Toshiba 51H83 51-Inch HDTV-Ready TheaterWide Projection TV Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this TV about 2 months ago and am incredibly pleased with it. When comparing it to other TV's at the store it seemed a little dimmer but had a cleaner picture. Once it was in my living room it looked absolutely great. The picture is viewable when seated or sitting on the floor at about 160 degrees and remains clear and bright even during the day time (and I have a skylight right above the TV).
The only complaint I have is that if you're eye level is about 2 feet above the screen, the picture almost completely disappears, but since I usually sit while watching tv, this is not an issue.
I also use the tv with my XBox and Plastation 2 and with the composite video connections it looks great.

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Note: Toshiba 51H83 51" HDTV-Ready TheaterWide Projection TV is no longer being manufactured. You may want to consider purchasing the newer Toshiba 51H84 51" HD-Ready Rear-Projection TV with HDMI Input instead.
Blazing forth with its huge screen, high style, and bountiful high-tech features, Toshiba's 51H83 TheaterWide HDTV projection monitor is set to render vivid, smooth, and detailed video signals from DVD players, digital TV set-top boxes, digital satellite systems, cable television boxes--you name it. The set's TruView feature combines several enhancements (black level expansion, fine white, flesh tone correction, and color detail enhancer) to automatically display accurate picture and color details. Also automated, HD Dynamic Contrast continually analyzes picture information and sharpens and deepens those parts of the picture with the most detailed information.And since not everything you watch will be high-definition in origin (wouldn't that be nice), CrystalScan HDSC upconverts all video signals (including 480i/p) to 1080i HD. This significantly reduces jagged-line artifacts for a smoother, more natural image. (Selectable 540p, for those who want a progressive-scan image from a progressive-scan source, is available through the onscreen menu.) CableClear DNR+ Digital Noise Reduction circuitry optimizes poor NTSC signals from antenna or cable by eliminating video noise (snow).Meanwhile, DFine high-speed velocity-scan modulation improves the definition at picture edges, creating sharper images by slowing the CRT (cathode-ray tube) beam's horizontal scanning during demanding work--say, when rendering transitions from light to dark parts of an image--and speeding it up when scanning easily rendered sections, like broad dark areas.A 3D Y/C (4 MB, 10-bit) digital comb filter with Vertical Contour Correction processes RF and composite-video signals for a sharp, clean picture. This advanced filter significantly reduces detail noise, seen as shimmering or flicker, in complex or intricate scenes. The TouchFocus digital convergence system creates perfect corner-to-corner focus at the press of a button.Cinema Mode (3:2 pulldown) circuitry identifies film-based content from DVDs and reassembles the frame sequence to more accurately reproduce a movie's original 24-frame rate. This process eliminates artifacts and gives you sharp, accurate full-frame progressive images.Finally, the set's TheaterFine HD super fine-pitch screen uses a 0.52 mm design to reduce the space between lines on the lenticular screen, thereby sharpening the image. With convenient direct video input selection, you can choose specific inputs right from the remote's numbered keypad--no more scrolling through all the inputs to find the one you want.The 51H83 is loaded with connections of all stripes, including a DVI HDTV input, which gives you a pure, uncompressed video connection with your DTV receiver or set-top box (not included).For audio, the 20-watts-per-channel 51H83 offers SRS WOW, combining SRS 3D (which creates a wide three-dimensional sound field), TruBass (which boosts bass frequency perception for dramatic low-frequency effects), and Focus (which raises the perceived sound image vertically to clarify voices) to greatly enhance your home-theater sound. StableSound maintains television volume within a preset range regardless of the source signal, and Toshiba's Sub Bass System (SBS) boosts a program's low-end audio for heightened dramatic impact.The supplied illuminated universal remote also controls most manufacturers' VCRs and DVD players.What's in the Box TV, cabinet, remote control, batteries, user's manual, and warranty information.

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LG 50PQ30 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)Pros: Rich, vibrant colors; full complement of inputs; extensive color calibration and menu system; inky plasma blacks
Cons: Ineffective anti-reflective coating; basic remote; jerky motion on panning
Summary: This year's bargain plasmas - the Samsung 50PNB450, Panasonic TC-P50X1, and the LG 50PQ30 here - can all be found for around the same price. Each set has its strengths and weaknesses, but in my opinion this LG set comes out the strongest of the pack to be the best big-screen value in 2009.
This set looks great. The swivel stand is a gentle oval in front but tapered in the back to allow you to push it close to a wall - thoughtful. All the inputs are well labeled and easy to find, and LG includes a full batch of cable ties and routes for your convenience - thoughtful. There's also a handy microfiber cloth to polish the shiny bezel - thoughtful. Out of the box, it's a great experience.
Once plugged in to an HD source (I have a Scientific Atlanta HD cable box, a XBox 360, and a Samsung BD-P1600 Blu Ray player), the colors in Standard mode are much better than on the Panasonic plasma I also own. LG generously included two "expert" modes which allow full tuning of each color channel as well as adjustments for greyscale, gamma, etc - this set easily bests the competition from Panasonic and Samsung, with the added bonus that 95% of viewers will plug it in, think it looks great, and never touch any of that stuff. There are energy saving modes which dim the set according to prevailing light conditions as well, and the set automatically turns off if there's no signal.
I will add that this set does not buzz, or at least buzzes much less than my Panasonic plasma. I can hear the Panasonic from my seating position of 10 feet away, but only if I rest my head on the LG do I hear anything. This feels like a better constructed all-around package than this year's Panasonics.
The speakers are nicely hidden underneath the set, and LG includes several sound enhancement modes, two of which - the ClearVoice and auto-volume - are actually useful. It's more than enough for late-night viewing when we let the receiver rest and relax.
There is very little sign of image retention on this set. The only time I've seen it is from the bright white and red menus of the Netflix interface via Samsung's blu-ray player. It went away after a quick white wash. The set has a pixel orbiter which should mean no worries whatsoever with regards to burn in as long as you don't leave a DVD menu up all day.
As for the reflections, I think it's a combination of a coating less effective than Panasonic's as well as this just being one humongous piece of glass. It's easy to live with as long as you make sure there are no lights or windows within the same line of sight of you and the set (the swivel base is very helpful in minimizing reflections as well).
Once the movies get rolling, it's clear you've made a good decision. The set's pixel grid and screen-door effect are, of course, visible within 3 feet, but once you sit back 5 or more feet it disappears and you're left with a sharp, lifelike, colorful window onto the world. It's a marvelous set, the best I've ever seen in my house and I've paid over $2000 (34" CRT HDTV) for TVs before. Blacks are black, whites are white, and everything else is right.
It's hard to go wrong at this price with any of this year's sets, but the LG is the most stylish and best-priced of the lot. Given its natural color, solid build quality, full feature set, and fantastic image quality, the set recommends itself. Buy with confidence.

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THX display certification sets this series apart. 50" PDP HDTV, 1365 x 768 Resolution, 20,000:1 Contrast Ratio, 1,500:1 cd/m2 Brightness, ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM - 1 Tuner, SRS TruSurroundXT, 3 HDMI input. USB 2.0.

