Monitor Reviews

I recently purchased two of the 173P displays for use in a dual-monitor setup. They are truly gorgeous, with respect to both image quality and exterior fit and finish.

Unfortunately, Samsung's choice of the MagicTune software instead of a true hardware-based On-Screen-Display can be problematic. In my case, I wanted to calibrate the displays using my EyeOne system. Now, the first step in any good color calibration process is to accurately set the white point. I expected to use MagicTune to accomplish this, but found it sorely lacking. First, on my DVI connection I got no white point control--there was just nothing to click, a blank spot in the interface! Portrait Displays, the vendor that makes Display Tune (the software OSD rebranded by Samsung as MagicTune) says on their support site that "[the white point] sub menu may not function if you are using the digital connection of your graphics card and monitor". Hmm, rats. OK, how about the analog VGA connection for my secondary monitor? No luck. I found the granularity of the RGB primary adjustments to be very large, such that it was absolutely impossible to get the white point where it needed to be. Either R, G, or B was constantly over or undershooting the target.

Next, I tried using my video card driver's software RGB brightness controls to set the white point. It seemed OK at first, but failed after the profiling process. The white point was wacky on both monitors, and there were large inconsistencies in the color rendition between analog and digital that I couldn't live with. Any attempt to fine tune manually after profiling (again, using the video card controls) only made things worse. Granted, my particular video card setup is partly responsible, but having hardware color control in the monitor would have been REALLY nice at this point.

Finally, I found a solution in a shareware utility called PowerStrip. Among many useful features, it lets you tweak your video card color output (with individual brightness/gamma/contrast/temp controls for all RGB primaries) directly at the hardware level. I set both white points, profiled the monitors, and cleaned up the analog/digital inconsistency post-profiling in just a few minutes.

In spite of my minor ordeal, I really love the 173P and am very satisfied. All other aspects of the MagicTune software are a pleasure to work with--it's a bit odd that color control is so limited. At any rate, workarounds do exist for us color fanatics :)

(NB: my system runs Windows XP w/ a Radeon 9600XT)

After my 21 inch trinitron monitor started to go, i decided it was finally time to jump into the flatscreen arena. My desk is now supporting 50 less pounds, is much more open and i couldn't be happier. All thanks to Samsung's 173P monitor.

For the longest time, i've been one to say, "there's no way any flat screen could ever match (let alone beat) my trinitron in terms of image quality." Once the trinitron began to die, the idea of purchasing a new 60 pound beast with the knowledge that lighter and sleeker looking monitors are availabe, was not too appealing to be honest. So i began to search around online.

Quite quickly, i arrived at the conclusion that i wanted a Samsung LCD. i found an endless supply of accolades for Samsung's LCDs. i thought about the apple cinemawide monitor, but i absolutely despise apple as a company, and the technology in their cinema displays is outdated anyway - thus my decision to go with Samsung was finalized.

I narrowed my choices down to either the 172X or the 173P.

I initially purchased the 172X. The 12ms pixel refresh rate really hooked me. Ghosting has plagued LCD's since they first came about. The idea of no ghosting, really made me feel comfortable purchasing my first LCD.

I received the 172X and was impressed by the sleek look and the small footprint of this monitor. There was absolutely no ghosting. However, as was said before in an earlier review here, the viewing angle is ATTROCIOUS on this monitor. Even when looking at this monitor dead on, it can still be difficult to aviod seeing washed out colors...bright whites melting into yellows, deep reds bleeding into pink. It was really dissappointing. So, after about a week with the 172X, i decided to send it back and shell out another 50 dollars for the Samsung 173P monitor...

boy, was it worth it.

The Samsung 172X monitor looks great, but the 173P monitor one ups it. Even before you turn it on, this monitor wows you with it's design. There are NO buttons on the face of the monitor, minus the touch sensitive power button and input changing button (hold your finger there for a moment and the monitor will turn on or off with a beep, keep your finger there for a few seconds and the inputs will change. very cool.) The power light on this monitor is a blue led which also looks really nice. But it's when you turn this monitor on that you truly realize just how great it is.

