HDTV Reviews Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Hdmi Inputs’

Apogee HDMI 3×1 Mini Switcher v1 3b Full HD 1080p 25m Amplified with External IR Receiver Remote Control

HDMI 3-Port Mini Switch HDTV Digital Video Switcher v1.3b – 25m Amplified w/ External IR Receiver with Remote Control, HDCP: HDMISWM (Gold-Plated, Retail)

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Exactly as advertised
For about $20, my expectations weren’t too high, but this product has done everything the description says it will do. There’s three HDMI inputs on the “front” and one output on the “back” (front and back distinctions are at your discretion). Simply hook up your devices and then connect to your upstream television or other video display device. The box takes care of switching back and forth or you can use the included 3-button remote to manually swap.

It all works perfectly. The device does take about 30 seconds to notice that my Xbox 360 has been shut down, but I don’t know if that’s the fault of the box or if the 360 doesn’t close off the HDMI port until the final moment.

5 Stars Works like a charm!
Very nice unit for a very reasonable price. Does the job as advertised. Small size is handy for those with an aversion to clutter.

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LG 32LH20 32 Inch 720p LCD HDTV Gloss Black

The LG LH20 Series is an entry-level LCD HDTV series featuring 720p native resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. The series is ISFccc ready and includes two HDMI inputs for connection to high definition devices. A feature-rich HDTV in a size for every room. Invisible Speaker System – Fine tuned by renowned audio expert Mr. Mark Levinson, LG TVs utilize a unique speaker system that delivers a clean, polished look and enhanced audio with a wider sound field. Screen Size – 32 (31.5 Diagonal) Native Display Resolution – 1366 x 768 Brightness – 450 cd/m2 Dynamic Contrast Ratio – 30,000 – 1 Viewing Angle – 178 / 178 Response Time – 6ms True Viewing Angle – 178 degree / 178 degree Typical Life Span – 60,000 hr Built-In Tuner – Yes (ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM ) A/V Inputs/Outputs – RF In, Composite In, Component In, Optical Out, 2 HDMI In, PC RGB In, PC Audio In, RS-232c In, USB Invisible Speaker System Details – 1 Way 2 System (10W + 10W) Dimensions (WxHxD) – 31.7 x 20.8 x 3.1 (without stand); 31.7 x 23.0 x 8.8 (with stand) Weight – 22.9 lbs. (without stand); 25.4 lbs. (with stand)

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Not good for SD TV
I ended up purchasing this TV over a comparable Samsung model as it was cheaper and I liked the “Energy Saving” button on the remote for ease in adjusting brightness.

My biggest problem is SD channels look fuzzy. HD channels of course look bright and beautiful – however, as Comcast only offers about 10 HD channels – the rest look blurry! And I understand that that’s a common problem with HDTVs. I also understand some HDTVs handle SD better than others – I don’t think the LG handles it very well.

Another issue I have with this TV are the black levels. I bought this TV to replace a 5 year old 18″ AOC LCD TV and it lacks in picture quality, however its black levels are actually better than the LG’s! I switched back and forth several times while watching, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and I adjusted the settings on the LG – the black was much darker on my old AOC and the picture seemed richer because of it – the LG seemed washed out.

I researched this LG model and found how its black levels were not rated as highly as the Samsung. I think a little extra money would be worth it to have better black levels.

I also don’t care for the matte screen. It does reduce glare but I think picture quality is sacrificed.

5 Stars Great first LCDTV
This was my first LCD TV purchase so I wasn’t too sure what I was getting myself into. I did some extensive research and was trying to decide between this LG and a similar Panasonic LCD TV for about the same price. After going to the store and seeing pictures from both TVs I went with the LG because it definitely looked better than the Panasonic in person.

After experiencing this TV for a couple weeks, I can say that I’m definitely happy with my decision. The picture and sound quality are superb. The pre-set picture settings are really handy and I actually found the standard setting to produce a better picture than anything I tried to set on my own. While it may not have all the bells and whistles that many similar TVs have, it’s picture and sound cannot be beat for the same price. I find myself wanting to watch more TV just to see how clear the HD channels come in. I’ve even had a lot of comments from guests about how nice the TV set itself looks, not to mention the superior picture it produces. For an LCD TV it also has great sound that comes from its “invisible speakers,” which makes for an even better experience. I highly recommend this LCD TV for anyone looking to get a lot of bang for their buck.