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Toshiba 52HM84 52-Inch HDTV-Ready Projection DLP TV Review

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(More customer reviews)I spent over two years looking at high definition televisions before settling on the Toshiba. The features that sold me were the outstanding picture quality, both brightness and clarity, as well as the very reasonable price for the size and features of the set. I spent several months watching the prices in the retail stores, but never found the price dipping much below the $3000 that every retail store seems to want to sell it for.
I have never purchased an item as large as this from Amazon, and I was a bit reluctant to do so. Given the reviews to date and comments regarding reliability, I was concerned about buying from a company that did not have a good extended warranty option available. While Amazon does sell third party contracts, I did not find them to be particularly well known. I was leaning toward buying the unit from Sears, where the extended warranty is supported by a very large service organization, and the organization is staffed by full time Sears employees who have always been very professional with other items I have needed service on. The down side was a $700 difference in price between Sears and Amazon.
What finally convinced me to choose Amazon over the local retailers was that I was able to double the warranty by charging it on my American Express card. My only other hesitation was that I needed the unit carried up a flight of stairs, and while I knew that the local Sears delivery person would carry it up, I was not sure what to expect from a trucking company contracted by Amazon.
My set was delivered yesterday by Eagle Freight. They scheduled my delivery between noon and 5:00 pm, and they showed up at 4:00 pm, after first calling to let me know they were on their way. The drivers were very friendly and professional, and they gladly carried the set up to the second floor and waited while I confirmed it was working properly. They even took away the empty packaging. Since I am familiar with electronics equipment, I knew how to quickly set it up without their help. I'm not sure they would have known how to set up an HDTV had I needed assistance, but fortunately this was not an issue for me.
The TV was up and running within 3 minutes, and the quality is absolutely breathtaking. After much trepidation about purchasing such a large item over the internet, I am quite pleased that I chose to do so. I'm still debating whether to add an extended warranty or just take a chance on it with the American Express warranty doubler as a backup. The extended warranties do not generally cover the replacement bulb, which cost approximately $300. Since this is the most likely part to fail, I suspect that I would be better off taking my chances and skipping the extended warranty option. However, it's nice to know this option exists if I need it.
For those of you thinking about purchasing this item from Amazon, I would recommend you give it a try, as long as your credit card will double the warranty, and you do not need much help in hooking up the set. I will update this review after having a few weeks to get more familiar with the TV.
3/5/2005
After having this set for a few months, I am still thoroughly impressed with it. The quality is outstanding, and I have had no issues to date with reliability. I did purchase a 4 year Warrantech warranty for around $200. This extends the warranty beyond the one year Toshiba warranty for a total of 5 years of coverage. Hopefully I will never need it, but for $200 it seemed well worth the price.

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Toshiba takes digital light processing (DLP) technology into the future with the 52-inch TheaterWide 52HM84 HD-ready rear-projection TV. The 16:9 52HM84 uses a proprietary system called TALEN (Toshiba Advanced Light Engine); based on the Texas Instruments HD2+ DLP chip, it enhances brightness and contrast while keeping the 1,280 x 720 progressive resolution (720p). Toshiba's TheaterWide TVs challenge direct-view CRT models when it comes to reproducing deep blacks and details in dark or shadowy scenes. This set is HDTV ready (it needs an optional high-definition receiver to get HD signals), but can improve standard-definition video, thanks to Toshiba's multistep PixelPure video processing system, which optimizes the three main picture quality factors: resolution, contrast, and color. All incoming signals are converted by the built-in scaler to match the DLP chip's native 720p resolution.PixelPure encompasses eight different processing circuits. Among its components are 6.2- million-pixel oversampling (for higher perceived resolution), real-speed progressive scanning (which uses additional sampling points to create smoother diagonal lines), a Magic Square algorithm (for smooth, natural color gradation), Dynamic Contrast Enhancer (for higher perceived contrast and increased color saturation), and Color Detail Enhancer (to maintain fine image detail in color-saturated areas).DLP technology uses an optical semiconductor, known as the Digital Micromirror Device, or DMD chip, to digitally manipulate light. The chip contains a rectangular array of up to 1.3 million microscopic mirrors, each measuring less than one-fifth the width of a human hair. A DMD panel's micromirrors are mounted on tiny hinges that enable them to tilt either toward the light source (on) or away from it (off), creating a light or dark pixel on the projection surface. The bit-streamed image code entering the semiconductor directs each mirror to switch on and off up to several thousand times per second, enabling the mirrors to reflect pixels in up to 1,024 shades of gray.The HD2+ DLP chip ensures an ultraclean image by filling in the dimples, or vias, in the mirrors to avoid stray light. It increases both brightness and contrast, resulting in an impressive color-corrected contrast ratio (2,200:1) at 1,100 ANSI lumens. The set's TheaterFine HD Super Fine Pitch screen reduces the physical space between the lines on the lenticular screen, resulting in a finer, sharper, more detailed picture.Toshiba's DFine Hi-Speed VSM (velocity scan modulation) improves contrast and overall picture sharpness, while the CableClear DNR+ digital noise reduction optimizes poor NTSC signals from antenna or cable, further eliminating video noise ("snow") for a clean, crisp image. Cinema Mode circuitry (3:2 pulldown switch) identifies original film-based content from DVDs, then reassembles the frame sequence to more accurately reproduce the original 24-frame-per-second material.A 3-D Y/C (4 MB, 10-bit) digital comb filter with Vertical Contour Correction helps eliminate dot crawl and color bleed and significantly reduces detail noise, seen as shimmering or flicker, in complex or intricately detailed scenes. Color temperature controls allow you to adjust white balance. The Warm setting reduces the color temperature to an NTSC standard 6,500 degrees Kelvin and delivers a redder image that is ideal for display in a dimly lit room. Medium and Cool setting provide a progressively bluer image for the best picture as room light levels are increased.The 52HM84 has plenty of inputs for connecting all your audio and video components. In back you'll find two RF, two composite video, two S-Video, and two HD ColorStream component video, as well as a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) digital input. HDMI is an uncompressed, all-digital audio-video interface that supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus eight-channel digital audio--all on a single cable. A set of front composite and S-video inputs make hooking up a game console or camcorder a snap.Other features include HD Window dual-tuner POP (picture-on-picture) with PIP sound for listening to two programs simultaneously, the new Radiance DC lamp with high brightness and lower power modes for extended life, individual audio-video settings by input type, sleep and wake timers, Real Speed progressive scanning to create smoother diagonal lines, the Color Transient Improver for sharp transitions on color changes without bleeding, and the Color Detail Enhancer to maintain fine image detail in color-saturated areas.Aside from the 20-watts-per-channel stereo speaker system, the 52HM84 uses MTS for programming with stereo sound, and SAP for receiving a second audio track in another language. Meanwhile, SRS WOW combines 3-D Sound (simulated surround sound from any stereo audio) with TruBass (yet another low-frequency enhancement) and Focus (which clarifies voices). The StableSound volume leveler eliminates drastic volume spikes while changing channels or when channels go to a commercial break.What's in the Box 52-inch 52HM84 HD-ready rear-projection DLP TV, four-item illuminated universal remote with DVD control, warranty, and user's manual.

