Beautiful TV! From the picture to the bezel, just perfect., March 30, 2008

I’ve had this TV since very early March. I’ve watched HD, SD and Blu-Ray and can not find a flaw. The 650 handles motion extremely well to where blurring and other artifacts are vitually non-existant. The AMP is a very cool feature that brings a realism to film making it seem more life-like, or as if it were originally shot on HD Video. Some have said this gives off a "soap opera" effect. I can see that description, but to me it makes film based DVD’s and movies look more like your watching a real-life play, viewing it through a window. It’s a very cool effect!

I understand people’s concern’s with the glossy screens found on plasma and some LCD’s. This screen is slightly less reflective than Samsung’s 71 series but can still be a problem for some. It would be nice if there was an easy solution for this but there’s not. Sony and other makers use a matte type of screen that certainly helps or eliminates the problem but introduces other negatives. I find colors and blacks just don’t "pop" on matte screens and tend to wash out more for off-angle viewing. The 650 has a picture with great depth and color from any angle, greatly adding to the immersion effect.

Much talk has been about the TOC bezel. I think Samsung has hit it out of the park with this. I absolutely love the red. I think it adds just a touch of class. It sets this tv apart from all others(though the picture quality already does this) while still being very subtle and retaining the ability to blend in with any decor. Most people who’ve come to my home do not even notice the red until I point it out. I’m a little tired of every set looking the same with either a piano black bezel or flat black. This is a very welcome change.

I like many other suffered the shut-off issue. As has been mentioned it appears Samsung has fixed the issue with a firmware update. I’ve updated the FW and so far so good. It was annoying but not a huge deal to me. Samsung should be commended for how quickly they addressed the issue. I received several calls from upper level officials that were very concerned with my problem. I’ve never had this level of service from any other manufacturer. Well done Samsung! A side effect of the FW update is that the AMP processing received a boost. Before the FW update I usually had AMP on low at all times and would occasionally put it on High. Now, I still use it at the low setting most times but will put it on Medium occasionaly, and find the High setting a bit much for me. I can put it on High without most of the annoying artifacts people have desribed the 71 series has, which is nice, nut the actual effect is bit much for me.

Overall, this is best the LCD on the market. I can’t see Sony or any of the other manufactures making a better TV this year. They may match it perhaps, but certainly won’t surpass it. For those that were on the fence waiting to buy until the shut-off issue was fixed, your wait is over. Buy with complete confidence and enjoy one of the best TV’s out there!

Nice but could be better, April 14, 2007

I’m not an expert reviewer but a reasonably knowledgeable electronics consumer. Here are my observations from a week’s use of the LNT3253H. I won’t repeat the specifications and the like that you can find most anywhere. I suspect that some of what I say is applicable to other panel sizes in the 2007 53 series.

A successor to last year’s popular 51 series, the 53 is really more of an updated version of 2006’s highly rated LNS3296 with a little more contrast and one more HDMI port and a USB port. (I was told by Samsung customer service, 1-800-726-7864, that the successors to the latter line will be 1080p.)

PROS
Sharp picture with vibrant color in HD. Subjectively: when viewing HD feeds in the showroom, the 2006 version of the Sony Bravia XBR has better picture processing than this model, and the 2007 Toshiba Regza is comparable to the LNT3253.

Very high quality panel with no dead pixels. It is said that Sony and Samsung LCD panels come from the same Samsung plant. My set was manufactured (probably assembled) in Mexico.

Uses the desirable Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) according to Samsung customer service.

Nice contrast; I was told by many people, though, that dynamic contrast has a bit of marketing hype to it so just don’t buy an LCD model because the dynamic contrast is slightly better than a competitor’s. Sony avoids talking about it and their Bravia sets produce excellent pictures.

2 RF inputs, one for antenna and the other for cable/satellite. Competitors I’ve seen don’t have that feature in their 2007 32" sets.