5 Stars Works for me
This was our first LCD TV and we are pretty happy with it. It is in our rather small bedroom a couple of feet from the foot of the bed and to tell the truth it is really too big. We could have gotten a 26″ or even a 22″. One review mentioned the sound, actually it is the best built in TV sound I have heard. Another review mentioned a wobbly stand. There are four screws you have to put in after pushing in the mounting piece, I guess if you have brain damage and refuse to do anything correctly ever in your life, yours might wobble too. The screen looks great from all possible angles, the only thing I would change is that the images look oversharpened sometimes. I don’t know if that is the signal we are getting, or something the TV is doing, or if we might even be able to change it if we hunted through menus for a couple of days. Not to say that the menus are hard to handle, it is probably no better or worse than any other in that respect, it’s just that engineers generally get carried away. I was disappointed that content from our local stations is not HD, or is still 4:3 format with jaggy graphics. I guess they are just too cheap. But network content getting our signals over the air is pretty much full screen and immaculate. The control is sturdy, simple and well laid out. For example, the buttons are different shapes and sizes, and the power button is well separated from the channel change button. If we move this set elsewhere and get a smaller one for the bedroom, I would get the same thing.

5 Stars Excellent TV for the money
I bought this with birthday money and it is worth every penny. I don’t watch too much TV but got it mostly to use as a monitor for my laptop. It doesn’t come with a VGA cable but you can pick one up at Target like I did for about $15 which isn’t bad considering how useful it is. The TV came very well packed and was extremely easy to put onto the stand. I don’t intend to wall mount it and the stand it came with is very stable and I have it sitting on a desk 3 feet off the ground. The TV also swivels on the stand about 45 degrees. Since the resolution is only 720p its not great for a monitor but it isn’t bad at all. Text is sometimes hard to read but that is easily fixed by enlarging text in your web browser.

I went to several [...] looking for the right TV. I watch a lot of sports and a lot of the TVs in the stores had so much motion blur during fast motion it would’ve been very upsetting to purchase such an awful TV. I think the problem was the screen refresh time because most of the TVs in the store had a 6ms refresh time while this has 4. If you plan on watching sports or fast action movies do not get anything higher than 4ms or you will be disappointed. I really liked the Samsung but in the end decided I didn’t want to pay neither the CA sales tax nor the CA recycle tax so I decided to purchase online. If you don’t have a large sales tax or a BS recycle tax then you might be better off purchasing in the store so you don’t have to wait for it. Strangely enough very few stores carry LG but I decided to take a risk and buy it online and it has paid off very nicely. I wouldn’t even think of trading this for another one (that is until 3D TVs come out).

As a TV it is great all around and the menu offers a variety of settings so you can really play around and see what suits you best. The energy saving feature is another plus that goes above and beyond what I got this for. I am using about a 20 year old set of bunny ears and I can get most local stations in HD though your mileage may vary depending on where you live. Don’t waste $$ on an “HD antenna” if you don’t need it–it’s just a cruel marketing ploy to get you to buy something a standard set of bunny ears will get you just fine.

The only drawbacks I found with this TV is that it has no jack for earphones and it only has 2 HDMI plugs. I don’t use HDMI for my set up so its not really a drawback for me but it may be for others. Since I mainly use the TV with my computer I just use my computer’s earphone jack but since the volume on this TV has a great range, I found I don’t really need earphones as it can be heard just as clearly at a low volume as it can at a higher volume. The speakers give it a surround sound type feel and since they are “hidden”, I think it looks better aesthetically than say a Vizio that has them jutting out on the bottom.

Overall its a great TV for the price and I would purchase again if given a second chance.

5 Stars My First HDTV
Well after much research and a budget in mind LG 32LH20 got my attention and kept my attention. I was looking for more bang for my buck while getting quality in return without going over budget. So many brands to choose from yes but Although I fell in love with Vizio the audio was lacking and the contrast ratio was small compared to LG and I love Samsung but they were out of my budget. LG had the best picture quality with a high contrast ratio and tweaks galore to adjust the picture as you see fit. the audio is top notch for a 32 inch. so for the best picture and audio for the 32 inch Lg was the way to go for me. I also like the invisible speakers and the ports in the back its very clean looking and out of the way. I’m a big movie buff so I brought a blu-ray player as well. Lg I’m a happy man!