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Toshiba 42HM66 42-Inch 720p DLP HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)It is January 2007 and I have used this TV now for about one week. I was going to wait longer to post a review, but since there are none up here, I thought it would be useful to potential buyers to have it now.
I bought this TV for my mother as a Christmas gift and my budget was $1000. For that amount of money the HDTV choices were: 27" to 37" 720p LCD; 32" to 35" CRT- based sets; and a few 40-42" DLP sets. Given that the set was for a living room, size was an important priority. So that meant examining most seriously the DLP options.
Most DLP sets I looked at in the stores had a pretty decent image when viewed straight on, but like most other rear-projection TVs, rapidly fell off in brightness when viewed off axis. One exception was a 56" Toshiba DLP set which looked better than the others. Try as I might, I was unable to find the 42HM66 in a store, but what finally convinced me to buy it sight-unseen, was the Consumer Reports article which had Toshiba sets taking all of the top positions in the December 2006 ratings of DLP TVs. Though Consumer Reports did not evaluate DLP TVs smaller than 50", I noted that the 42HM66 was of the same series number as one of the best-rated Toshiba sets. So I decided to take a chance. Next the results.
Having viewed it about 20 hours I have to say the picture is truly excellent for a 720p set. Colors are bright and the screen has a difficult-to-describe luminous liveliness absent from my new 40" Samsung LCD. Outdoor HD nature programming is particularly stunning. A nice surprise was the good off-axis performance. Though straight-on is still best, the image is quite bright out to about 45 degrees from perpendicular, much better than most other DLPs I have seen! Consumer Reports rated the larger Toshiba DLP sets with their highest picture quality rating. I would second that high rating for the 42HM66, it truly delivers the goods. I prefer its picture to that of my new Samsung LCD, which is also 720p, not the latest 1080p, and the Samsung cost 40% more. Image quality = a well-deserved 5 stars.
Where the 42HM66 shows its limitations is in the sound subsystem. The speakers are weak with little bass response. When using digital input sources one needs to turn it up nearly all the way. Analog channels don't seem to have this problem. So when switching between analog and digital sources, one often needs to step the volume up and down, a recurring annoyance. I think most would find the sound performance seriously lacking, but this is easy to fix if you have a stereo receiver or AV sound system to plug into using the available line-out jacks. Sound quality = 2 stars.
Now for convenience and user-friendliness. It is equipped with only one HDMI jack, so if you want to plug in 2 digital sources, like an upconverting DVD player and an HD cable box, you will have to plug one into the component or S-video input; but for a price of only $1000 this is not surprising.
The TV was also not quite as simple to setup as my recently purchased Samsung. The auto-program feature was difficult to find, so if you are giving it as a gift to a technically-challenged person, make sure they get some help. I found the remote disappointing for it had small equally-sized buttons and the control layout was not very intuitive. But once you learn how to get into the menus and where things are, it becomes acceptable. Sadly it could be so much better with just a few minor changes. Kudos to Samsung for their excellent remotes. User friendliness = 3 stars.
Now for the bottom line. I didn't expect the 42HM66 to be perfect all around, but in the one area which counts most... picture quality... it is a top-notch performer. Weak sound is easily remedied and the remote works OK once you learn it, but a bad picture cannot be fixed in any way. This is a GREAT choice if you need 40+" in screen size and don't want to sacrifice image quality on a budget of only $1000. My mother is simply blown away by the picture and I am VERY happy with this purchase... and Amazon's free shipping made it just that much better. The set has yet to accumulate serious viewing hours, so I will not comment on its reliability, but if I run into problems down the road I will revisit this review. For now... my bottom line overall rating: A solid 4-1/2 stars.
P.S. The free Amazon shipping via Eagle was great. They called in advance, came when they said they would, were courteous, and the package was delivered in excellent condition. Kudos. I felt like giving them a tip :)
UPDATE - May 5, 2007
Last week the set blew out the projection lamp after 4 months of use. Replacement under warranty was simple, I just called Toshiba and they quickly sent out a new lamp without any fuss. The lamp comes in a cartridge that is easily removed from the left side of the set. I asked about lamp life and was told that 8,000 to 10,000 hours was the average and that mine went prematurely. They also said each replacement lamp comes with a 6 month warranty independent of the set. Out of warranty the lamp costs about $200. One needs to be aware of this issue with DLP HDTVs and be prepared to have this happen eventually. Still love the TV. The picture is SO good I would buy it again despite this quirk.

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42" 720P DLP PROJECTIVE TV

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Samsung PN42B450 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)Great quality at this price point, way above my expectations!
My goal was to get an HDTV for no more than $1000.
This is how I convinced that Plasma 42" 720 p is the right choice for me .I've done quite bit of click shopping at online stores- amazon, eBay, newegg, abt.
1. Size: I don't need a TV bigger than 50". I live in a Condo. This is for my living room. Watch distance is ~8 feet.
2. Output: For

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High definition 720p plasma has never looked so good. Thanks to its E-Panel technology, Samsung's PN50B450 is able to deliver stunningly smooth video reproduction. First, 600Hz Subfield Motion improves the continuity between frames, creating seamless, lifelike motion. Second, an incredibly fast 0.001ms pixel-response time minimizes blurring in fast-action sports and movies. Further, FilterBright technology reduces panel glare for improved performance in rooms with ambient lighting. Finally, a Game Mode speeds up processing and sharpens detail for an optimal gaming experience.

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Swivel TV Mount for 42~70" Plasma & LCD Review

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(More customer reviews)This product is good and delivers exactly what is advertised. I rate it 5 stars.
I purchased this after reviewing perhaps 50 other units. It seems most products don't include enough information to make an informed decision, so I felt like I was taking a gamble with whichever unit I chose. My primary criteria was to find something strong enough that would not sag with a 52" LCD flatscreen, would have enough adjustments to make itself sit level, and would be able to pull out from the bookshelf space where it would be mounted.
The unit is well constructed. There is no excessive play, the parts are all strong, and the machining done with nice quality. The back of the unit is ~19 inches across and fit my 16" studs nicely, and because of the location of the studs, the mounted part is offset from center about 5". This has caused no problems and the tv sits horizontal with zero sag. The up-down tilt knobs provide small flexibility to correct side-to-side tilt, of maybe 1 or 2 degrees, and of course they also allow the screen to be tilted up or down 15 degees as stated in the specs. The pins (hinges) which allow articulation of the arms have chromed bolts and are a tight fit - in fact are quite stiff. I think this is good, as it was sloppy play that I was concerned about, and this certainly is not a problem.
The instruction manual was super simple, well illustrated, and on good quality glossy paper. Literally, 1, 2 and 3. I only wish other products were so good in this regard.
This product will work as advertised and I recommend it as an excellent value. I ordered 12 products simultaneously from different venders, and this arrived first, 2 days early.

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This premium swivel tv wall mount is our best selling swivel tv mount. It's optimized for larger televisions that require a VESA 800 TV mount. It offers extreme versatility with a maximum extension of 20.3 inches from the wall. It's dual arm design is incredibly sturdy, and supports a wide range of plasma and LCD flat screen televisions.Is this the mount for me? * Do you prefer the look and feel of the dual arm design, and appreciate its incredible sturdiness? * Does a 20 inch wall extension meet your installation needs?Product Features * Continuous angle adjustment with glossy, black knobs. * Security locking mechanism to prevent the TV from unlatching from wall. * Built in bubble level included in backplate for convenience.Will this mount fit my flat screen? * This mount works with 99% of flat screen TVs on the market. For 100% certainty, however, please refer to the Compatibility Checklist below.Compatibility Checklist * Mounting holes on television should be less than 870mm (34.2 inches) apart horizontally and 480mm (18.8 inches) vertically. * Maximum weight capacity: 220lbs.Product Dimensions * Wall plate: 500mm width by 278mm height. * Box dimensions: 36.1 inches x 20.9 inches x 3.5 inches * Product weight: 14.4kgRange of Motion * Tilt: +- 15 degrees up and down and any angle in between. * Swivel: 60 degrees in both directions * Extension from wall: anywhere from 4.5 inches to 20.3 inches.Design & Construction * Solid toughened steel construction * Durable scratch resistant finish. * Easy installation.Included in Box * Mount and all nuts, bolts and washers necessary for installation. * Product manual

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Toshiba REGZA 32HL67U 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)I just purchased this TV after looking at a wide range of TVs to go with my dual-tuner TiVo Series 3 player and an older progressive scan Toshiba DVD player, and I have to say that I couldn't be happier with my selection. I let the TV do the upconvert from 480i from the TiVo and the result looks quite acceptable (assuming you're not 3 feet away), and the HD detail on HD channels is spectacular. The Toshiba has a wide range of picture boxing settings to take care of properly framing the upconverted 480p DVD signal, and a lot of color settings so that tuning the color with Avia-derived settings I found on the internet helped as well. I have my own Avia disc on order to fine-tune the picture myself, as well.
The main products I was comparing against were all other 720p 32" TVs. 1080p resolution seemed silly to pay for in this size, since you can't see it, though the brands that put out 32" 1080p TVs (e.g. Sharp) seemed to have better video processors in the 1080p models and skimp a bit in the 720p models. Specifically, I compared against the Sony Bravia 2010 S-Series (not the XDR2), Sharp Aquos 32D43U, and the Samsung 3253, as well as the Olevia 532/332s as a bargin alternative. The Olevia was by far the least expensive, but its picture quality seemed comparatively much worse, not to mention external styling. In the store I looked, the Sony and Toshiba were solid across the board, the Sharp had the best flesh tones (color setting issues with other TVs?), and the Samsung the best contrast for dark areas (e.g. air contrails behind a slow-motion spinning baseball). Given that the Toshiba was about $150 cheaper than the alternatives at the time, I opted for it and couldn't be happier.