Digital tuner is high quality; very sensitive. Let me clarify that the digital ATSC tuner will receive analog NTSC signals. That’s not entirely clear from the product specs, and competitors usually indicate their tuners are ATSC/NTSC/QAM. This HDTV does all of that.

Remote is logical and easy to use; better than the 2007 Regza’s (I didn’t compare it to the Sony’s). Nice that the Samsung recognizes input sources and allows one button scrolling through connected ones rather than having to go to a menu. Don’t know if source labeling or picture settings by source are available.

Audio: pretty typical, meaning not superb but adequate.

For the most part, a well-engineered and elegant set with nice touches, like unobtrusive function buttons in the front (some other manufacturers like Sharp and Toshiba just don’t get it that some sets will go into tight spaces like cabinets; they put the on-board function buttons on the top or side of the unit–how inconvenient).

CONS
The single pedestal stand is a nice piece of engineering but could not be securely fastened to the set I purchased, so it was wobbly and, worse, made the set noticeably sag to one side. I checked two other display units in electronics stores and discovered that they did wobble. Other 32" sets from Sony, Sharp, and Toshiba, while not capable of turning on their pedestals, are solidly anchored. I don’t know whether it’s a design or manufacturing flaw — or both.

720p resolution, 8 ms response time, and 10-bit processing. Most experts seem to think there’s really no discernable difference in 32" sets between 720p and 1080p at typical viewing distances of 8 to 10 feet. I disagree; there is a difference to my eyes. Eight ms response is good, but 6 ms is better for action scenes. Samsung touts 10-bit processing on last year’s 96 series models, but not on this one (which Samsung customer service confirmed to me it has). Perhaps that’s because competitors are upping the ante with 14-bit and better processing.

Blacks are not as black as they should be on this set, and most annoying, there is some residual image on occasion. The test: MGM’s lion logo goes immediately to black for about a second before a program begins. On my 19" Samsung Synchmaster LCD, the black stays black after the logo disappears. Same thing on my 12 year-old Panasonic direct-view (CRT) 32" set. Not so on this set; a residual reverse image of the MGM logo lingers on the black screen.

Legacy analog from over-the-air analog broadcasting and VCR is substantially lower quality than on my analog set. I know that Samsung claims its engine helps make analog pictures look sharper, and they do when DNIe is turned on, but they’re still disappointing when compared to a quality analog set. (Digital broadcasts and DVDs are fine; I use the excellent Sony DVP-NS75H upscaling DVD player.)

An audio nit: My old Panasonic TV allowed control of the sound level output and muting of the home theater receiver from its remote. This set’s remote does not do that, requiring the use of the receiver’s remote for volume control and muting. The Samsung’s is supposed to be universal, though, and might be programmed to do so. Another nit: Muting is not 100% complete. There was slight sound leakage in all muting situations (both from the remote and "internal muting") on my set. It seemed like Lilliputians had taken up residence inside the set.

NOTES
You can turn off the obtrusive (to me) bottom blue light if desired from the menu.

Samsung has some info on their website about the unit, including the product manual (very nice–why can’t competitors do something this simple and helpful?).

The power cord is detachable from the set (yes!). It’s three-pronged, with a grounding prong (reflects Samsung’s monitor heritage?).

A brief note about size for those of you changing from old-style analog direct-view sets to an LCD like this. A 32" analog set is a 4:3 ratio set; while a 32" HDTV LCD set is "widescreen" at the theater-like 16:9 ratio. What this means in practice is: on your old analog set some DVDs and broadcast HDTV programs are centered on the set with black bars at the top and bottom (some DVD players will allow you to "zoom" and crop the picture to fill up the set, but you lose program’s side action). They should fit just fine in your new LCD, though. Analog content that fills up the screen of your old analog 32" set is centered with black bars at the sides on your new LCD set. In effect, with older content, it’s like watching a program on a 26" set, not a 32" set, according to the experts. I hope this isn’t too confusing. The bottom line for me: when replacing a 32" analog set, think about going to a larger 37" or 40" LCD set if your budget and shelving can manage it.