Text on this monitor is razor sharp, where text on the 172X was merely very sharp. Color vibrance on this monitor beats the 172X, which is already great. While the 172X has a 500:1 contrast ratio, (how bright colors look) the 173P has a contrast ratio of 700:1, and it shows. The brightness of the 173P is very much superior to the 172X. The biggest problem with the 172X, the terrible viewing radius, is not only alleviated, but a "claimed" 178 degree viewing angle, sets an indrustry high water mark in this area and equates to stunning performance in this respect. While maybe not quite 178 degrees as Samsung claims, the viewing radius is VERY close to this, as looking at the monitor flat from the side reveals only a slight degredation of color quality. Whether you are looking at this monitor dead on, or very nearly entirely from the side, the colors stay rich and vibrant. And most surprising, despite the slower refresh rate of the 173P, i found there to be NO GHOSTING in games. If i would have known ghosting would have been a non-issue with this monitor, i never would have bothered with the 172X in the first place.

NO DEAD PIXELS were found on the 173P and this was a very pleasant discovery. My 172X had 1 dead pixel, which, while annoying, was by by no means the reason i was dissatisfied with it.

After coming from the trinitron, i can not believe how well the 173P performs. Unlike trinitron monitors, there are NO geometry issues. Straight lines are straight and not bowed in or out. Constant adjustments to picture size and geometry are no longer necessary. Degaussing every day is no longer necessary. Colors are so much more vibrant and accurate on this LCD monitor that i can not explain how much better pictures online or from my digital camera look than on the trinitron. It is quite simply, a revelation. Lastly, the space saved and super-swank aesthetics of this monitor really do make it an ultra high-class product.

Just remember that this monitor does not come cheap. At around 600 dollars, it is the most expensive 17" LCD monitor out there. Also, while crts are measured by screen and frame size, lcd's are measured by viewable size. So, while a 17" crt offers less than 17" of viewable screen size, a 17" LCD actually offers 17" of viewable space.

If you want the best 17" lcd money can buy, you would be making a mistake buying anything other than the Samsung 173P monitor.

Not much to say! The best 17" LCD monitor on the market. I used many of them including NEC, Dell, and others. This one looks the best and works the best. Sharp picture, great text! I found extremely usefull to rotate monitor 90 when browsing internet! I love it! Was delivered from Amazon on the second day when I choose "free super saver" shipping option. Bought for $609.

I'm thinking of buying this camera and wanted to know from the owners of the camera if this camera takes excellent pictures like Canon in low light/indoor conditions. I currently own a Sony DSCP9 Cyber-shot 4MP Digital Camera and it takes crapy pictures in low light conditions (even indoors). The skin tone is extremely grainy. Your honest experience with indoor and low light pictures would be greatly appreciated (especially skin tones).

This camera has to be one of the best cameras out there. When i first got it I noticed its sleek design. Its so small and light. It fights in the palm of my hands and I can carry it anywhere. I actuallly noticed too that its basically smaller than my nokia 6800 cell phone which is shocking. anyway the camera has a nice 1.8 inch LCD screen. The photos look amazing when you view them. When you are dealing with this camera you also get the FASTEST performance. The camera starts up in like 1 or 2 seconds and it shoots with NO LAG. Even if you are shooting with flash the shot to shot time is awesome. The zoom pops out very fast too which also makes a funny noise. i don[t reallyh ahve to explain the picture quality because you know Sony is always EXCELLENT with that. Others say that canon is better but I think Sony's a tad better well atleast with this camera anyway. The movie mode on this camera is comparable to a camcorder. It shoots VGA (640x 480) at an option of 15fps or 30fps. 30 fps is basically smoother but requires about twice the memory so 15fps would be sufficient for any user. To tlel you the truth i bought this camera for the movie mode too because its much better than the Canon S500. Lastly, the battery is outstanding. You can shoot pictures a little over 3 hours worth. I recommend geting the accessory kit from sony (comes with battery, case, wallet thing) about $65 on ebay and a 256mb memory stick card or 512 memory stick pro card. You can get the 512mb one for under $120!!

Oh and I forgot to mention the cool accessories available for this beastily camera. You can get 1.7X telephoto lens, 2.6X lens (turns ur compact camera to almost a 8X optical demon, lol), .7X wide lens, marine pack (underwater case) and external flash (some say the flash on the camera isn't bright enough so people buy external separate ones)

Ultra-compact digicam comparison: which ultra-compact camera should I buy? Make sure you read the whole thing - it'll give you an idea of what to look for yourself.

Considered: Fuji F610, Sony T1, Sony T11, Sony P100, Pentax Optio S4i, Canon S500, Nikon 3700/5200.