Sincerely,

Mark- Hackensack, NJ

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Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC P42S1 42 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

When it comes to best image quality in a TV at an affordable range, Plasma screens deliver the best contrast ratio and color depth. This Viera plasma includes the new NEO plasma display panel with improved blacks and native contrast of 40,000:1. Neo PDP combines advances for plasma in cell structure, process technology, and new drive technology. Neo PDP is eco-friendly. It’s engineered to save power and double the luminance efficiency. It offers thinner screens than previous plasma flat panels. NEO technology screens are rated to have a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours. This is more than 30 years of viewing when watched for 8 hours a day, before the TV reaches half brightness. It also has 1080p resolution with 600Hz sub-field drive and Gaming Mode. With all these advances, why settle for an average picture when the Viera plasma display offers so much more. Did you know that some HDTVs deliver considerably less than 1080 lines of resolution, when processing fast motion on screen? VIERA S1 Series Plasma HDTVs ensure full-time 1080 TV lines of resolution, even during fast moving scenes in sports and movies. VIERA Image Viewer provides a better way to share your digital photos. Just pop your SD memory card into the handy slot, and instantly display your digital photos for friends and family to enjoy. With VIERA Link, you can control your compatible Panasonic DVD recorder, Blu-ray Disc player, home-theater sound system and HD camcorder, all with a single remote and helpful on-screen menus. VIERA Image Viewer VIERA Link AR (Anti-Reflective) Filter Game Mode 3 HDMI Inputs 100,000-Hour Panel Life

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars very good
I’m very happy with this TV. Even SD looks great, which was my big concern. Highly recommended.

5 Stars Great TV
We had originally planned on purchasing this television in store after researching for weeks. For the price at amazon it was too good to pass up. Great television, crystal clear picture and a great price. I would go with plasma over LCD any day and this is the best of the best.

4 Stars Panasonic Is Good But Could Be Better
It has been about 4 months since I purchased this TV. I also have a Samsung LN46A650 LCD TV that I purchased from Amazon a year ago. Delivery on both was very good although the delivery person for the Panasonic didn’t know too much about setting up and connecting the set. The jack marking was confusing but togeather we worked it out. The Panasonic has vivid deep colors and I think the picture is a little sharper than the Samsung. The colors on the Samsung are however more true to life. The Samsung has more color adjustments available including flesh tone which allows better color reproduction. Maybe I am too picky but the Panasonic tends to reproduce flesh tones with a slight green tint on darker scenes and a rose tent on some others. Most scenes are OK however. The Samsung has much better sound. The Panasonic sound has a hollow characteristic. This may be due to the angle of the speakers and I have it a few inches from a flat wall. The viewing angle of course is better on the Panasonic plasma. The Samsung starts to wash out if you get over 30 degrees away from straight on viewing. A word of coution when shopping for a TV. In stores the LCD sets are usually set on vivid. This greatly helps the viewing angle. When you adjust it for normal in home viewing wash out is more apparent. Standard def. programing seems to be somewhat better on the Panasonic. Both are good on HD with the Panasonic maybe a slight bit sharper. Both are good TVs and when I am watching either one I think that it is the best.

5 Stars Great Picture
This Plasma is really good. I looked at different TVs at Best Buy and Plasmas look as good as the LCDs and don’t cost as much. I have Dish Network and in HD these work really well. The color is really great. A swivel stand would be great, but other than that no complaints.

5 Stars Very Satisfied
Extrememly satisfied with purchase.

Easy assembly. Great crisp, clear, picture. No glare.

Good view from all angles. Audio is fine (good sound, but not as high quality as picture)

I had got the 42″ due to space limitations, but now realize that I could have fit a larger TV in my rooms corner. This was the most common regret I read about in reviews before my purchase, and sure enough I feel the same.

All in all, a great tv at a great price!

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Sony Bravia L Series KDL 26L5000 26 Inch 720p LCD HDTV Black

Delivering crisp, clear picture quality, the 26-inch BRAVIA L-Series HDTV provides vivid 720p resolution, a dynamic contrast ratio of 13,000:1 and ample HD connections, including 3 HDMI inputs and 1 PC input. The perfect solution for your bedroom, kitchen or office, the BRAVIA L-Series also includes Dynamic Backlight Control, which automatically controls overall image brightness and reduces power consumption by up to 50 percent. BRAVIA Link compatibility – connect optional BRAVIA Link modules, including BRAVIA DVD Link, BRAVIA Wireless Link, and BRAVIA Input Link (not included) BRAVIA Sync capability – combines the one-touch access and control functionality of BRAVIA Theatre Sync 24p True Cinema mode provides a direct connection to 24p video sources ATSC/NTSC tuner with QAM VESA compatible hole spacing 5.1 Channel Audio Out Dolby Digital Audio Power Output – 16W (8W X 2) Power Consumption (in operation) – 75 W Power Requirements (voltage) – AC 120V In the box – RM-YD028 Remote Control Batteries (AA x2) AC Power Cord (attached) Operating Instructions Quick Setup Guide Warranty Card Pedestal (separate) Screws (4 ea.) for Pedestal Unit Dimensions – 26.75 x 17.9 x 3.75 in, 26.75 x 19.125 x 8.75 in (with pedestal); Weight – 19.2 lbs., 22 lbs. (with pedestal) Manufacturer’s 1-year labor and parts warranty