I discovered that my AmEx and Master Charge extend the in-home parts and labor service warranty for an additional year; my Visa does not, so it might be a good idea to check with your credit card company prior to purchase.

There were a few issues with the LNT3253H that surfaced during the week that I owned it. I strongly recommend thoroughly previewing (kicking the tires, as it were and checking your preferences) this or any other large screen TV before buying it from any online retailer (BTW, it seems that most of them will not accept returns). You may wish to check with Amazon customer service to find out exactly what the return and refusal policies are, since, as many of you know, once you hit the "buy" button you may get the dreaded "your order is being processed, you can’t make any changes" message if you change your mind.

The set and box are not heavy and can be handled reasonably well by one person.

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As Always - SONY, No Baloney, November 25, 2007

I’ve been buying Sony TVs for more than 30 years, and they rarely disappoint. The 40" Bravia is no exception. Last year I bought the 70" SXRD model for my living room, and the 40" is for the bedroom. Many televisions are high quality and prices are dropping, so why get the Sony?

Picture quality is excellent, especially in high def.

Sound quality is very good without a home theater setup. Not always the case with flat panel TVs with small bezels.

Remote is well laid out and easy to use (although it does lack backlighting, but I have no trouble finding the buttons I want in the dark). It’s easy to change between the 4 programmable picture settings or screen aspect ratios. Sleep timer button is right up on top when your ready for bed and is in 15 minute increments.

It has 2 HDMI inputs for easy connection of compatible devices and several other inputs. You can customize the display to choose between only the inputs you are using and label them appropriately (so it’s easy to switch between my TiVo, DVD player, TV and cable box, and hide the other inputs)

There’s a zillion other settings that I haven’t figured out all of yet, but most are relatively intuitive (except PnP, which has me baffled so far).

I got the flat panel LCD because it uses less power and generates less heat than a plasma, and won’t burn-in (although plasmas have improved). The screen doesn’t reflect as much, and has a wide viewing angle.

For viewing from about 6 feet, the 40" size is perfect.

Lots of other things I could say about this TV, but it’s all good. You can’t go wrong with this model. Also highly rated in Consumer Reports, the consumer’s bible…

Amazon shopping tip: Amazon offers price protection for 30 days from date of purchase. After you buy this, put it in your cart again and check your cart regularly for a month. The price goes up and down almost daily. When you go to your cart you will be notified of price changes. If it goes down, grab the phone and call for a credit. I paid $1630 a couple of weeks ago and the price has gone as low as $1450, so I’ve gotten $180 in refunds. Delivery and unpacking are free, and combine with excellent customer service, making buying from Amazon a no-brainer.

I’m delighted with Sony and Amazon for this purchase.

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So Far, So Good., March 30, 2008

I ordered the Samsung LN46A550, sight unseen, from Electronics Expo based upon the price/performance ratio and the fact that Samsung HDTV’s have always struck me as having the best image quality. So far, I’ve not been disappointed. For a price just under $1600, this is undoubtedly an awful lot of TV for the money. First and foremost, the picture quality is superb. I have spent much time at the Best Buy, Circuit City, and the Electronics Expo for the past 18 months and so I’m not easily impressed. But I’d have to say that the A550 image quality easily rivals the best Pioneer plasmas costing many thousands more. The 30,000:1 contrast ratio helps put the Samsung among the very best of the best. With the `Black Mode’ and `dynamic contrast’ turned up, there’s that sense of looking through a window. The image clarity literally blows away my previous HDTV… which was a Philips.

When turned off, the LCD display is not quite as glossy and reflective as some of the earlier Samsung models. The set comes with the swivel stand pre-assembled and the TV can be lifted by one person without too much trouble. It should be noted that the swivel stand is a very useful feature.