Fuji 610 (72 x 93 x 31 mm)
Pros: excellent camera with awesome image quality. Claim that vertical design will limit camera shake - maybe. Video quality excellent at 640 x 480 (30fps). xD picture cards cheap.

Cons: Larger than canon s500 and sonyp100 - but not a huge problem considering the better features (especially the amount of manual controls with shutter/aperture). BUT - NO AF ASSIST LAMP: therefore poor low light performance. Not able to switch off digital zoom such that the optical switches over to digital automatically - which will reduce image quality stored. But the clincher here is the lack of AF assist lamp.

Sony P100 (108 x 51.5 x 26.6 mm)
Pros: It's a Sony: their attention to detail is always guaranteed. Nine scene selections which makes shooting for amateurs so much simpler and takes you up that extra notch - read excerpt below. Option of attaching a wide-angle telephoto lens down the track - should you start to take your photography (more) seriously. Excellent video quality at 640 x 480 (30fps or 17pfs), size unlimitied). AF assist lamp. Battery life indicator: provides estimated mins remaining. Battery has also been found to be of exceptional stamina - compared to other digicams of this size.

I got this from Imaging-Resource: "Scene mode offers a range of preset exposure modes, including Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Soft snap, Snow, Beach, High Speed Shutter, Fireworks, and Candle modes. Both Twilight modes optimize the camera for low-light shooting by allowing shutter times as long as two seconds, while Landscape mode sets the camera up for shooting distant subjects. Soft snap mode warms skin tones and sets focus to slightly soft. Snow mode enhances saturation and adjusts exposure, to prevent loss of colour in bright white snow scapes, while Beach mode ensures that blue tones are recorded accurately in lakeside or seaside photos. High-speed shutter mode is for shooting action or bright subjects. Fireworks mode preserves colour in shots of fireworks or other night light displays by fixing the lens aperture at f/5.6 and setting the exposure time to the 2-second maximum. Candle mode slows shutter speeds and biases exposure to keep candlelit scenes looking natural; a tripod is recommended in this model"

Cons: Memory stick: expensive, but prices have come down and will come down further. Definitely get yourself a MS Pro Duo (either a 256, or better still 512MB). Getting the Duo now (which is not much more $) will keep you ahead of the game. Size: slightly longer than Canon S500 but thinner - so not so bad. Overall the cons are not awfully bad.

Sony T1/T11 (T!: 91mm x 60mm x 21mm)
Pros: Awesome design. Very thin. All other pros similar to Sony P100. Nice option of black.

Cons: NO tripod mount - sure it's an ultra-compact which you'd carry around, but sometimes it's nice to mount it for macro and other shots. I would have seriously forked out the extra cash for this camera but the lack of a tripod mount was the clincher.

Canon S500 (87.0 x 57.0 x 27.8 mm)
Pros: Size: I like to use this camera as a benchmark for size comparisons with other cameras. Design and form factor: almost as good as Sony: very elegant. CF - cheap, very cheap. I've previously had the Canon S230 (3.2MP 2X optical) and it was an excellent camera.

Cons: VERY, VERY POOR: no battery life indicator - with the S230 I have been caught out many times, this is especially so when other members of your family use the camera and you have no idea how much charge is left. The solution is to get a spare battery, but Canon should have rectified this issue by now and they have deliberately chosen not to and that tells me something. Video at 320 x 240 (15fps): if you want 640x480 only available at 10pfs: compare this with Sony and Fuji, both at 640x480, 30fps!! Now I know that this is a digital camera and not a camcorder - but it's nice to know that you can take VGA quality shots at an instant - so you're always prepared - because who carries the camcorder everywhere?!!

Pentax Optio S4i ((83 x 52 x 20mm))
Pro: Size. Size. And price.

Cons: No AF assist lamp: therefore poor in low light. Although a good camera, you'll read that it's more a 'fun' camera than half-serious like the Sony P100 or Canon S500. Of course the Fuji F610 takes it up a notch as far as manual features go. Also the video quality is poor: similar to the canon S500 - although I would imagine Canon would still do a better job of it.

Nikon 3700 (95.5 x 50 x 31 mm)
Pro: Scene selection. Size.

Cons: Some have claimed a disparity between sound and video - not sure about this though. Appearance: very uninspiring, like the rest of the coolpix family.