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Toshiba's Regza line of TVs marry state-of-the-art technology to hip design. One feature that sets them apart is PixelPure 14-bit digital video processing, which creates more than 4,000 levels of color gradations for a smooth, natural-looking picture without posterization or image banding. Another benefit is a fast response time. Response time is the interval an LCD screen takes to from its darkest color to its lightest color and back again, measured in milliseconds (ms). This screen's response time is 8 ms, which is at the faster and better end of the spectrum. This screen is likely to display cleaner, sharper images during high-action scenes and with fewer image artifacts than other screens in its class. This technology is housed in a black gloss cabinetry that is sure to fit well with most any decor.
The 32HL67 has a panel resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. This qualifies it as 720 progressive-line HDTV, which is a noticeably better picture than standard definition sets, but not as detailed as the 1080 HD sets available. Its 16:9 wide screen aspect ratio delivers most movies the way they were meant to be seen in the theater, without back bars wasting the top and bottom of the screen.

The Value of LCD TVs Aside from their obvious aesthetic value, LCD TVs are much more practical in the home than CRT (tube-style) televisions. They take up a smaller footprint, and thus use up less floor space in the room. Also, LCD TVs are lighter and easier to move around when cleaning or redecorating. The 32HL67 is only 4.65 inches deep and weighs less than 35 pounds. Best of all, LCD screens use less power than CRTs and plasma screens.

Connections The set has a built-in digital television tuner, so out of the box it can receive digital broadcast ATSC signals and QAM signals used by most digital cable providers. It also has a built-in 181-channel NTSC tuner, so it can also accept traditional analog signals. It can also make these connections to your audio and video components:
HDMI inputs: 3
ColorStream HD component video inputs: 2
PC monitor input: 1 VGA 15 Pin D-sub
S-video input: 1
A/V inputs: 2


Audio The unit's SoundStrip speaker system hides the unit's speakers in a thin strip bordering the screen. They're powerful enough to deliver big stereo sound, but they don't add significantly to the size of the set. Toshiba's StableSound feature maintains television volume within a preset range regardless of the source signal. This is an extremely useful feature when transitioning between a quiet television program and a very loud commercial advertisement or when changing channels. SRS WOW, a combination of SRS 3D, TruBass, and Focus sound-expanding systems, create a 3-D sound field with improved bass response over standard TV audio and create directed, three-dimensional audio sweet spot for maximum enjoyment. The TV also has optical digital output for connecting to your audio system.

32-inch wide screen A general rule of thumb for selecting the right size television screen is that the screen width--not its 32-inch diagonal measurement--should be between three and five times the optimum viewing distance, such as the distance from the TV screen to where your eyes are while sitting on the couch. Less than that and you may be distracted by the scan lines of the picture. More than that, and you may lose the detail of your TV. Based on this guide, the 32HL67 is ideal for viewing distances of seven to 12 feet.

What's in the Box 32HL67, stand, 4-item universal remote, stand, warranty and product manuals.

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Samsung LN40A450 40-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am updating this review after one month, as my knowledge about the product has increased. Basically I think it offers one of the best picture quality available at under $1K. The features that in my opinion set this TV appart are: outstanding HD picture and black levels, anti-glare coating, 3 HDMI inputs, great picture adjustment controls and swivel stand. On the minus side, the sound is tiny and the speakers are prone to vibration if you turn the bass higher. It's not a real concern for me, since I use external speakers anyway. Also, with some older material (not re-mastered) the picture may look a bit grainy. Perhaps not the best choice if you're viewing mostly SD programming.
Here is the original review, with a few minor adjustments:
Colours are deep, rich and accurate when fed a good quality signal through an HDMI or DVI connection. Even dark scenes are beautiful: deep black levels and excellent contrast are better than many plasma TVs. The screen backlight is uniform. There is no noticeable glare from the screen, although the glossy black bezel will show some reflections.
HD material looks excellent. Vibrant colours and outstanding detail give a perception of depths that is very pleasing, especially when watching HD sports channels. I found that component cables provided from my cable company did not work nearly as well. With HDMI/DVI the picture looks much better than it did in the store. I tried three different cables and I settled for a Monster 300 HDMI cable (rated 1080i) which in my opinion works well for this TV and is probably worth the extra few dollars as opposed to lesser brand names.
The Samsung A450 does a good job with high quality SD material and some channels look much better than a CRT of comparable size. There are no banding issues or artifacts that I notice, except to say that old SD material tends to look blurry on a 40 inch set vs the typical 27 inch CRT, which is to be expected. Feeding the signal through an upconverting DVD player seemed to help a bit in this regard. You can also use the upconvert setting on your cable box, but I found it more useful to set it on Auto-DVI.
The 720/1080i display is adequate for this size TV and in HD the picture looks as sharp as I'd ever want. In fact, I set up my cable box to 1080i, rather than the slightly sharper 720p. To my eyes, this resolution seems to give a more natural picture.
The design is quite attractive and the swivel stand is very handy if you put the TV on a stand, rather than hanging it on the wall. These TV's really have only a +- 30 degrees viewing angle before colours start to fade and while this model does better than others that I saw in the store, the swivel feature is a definite plus.
User menus are friendly and provide a vast array of options for picture adjustment. You can store three custom settings for each input (for viewing in bright/normal/dark room). The factory setting are quite good for standard cable TV viewing, but I found that different sources do require adjustment and you will be happy with all the controls that this set provides. One adjustment that CNET recommends is Picture:Picture options: Film mode: auto (rather than off), which should engage the 3:2 pull down for optimum viewing of film based material.
With a picture so sharp and clear, some lower quality material shot in low light (such as concerts and movies) may appear a bit grainy. While the digital noise reduction is largely ineffective, reducing sharpness all the way to zero (if necessary) effectivelly cleans the picture with minimal loss of detail. This is also recommended by CNET for the movie setting. However, some TV's fair better in this regard (for example the PN50A450, which I also own, has excellent noise reduction and even with the larger size, SD channels look better. However, the HD material is sharper and the blacks are deeper on the LN40A450). If you plan to use cable TV, the SA 4250HD box gives a better SD picture than the older 3250, so I would recommend it.
DNIe seems more of an experimental technology at this point. I found it more useful on the larger plasma, and I almost never use it in this LCF. It is mostly useful for sports, giving exceptional sharp and bright picture but at the expense of colour accuracy (especially for the green colour). A little fiddling with the green/red balance (about 10% towards red) will produce a more natural effect. For the standard/movie settings, where colour accuracy is the main consideration and sharpness not as important, DNIe is disabled. All in all, with so many adjustment options, in the quest for that perfect picture, you will, at first, find yourself reaching for the remote control more often than you really want, which is why having three custom setting per input is so useful - a feature that most TV's in this price range lack.
Set-up is easy. The set is quite light (40 pounds) and can be handled by just one person. Once plugged in, it will find all available channels and external sources. You can customize the names for each source, which makes it easier to identify them.
Motion blur doesn't seem to be a problem with this set, at least so far. There was only one instance that I noticed and re-booting the STB eliminated the problem. However, plasma TV's still seem to have the edge here (at least on paper), but I decided to go with LCD, since I like the extra brightness and colour definition that it offers and black levels and contrast are excellent and comparable to the Panasonic TH42PX80 for example. Since I looked at this Panasonic set in detail, I can add that the colour accuracy on the Samsung is better. This is even more important since the Panasonic lacks some of the picture adjustment options. In the trade-off however, you give up a couple of inches of screen size and perhaps a higher quality cabinet.