Before turning on the set, I hooked up all the peripheral devices, namely an HD Cable Box, a Panasonic 30K Blu-Ray player, a Toshiba HD-DVD player, and my laptop computer. I then turned the set on, fingers crossed, hoping there wouldn’t be any problems. The first show that appeared on the screen was from an HBO HD movie, Chris Rock’s `I Think I Love My Wife’. Even without any adjustments, the image clarity was jaw-droppingly good. As I’ve stated earlier, it blew away anything I’d ever seen with my previous Philips. I quickly realized that that the picture size needed to be adjusted because the edges were slightly cut-off. The remote allows toggling picture sizes without the need to access a menu. Setting the size at ‘Just Scan’ is probably the best option. Afterwards I adjusted some of the picture settings and of course, things only got better. Oh and I watched the whole Chris Rock movie…it was pretty good.

Next, I watched `Kingdom of Heaven’ in full 1080P using the Panasonic Blu-Ray player. Of course it was spectacular visually. But damn, it’s a boring film. Anyways, there were no `issues’ using the Panasonic player because the 24FPS feature is non-existent on the A550.

Sure, the A550 is not 120HZ. But to some extent, the 120HZ anti-judder filters are a gimmick that add an artificial clarity…turning movies that were filmed into video-game like drawings. Its an interesting effect, to be sure…but I didn’t think it was worth spending an $800.00 for one feature that amounts to `processing’. Indeed, the A550 gives the best image possible from the source material while still looking entirely natural.

As for reliability, the TV has worked flawlessly so far…but I’ve only had it for a day. The PC input worked well: text was crisp at 1920X1080 resolution. But I probably won’t use it as a monitor. About the only negative thing I can say is that the built in speakers are laughably inadequate. Of course you’ll want to have a good external stereo system.

Works well as a computer monitor!, July 25, 2007

 Am I the only one who thinks the pixel size on typical computer monitors is way too small? Fortunately, one can buy HDTVs and essentially choose their pixel size, which is what I did with this 26" Sony Bravia. With my PC, I can run it at 1360 x 768 pixels, and the Bravia is smart enough not to scale it ("1:1 pixel mapping" is what it’s called). In fact, no matter what resolution I send to the Bravia via my computer (600x800, 768x1024), the Bravia shows it unscaled, and this results in a smaller, centered image with black borders. This applies to both the VGA (PC) input and also the HDMI (via a DVI adapter) input.

Also note that I had previously tried using a 26" LG HDTV, but the LG had fuzzy/blurry text on both the HDMI and VGA inputs. Not so with the Sony — text is razor sharp. However, I do note that colored text (e.g., blue text on a white background) will sometimes have some artifacts around the edges — this may be due to the S-PVA panel design… I don’t know. I can live with it, though, especially since there is no problem with black text on a white background.

Comparing this to the other TVs in the stores, I noticed that the colors were "truer" on the Sony than other sets, presumably due to the wide color gamut backlight. I did notice however that the Panasonic set had a more pleasing degradation for off-axis viewing — with the Sony, just a slight change in left/right changed the amount of black detail. The Panasonic image seemed more consistent with slight viewing angle changes (however, the Panasonic didn’t appear to be designed for computer use at all).

As for the TV’s speakers, well, they seem a bit "tinny" — I’ll stick with my computer speakers.

Also, one nice feature is that when using the VGA input, the Bravia will automatically go into standby mode if no signal is fed into it, and power back up when a signal is detected. Unfortunately, this feature does not work when the computer is hooked up via the HDMI input, so one would have to manually turn the TV on or off if you use this input (although I can’t really discern any difference in picture quality between the HDMI and VGA inputs, which is good, because with the LG HDTV I tried, the VGA quality was far worse than HDMI).