CONCLUSIONS
Rank overall:
1.Sony P100 (image quality, scene options, video quality, it's a Sony)
2.Canon S500 (two downfalls - and both quite big - no battery life indicator and low video resolution)
3.Fuji F610 (NO AF assist, can't switch off digital zoom)
If size and form factor the most important and tripod mount absolutely not necessary (e.g. if will be in handbag all the time): Sony T1

This radio is a very good weather radio to use. It's "Statement", "Watch", and "Warning" lights are very useful when trying to find out how important the alert is. The clock is a nice thing to have and it will automatically interupt any of the other functions to bring you severe weather. It has a very nice range; I received a weather transmitter from over 75 miles away on it. I like the control that changes the siren volume as it doesn't have to be too loud. The programming is a little difficult, but after you get the hang of it, it isn't that complicated. A very good radio to own for the price. It is also up to date. Per next year, all weather radios are required to have the text display, and this one does. Just a word of warning: The alert siren WILL wake you up; it can be very loud even with the volume turned down.

So far this radio is great. Has all the features needed for emergency notification. Programming was very easy, but keep the manual handy. The back-lit lcd screen is nice and stays on all the time when used with the AC adapter. The weather signal is strong and clear. The 9 volt battery back up lasts about 3 days when the AC is off, so you will need plenty batteries if you are using it without the AC power. So far I have not had an emergency signal come across, so I can not give a review on this. In any case it is a nice unit for the price with many options, i,e external antenna plug, remote speaker or other warning device, earphone, etc. You can also adjust the volume for the alert signal unlike other models. Only draw back; No test feature to check the alarm and warning lights.

I highly recommend this receiver. I recently bought this to replace a weather radio that didn't have S.A.M.E. technology. With S.A.M.E. you put in the code for your area and get alerts for that area only. Wonderful! With the old radio, I was always getting alerts for the neighboring counties. Now, I just get what applies to me. I didn't buy models with AM/FM since in a real emergency I will be listening to the weather radio and my battery powered AM/FM radio at the same time. Reception is clear. The manual is well written. This unit does what it is supposed to do in emergencies ---- it comes on and alerts you. The alert tone is clear and unmistakable. The type of alert is displayed in the LCD display. I like this display since it faces you when the unit is on a shelf or counter top. Not so on some other models. One touch operation to hear the weather at any time. The 74-200 also has battery backup. I learned how important this feature is when I was in a typhoon on Guam.

I cannot review the product (originally listed for $1,000.00 dollars more), because Crates Direct pulled a switcheroo and sent an inferior, cheaper model whose true price IS $1,199.99 and not the $2,999.99 they charged me but refuse to alter.

If you order this one, don't expect to get it.

I just got the 32XBR450 yesterday (2/9/02) and I absolutely love it. I wasn't intending on buying this TV when I went shopping but once I saw the picture and other features compared to the "regular" flat screen TV's I had to have it. The picture's incredible, the colors are perfect and the skin tones are right on the money. I havent hooked it up to a home theater system yet but the TV audio on its own is wonderful. I connected a DVD player that has the progressive scan feature (only works with HDTV TV's) and I used the component video cable connection. All I can say about the picture quality while watching a DVD is WOW!!!! It's crystal clear. It was just like being in a movie theater except that my recliner is much more comfortable and the picture was actually better. The picture-in-picture feature is better than any I've seen. It's called Twin-View and instead of a small box in the corner of the screen it comes up in a split screen so both channels take up half the screen. Then you can resize either one you want and as one gets bigger the other gets smaller. You can also use the picture-in-picture mode while viewing a DVD, VHS, video game system or any other input you have hooked up. There are also plenty of in-put jacks (6) so you can hook up just about anything you want. Overall it's just the best TV I've seen. The ONLY reason I didnt give it 5-stars is because of the price. I paid the same price thats advertised here but I got the stand included. Oh ya and it's HDTV (ready) so when all broadcasts go over to HDTV in a few years you'll be all set. If you can pay the price then go out and get this TV NOW!!!

