What's YOUR TV? (And how would you rate it?) (1 Viewer)

[Chris Hovanic]

Make/Model: Toshiba 57HDX82.
Size/Type: 57" 16:9 HD RPTV
Price you paid for it: $2000 March 2003
Good things: Bigger than my 27" . Strech modes are super for Sat/Network TV watching. Still breaking in and have not had a chance to calibrate with AVIA. Menus are great and easy to use and all settings use a number 0-100 so its easy to adjust for diferent viewing options and reset back to the previous settings. Tons of inputs and great picture no matter what your watching.
Bad things: Remote is ok (it does light up) but lacking ease of use.
Overall: Are you happy with it? Happier than a puppy with two peters

 

[Brian Harnish]

Make/Model: Sony Wega KV-32FV27
Size/Type: 32" CRT non-HDTV
Price you paid for it: $1169.97 + free Wega stand at Sears (in late June, 2001)
Good things: Gorgeous picture on DVDs w/16x9 squeeze
Bad things: Very heavy, difficult to move
Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no) Yup, VERY happy with the set.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Great thread idea.

Here's mine...

Make/Model: JVC AV-48WP30

Size/Type: 48" 16x9 HD rptv

Price I paid: 2k November 2002

Good things: Great filmlike image, has a decent overscan percentage of 4% all around out of the box, doesn't lock into "full" mode when watching progressive material (outstanding for non-anamorphic films like Titanic or Office Space), great stretch and zoom modes for non-anamorphic material, features a DVi input for future sources (can't wait to utilize it), black level is deep and clean, contrast is bright and soft with great emphesis on the white side of the spectrum, has really good built-in 3-2 pulldown circuitry (I don't use it though), upconverts dvd's naitive 480p to 720p or 1080i, handy flip open panel just under the screen revealing an extra set of composite and an s-video inputs (great in a pinch), cabinet is pleasing to the room and is attractive overall, great price for this package.

Bad things: Cannot defeat SVM in either the user or service menus, red saturation is extreme but managable utalizing the service menu, corner to corner convergeance is not 100% accurate, does not have separate picture modes with their own separate settings, sound is mediocre (but I only use the sets speakers when watching casual tv so it doesn't matter), sound is very sensitive in terms of volume so late night listening is somewhat problematic, annoying blue power indicator light located just below the screen.

Am I happy with it? Yes. After calibration using AVIA and a few tweaks here and there in the service menu, the set does me proud. It makes all my dvd's look great which is what matters in the end.

 

[Gilbert ^P]

MAKE/MODEL: Sony KP46WT500

SIZE/TYPE: 46" rptv

PRICE I PAID: $1648

GOOD THINGS: Great with DVD's/ great stretch mode for 4:3/ very easy to tweak(including red push and svm) lots of inputs/ dvi input/ SO FAR NO REPORTS OF FLICKER/ Excellent HDTV picture/ handles analog cable well/ great look if you like silver

BAD THINGS: protective screen(GLARE), no wheels to roll on as it is a table top(stand should have came with wheels)

 

[Dean Wette]

Make/Model: Samsung HLM617W
Size/Type: 61" 16:9 DLP RPTV
Price you paid for it: $4300 from HT installer
Good things: excellent PQ, especially HD
Bad things: No discrete codes for inputs makes switching video and audio source in sync a pain
Overall: Are you happy with it? yes, love it

Am getting it ISF calibrated next week.

 

[Neil Joseph]

OK I'll bite...

Make/Model: Sony VPL-VW11HT (calibrated by Michael TLV)
Size/Type: WXGA LCD Projector. Currently 96" 9x16
Price you paid for it: cheap!!
Good things: Native 16x9 resolution @ 1366x768, accepts 1080i and 720p, nice colours, nice remote & menus
Bad things: Black level not as dark as CRT or DLP but still good especially with my custom silver/gray screen.
Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no) You bet. Movies look great! I can't wait for HD-DVD

 

[Matt Wallace]

A chance to talk about our HT gear.. never any interest in doing that on THIS forum LOL!