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Nice picture; the remote needs work
I picked up a 19-inch Samsung to mount on the wall in the kitchen. It turned out to seem a little small. As others have said, when you go from a tube TV to a flat screen, you get much more TV in much less space. Anyway, I returned the Samsung. I was going to get a 22-incher, but was convinced to move up to 26. The TV is nice. These might be minor complaints—but we have basic cable…with the Samsung, the local HD channels (ABC, CBS, NBC & Fox affiliates, and a few more) were on the corresponding channels with our cable guide—the CBS affiliate was channel 202, etc; with the Sony, the local HD channels are all over the place—channel 77.2, channel 123.7, etc. Also, the remote is poorly designed, in my opinion. The jump button is one of the best inventions ever. Why does this remote have it way at the bottom of the device, where it’s hard to hold/manipulate. The + and – channel buttons are also at the bottom. It would be nice to have those buttons in the middle of the remote.

So far, so good with the picture. The HD channels are really nice. The non-HD ones come in fine, but they’re really nothing special to look at. I don’t care for increasing the size of the image to fill the screen—that makes it look distorted.

4 Stars Great TV at a Great Price
We looked at a lot of tv’s in this size prior to this purchase and this was the best bang for the buck. Looks sheek and the name speaks for itself. Have had a little problem with sound, not sure if it is the tv or the satellite dish connection.

4 Stars Solid Entry-Level HDTV with great Quality
I absolutely love this thing… not everyone has room or a budget for something 30″+ 40″++ or lives somewhere with vaulted ceilings. At this size, it’s perfect for a bedroom or small den. Love the look– the piano black is lovely and matches other Sony products if you happen to have them (a small theater system and Playstation 3, in my case). While shopping around, I realized that a 1080p would be overkill for a smaller area and were much costlier, and this is a great choice if you care about product brand when making larger purchases while still getting all the features you’d expect out of fancier models of others. Are you paying a little more for the name? Likely, but that can be important for a lot of people, too.

Upgrading to a full HD television service is not in the works for me right now and I mostly purchased this for Blu-Ray and the Playstation 3, but normal cable still looks great and this Bravia series has an absolutely great screen display on ‘wide zoom’ to where you can get a full-screen image without strange stretching and you can still even read the tickers on news or sports channels.

Critiques? The sound is somewhat disappointing with iffy bass and muddled clarity, which could get to movie fans. A few things can be frustrating such as channel change time and its dimming feature… sometimes it almost feels like you have to go through a few too many menus, as well. I think the dimming is great the majority of the time, but it outsmarts itself by readjusting because the TV changes the nearby ambient itself with a white picture! These confusions could be troublesome to the non technologically-inclined who just want to turn something on and channel-hop, which is the only reason I can’t give a 5/5. Still, there’s no reason I wouldn’t highly recommend it.

5 Stars Great for the money
Super TV, great HD for the money. Sound quality is good, but not great.

5 Stars Sony Magic
Purchased the smaller screen so we could fit it in existing cabniet. Very pleased with the product, great picture. Took some effort to learn how to use new features along with an older model VCR player.

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Sony BRAVIA W Series KDL 40W5100 40 Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV

Packed with innovative features, the 40″ BRAVIA W Series incorporates the latest in HDTV performance into a slim and stylish design. Personalize your entertainment experience and access the latest news, weather, stocks and sports information with BRAVIA Widgets. You can also stream on-demand entertainment including hit movies and TV shows with BRAVIA Internet Video. Additionally, the W Series comes with the newly developed BRAVIA Engine 3 for enhanced overall image detail and Motionflow 120Hz refresh rate technology for a crisp, more natural viewing experience while watching fast-paced scenes. Networked TV Guide Interactive Program Guide HD input x 7; Four HDMI inputs ATSC/NTSC tuner with QAM S-Force Surround Sound Dolby Digital Power Consumption (in Operation) max. – 205 W Power Requirements (voltage) – AC 120-240V 24p True Cinema Technology Audio Power Output – 20W (10W+10W) VESA Hole Pitch – 300×300 M6 In the box – Remote Control RM-YD027 Batteries (Type AA x2) AC Power Cord (separate) Screws (4) for Stand Operating Instructions Quick Setup Guide Warranty Card Table Top Stand (separate, assembly required) Unit Dimensions – 37 3/4 x 25 5/8 x 12 inches (with pedestal); Weight – 42.1 lbs (with pedestal) Manufacturer’s limited 1-year labor & parts warranty

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