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With the SAMSUNG LN40A450 LCD TV, seeing clearly is never a problem. A 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio delivers crisp, high-definition images you have to see to believe. Action-packed movies and sports events are more lifelike than ever before with a 6ms fast response time, eliminating motion blur. You'll always enjoy total picture perfection with a SAMSUNG high-definition LCD TV.

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Samsung PN58B560 58-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The gentlemen who complained about the noise clearly has some other issue going on. I encourage him to try and get a full replacement from his reseller or Samsung. Mine makes no noticeable noise at all.
The B560 is an interesting animal in it carries all of the higher-end features that the 8 series carries at a lesser cost (TOC, CinemaSmooth, etc). It is in fact one of Samsung's best plasmas despite being a 5 series. The "B Series" Samsung plasmas are without doubt the best plasmas on the market. In a world consumed by LCDs and their over saturated, unrealistic brightness and color, plasmas just don't look as bright and noticeable on the showroom floor. The irony about this is that once you get any display home, inclduing a plasma, you'll have to turn the brightness down to achieve any realistic color space. It's a known fact that manufacturers create special default profiles that blow colors out of proportion which attracts the "dumb consumer". It's a shame that plasmas haven't done as well as LCDs as of late, but the B series plasmas are pound for pound the best TVs out there, and the B560 is the pinnacle of that value.
Don't get caught up in super-saturated colors and brightness levels. Black levels and realistic natural colors are what really matters, and plasma is still the best technology for that. Additionally, the off-angle viewing of plasmas is in a league of its own.
The motion is so natural, the colors are accurate, the black levels can't be beat. It's absolutely great. The power usage is significantly less than other plasmas including the "A series" Samsung plasmas. However, LCDs are still less power and heat consuming (the only negative of this TV compared to an LCD). That aside, you'd have to spend nearly twice as much for a comparable LED-based LCD display that still may not hold its own when it comes to naturalness and color space accuracy.
I consider myself an AV expert, and I work for a company that produces Blu-ray devices (no I don't work for Samsung, I work for a Japanese company actually) and this was the TV my hard earned money was spent on. I recommend it whole-heartedly, and I truly hope Samsung continues to produce plasmas as they've got a true winner in the "B Series" lineup, the B560 being my favorite of their line card.

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Samsung’s new PN58B560 plasma flat panel HDTV redefines our commitment to design, performance, and cost of ownership. Its 58 inches of 1080p Full HD picture performance makes it the perfect living room centerpiece. The attractive Touch of ColorTM design adds a subtle clear-to-charcoal gray accent to the set’s bezel. Enjoy brilliant, film-like images in Full HD resolution. Samsung’s breakthrough mega dynamic contrast ratio offers a more accurate color tonal range, deeper blacks and shadow details. The new E-Panel technology featuring our innovative FilterBrightTMtechnology reduces glare in brighter rooms and our advanced Crystal Full HD Engine expands the picture viewing experience with less power consumption. Add 4 advanced HDMI inputs that feature Samsung’s Anynet+ (CEC standard) technology making system control of compatible A/V devices like a Blu-ray player or HTIB system a one-touch operation. Experience Full 1080p performance on Samsung’s new B560 series plasma HDTVs that are easy on the environment and easy on the wallet.

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Samsung FPT5084 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my initial review of this television after owning it for about three days.
What I love:
Watching Blu-Ray in 1080P is just spectacular! I own a PS3 and have a 1.3a HDMI cable for connection and the picture is superb. I watched "The Prestige" and "Casino Royale" in 1080P and was blown away. No pixelation or judder during fast-moving action scenes and the colors and details were impressive. This is clearly what this TV was designed to do. No complaints
I played Ninja Gaiden Sigma(720P) on PS3 and it looked amazing. The background was so beautiful I couldn't even play the game. I was just staring at the details and vivid colors. Once I have broken-in this TV (at least 100-200hrs) I will play more games. I get nervous about image retention. However, this TV comes with "Pixel Shift" which is supposed to help prevent this problem. Also, there are several built-in programs that will help alleviate the problem if, God forbid, there is image retention. I like that very much and it is a nice feature. I talked to an ISF-trained tech from a local store and he told me with these new plasmas that you would have to leave an image for several hours for "burn-in" to occur. He also said that there is no "break-in" period like I said above, but that I should NEVER use the DYNAMIC picture setting because it will turn your plasma into toast. So take this for what it's worth. I am being very cautious with my $3000 newborn.
What I like:
I have DirecTV HD service and the picture is VERY NICE. There is some pixelation during extremely fast action or explosions, but trust me that is the crappy satellite feed and NOT the plasma. No complaints here.
What I think is OK:
The SD channels are good, but not great. It definitely varies from channel to channel and this, again, may just be DirecTV. Don't get me wrong they are MUCH better than on my Samsung LCD, just not amazing or anything. I am so spoiled. It's funny, you'll be watching a show in SD and the picture is not so good and then it goes to commercial and they look awesome. I guess what they say is true "Garbage in, Garbage out."
Other observations:
I only listened to the sound for about 10 minutes because I have 7.1 surround, but it sounded good and that is all I will comment on that.
I read that the pevious model Samsung 5054/64 has problems with judder or skipping frames with tickers(CNN,ESPN,etc.) on the bottom of the screen. I don't see this problem and I am LOOKING for it big-time. Nothing that I can detect. Do not worry about this cause it is not a problem.
Sorry about the long review, but I know there is not much out there on this one. I can't wait to see what the fellas/gals at CNET or CR have to say. Good Luck and feel free to ask me about anything specific.Update Jan. 7, 2008
I have had this tv for 6 months now and I have no regrets. I will say that it can get very hot and doubles as a heater. Especially after watching for several hours. But it is a minor annoyance.
The picture is still fantastic and I would put it up against a Pioneer Kuro anyday. It will absolutely destroy a Panasonic. They are very good plasmas, but I would go with SAMSUNG everytime. I saw the price has dipped below $2000 for this set now. People, if you want a 50" 1080p Plasma, DO NOT WAIT. THIS IS YOUR SET. I love it and it is my baby...You can thank me later.

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Samsung's 50" HP-T5084 offers full HD 1080p resolution. Watch its astonishingly crisp picture from any angle ¿ even in a brightly lit room, thanks to its Ultra FilterBright¿ anti-reflection filter. Enjoy the dazzling color array of 18-bit processing; a 15,000 contrast ratio reveals the deepest blacks, the whitest whites, and every detail in between. Samsung¿s powerful anti-burn-in technology assures a long screen life. SRS TruSurround XT¿ technology and 10-watt per channel audio amplifiers deliver sound through bottom speakers.

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PT-AE2000U LCD HD Proj 16K:1 1500 Lumens Hdmi/component/svid/ser Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I installed this PJ about 4 weeks ago and the picture continues to delight me. A huge upgrade from my last Sanyo PLV-70 projector, which was a star in its day. This picture is flimlike, no pixelation to be seen, and enough contract and brightness for any screen. I find LCD "warmer" than DLP and choose to stick with LCD again. I project on a 120" Da-Lite High Contrast Cinemavision and a throw distance of about 16 1/2 feet. HD sources are eye popping, even SD is great with good sources (DVD especially nice). A nice surprise is how quite this PJ is, very low fan noise. Finally, the price point is amazing, it is roughly 1/2 of what I paid for my last PJ alomost 5 years ago!

