Toshiba 46XF550U LCD HDTV
The highly expensive High Definition TV that has underwhelming features is found lacking when it is compared to others of its kind.
It isn?t readily understandable to us how Toshiba might consider its 46XF550U to be already worth selling for two thousand five hundred dollars. With the forty-six and forty-seven inch High Definition TVs included in our 2008 tests for image quality, the model came in at number 5 out of the 9 contenders.
The judges that we had for image-quality have noticed an overly yellow color for the people appearing in our ?According to Jim? segment. Though another judge had found that the clip had a bit too much graininess in it, I personally had been quite awed with the quality of the Mission Impossible 3 movie segment in the Blu-ray format. I, however, considered the Return of the King movie segment shown in standard definition DVD to have been quite negatively affected by its having a bit too much of an oil-painting feel in it.
The 46XF550U possesses a variety of good extra features such as the set tuning in to the DVD player whenever you have just turned it on. This automatic feature works for whatever source is connected to the set at the time. Another good extra is the TV being able to turn on its stand. This feature helps when you?re watching the 46XF550U HDTV from odd directions.
This feature also gives you better access to the input ports found right at the back of the HDTV set. These same input ports, though, are pointed towards the bottom and this lessens their accessibility. The model 46XF550U is compatible with the Regza-Link type of the HDMI Consumer Electronics channel, also known as the CEC channel. This allows one gadget to manipulate another gadget.
The remote control for the 46XF550U possesses a good enough feel and layout to it. The remote control buttons seem to be in need of backlighting but aren?t. The control possesses an element not seen in others like it. In switching to mute, pressing mute the first time only halves the volume of the sound. To fully be muted, it has to be pushed one other time.
The menus for the TV are displayed in the center of the screen. This coupled with the menus being solid blue make that feature not too appealing. The choices such as ?Theater Settings? and ?Auto Aspect Ratio? are also not really given explanations for.
The remote control?s button to bring up the information displays a box that seems too low from where it probably has to be. This makes it quite likely that displaying it would cover up some key part of what you?re viewing.
As of the present time, the manual for the 46XF550U model still cannot be found anywhere online. This just means that no easily searchable version of the manual is available right now to help one readily find the explanations for those options mentioned above.
The printed manual is bulky, is actually written in two languages and has seventy-four pages of it set for the English text. The manual is illustrated in tiny but helpful pictures. No stand-alone guide exists for quickly setting up the 46XF550U model HDTV.
The Toshiba 46XF550U LCD is an HDTV system that a lot of extras and features that makes it a great buy. However, the price alone means that many consumers will avoid it in favor of big screen TV?s that have a fairer price.
If you have an entertainment system setup, make sure that you connect them to this big screen TV to get the best use out of it. Once you turn on your gadgets such as a VCR, Stereo or DVD player, the TV will automatically switch to it, and you can avoid having to search for multiple remotes to switch the input options.
Had the 46XF550U model been a TV sold at bargain prices, then buying it might be something worthy of consideration. However, due to the high price that it has, buying the 46XF550U is a very unwise decision.
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The Samsung FP-T5084 review
This product is one of the best on the market when speaking about quality at a rather low price. The Samsung FP-T5084 makes other HDTVs look unaffordable for their quality because it is only $2400. Its aspect is also very shiny and it will look exceptional in any room. So, if you want to obtain the best quality for the best price, you might want to take a look at this product.
When talking about visuals this HDTV knows how to draw its fans. High definition scenes are amazing; real colors, without any artificial traces will make you feel like the characters are alive. Also, the skin looks remarkably natural, so we can definitely say that everything looks real.
When watching rich color scenes, you may be surprised to see how this HDTV blends everything very good and manages to bring out detailed images. When tested on standard-definition quality, the Samsung FP-T5084 managed to get a good score, making everything smooth with minimum pixilation. So, with a good visual score this HDTV manages to be the best solution at an affordable price. It sure has better visual quality than other products which can be bought with the same price.
Menu features are various: it has predetermined settings like Standard or Movie mode, which look a lot better than choosing the DNIe. When enabling the DNIe you may notice vivid images with rich color; however, they also look artificial so that?s not a very good option. Some may like it; it depends on your taste.
The DNIe actually means Digital Natural Image engine and it helps create the right atmosphere by improving the color aspect and reducing background noise. It also has motion processing which gives a great visual percept to any pictures by making them look sharper.