The Sony XBR Wega Flat-Screen HDTV Monitor (KV-32XBR450) will please even the most discriminating movie viewers. I looked at every model imaginable in the stores, and this television is a hands-down winner over all the rest. Friends prefer watching their movies at *my* house now. :) The TV features a 16:9 enhanced mode for high-aspect ratio video sources. Many DVDs are now available in this 16:9 widescreen ratio format (also known as anamorphic movies). The TV also features "component video" 3 cable video inputs from a DVD player. (These feature 3 separate wires for RGB signals and provide the best transfer available today.) Use a Progressive Scan DVD Player to take advantage of the full capabilities of this TV. Other features include channel labels in which you can program a 5 character description for each channel. This makes browsing easier when you forget which channel number goes with each network. The remote control is easy to use and operates very quickly with on-screen computer-like bar menus. The television is very heavy, so be prepared to have help moving and installing it. It weighs around 175 lbs. The sound is quite good, but the most discerning listeners will prefer to hook the sound into a stereo system. Nonetheless, if you are not an audiophile, the sound quality should be more than good enough. A full year warranty is included with this TV. Also, it's HDTV compatible to be able to handle the upcoming future improvments in availability of HDTV broadcasts. The television is expensive, but a set of this quality should provide many years of viewing enjoyment which is well worth the extra cost.

I've had the monitor for awhile. It's a refurb from Samsung. Very, very sharp text and icons on Windows. Corners sharp too, color good. However, after about 6 mos. or so, the monitor started doing this gamma fade/out of focus thing every once in a while. Now this could be because it's a refurb unit. In any case, I'm so impressed with the sharpness and low price, I would buy two of these before I bought one of the Sony's, which look washed out and ill-defined to me.

Beware the 955DF (flat screen) it is not as sharp and harder to adjust then the 950P, I bought both and returned the flat 955DF. I also like the 950P because it has BNC and regular video connectors on the back. So I can hook up two computers at once (after buying the BNC vid cable cheap from pccables.com). The pictures is sharper and colors richer with the BNC cable on the 950P.

I sit in front of one of these for 8-10 hours a day at work, using mostly Photoshop and text editors. I liked it so much that I bought one for home (3-D gaming). It's a great price for a 19" monitor!

I highly recommend this monitor. I have owned one for the last two years and believe that its price is well below its performance. The colors are rich and the clarity high. Do not make a mistake and buy any other monitor. Besides you cannot beat the three year warranty.

My GPS 12 cost only slightly more than the ETrex units, and was a giant leap ahead in quality. After comparing reviews of the Garmin and Magellan units, I concluded that the GPS 12 would be the most reliable, and it really does seem to be. Once it aquires the available satellites, it really stays locked on--I've used it in the car on the passenger seat, on the armrest, in my lap, and it doesn't lose its position. I've even held it to a tiny airplane window and tracked my flight accurately. The biggest issue with lower-end GPS units seems to be their ability to hold a lock, and this one performs extremely well.

There are two major limitations to this unit. First, it doesn't have an external antenna jack, so you can't add an external antenna (except a rebroadcasting antenna, and they're pricy). Second, the flat panel antenna means that you basically need to hold the unit level to work properly. You can't stick it in your shirt pocket, as you could a unit with a helical antenna. The ETrex units have the same limitations, so if you really care about these features you'll have to look at the next model up. It hasn't really been a problem for me.

The display doesn't have a map--no unit in this pricerange has a map feature--but I find I don't miss it. It does display your track, which I've used pretty successfully as a sketchy "map". The GPS 12 has more track and waypoint memory than the ETrex.

One minor complaint I've had is that the unit can take a little while to establish its initial satellite lock. Since I live in the suburbs, I'm usually surrounded by houses--and the hilly terrain of Pittsburgh. So it may not be the unit's fault that it can't see the sky very well.

All in all, I'd say the GPS 12 is about the best value you can get for the money. If you want any noticeably advantage over this unit, you can expect to take a big step up in price.

I owe 2 of these and just recently bought a etrex . The GPS 12 is still far better . I get a signal just about anywhere , easy to use . I've had these for years and would buy them again . There're worth every penny .

I just bought the Garmin GPS 12 after doing loads of research, including reading the reviews posted here, and as I first time buyer I was uncertain, but I'm a believer now! I wondered what motivated people to sit down and write these reviews...it seemed sort of suspicious to me.

I fully understand now, and I hope to contribute as a way of saying thanks to the other reviewers.

This unit is outstanding, as the other reviews state, and I found it particularly wonderful when combined with some free software called GPSU or GPS utility. You can find it on the net (they are out of England). You can download/upload waypoints and make a map. Combination of these two are a must for the beginner to intermediate GPS user who camps, fishes, bikes, or visits places that they know they'll forget how to return to. Just click "GOTO" and then highlight your waypoint and you can leave your brain at home. I've also found that using 4 energizer "AA" batteries gives MUCH more than 24 hours of use; more like 32 hours. Very, very impressed with this device.

