-in Freeview and satellite receiver with DVB-S2. This allows you to access a wide range of free-to-air TV channels without the need for a separate set-top box.

Another useful feature is the USB recording function. You can easily record live TV onto a USB drive and play it back later. This is great for capturing your favorite shows to watch whenever it's convenient for you.

For connectivity, the ZSO291 has an HDMI port to connect external devices like Blu-ray players, games consoles or laptops. The HDMI input allows you to view content in up to 1080p high definition quality. This small TV can actually function as a decent monitor for gaming or streaming thanks to the HDMI port.

Overall the built-in Freeview and satellite tuners, USB recording and HDMI input make the Cello ZSO291 a versatile little TV with some great features you wouldn't expect on such a compact set. It has the capabilities of a much larger smart TV despite its small 19 inch screen size.

Audio

The Cello ZSO291 19" TV delivers decent audio performance for its compact size. It has two 3W stereo speakers built into the TV. While these small integrated speakers don't provide room-filling sound, they are suitable for personal listening in smaller rooms or spaces.

The speakers can handle standard stereo audio and produce clear dialogue for TV shows and movies. There is noticeable distortion at high volumes, so it's best to keep the volume below 80% for the cleanest sound. The speakers lack bass, which is expected for such compact drivers. But the midrange and highs come through cleanly at moderate volumes.

Overall, the audio quality is passable and usable for casual TV watching. For more immersive sound, connecting the TV to a soundbar or external speaker system via the HDMI ARC or optical audio ports is recommended. But the integrated speakers offer a minimal audio solution without the need for extra equipment.

Ease of Use

Setting up the Cello ZSO291 19" TV is simple and straightforward. It comes with an easy to follow quick start guide that walks you through the initial setup process. The TV has built-in Freeview so you just need to connect the power cable and run a channel scan to start receiving free-to-air DVB-T2 channels.

The included remote control is basic but functional. All the main buttons are present including volume, channel changing, input selection, and shortcuts for the main menus. The buttons have a nice tactile feedback and are laid out logically. It may take some time getting used to the remote but it gets the job done.

Navigating the on-screen menu system is also easy thanks to the simple and intuitive structure. The main settings are broken down into logical categories like Picture, Sound, Channels, and Setup. Standard options like picture mode, aspect ratio, audio output, and sleep timer can be found within the menus. The text is legible and the menu responds quickly to remote button presses. While it lacks advanced calibration options, the essential adjustments are there for tweaking images and audio to your liking.

Overall, the setup process and daily operation of the Cello ZSO291 is straightforward. With its no-fuss approach, this LED TV makes an ideal choice for users looking for a hassle-free viewing experience.

Performance

The Cello ZSO291 delivers decent performance for its compact size and price point. The 19" LED display has a resolution of 1366x768 which provides adequate detail and clarity for most content. The TV has a 60Hz refresh rate which is fairly standard for budget models, so motion looks reasonably smooth without too much blurring or judder.

The picture quality is quite good considering the TV's limitations - colors appear natural without oversaturation and black levels are acceptable for an LED panel. Standard definition content looks a bit soft but still watchable. High definition content fares better and provides a sharper, more detailed image. Viewing angles are also decent, with only minor color and contrast shifts when viewing from the side.

The TV is reasonably responsive when using the remote and navigating menus. Changing channels and inputs happens without much lag. Connectivity options include HDMI, USB, composite AV, headphone jack, and RF antenna input which covers the basics. The built-in Freeview digital tuner provides access to DVB-T2 over-the-air channels. There's also a DVB-S2 tuner for connecting a satellite dish and accessing those channels.

Overall the Cello ZSO291 delivers solid performance for casual TV viewing, especially considering its compact form factor and budget-friendly price. The picture quality is quite good and the connectivity options cover what's needed for basic setups. It's a capable little TV ideal for secondary rooms or small spaces.

Who It's For

The Cello ZSO291 19" LED TV is ideal for those needing a compact, budget-friendly option. With its slim profile and 19" screen size, this TV is well-suited for small spaces like kitchens, bedrooms, offices, and dorm rooms where a large screen isn't practical.

The affordable price point also makes this a great choice for budget shoppers like students, seniors on fixed incomes, or anyone looking for a secondary TV without breaking the bank. Even with the low cost, this LED TV still offers essential features like built-in Freeview to access free-to-air channels, HDMI and USB connectivity, and a sharp HD-ready display.

So if you're looking for a small, affordable LED TV packed with value, the Cello ZSO291 checks all the boxes. Its compact form factor and wallet-friendly price tag make it a practical choice for small spaces or budget buyers needing the basics.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Compact, lightweight design fits in small spaces
• Sharp HD picture quality with 1080p resolution
• Built-in Freeview provides access to free digital TV channels
• Integrated satellite tuner for receiving channels via dish
• USB port allows recording live TV to external drives
• Multiple inputs including HDMI, SCART, composite video, and headphone jack
• Easy to set up and navigate menus
• Affordable price point

Cons

• Only 19" screen size may be small for some users
• Speakers have weaker audio than separate sound system
• Limited connectivity options compared to smart TVs
• No embedded streaming apps like Netflix or BBC iPlayer
• Only 720p when using the integrated satellite tuner
• Some users report issues with USB recording reliability
• Basic remote lacks advanced controls of higher-end models
• No HDR support for enhanced contrast and colors

Conclusion

The Cello ZSO291 19" Digital LED TV offers a solid budget TV option for small spaces like kitchens, offices, bedrooms, and dorm rooms. It has a compact, lightweight design that's easy to mount on a wall or place on a tabletop. The HD-ready 1366x768 resolution display provides decent picture quality for the price.

The built-in Freeview digital tuner allows you to access free-to-air DVB-T2 HD channels without a separate set-top box. The DVB-S2 tuner lets you connect a satellite dish for access to even more free channels. USB recording from live TV is a handy feature not found on many low-cost models.

While the audio quality is nothing special, it gets the job done for typical TV watching. The simple remote and on-screen menus make channel surfing straightforward. Overall performance is smooth when streaming media files or using apps.

Those seeking a slightly larger screen can look at the Cello 24" model. Individuals wanting smart capabilities could consider the JVC Fire TV edition. But the Cello ZSO291 is tough to beat in terms of value for a basic 19" TV. It strikes a nice balance between price, size, and features.

If your needs are minimal and space is tight, the Cello ZSO291 is worthy of consideration. It provides just enough to get the job done at a very wallet-friendly price point.