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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
Savor the rich colors and superb high definition picture quality of a digital LCD?and enjoy it at an incredible value. The KDL-26S3000 BRAVIA S-Series digital LCD television delivers improved color performance and several picture enhancements thanks to the BRAVIA Engine full digital processor. And the Xross Media Bar on-screen menu system makes is simple to quickly access setup functions and features. For the ultimate convenience, BRAVIA Theatre Sync allows you to control your specially-equipped Sony HDMI components with the touch of a button. Sit back and enjoy an unprecedented level of depth, color and clarity with this 32" Class (31.5" diagonal) BRAVIA S-Series digital LCD HDTV. Beautifully styled and built to the highest standards, this television adds class to any room while its picture makes watching your favorite movies and TV programs even more enjoyable. With the BRAVIA Engine full digital video processor, you immediately notice improved color and sharper details, no matter what you’re watching. For uncompressed, all-digital audio and video integration, this HDTV features HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and PC connectivity that lets you seamlessly hook up compatible PCs and components to the large display. An innovative light sensor also monitors ambient light in the room and automatically adjusts screen brightness, making it much more comfortable for viewing.

BRAVIA Engine Full Digital Video Processor
BRAVIA S-Series LCD televisions use Sony’s BRAVIA Engine full digital video processor for crisp and clear images. Several special picture enhancement technologies are integrated into the processor to create better gradations with more detail, enhance contrast, and dynamically improve color performance. > Digital Noise Reduction Circuits: Reduces block noise and mosquito noise by using pixel-level filtering to reproduce a clean and clear picture. And Motion Vector Noise Reduction reduces just the noise in the video signal for video further reducing unwanted noise and blur artifacts. Digital Contrast Enhancer circuit: Improves contrast by enhancing all areas from dark to bright in parallel with texture control providing a three dimensional picture. > Color Reality signal processing enables the expression of all the colors of life in vivid detail for dark and bright scenes. Details in dark areas of the picture are there, just like they are supposed to be.

Live Color Creation (featuring WCG-CCFL)
Live Color Creation is a special Sony function that achieves precise, wide color reproduction using a combination of advanced chroma signal processing algorithms. A special wide color gamut backlight (WCG-CCFL) is coupled with Sony’s Live Color Creation circuitry. The benefit is clear blues, natural greens and overall vibrant colors in all scenes.

Xross Media Bar (XMB) On-Screen Menu System
Xross Media Bar is Sony’s Emmy Award2 winning on-screen navigation that provides quick access to various set up functions and features. For instance selecting different types of media is made fun and easy by scrolling horizontally across icons until you find the type of media you are looking for. After selecting the media type, a list of its content appears as vertical thumbnails. Key set up menus and features work the same way. The main benefit of the XMB is that users can navigate through on-screen menus without taking their eyes off of their TV.

DMe Compatibility
DMex compatibility allows the connection and operation of a whole new category of products that is being developed by Sony (sold separately). The first of these products is the optional BRAVIA Internet Video Link module.

BRAVIA Theatre Sync
BRAVIA Theatre Sync reduces the hassle and time consuming job of powering up, changing the signal routing, and adjusting other functions to the simple push of one button. All you need to do is to connect BRAVIA Theatre Sync capable products to each other via one HDMI cable. The rest is easy. For instance, the One Push Play function activates by touching the play button on the remote and BRAVIA Theatre Sync takes over from there. The BRAVIA Home Theatre System and TV turn on. The DVD input on the BRAVIA Theatre system and TV activates. The TV mutes. And finally the DVD plays. There are two other BRAVIA Theatre Sync functions - One-Push Theatre Settings, which provides optimal picture and sound settings for movies and One-Push System Shut Down for turning off the entire home entertainment system.

BRAVIA Internet Video Link
The first DMex product to be introduced to the market is the DMX-NV1 BRAVIA Internet Video Link module (sold separately). BIVL, as it is affectionately called, can stream available Internet video from select content providers directly to your TV with a broadband connection3 without the need for a PC.