This television may be more expensive than most of the other tvs in the 32" range but if you can manage to scrape up the extra cash, you won't be disappointed.

The best feature of this tv by far is the picture quality. DVD's look phenomenal on this set. I used to dread watching widescreen dvd's (which are unfortunately 99% of Blockbuster's selection) but now I enjoy watching them thanks to the 16:9 compression mode Sony offers. When turning on the 16:9 mode on the tv and setting widescreen mode on your dvd player, the tv compresses the image and adds more lines of resolution to the picture, which adds startling clarity to the picture of the dvd being played.

I should note a couple things about the 16:9 mode that I've learned from my experiences with the tv. First and foremost, the 16:9 mode is only meant for widescreen dvds. If you try to use 16:9 mode on a full screen dvd the picture will look squashed and not true to life. The other caveat is that 16:9 mode literally compresses the image and you'll lose about 2" inches in your total viewing area. For my eyes, the trade-off is totally worth it. Gladiator and Pitch Black are a couple of my favorite dvd's that are beautiful with 16:9 mode on.

My satellite channels look better than ever on this tv. Very sharp images and vivid colors for most channels, even with my subpar signal.

As far as videogames go, my x-box games look excellent. I've been playing some of my older games again just to admire the picture this tv puts out. Rainbow Six 3 was a good test for this set. On most of other tv's I played Rainbow Six 3 on during our system link sessions the small in-game text looked blurry and almost unreadable. Not so with the Sony, very sharp and totally readable. Forgive me for the obscure example but for those who do own the game, they'll identify with what I'm saying.

Sound is better than most 32" tvs out there but like most tv speakers the bass isn't anything to brag about. If you're looking to add some boom to this tv a home theater system would be a must. Still, I believe the sound is more than adequate for the casual viewer.

As others have already mentioned this tv is quite heavy. My brother and I practically broke our backs lugging this beast up the stairs to my living room. The picture we seen after hooking it up was ample reward for our struggle though, lol.

I should note this tv is flatscreen and is a very nice feature if you have any light sources that could cause possible glare. I've no problems whatsoever with glare on this set.

In conclusion this tv, though expensive, is worth every penny. Some say that with Sony you're only paying for the name, not so, in my humble opinion. I've closely studied the picture on several sets and it's hard to compete with Sony quality. As I mentioned before if you're in the market for a 32" and can somehow manage to get the cash to buy this relatively expensive tv, by all means do it. I love this set. It always a good feeling to know your hard earned cash went towards something you can fully enjoy for years to come.

If you're on a tight budget (I totally understand) and can't swing the price tag for this tv there is another 32" set I would recommend as a good substitute. The Toshiba 32A43 is an excellent set and gives a great amount of "bang for your buck". The picture quality is quite good, the screen almost flat, and images are quite sharp as well. Consumer reports rated it number one in it's class of 32" tube tvs based on overall performance/price. I have this set in my bedroom and have been quite happy with it. The picture quality doesn't beat out this Sony and it doesn't have 16:9 mode but then again the Toshiba set is $200 cheaper. You can't go wrong with the Tosiba 32A43 if you need a good tv for a modest amount of money.

I was recently looking for a new TV for my living room. Nothing too fancy needed (I'm still holding off on HDTV), just a TV with good picture quality, sound, and performance. I found all that in this Sony 32" TV, plus it had a good-looking exterior that was stylish without overpowering. I've only had this TV about a month, but so far I LOVE it!

The pros:
-The picture quality is beautiful, crisp, and clear. The settings are easy to adjust, and there are even special picture settings that are appropriate for Sports or Movies. Nice touch.
-The sound quality is great! Big, bold sound, although it helped a lot when I configured my cable box to the optimal stereo volume level and used the TV remote for volume.
-The flat screen definitely reduces a lot of glare from external lights/sun. It also makes it look super-sleek and stylish!
-The price is really good for a TV of this size and quality! There is another Sony 32" flat-screen model exactly like this one, but it is at least $100 more expensive. Why? Because it has a picture-in-picture function. Unless you must have that feature, stick with this model and save yourself some money!