Make/Model: Mitsubishi 55311

Size/Type: 55" Widescreen HDTV (CRT)

Price you paid for it: $2499 8/26/02

Good things: Great picture out of box, awesome picture with AVIA calibration and further tweaking, front panel button lock out (my kids and wife can't mess up anything without the remote!), tons of inputs for all of my needs, component inputs can take progressive/HD sources OR analog without any hassle at all, can delete inputs so that you don't have to cycle through 15 inputs in futility! , black in color and solidly built, protective shield has saved me bucks in repair bills already (toddler and clumsy 5 year old), smooth casters on bottom to move very easily, adjustable color saturation in menu, 64 pt convergence, defeatable SVM, whole family loves the remote, "Stretched" mode is very casual and easy on the eyes for 4x3 sources, "Expand" is pefect for zooming all non-anamorphic ratios, ... .and I can go on : )

Bad things: Slight red push (not as bad as previous models and some makes out there), line doubler is okay (non issue with progressive scan DVD player), no digital interface (Promise Module is kinda expensive for non all-inclusiveness), makes me have to update my HT homepage soon...LOL!

Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no)
Without a doubt. Highly flexible, tweakable, and great general performance. Couldn't recommend it highly- and have done so constantly!!

 

[Seth_R]

Make/Model: Toshiba 50HDX82
Size/Type: 50" 16:9 RPTV
Price you paid for it: $1700 w/ free shipping (it'll be two weeks old this Sunday)
Good things: Widescreen movies Great color with excellent stretch modes for cable TV.
Bad things: It's warming up and needs a 56 point convergence. I'm new and a bit tentative. :b
Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no) Absolutely.

 

[Dalila]

Make/Model: Mitsubishi 48311 (2003 Model)

Size/Type: RPTV HDTV 48" Widescreen

Price you paid: 1643.00 with free delivery, and a DVD player. @Conns (we really haggled I hope we did well, I think we did.)

Good things: Fantastic picture quality right out of the box, and even better when tweaked just a bit. Has extensive menus, and was very easy to set up. Can turn off SVM if one wishes, and has many inputs. Also has a good bit of leeway in where you sit, and still able to get a very clear and sharp well lit picture. Is on wheels, tho we have it on a 2" stand my husband made, so thats neither here nor there for us.

Bad things: Nothing too serious... Could use a digital interface, and the remote could have lit up a bit more.

Overall: Are you happy with it? You bet!!

 

[Leif Wall]

Make/Model: Panasonic pt53wx42
Size/Type: 53" crt RPTV Widescreen
Price you paid for it: $2,028 with free dvd player and 2 year service plan
Good things: Size for the price. Light and easy to move around. VERY easy to tweak. Does 480p native. Still can't believe how good it looks.
Bad things:No DVI/HDCP. Won't do 720p. The blue gun is a little tough to work with.
Overall: Are you happy with it?Yes and no.

 

[John CW]

This is such a great thread! Please add to it if you can!

Make/Model:
Size/Type:
Price you paid for it:
Good things:
Bad things:
Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no)

Thanks!!

~ Johnny

 

[MikeM]

Make/Model: Hitachi 57TWX20B
Size/Type: 57" 16:9 Rear Projection HDTV
Price you paid for it: $2300
Good things: Great picture, video settings are linked to the video inputs, DVI input is "auto-sensitive" a.k.a acts as another 1080i capable video input, very very "tweakable" with ISF settings mode in the Service Menu
Bad things: 4:3 stretch mode could be better (a la the stretching taking place with the HD200)
Overall, Are you happy with it?: Absolutely. The best TV I've ever had. DVDs look excellent, and HDTV looks even better.

 

[DanGS]

Make/Model: Toshiba 50H81
Size/Type: 50" widescreen RPTV
Price Paid: $2300
Good Things: It was nice when it worked
Bad Things: It has been out of service for ten weeks and counting with no end in sight. Toshiba quote. "Your warranty covers parts and labor, but it does not say how fast we have to fix it."
Overall: Never again Toshiba after this.