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When it comes to HDTV viewing, how large a screen can you afford? How about 40 inches or 160 inches? Here's a product that can do it! Developed in collaboration with leading filmmakers, Panasonic''s Hollywood tuning process produces images that mirror the director''s artistic vision and intent. This process is now further aided in the new PT-AE2000U by maximizing the image quality of the full-HD content in Blu-ray discs and HD broadcasts for large-screen viewing. The carefully tuned optical system teams up with a newly developed Detail Clarity Processor to dramatically boost image clarity. The PT-AE2000U offers the ultimate home cinema experience with crisp full-HD images in remarkable detail. The newest LCD home-theater projector with 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) native resolution: the PT-AE2000U is designed for savvy home theater enthusiasts and audio video professionals who desire an immersive home entertainment viewing experience, the new projector delivers 1080p images with a carefully-tuned lens system to reproduce remarkable detail and clarity with 1,500 lumen brightness and 16,000:1 contrast ratio. The new PT-AE2000U model is the next evolution of its predecessor, the PT-AE1000U, which has been widely accepted and used to display professional movies. The new projector reproduces the original picture quality intended by Hollywood movie and television directors -- all within the comfort of consumers' home theaters. Up to 16,000 - 1 Dynamic-Contrast Ratio Smooth Screen Technology Up to 1920x1080 screen resolution for up to 1080p HDTV and Video display Dynamic Iris - Automatic adjustments produce deeper, richer blacks Pure Color Filter Pro - Expands the color gamut to approximately match the level specified by the digital cinema industry Detail Clarity Processor - Adds sharpness to reproduce fine nuances lost in image compression Split Adjust Mode - Freeze a scene and make adjustments while c

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Samsung HP-S4253 42-Inch Plasma HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was an early adopter of Plasma technology and have owned a Pioneer 50" Plasma as my main display for a few years now. I love Plasma in general, so decided, now that prices are coming down from the stratosphere, to get a second plasma set for a bedroom TV. All I can say is things have really come a long way! Early plasmas had problems displaying detail in dark scenes, but new models such as this Samsung have come much closer to solving this problem.
I auditioned dozens of sets at multiple dealerships and did a lot of side-by-side comparisons and adjustments, and determined that these newest Samsung sets represent the best blend of performance, quality, and cost. My requirements were to have at least 2 HDMI slots, since this is the future for high-definition connectivity, be 37" or 42" in size, and have the best quality picture I could afford.
A lot of on-line advice pointed to the Panasonic as the one to get so I went into this fully expecting to end up with a Panny, but after much side-by-side between the Samsung 4253 and the newest Panasonics, there was no contest - the Samsung has more natural looking color gradiations, the Panasonic looked odd and banded in appearance. I verified this at multiple vendors and side-by-side.
Be careful however not to get re-directed to the previous generation Samsung models, many of which are still on the market and sold as new. Samsung seems to be replacing their lined up with these newer sets in a graudal manner. At least two other 42" models ending in "2" instead of "3" can be found at various retailers. To me, these older sets did not measure up to the visual fidelity in the "3" series. Over time I'm sure Samsung will make "3" versions of their other sets, so if you need one with a CableCard tuner or something, I'd wait a while. Also I wish this set had more stretch options for dealing with 4:3 inputs. The only options for HD signals are 16:9 or 4:3 with bars, neither of which helps deal with HD signals that are letterboxed AND 4:3 (common for cable boxes that up-convert letterbox SDTV material). I'm not sure which sets do have these stretch modes, but I beleive some do.
Also, Plasmas are moving very fast right now, with Pioneer due to release new models any day, among others. Waiting a bit longer if you're in no hurry may turn up a set even better than this at the same price. But as of Spring 2006, I am very confident this is the best 42" plasma in the ~$2k range.

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Offering an incredible feature set and exceptional quality for its price, Samsung's fifth-generation 42-inch HP-S4253 plasma TV uses the company's proprietary electronic chassis and the latest DNIe enhancement circuitry to deliver outstanding brightness, contrast, and image clarity. Use it for home theater and use it for your PC--it's perfect for both. In addition to a standard-broadcast NTSC tuner, it also features an integrated ATSC tuner that can capture over-the-air digital broadcasts from local network affiliates (the set will still require a set-top tuner for receiving non-terrestrial HD broadcasts from channels like HBO or Discovery).
The Samsung Digital Natural Image engine (DNIe) Video Enhancer refines all analog NTSC and wideband video inputs for an overall improvement in picture quality. DNIe improves contrast, white level, picture detail and incorporates digital noise reduction to improve lower quality video inputs. Thanks to the new 13-bit processing capability of DNIe, the HP-S4253 can produce over 549 billion colors (compared to the one billion colors that TVs with 10-bit processing can produce.
This set features a 1024 x 768-pixel resolution, 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, 175-degree viewing angle, brightness rating of 1300 cd/m2 (candela per square meter), and an amazing 10000:1 contrast ratio. (The higher the contrast ratio, the greater a TV's ability to display subtle color details and not get washed out by ambient room light.) The 3D Y/C digital comb filter constantly analyzes the three dimensions of picture height, picture width, and picture changes-over-time to dramatically reduce edge image artifacts while improving transition detail.
The anti-glare plasma panel offers several protective features to resist burn-in, including auto pixel shift, signal pattern processing, and white screen function. It's rated for a 60,000-hour panel life (6 hours of usage a day for 27 years). Other features include:
Picture-in-picture (PIP) enables convenient simultaneous viewing of TV programs and video or PC sources.
Parental Control (V-Chip) helps parents monitor what their children watch on TV by establishing rating limits.
Auto volume leveler keeps audio volume consistent during channel changing.
Multi-lingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French.
Side A/V input

High-quality virtual surround sound can be experienced with just the speakers built into the sides of the TV. SRS TruSurround XT technology delivers an amazing, simulated 3D effect with clear dialog and powerful bass. It produces 10 watts of power per channel (for 20 watts total) and offers the following connection options:
Composite (RCA audio/video): 2 inputs (1 on the side)
S-Video: 2 inputs (1 on the side)
Component (Y/Pb/Pr): 2 inputs
HDMI: 2 inputs
PC: 1 D-Sub15 input
RF: 2 inputs
Digital audio: 1 coaxial and 1 optical

Tech Talk HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver) with your TV--all over a single cable. HDMI supports standard, enhanced or high definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. It supports all ATSC formats--standard (SDTV), enhanced (EDTV), and high (HDTV).
TruSurround XT audio adds three new audio enhancement technologies to produce an amazingly immersive sound experience.
Dialog Clarity brings movie dialog into ÒfocusÓ during the playback of any surround-encoded material to make speech much clearer and crisper.
TruBass creates incredible deep rich bass allowing a person to perceive significantly deeper, richer low bass tones that are far beyond the physical low frequency capabilities of the speaker itself.
The SRS WOW feature widens the soundstage by processing standard two-channel stereo material as well as multi-channel encoded material for a dramatic improvement in the playback of any stereo audio over a two-speaker system.
Component video (also called Y/Pb/Pr) features a three-jack video input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. You will need a separate RCA left/right audio cable for sound.
What's in the Box Plasma TV, remote control (with batteries), power cord, printed operating instructions

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SquareTrade 3-Year TV Warranty ($350-400 LCD, Plasma, LED) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased a 42" flat screen tv a few years ago, and was naturally concerned about what to do after the 1 year manufacturer's warranty had expired. The store offered its own extended warranty program, but I was hesitant about putting down hundreds of dollars for a 3 year extended warranty. Surely there was something more economical with the same, or better service?
I heard, via word of mouth, of a third-party alternative called Squaretrade. Intrigued, I checked reseller ratings, and was very shocked to see a lifetime rating of 9.7. I read many of the reviews, and they all consistently praised ST's dedication to fulfilling its warranty promises. Of the few that were not pleased with ST service (and some of them were the customer's fault), I was impressed by the follow-up messages left by ST's representatives to resolve the situation.
Convinced, I ended up purchasing a 3 year warranty through Squaretrade, for just ~$40. ST runs monthly %-off discounts, so you can always get a very good bargain. To clarify, if I remember correctly, the 3 year warranty is really a 2 year warranty, since the first year overlaps with the first year of the manufacturer's warranty. However, you should read the fine print to double check.
Talk about knocking on wood. My TV broke recently, and so I submitted my claim form to ST, which primarily comprised faxing a copy of my receipt to them (don't throw it away!), and describing my problem. I was expecting a reply a few months later, but Squaretrade promises resolution in less than week. I was shocked to find in my email inbox, a message from ST indicating that since it was cost prohibitive to ship my TV back to them for repairs, they would instead be refunding my original purchase price in its entirety, through PayPal. Sure enough, the money was sent the next day.
This is legendary service, the kind consumers dream about. You can buy a ST warranty with complete confidence, and be assured of their guarantees. Regarding TVs, they will not cover certain issues, e.g. burn-in on a plasma, and lamp replacements on DLPs. Again, check the fine print (don't worry, there's not too much to read).
I'm going to be buying all my warranties through ST in the future, recommending them to my friends and families, and making sure my children, and my children's children buy Squaretrade warranties. I wholeheartedly recommend them (and no, I'm not getting paid by ST to write this review).