The cons:
-Warning: This TV is BIG. It weighs over 160 pounds, and you will not be able to lift this yourself. Also, since the speakers are on the sides of the TV, it makes it very wide. So wide, in fact, that my TV stand (designed to hold 36"-40" TVs) has only and inch or two of space left to spare! Measure your space before you buy this!
(But hey, the width isn't such a bad thing. It kinda makes the TV look like a widescreen!)
-Also, when I had this TV delivered, at first it was a little green on the bottom of the screen, and lines that were supposed to be horizontal on the screen were a bit diagonal and tilted. Fortunately, the green vanished in an hour and the TV has a setup menu function to correct the tilting issue. But those experiences lead me to believe that this TV can get out-of-whack pretty easily if jostled or moved around too much.

Overall, this TV is amazing! Beautiful picture, great sound, and a nice exterior. This Sony shows that you don't have to pay outrageous prices for a really good quality TV. Enjoy!

Hi everyone! My names Josh and I'm 18 years old. I was in the market for a TV to have in my room. I knew I didn't want a HDTV since I didn't watch DVD's or TV enough to care. Also, hardly any TV shows use HDTV. Why spend the money on something you won't really use? I knew I wanted a really high quality TV that wasent HDTV. I seen this Sony and I have read the reviews and everything. I seen it in person and talked with the people at Best Buy. I have had the TV for a few days now and I absolutely love it! For those of you who have complained about no closed captioning with mute on, just turn the volume down and have CC on.

I love the features and the fact that the TV has component inputs. I bought the Monster Cable Monster Game component cables for my Playstation 2. When I got it rung up the Best Buy employee asked me if I ever played a game on a nice TV like this while the component cables were on. I told him no, and he said wait till I play my games or watch DVD's, I'm gonna love it. Well he was right!

The only problem I have had with this TV is the weight. Trust me, if your taking it upstairs, it will stay up there and get sold with the house. I got the 4 year plan for $99 which I'm glad I got since it was recommended by other customers who have bought this TV. I was soaked after taking this TV up like 17 step. It's a workout!

In the end, if your in the market for a non HDTV, get a Sony FD Trinitron WEGA TV, you can't go wrong! Also spring and get yourself some component cables for your video game system or DVD player, it's worth it! I'm even considering a Monster Cable surge protector since it cleans even more distortion for better audio/video.

Supposedly, we have a 3 year warranty. Well, I'm two and a half years into my warranty, and my monitor has failed. After two months of waiting for a replacement, they called me back and told me that I'd have to take a cheaper, new (but older--1998) model monitor that has an inch less than viewable and a .28 dot pitch.

I'll never buy another KDS monitor again.

I bought this to be a companion to my 2-year old 21" flat screen monitor in a dual monitor setup using the ATI Radeon VE video card. The decision was based partly on its price, partly on the KDS' nice warranty and partly on the reviews at this site. It turned out to be a bad decision, not because I got a bad unit which had unsharp text and graphics but more importantly because I just couldn't adjust my eyes to the screen curvature. If your eyes are already adjusted to a flat display, then you will shun this and all other monitors that have a curved screen. If you have never used a flat screen monitor before, I think this may not be a bad choice for an upgrade from your existing 17" or 19" monitor. However, with flat screen monitors costing just slightly more than curved screen ones, and the price differential narrowing each week, I think you owe it to your eye comfort to get a flat screen monitor, especially if you work several hours each day in front of one.

I bought this monitor in March of 2000 and it's now July 2001. It has been a wonderful monitor, except for the heat (but all 21" put out tons of heat), It's starting to flicker so I called KDS and they said they would ship a new one to me right away and replace it. Found out they have no questions asked 3 year warranty. I was very impressed. I mostly play Diablo2 and watch DVD's on it. and it's on 12 hours a day, for the price you can't beat it.

I purchased this set a little over a year ago because I was amazed with the picture while comparing it to other sets next to it. The colors can be adjusted with the different theater settings, and I love how you can set it so that while switching channels some don't come in louder than others. I've had friends and family over for football games and to watch movies and have received many complememts on the picture.

My one problem is with something that someone else also noted. In the lower left corner of my television, the color began to look faded. I'm happy I purchased an extended warranty through Circuit City. A local technician came over to fix it a few days later, but the fading looks worse, and I will have to call them again. My speakers are pushed all the way against each wall, about 5 feet away from the TV. I REALLY don't want to replace this set with another because I love the picture I get from it, but the faded color in the corner bothers me, especially after paying so much for a TV. One other minor complaint is that I sometimes hear a high-pitched noise coming from the back of the set. That also bothers me.