 

[Scott Tucker]

Make/Model: Pioneer SD-P6093
Size/Type: 60" 16x10.7 RPTV
Price Paid: Free
Good Things: Almost widescreen with no distortion.
Bad Things: None, unless you consider it is not HD.
Overall: Love the set, i'm in no hurry for digital.

 

[Josh_SR]

wow.... i have been the only one with an RCA so fare :frowning:

 

[Craig]

Make/Model: Toshiba TW56X81

Size/Type: 56" widescreen HD-Ready RPTV

Price Paid: $3950 + tax (purchased 12/4/99).

Good Things: It's been a great TV, had it almost 3 1/2 years, no problems. I use it 99% of the time for DVDs. I've played probably 600 DVDs, picture still looks great.

Bad Things: Line doubler not that great, progressive scan DVD player definitely makes things look better.

Overall: One of the best purchases I've ever made. The $4K price seems high now, but I've had almost 3 1/2 yrs. of enjoyment.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Why not...

Make/Model: Toshiba 56H80

Size/Type: 56-inch widescreen HD-ready RPTV

Price you paid for it: $3,000 in Dec. 01

Good things:Excellent picture quality once calibrated (first with Avia, then a full ISF calibration), DVD's and HD broadcasts look stunning, very good stretch mode for non-critical 4x3 TV viewing, two 1080i/480p component video inputs.

Bad things:SVM only defeatable by removing cables inside TV, changing TheaterWide stretch/zoom modes is buried in menus (since improved on newer Toshiba models)

Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no) Yes

 

[dan fritzen]

Make/Model: Sony 34XBR800
Size/Type: 34" 16:9 HD Tube

Price you paid for it: $2500

Good things: DVD is very good, XBox is good on it, and I even got Direct TV to look good after 2 months. Accepts 480i/p, 720p (up-converts to 1080i0 and 1080i signals, has 7 connections total including DVI. Has very good stretch mode, Wide Zoom.

Bad things: Flesh tones a little too red, but can be adjusted by service menu, price a little high for a tube but I wanted a tube at this point.

Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no) Yes definitely, I can't wait to get a HDtuner for it. The only thing better would be a plasma. $2500

 

[Patrick Sun]

Make/Model: Panasonic PT56HX41p (Calibrated by Gregg Loewen)

Size/Type: 56" 4:3 HDTV RPTV (51" in 16x9 dimensions)

Price you paid for it: $1299 (closeout at Circuit City)

Good things: Fits the room, and it's looking really nice now that the set has been calibrated. HDTV programming looks mighty fine and oh so smooth. DVDs also look very good.

Bad things: No stretch modes, only has 1080i compression mode (no 480i/p compression mode)

Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no) Yep!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Make/Model: Panny 53wx42

Size/Type: 53" 16x9 HD RPTV

Price you paid for it: $1700 including free leather recliner and in-home delivery (12/02)

Good things: Great bang for the $$$. Excellent PQ for what counts the most, ie. DVDs and HD content. 3:2 pulldown works quite well for film-sourced DVDs, so no dire need for a prog scan player yet. Very tweakable w/ lots of info on the web. Nice form factor for widescreen viewing. Looks real cool in the family-room w/out seeming too overwhelming or "boxy".

Bad things: Not so good for non-16x9 content; zoom mode could be better for that. Wish the grey side bars in 4x3 mode are adjustable--they seem a bit too strong to me w/ a bit too much "overscan". Still, these things are all addressable w/ a good DVD player and/or set-top box and/or HD availability. Seems to have sub-par build quality. No DVI/HDCP input.

Overall: Are you happy with it? (yes/no) Yes. Very happy w/ it since it's the most/best TV I can afford right now, especially given my priority for DVD and HD viewing. Once you get HD for regular TV viewing, you won't want to look back.