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SquareTrade Care Plans are great value and cost 70% lower on average than traditional warranties.  Upon purchase, you will get an email confirmation.  You will not be mailed a paper contract.  If you have questions, please call: 1.877.WARRANTY.

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Philips 47PFL7403D/27 47-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Great TV - the 120 Hz 'perfect pixel' leads to beautiful visuals and high-speed motion. It looks even better mounted on the wall. Highly recommended - the 4 HDMI inputs are great if you have a cable box and PS3/Blu-Ray player, as well as other gizmos. The side inputs will come in handy, although I haven't used them yet.
Only thing I wish is that it had a VGA input for my computer. oh well. All in all, a good set.

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1920 x 1080p full HD pixel resolution29000:1 dynamic contrast ratio16:9 widescreen aspect ratio120Hz ClearLCD anti-blur technology with 2ms motion response500cd/m brightness Perfect Pixel HD Engine for extreme motion sharpness in HDTVBuilt-in analog/digital tuner (NTSC/ATSC/QAM)USB connector for easy instant multimedia playingVirtual DolbyDigital Surround sound with 30 watt speakers and digital audio output4 HDMI inputs for easy full HD connectivityIncludes remote and swivel stand

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TV-ProtectorTM, Stylish Design TV Screen Protector that fits 46 inch LCD, LED and Plasma TVs Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This screen shield is assume - better than I expected !! It fits our TV so well. Highly recommend the product.
I bought it after my son and my nephew broke my husband's brother TV and we didn't want to take any risks. Picture is excellent and the shield doesn't take way from the looks of our TV.
We have 46" Samsung in the living room and the screen protector was easy to take down when I gave it a wipe last week.

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TV-ProtectorTM is a crystal clear shield with advanced optical technology that attaches to a flat-screen TV and protects the fragile screen from damage. Stop warring and start enjoying your TV! Highest quality optical-grade acrylic plastic is as clear as glass and maintains the sharp and vivid picture of any HDTV. The TV screen protector is used by Families with Children, Nintendo Wii owners, pet owners, Hotels and other institutions. Provides protection when the TV is positioned horizontally or vertically on a stand or mounted on a wall or ceiling. Scratch resistant; Reduces the UV radiation emitted from the TV screen. Stylish design that makes the TV screen protector unnoticeable and keeps the gorgeous look of any flat-screen TV. NO Ugly Straps, clamps or buckles! Sized for YOUR TV - NOT one that "fits" several sizes. Designed to absorb substantial impact. The protector can be broken only by very heavy object e.g. brick or hammer. Remove the protective film on both sides for an easy stick on Installation that takes a few minutes and does not require special tools or skill. Once installed reclosable pads allow the screen protector to be temporarily detached for cleaning - Easy snap on/off function. Attachment strips connect to the TV frame (bezel). The strips that can be permanently removed (when the kids grow older) without leaving a trace. The pads hold strongly making it virtually impossible for children under the age of 3 to interfere with the protector. Designed to allow for 1/4 inch gap between the screen and the protector maintaining constant ventilation that prevents screen overheating. TV-Protector is designed to cover the screen of your TV and will extend approximately 1 1/4 inch around the screen. Proprietary product of superior quality ensures enhanced protection for a flat-screen TV. TV-Protector is a leading brand of TV screen protection equipment in the US.

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Toshiba 62HM84 62-Inch HDTV-Ready Projection DLP TV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I spent over two years looking at high definition televisions before settling on the Toshiba. The features that sold me were the outstanding picture quality, both brightness and clarity, as well as the very reasonable price for the size and features of the set. I spent several months watching the prices in the retail stores, but never found the price dipping much below the $3000 that every retail store seems to want to sell it for.
I have never purchased an item as large as this from Amazon, and I was a bit reluctant to do so. Given the reviews to date and comments regarding reliability, I was concerned about buying from a company that did not have a good extended warranty option available. While Amazon does sell third party contracts, I did not find them to be particularly well known. I was leaning toward buying the unit from Sears, where the extended warranty is supported by a very large service organization, and the organization is staffed by full time Sears employees who have always been very professional with other items I have needed service on. The down side was a $700 difference in price between Sears and Amazon.
What finally convinced me to choose Amazon over the local retailers was that I was able to double the warranty by charging it on my American Express card. My only other hesitation was that I needed the unit carried up a flight of stairs, and while I knew that the local Sears delivery person would carry it up, I was not sure what to expect from a trucking company contracted by Amazon.
My set was delivered yesterday by Eagle Freight. They scheduled my delivery between noon and 5:00 pm, and they showed up at 4:00 pm, after first calling to let me know they were on their way. The drivers were very friendly and professional, and they gladly carried the set up to the second floor and waited while I confirmed it was working properly. They even took away the empty packaging. Since I am familiar with electronics equipment, I knew how to quickly set it up without their help. I'm not sure they would have known how to set up an HDTV had I needed assistance, but fortunately this was not an issue for me.
The TV was up and running within 3 minutes, and the quality is absolutely breathtaking. After much trepidation about purchasing such a large item over the internet, I am quite pleased that I chose to do so. I'm still debating whether to add an extended warranty or just take a chance on it with the American Express warranty doubler as a backup. The extended warranties do not generally cover the replacement bulb, which cost approximately $300. Since this is the most likely part to fail, I suspect that I would be better off taking my chances and skipping the extended warranty option. However, it's nice to know this option exists if I need it.
For those of you thinking about purchasing this item from Amazon, I would recommend you give it a try, as long as your credit card will double the warranty, and you do not need much help in hooking up the set. I will update this review after having a few weeks to get more familiar with the TV.
3/5/2005
After having this set for a few months, I am still thoroughly impressed with it. The quality is outstanding, and I have had no issues to date with reliability. I did purchase a 4 year Warrantech warranty for around $200. This extends the warranty beyond the one year Toshiba warranty for a total of 5 years of coverage. Hopefully I will never need it, but for $200 it seemed well worth the price.