I don't have a progressive scan DVD player yet, but I will probably be upgrading that and my receiver within the next year. I love the picture on this TV, but there have been a few small problems with it.

I HAD TO DECIDED BETWEEN A FLAT SCREEN PANASONIC OR THE HITACHI. HITACHI IS THE ONLY MAKER OF AN HDTV NON FLAT SCREEN. I DECEIDED TO GO WITH THE HITACHI BECAUSE IT WEIGHS ONLY 105LBS VS. THE HEFTY 165LBS PAN.(32HDX42) FITS NICELY IN MY ENTERTAINMENT FURNITURE WHICH WAS DESIGNED FOR A 27" TV AND BECAUSE I HAVE A 27" HITACHI TV/MONITOR(WEIGHS THE SAME AS MY NEW 32" HITACHI) FOR 12 YEARS STILL OPERATES THE SAME AS THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT IT. I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THE PIP -CAN'T CHANGE THE CHANNEL?
OTHERWISE, A WONDERFULL TV SET WITH ALL THE INPUTS ONE WILL NEED TO ATTACH 2 VCR'S, DVD PLAYER, TAPE DECK! GREAT VALUE FOR [money ammount].

I looked and looked for a new TV. Read every review I could find. After purchasing a 51" projection set from Hitachi, I was impressed with the picture and quality of their sets. The 32" was one of the few of that size that would fit into my cabinet. Although, initially, I wanted a flat-screen, I decided to go with the Hitachi. This is a great TV! Picture quality is stunning. Watching DVDs from my progressive scan player is an awesome experience. I have heard some negative reviews regarding sound quality, but have yet to experiance ANY problems in that area. Instead, the sound has been great. Not as good as my surround set-up in the den, but exceptional for a TV. So far, I am exceptionally happy with my decision and purchase. Hitachi makes great TVs!

The Magellan 310 is an old, discontinued GPS receiver. I bought the Magellan 310 at $30 at a local chain department store. As I suspected, the unit displays the coordinates in only 4 digits of "minutes" (A.K.A. DD MM.MM format). Modern GPS receivers display 5 digits of minutes. Unfortunately this means the Magellan 310 can only display coordinates to within +/- 60 feet in each dimension (North/South and East/West).

When I hooked the Magellan 310 to a laptop computer with a serial cable, the 310 outputs up to 6 digits of Minutes - more than sufficient for any task. So if you're looking for a bargain priced GPS receiver for use with a laptop for something like NetStumbler or
DeLorme Street Atlas, I think this is a good bargain if you can find it under $50. Be sure to budget for extra cost of
a serial cable (about $20) as the cable is not
included with the serial cable.

Unfortunately, you can't transfer saved waypoints between your computer and the 310 with the serial cable.

I also think this GPS receiver is perfectly suitable for situations where high precision isn't required. For example, finding your way back to your car after hiking in the woods doesn't really require 3 Meter precision like modern GPS receivers have - the Magellan 310 should get you within 20 Meters (about 65 feet). That should get you close enough to see your car.

One of the most popular reasons for buying a GPS receiver is for geocaching. Most people that want to try out geocaching look for a low-priced GPS receiver so they can try the sport and decide whether or not they like it. While it might be tempting to buy the Magellan 310, I strongly suggest spending a few more dollars on a GPS receiver with 5 digit minute precision like the Magellan 315 or the Magellan Sportrak. It is technically possible to geocache with the Magellan 310, but you'll have to manually adjust for the 4 digit minute precision. Explaining how this adjustment works is beyond the scope of this review, but trust me when I say you want something better than the Magellan 310 for geocaching.

I had purchased a 310 and a 315 because they run out of the Magellan 315. What a difference! To start the batteries do not run out that often, the 315 is more accurate somehow, dont ask me why; just comapring side by side the 310 even though a bit smaller seems less "in the Game"
I gave my 310 to my son, its a godd starter GPS, if you are serious about GPS handhelds, get the Magellan 315 for a few dollars more. Worth every penny!

If you want a GPS that will tell you where to turn left to get on the Turnpike, this isn't it. But if you want to know exactly where you are on the planet, the Magellan 310 and 315 do an excellent job of it, with full 12-channel satellite tracking, the highest available. The nobs are complicated at first, but most guys like learning that sort of thing. This is basically the perfect gift for geeky dads or hikers.
BTW, the screen on the 310 and 315 as well as the features are superior to the eTrex basic model, although that model is far more ergonomic.