S-Force Front Surround
S-Force Front Surround is a virtual surround sound experience made possible using just two front speakers in select BRAVIA models. To accomplish this, Sony spent several years studying how our ears work. By understanding exactly how we recognize the origin, direction, volume and timing differences in sound right and left ear, Sony was able to create complex audio processing that delivers dynamic virtual surround sound without the need to bounce sound off walls and back to the listener.

HDMI and PC Connectivity
Designed for maximum versatility, Sony’s BRAVIA S-Series Digital LCD TV line is equipped with a comprehensive range of input interfaces. The HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI technology supports enhanced or High Definition video, together with multi-channel digital audio to provide matchless image and sound reproduction. The HDMI and PC inputs (HD-15-pin) offer easy connection to your PC, allowing you to use your high resolution BRAVIA S-Series Digital TV as a computer monitor.

Product Description
The S Series is the latest offering from the Sony BRAVIA line of high-performance and sleek styling LCD TVs. This 26" LCD panel features the latest in Sony’s unique S-PVA technology, which delivers vivid and accurate colors along with wide viewing angles and a blazing 8ms response time. Other features such as PC input allow the user to connect a PC for viewing content in a 16:9 high resolution environment. And with integrated HDTV capabilities, you can enjoy digital programming with enhanced audio and video reproduction. While the KDL-26S2000 is valued priced, it also offers an elegant flat panel design to place anywhere in your home. CineMotion technology using the reverse 3-2 pull down technology, the Cinemotion feature provides smoother picture movement when playing back movies or other video sources from film sources Favorite Channels with the WEGA GATE function, allows you to navigate a list of up to 16 favorite channels VESA compliant mounting holes Inputs and Outputs - HDMI Connection(s) - 1 Rear (with L/R RCA audio connections) / PC Input(s) - 1 Rear (with D-sub 15 and L/R stereo mini plug connection) / Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr ) Input(s) - 2 (2 rear) / S-Video Input(s) - 2 (1 side/1 rear) rear with Auto S-Video Input Detection / Composite Video Input(s) - 3 (1 side/2 rear) / RF Connection Input(s) - 1 Rear / Audio In - 5 (1 side/4 rear) / Audio Out (Variable/Fixed) - 1 Rear / Digital Audio Output(s) - 1 Rear / Headphone Output(s) - 1 Side Wide Screen Mode allows you to watch 4 - 3 normal broadcasts in 16 - 9 widescreen Unit Dimensions (W x H x D) ? 25 29/32 x 20 5/16 x 8 5/8 (658 x 516 x 219 mm) including pedestal; 25 29/32 x 18 1/2 x 3 23/32 (658 x 470 x 94 mm) including pedestal / Unit Weight 28.7 lbs. (13 kg) including pedestal; 25.25 lbs. (11 kg) without pedestal

Excellent TV for the money, but with some shortcomings. , January 22, 2008

So, you are thinking about buying a new TV, but what to choose? If you are wanting a flat panel TV, you can get either a plasma or an LCD. Plasma can be cheaper, and can give a better picture (at the same price point), but plasma weighs more, uses more power, generates more heat, and can burn images into the screen and ruin the TV (which matters if you view things without distorting and/or cropping the image to fit your screen; if you are spending all this money on a HDTV, do you really want distorted or cropped images?). So, I decided for an LCD.

The Pros of this TV:

This is an excellent TV for the money. It is the newer version of the 42HL67, which was a "Best Buy" in Consumer Reports, at the price of $1150. It has a better viewing angle than most LCDs, and it is capable of producing a superb picture, once you adjust the picture (unfortunately, the presets leave much to be desired for this, so I recommend getting a setup disc to properly adjust the various settings). Most of the picture settings are bad out of the box, though the tint adjustment is perfect right out of the box (at least mine was). You will need to adjust the settings separately for each input. Although that makes it more trouble to set-up, this is actually a good thing, because you may need different adjustments for different sources, and this way, once you properly set it up, you need not readjust when switching sources to compensate for differences in your sources.