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Note: Toshiba 62HM84 62" HDTV-Ready Projection DLP TV is no longer being manufactured. You may want to consider purchasing the newer Toshiba 62HM94 62" DLP Integrated HDTV with Cable Card Slot instead.
Toshiba takes digital light processing (DLP) technology into the future with the 62-inch TheaterWide 62HM84 HD-ready rear-projection TV. The 16:9 62HM84 uses a proprietary system called TALEN (Toshiba Advanced Light Engine); based on the Texas Instruments HD2+ DLP chip, it enhances brightness and contrast while keeping the 1,280 x 720 progressive resolution (720p). Toshiba's TheaterWide TVs challenge direct-view CRT models when it comes to reproducing deep blacks and details in dark or shadowy scenes. This set is HDTV ready (it needs an optional high-definition receiver to get HD signals), but it can improve standard-definition video, thanks to Toshiba's multistep PixelPure video processing system, which optimizes the three main picture quality factors: resolution, contrast, and color. All incoming signals are converted by the built-in scaler to match the DLP chip's native 720p resolution.PixelPure encompasses eight different processing circuits. Among its components are 6.2-million-pixel oversampling (for higher perceived resolution), real-speed progressive scanning (which uses additional sampling points to create smoother diagonal lines), a Magic Square algorithm (for smooth, natural color gradation), Dynamic Contrast Enhancer (for higher perceived contrast and increased color saturation), and Color Detail Enhancer (to maintain fine image detail in color-saturated areas).DLP technology uses an optical semiconductor, known as the Digital Micromirror Device, or DMD chip, to digitally manipulate light. The chip contains a rectangular array of up to 1.3 million microscopic mirrors, each measuring less than one-fifth the width of a human hair. A DMD panel's micromirrors are mounted on tiny hinges that enable them to tilt either toward the light source (on) or away from it (off), creating a light or dark pixel on the projection surface. The bit-streamed image code entering the semiconductor directs each mirror to switch on and off up to several thousand times per second, enabling the mirrors to reflect pixels in up to 1,024 shades of gray.The HD2+ DLP chip ensures an ultraclean image by filling in the dimples, or vias, in the mirrors to avoid stray light. It increases both brightness and contrast, resulting in an impressive color-corrected contrast ratio (2,200:1) at 1,100 ANSI lumens. The set's TheaterFine HD Super Fine Pitch screen reduces the physical space between the lines on the lenticular screen, resulting in a finer, sharper, more detailed picture.Toshiba's DFine Hi-Speed VSM (velocity scan modulation) improves contrast and overall picture sharpness, while the CableClear DNR+ digital noise reduction optimizes poor NTSC signals from antenna or cable, further eliminating video noise ("snow") for a clean, crisp image. Cinema Mode circuitry (3:2 pulldown switch) identifies original film-based content from DVDs, then reassembles the frame sequence to more accurately reproduce the original 24-frame-per-second material.A 3-D Y/C (4 MB, 10-bit) digital comb filter with Vertical Contour Correction helps eliminate dot crawl and color bleed and significantly reduces detail noise, seen as shimmering or flicker, in complex or intricately detailed scenes. Color temperature controls allow you to adjust white balance. The Warm setting reduces the color temperature to an NTSC standard 6,500 degrees Kelvin and delivers a redder image that is ideal for display in a dimly lit room. Medium and Cool settings provide a progressively bluer image for the best picture as room light levels are increased.The 62HM84 has plenty of inputs for connecting all your audio and video components. In back you'll find two RF, two composite video, two S-video, and two HD ColorStream component video, as well as a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) digital input. HDMI is an uncompressed, all-digital audio-video interface that supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus eight-channel digital audio--all on a single cable. A set of front composite and S-video inputs make hooking up a game console or camcorder a snap.Other features include HD Window dual-tuner POP (picture-on-picture) with PIP sound for listening to two programs simultaneously, the new Radiance DC Lamp with high brightness and lower power modes for extended life, individual audio-video settings by input type, sleep and wake timers, Real Speed progressive scanning to create smoother diagonal lines, the Color Transient Improver for sharp transitions on color changes without bleeding, and the Color Detail Enhancer to maintain fine image detail in color-saturated areas.Aside from the 20-watts-per-channel stereo speaker system, the 62HM84 uses MTS for programming with stereo sound, and SAP for receiving a second audio track in another language. Meanwhile, SRS WOW combines 3-D Sound (simulated surround sound from any stereo audio) with TruBass (yet another low-frequency enhancement) and Focus (which clarifies voices). The StableSound volume leveler eliminates drastic volume spikes while changing channels or during commercial breaks.What's in the Box 62-inch 62HM84 HD-ready rear-projection DLP TV, four-item illuminated universal remote with DVD control, warranty, and user's manual.

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Sony BDP-S360 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'll start with the bottom line about this player-it just works! If you're looking for a nice, fully functional Blu Ray player that's going to just WORK as you'd expect it to, on anything you throw at it, this is a nice, safe buy. You'll have no problems upgrading from a normal DVD player to it.
Like a lot of people, my first Blu Ray player was my Playstation 3, which I bought last year. If you don't already have a PS3, that's worth considering instead of a stand alone player, because it doesn't cost much more, handles Blu Rays (and DVDs) well, and of course plays Playstation 3 games.
I even toyed with getting a second one, but decided a stand alone player would be a bit cheaper, and I didn't really need the second Playstation 3. (I've also since bought a Blu Ray drive for my computer, so I can watch Blu Rays on it too.)
Impressions of the s360:
-Audio and video are excellent. I can't notice any difference from my PS3.
-The unit is physically SMALL. It's actually smaller than my two stand alone DVD players (though is the same width as normal stereo components, so fits in fine)
-The unit is very quiet in operation-quieter than my two stand alone DVD players in fact. I don't think I can hear it at all except when it's first starting up, loading up a disc (and that only if the room is dead silent). Interestingly, the disc drive's seek sounds sound IDENTICAL to the drive in my Playstation 3! I'd be shocked if it's not basically the same drive.
-Remote is decent-I mean no remotes aside from Tivo's are particularly good, but this works as well as any other (the oft-noted omission of an eject button is a bit surprising, but not really missed, since you have to get up anyway, and the eject button on the unit is pretty large). (And thankfully unlike the PS3 remote, it's normal infrared, not Bluetooth.)
-Performance is very good. I think it takes SLIGHTLY longer than my PS3/PC to load the fancy interfaces some discs use (some discs replace the normal fast forward/rewind interfaces with their own themed interfaces, and loading that interface adds a few more seconds before the disc's ready-so far I've only run across this on two discs, and it's kind of pointless, but this player DOES seem to handle them just fine). Rewinding/fast forwarding on this isn't quite as smooth as my Playstation 3, but it works as you'd expect a normal DVD player to.
-Power usage is very low-the unit says it draws a *MAX* of 22 watts in operation
-Boot time takes...well I haven't timed it, but I'd guess maybe 15 seconds. To me that's plenty fast, but that can actually be cut by setting the player to use more power when it's "off" (essentially it presumably actually stays on, so it appears to boot faster). Players that claim they have faster boot times are probably just doing that same thing, without giving you the option of actually shutting the unit off.
-It has all the features and ports you'd expect from a unit like this, and has an excellent menu system, that's ripped straight off of the Playstation 3 and Portable (of course once you've set it up with the settings you want, you'll probably never really use the menu again, but it's easier than any DVD player's menus I've ever used).
-Unlike some players, it doesn't have internal memory to store "BD Live" internet features, but it does have a USB port where you can connect a USB memory device to enable those features. I have a spare one lying around, but haven't bothered hooking it up because I never use those features. I mean Blu Ray has some great additions over DVD, like the pop up menus that can adjust settings without going back to the main menu-but the internet features are pretty gimicky to me, and I've never used them. Still, this player does support all of that if you care.
(Also unlike many of this year's players, it lacks support for online services like Netflix's streaming service, etc. I don't use those (I just use Netflix's disc service), and if I did use them I already have other devices that connect to them, but if you check reviews, the s360 is a better BLU RAY PLAYER than those other devices-and I'm buying this to be a good Blu Ray player.
I'm probably forgetting something I'd like to mention, but honestly I could have quit after the first paragraph. If you're like me and just want something that WORKS without hassle, this is a great choice.

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The Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray Disc player provides a movie experience worthy of your HDTV. Plays Blu-ray Disc movies in Full HD 1080p quality and upscales the quality of your DVDs. Supports BD-Live technology to download bonus interactive entertainment on select movies. Supports Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD audio codecs for up to 7.1 channels of high-definition sound. With QuickStart Mode your movies will start approximately six seconds from the moment you turn on the player.

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