You can choose the desired image settings in the OSD menu; it has RGB option, offset controls for the White Balance section and a menu called My Color Control; the menu is very useful because it helps you set the pink, green, blue, and white tones. My Color Control menu ensures that you set each color, so you will surely reach the desired image quality.
The design is quite eye catching. It has a shiny look with a chrome touch that will make it suitable for any elegant room. A disadvantage is the fact that things in your room may reflect on the screen, this might distract your attention when watching darker scenes. When talking about the sound quality, there isn?t much to say. Speakers can be found on the TV sides. The sound is ok but the not best audio quality on the market. Sometimes it makes the audio a little bit confusing, so it?s not the best option when looking for the best audio score.
The Samsung FPT5084 also sports one feature that should be included in all big screen television sets. This screen comes fully equipped with Screen Burn Protection and it helps to prevent the burnt in look that takes over a screen if you leave the TV on long enough. A few different options are available and these allow you to choose the method you would prefer to help keep your screen in top health. One option known as scrolling will add designs that move across your screen so that no one section will be stuck on the same color, program or image. Another option called ?white? will place white screen that will protect from burnt in movies that you may leave paused for a long period of time.
You might ask yourself why this product scored so much if it?s not the best. We don?t think it?s the best, we think it?s the best affordable HDTV. It?s solid, has a very nice design, and the price is suitable for any pocket. Of course, picky costumers might not choose it, but if you want the best you can get for a small price, this is your option. The Samsung FP-T5084 gets the job done, and it does it above average, which is very important when comparing it to other products out there.
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Syntax-Brillian Olevia 747i LCD HDTV Review
The universe maintains its balance with the Syntax-Brillian Olevia 747i LCD HDTV's awful design and great image quality. On one hand, the Olevia 747i could be far ahead of its time. On the other hand, it might just be a little too far ahead. Check out the on-screen menus. The 747i gets points for originality with its bolt-shaped interface when you access the remote's menu.
Cute though it might be, you'll be wishing it were less cute if it meant actual practicality. The display is sorely lacking. Something as simple as adjusting the picture quality can be taxing, what with the way the 747i displays just one video option at a given time.
One thing the Olevia 747i has going for it is its impressive picture quality. For that alone, it lands on the third spot out of the nine 46-inch and 47-inch HDTV sets tested at that point, hot on the heels of the Vizio VO47LF (second place) and the Samsung LN46A550 (first place).
A few note-worthy hitches mentioned were the graininess in a few images, and at one point it seemed like Dave Letterman received an unseemly tan in The Late Show clip. Not to make it seem like this set only had bad things to offer. One viewer credited the set for showing a clip of According to Jim and making it look very natural.
The 747i gets top points for sound quality as well. The set poses no difficulty in projecting either quiet or loud sounds, with whispers coming off cleanly and clearly, and music that you can rock out to. The Olevia 747i's speakers are removable, giving users the option to mount them somewhere else for a desired effect, or to connect additional external speakers to the TV.
The remote gives the 747i an added charm, with its brilliant backlighting feature that activates with a press of a button. The buttons are well-spaced and big enough to make life easier for the avid TV surfer.
Besides the most basic features, operating the Olevia 747i can be a pain. The ill-thought design reaches all the way to the back of the set that even locating something as simple as the AC power connector becomes a chore. The quick-start guide is virtually wordless and helpful only enough to tell that it was behind the TV.
The operations manual isn't even on paper. Instead, it's a PDF file that comes along with the CD. And just when you thought it couldn't get more difficult, the PDF file comes in bitmaps of text instead of actual text. Virtually nothing is printed on paper, and the digital information provided is difficult to navigate.
A pleasantly surprising feature of the TV set is the Welcome wizard that appears the first time you turn on your TV. This application asks you if you'll be doing your viewing at home or in a showroom. Unfortunately, this highlights a notorious flaw in most TVs these past few years. They're engineered to look fantastic in a store, but wait until you set it up at home.
While it is a great HDTV that offers good quality for your money, don?t expect to see anything new. This Syntax Brillian Olevia 747i does not have features or a design that makes it stand out from the rest of the TV?s on the market. It is however, seamless and will look great in the room of your choice. However, you will find the included speakers and they can be attached to the sides easily. If you choose to hook up the speakers, they will make the entire screen seem bulkier than usual.
This should be a lesson to Syntax-Brillian and all other HDTV manufacturers. Between easy-to-use or sleek and bizarre, users will always prefer the former over the latter. The bottom line, however, is in its performance and image quality. At that, the Syntax-Brillian Olevia 747i LCD HDTV gets it right.
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