The fact that it is only 720p (actually 768p, but let us not quibble) instead of 1080p is only going to be a problem if you sit very close to the screen. Otherwise, it gives all the resolution one can see (if fed a good HD source). And, of course, it gives all the resolution of the source for all non-HD sources (e.g., DVDs, etc.), and 720p HD sources. It is only less than what is possible with 1080i and 1080p sources (though it will accept such signals and convert them to its resolution).

The over-the-air tuner works fairly well, better than other HDTVs that I have tried. It even has a nice signal strength meter to help one adjust one’s antenna. If, like most Americans, you live near a local HD broadcast, you can watch true HD without spending more money than what it costs to get this TV and an inexpensive antenna (I have been using my old antenna that was not designed for HD, and it works fine–and the TV is in my basement!!!–you, of course, should not expect to be so lucky if you put your TV in your basement, but you might be).

All sources look pretty good on this TV, though obviously you will see shortcomings of sources that are less than HD. Analog TV is much worse than 480i digital, which is worse than HD, but, still, it is better with these inferior signals than other HDTVs that I have tried. You will see differences between well made DVDs and poorly made ones. You will be disappointed if you have unrealistic expectations about what it is possible to do with less than ideal sources, but, otherwise, you should be satisfied with the picture you can get with this TV.

The Cons:

The owner’s manual is poorly written. Really poorly written. Many of the controls have no real explanation for what they do! This is one of the worst manuals I have ever seen for electronic equipment, and there are a lot of poorly written manuals out there.

The so-called "universal" remote that comes with the TV does not work on my equipment, even though they are in the list of brands it is supposed to control. It should control my other equipment, but it does not. And since the remote is not a "learning" remote, there is nothing to be done about it. If it does not control your other equipment after trying the settings in the manual, you are simply out of luck. So, don’t count on the remote controlling anything other than the TV itself, though you might be lucky and it might control your DVD player or some other device.

It could use another aspect ratio control to properly view non-anamorphic widescreen DVDs without distortion or cropping (it has one choice that can almost do this ["TheatreWide 2"]; it is generally with minimal cropping which, contrary to what the manual seems to suggest, does not appear to distort the image [I used a test disc with test patterns to see what the various aspect ratios really do]). For undistorted and uncropped 4:3 sources (i.e., the old NTSC or "conventional" aspect ratio), one uses "Natural" (which is also the setting to watch widescreen broadcasts; being "Natural", it keeps the picture in the aspect ratio that it already is). For viewing anamorphic widescreen DVDs undistorted and uncropped, use "Full". Of course, if you like to fill the screen with a distorted and/or cropped image, there are selections for you as well.

This TV, unlike all other HDTVs that I have used, cannot properly handle PAL signals (it simply chops off the bottom of the picture when fed a PAL signal, and the TV says it is receiving a 480i signal instead of the 576i PAL signal). (For those of you who don’t know what "PAL" is, this probably won’t matter, but in case you are curious, PAL is one of the formats of video used in many other countries which is on some DVDs, video tapes, and other such sources made for foreign markets. If the DVD or video tape is made for the U.S. market, even if it is a foreign film, it will NOT be in PAL, so you need not worry about this when shopping at most stores in the U.S.) In my case, I am thinking about buying an upconverting DVD player to deal with this issue, so that I will not be throwing away lines of resolution by converting to NTSC and then sending the image to this TV. If the TV were not otherwise capable of an excellent picture at its price point, this would cause me to return it, but since I can get an upconverting DVD player to deal with this issue, I think it will be okay for me, and can work for some others who want PAL capability, though if one needs it in the TV itself, one will need to look elsewhere (though good luck finding this kind of picture quality at this price).

