Please listen to my (long) tale of woe...and offer advice (Toshiba TV issue) (1 Viewer)

[EGM]

Back in the early ages of 1999-2000, before the turn of the century…
A man budgets and saves, saves and budgets and finally is able to purchase a television he deems satisfactory for his humble home theater. The model? The Toshiba Cinema Series CN36Z71, a model he would soon learn was plagued with the dreaded moiré problem.
The man is undaunted, he spent his hard-earned cash on this TV and damn it, Toshiba was going to fix it. After two techs and two failed attempts, Toshiba stands behind their product, and in lieu of being able to fix the set, replaces it with a higher-end model, the HDTV-ready CN36X81!! The man is elated, and satisfied. The picture is beautiful, and the television works flawlessly…until…
The man discovers a small problem; the S-video inputs don’t work! Not a real issue for him, he connects his video sources through the component inputs. After going without a TV for two months, he figures live and let live and does what any normal American male would do in a similar situation…he ignores it.
He loves the picture, loves the TV, no complaints except for the S-video inputs. Less than a year goes by, and the man decides that before his warranty runs out, he’s going to get those S-video inputs fixed. Toshiba says no problem, but they need to take the entire set to the tech. Man figures…small sacrifice for peace of mind…
TWO MONTHS PASS…no TV, tech and Toshiba can’t figure out how to fix it. Toshiba says not to worry, everything will be fine. Man is patient and is about to go on vacation, so he figures, OK. Toshiba sends a fix to the tech, but the tech screws up and resets the entire board in the set WIPING OUT THE WHOLE DAMN THING. This leaves the man with a 187-pound paperweight.
Toshiba again stands behind their product. They don’t have any new boards lying around, but they do have the best tech in the nation in Chicago. He will reprogram the board, send it back and the set will be as good as new. “Good plan” the man thinks. Toshiba promises to get the set back right after the man gets back from a two-week vacation.
The man goes on vacation, comes back only to find yet another mishap has occurred. En route to the master tech in Chicago some inept carrier broke the board in two.
No board, no replacement, no fixed TV, no 36X81 to replace it.
Toshiba again takes full responsibility and makes an attractive offer to the man. THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN…
They will replace his CN36X81 with his choice of the 40H80 (16:9), 43HX70 (4:3) or 50HX70 (4:3).
I will now step in and stop talking about myself in the third person… I am happy that Toshiba has been so good with customer service, but am now torn. I need feedback from anyone that owns any of these sets, particularly the 40H80 which I am leaning toward choosing.
Thanks for your time and any feedback is welcome…
GM

 

[Mike Gamber]

TAKE THE 40!

 

[Mike Veroukis]

Greetings!
Now THAT is bad luck! Ouch! Well, maybe it's a blessing in disguise. If my set ever craps out, I think I'll wait until the warranty is just about to expire and hope they give me a new set!
But seriously... I'm no expert, but the three sets that you've mentioned I believe are really all the same set with different screen sizes. I think there are SOME differences between the H and HX like stretch modes. Obviously, the stretch mode does not exist on the HX70 series. Someone with an H series might be able to tell you if those have anamorphic squeeze. The HX series does have it, but only on a 1080 signal (ie, not with most DVD playes). :-(
As an owner (well, my dad actually owns it, but I set it up and take care of it) of a 50HX70 I can say it's a great TV. We have yet to tweak the hell out of it, but it's pretty good even out of the box, IMHO. Once we get our cabinets and basement fixed up we'll configure it and from what I understand, it will be much better. Honestly, the only thing that dissapointed me was the 2-3 pulldown fiasco, but that should get fixed soon (I hope). Just make sure if you get one of these sets that it was built after Feb 2001.
So really, I think what it comes down to is what screen size do you want? Wide screen? Go with H. Otherwise, the 50HX70 is a great option.
"Choose wisely"
- Mike
[Edited last by Mike Veroukis on July 13, 2001 at 01:47 PM]

 

[Nathan_H]

Those sets are all fine options.
Personally, I'd go with the 50HX70 since most of the DVDs I watch are 4:3.
The size of the 40H80 and the 43HX70 showing an anamorphic movie are about the same -- but the resolution will be better on the 40H80, since you're getting all 480 lines, whereas on the 43HX70, since it doesn't do the squeeze, you're relying on the downconversion in your DVD player, and losing a third of the resolution.
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[EGM]

Thanks guys...
I am really leaning toward the 40H80 because of its 16:9 format and the fact that it is not a massive beast like the 50HX70.
I live in an apartment and the 134 pound 40H80 will actually be 53 pounds lighter than my now useless 36X81.
I don't think that the 217 pound 50HX70 is a realistic option for me right now.
However, for the sake of argument, how well does the 50Hx70 handle 16:9 material?
GM

 

[Ron-P]

I'd say the 40H80 all the way. But it really depends on what your viewing material is like. Mostly 4:3 or DVDs.
Sorry to hear of all that bad luck, at least Toshiba is doing what they can to make it right for you.

En route to the master tech in Chicago some inept carrier broke the board in two.

I'd sure like to know how that happened. Wonder if he sat on it?
Peace Out~

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The Green Room | Rons DVDs
[Edited last by Ron-P on July 13, 2001 at 03:23 PM]

 

[Mike Veroukis]

I can say that the 50HX70 does a great job even without the squeeze. I've read comments on the forum here where some say that a well calibrated HX70 rivals the picture quality of the Sony's which DO have the squeeze. Obviously, the HX would be that much better if it had the sqeeze, but it does not (except for 1080i material like i mentioned above).
I think quality wise, the H and HX are pretty much dead on. All you have to do is decide what screen size to get.
However, here's an idea for you. In just a little while Toshiba will make available the 2002 models. Their entire line of HDTVs have been dramatically improved. I would propose to Toshiba that they give you one of those instead, EVEN if you have to pay the difference in value. Think of it is a VERY affordable upgrade to the latest and the greatest. They might not agree to this however since the models they are offering you are being cleared and they will probably not see much profit on them either way. But it's something you might want to consider. I hear the 50HX81 (which replaces the 50HX70) has some really nice new features that improve both image and audio quality. Good luck!
- Mike