Overall, the TV is excellent for the money, and its shortcomings are minimal, considering the price and overall quality. I think most people will be happy with it, and given what else is available, I think it is the best at its price point. It is certainly the best I have seen at its price point.

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Product Description
The Toshiba 42HL67U 42" Diagonal REGZA LCD TV has PixelPure 3G 3rd Generation digital video processor to run at a fast 333Mhz with high 14 bit internal processing. PixelPure is capable of producing an amazing 4,096 levels of gradation (16 times greater than an 8 bit processor) for a smooth, natural picture without image banding. PixelPure continuously monitors the incoming video signal, adjusting multiple picture quality parameters including real speed progressive scanning, dynamic gamma, dynamic backlight control and improved dynamic MPEG noise reduction. DynaLight utilizes advanced PixelPure histogram image processing to monitor the brightness level of each video frame, and automatically adjusts the backlight intensity based on the image content. Precise signal analysis allows for 256 levels of backlight control. This creates seamless transitions, and a Dynamic contrast that is up to 5x that of the original panel contrast. The result is a considerably deeper black level for increased detail and depth. CineSpeed LCD panels have the 8ms or faster response speed necessary for cleaner high-action home theater images. A wide 176-degree viewing angle and gloss black cosmetics complement the set in a compact cabinet with a slim SoundStrip speaker system. 4-Modes Dynamic Contrast Static Gamma Color Temperature Control - Cool, Medium, Warm SRS WOW SoundStrip Speaker System Dolby Digital Dynamic Range Control 4-Item Universal Remote PC Support - VGA, 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i & 1080p Ports - 3x HDMI Inputs, 15 Pin D-Sub PC Input, 2x ColorStream HD Component Inputs, 1x Side AV Input, 1x Rear S+AV Input, 1x RF Inputs, 1x Fixed Audio Out and 1x Optical Audio Out Dimensions - Width 40.46 x Height 26.52 x Depth 4.89 / 40.46 x 28.53 x 13.20 with stand Weight - 54.02 pounds / 59.54 pounds with stand

  Great LCD TV, May 8, 2007

When my old 36 inch CRT finally went bust I was ready to upgrade to a flat panel. And after a ton of research I settled on this one. And I think I made a great choice. From what I have read, it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference actually checking out the TVs in the stores because their settings are way off etc etc. This TV was picked as the second best LCD (behind the much more expensive sony) by the CNET editors, and from everything I was able to track down this new TV looked like a winner.

So I just bought online from amazon without actually seeing it in person. Which turned out great! The delivery company (eagle) was very fast and nice (although I did call them and they did NOT have my number-very glad I called). They came in and helped me set it up, and even helped me move my old enormous one out of the way.

The TV is beautiful! HD programming is simply amazing. Just amazing. I have never seen something this nice on TV before. DVDs look just ok compared to it. Like on all HD tvs, standard defintion programming and DVDs don’t look quite as good as on my old CRT, but it is very close. The connectivity is great, (even better than the devices I am connecting it to actually).

The glossy black finish is pretty cool-although it does get dusty pretty fast. And the surround sound is darn good as well. I am extremely satisfied with my purchase.

The only problem I have found so far is that occasionally the sound will go out for some reason. If I change input sources or turn the TV off and then on again it comes back, but still-it is a concern.

UPDATE!

The sound problem was bugging me, and I eventually called samsung customer service. After a few fruitless merry go rounds I was finally directed to something called "Tier 2" customer service. Apparently this sound drop out problemis a known issue with this TV, and they have a very easy firmware update fix. They are overnighting me a thumbdrive with the updated firmware and said that it would entirely fix the sound problem. I think it is pretty cool that they are going so far as to send me an actual thumbdrive with the firmware on it because I don’t have one already.

I am very happy with this fix, but will report back if there are any other problems. I am still absolutely loving the TV, despite this sound problem.

More Information

1. Click here!! for see more detail about Samsung LNT4053H 40-inch LCD HDTV
2. www.atboon.com