Projection-TV Reviews

This is by far the best thing that I have ever purchased. Anyways, it is an outstanding TV, with a great picture, lots of input jacks for stuff, and by far the best price tag for the quality.

I had been looking at projection TVs for 3 years and never saw anything in the showrooms that I couldn't live without - until I wandered into Circuit City at the Holyoke Mall. There I saw the Hitachi 51UWX - the picture was spectacular. CC delivered it to me in Vermont (free delivery - with 3 ft of snow on the ground) and set it up. It's been 'Cinema Nirvana' ever since. The key feature is the ability to manually sharpen the image at 117 points on the screen - the result is a sharper image (from DVDs) than any first-run movie theater can provide. If you're a film afficianado - this is the machine.

This is my first purchase of an Hitachi product and I have to say I am very pleased. Sony was the first HDTV I looked at but two things changed my mind. First the 'flicker' problem associated with Sony projection TV's. Their tube televisions are peerless but over and over I came across comments about the development of flicker and a green cast on the picture after even 3 months of use. Then I saw the TV's side by side at Circuit City. That clinched it. The color and definition of the Hitachi were, to me, superior. One caveat...normal cable looks less than great on this TV. I have digital TV with HDTV channels and it's amazing. I cannot say how a picture from an antenna would look. But before the Cable company hooked up my HDTV box, the pic on the HItachi wasn't as good as the picture on my father's 3 year old Mitsubishi. However, with both tv's attached to HDTV cable, the HItachi is superior.

I was a little leary of purchasing another projection TV as I owned a Mitsubishi 45 inch set back in 1986 and was not pleased with the side angle view, the problem repairs, nor the short life expectancy (3 1/2 yrs.) of that set. The low price of the Philips Magnavox 55" at first drew my attention, but when I saw the picture quality and side view (awesome), I was sold. The better the broadcast signal, the better the picture quality on this set. DVD's look awesome, animated broadcasts look especially impresive and the sound is an unexpected bonus. So far I have nothing but good to say about this set. If you purchase one, you will not be disappointed.

I've just purchased the Philips 55PP9501 55" Wide Screen 100HZ Digital ready Rear projection TV. The Picture quality at 100HZ scan is so real that when there is a Water scene you want to reach out and dip your fingers in the water!. With the added benefit of a 100Watts Built in Sound System - I tell you I'm having trouble getting anything else done. My wife reckons it was the biggest mistake getting one as Now We do'nt go out as often. I just can't wait to get a DVD player to top it of. Highly recommended.

I bought one of these sets. It is awesome. For the price it beat all of the competition. The picture is crisp and clear and the sound quality from it's internal audio system is incredibly clear. This is a great television for anyone who wants a projection screen TV. I give it two thumbs up!! You won't be disappointed with this set.

If you want to hang your TV on the wall I understand the attraction of Plasma. If not (I believe the majority of people out there do not hang their TV on the wall yet)this is a real alternative with significant advantages. If it breaks buy a bulb, not a whole TV as you would with Plasma. Burn in is very unlikely with this technology, whereas Plasma is very prone to it. Picture quality is better in my opinion in normal conditions, additionally you do not have to suffer the irritation of pixel distortion that currently is a fact of life with Plasma.

There is no comparison with CRT, just the 60lbs of weight and the fact it measures around 14" in depth make it worth the change for me. The picture is truly excellent and unlike non LCD projection TV's the light conditions in the room have a minimal effect. The viewing mode can be adjusted (vivid, standard etc)to taste and used to enhance the mood of a movie or offset light conditions.

Freeze frame and PIP are cool allthough I don't see me using them very much, my brain can only watch one thing at a time unlike other people.

One bonus I did not know about when I bought it but love, is that I can insert the memory sticks from my digital camera and watch a slide show of my pictures in seconds after getting back from a trip.

If you are a non geek you will love how easy and quick it was to set up, with no knowledge I hooked it up in minutes.

If you want to move it any time you do not need to hire a fork lift and three big guys to help you, at a push I can carry it myself limited by size more than weight.

At the end of the day it's just a TV and compared to CRT a very expensive TV at that. But if you want Flat Screen, HDTV, that is big but light and has outstanding picture quality but you don't want to take on the Plasma risk this is one great package.

I hesitated in buying this TV as with all new innovations. However I took a leap of faith and purchased one anyway. It took me 2 weeks to finally find one as every store in my area was completely sold out of them (from 42"-60") & some store are still sold out to this date. That excited me more as I was not the only person who liked this tv. You can make the pictures the same size in PIP mode which makes for an enjoyable viewing experience as I play my xbox and watch my favorite shows. I have do not have HDTV in my area yet but I did hear it's night and day difference. However most cable company's do not offer a lot of HDTV channels, thus the low cost. But I do watch the discovery channel a lot so I will benefit from it.

This tv is HD-ready: Fully capable of high-definition display when connected to an optional HDTV source. Conventional analog TV reception is provided via a built-in NTSC tuner.

Equipment:
TV: Sony Grand WEGA 42" KF42WE610
Video Monster 3: Coax Cable & Component Cable

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING!
Component/Coax wires do affect the quality of your home video experience. The best DVD player connected to the best Plasma/LCD/DLP/LCOS TV will have negative effects on picture quality if you are not using the best grade of Component/DVI/Coax cable. Yes, you will have to shell out more money for theses accessories (in my opinion Monster Cable has proven itself in my house). However, this is the only way to achieve your large screen TV's maximum video performance. It appears that it's not only necessary but simply required! I get mad every time I read negative reviews on this DVD player or my TV when they never invested in high-grade video cables or, their TV is only 480i compatible & not 480p compatible (they can't properly use the DVD player's progressive scan feature). Please check your manual to verify 480p compatibility for your TV, as some are only 480i compatible while others are only 780p to 1080i compatible!!!

Here is a tip to improve picture quality for analog cable/antenna viewers:
Use a A/C powered, 2 port, coaxial, Electroline Drop Amp to improve analog cable
reception. The 18 gauged Satellite coax cable runs from the cable co. to the Electroline Drop Amp in my house. The 1 Meter Monster Video 3 coax cable (gray colored wire) will run from the Electroline Drop Amp to the TV thus improving picture quality.

Features Include:
Improved Contrast
Improved Black Level
High Resolution Panel
Clear Corner Focus
No Flicker
No Phosphor Burning
No Misconvergence
Slim Table Top Design
Increased Longevity
V Chip Parental Control
Sony's Wega Engine™ system maintains picture in the digital
domain
Sony's Optical Engine delivers high-resolution picture
corner-to-corner
3.28 million dots resolution delivers stunning detail and
clarity
Fixed pixel display and constant light eliminate flicker
Slim, lightweight design enhances any décor
Images and MP3''s come to life with Enhanced Memory Stick
media
Expand the life of your TV with easily replaceable lamp
Enjoy outstanding picture quality on HDTV monitor

Video Features:
16:9 Aspect Ratio
High Definition Television Monitor
Three Wide XGA LCD Panels: 3.28 Million Dots resolution
(1386 x 788 x 3)
UHP Lamp (100W)
First Surface Mirror
Cinemotion™ Reverse 3-2 Pull Down Technology
3D Digital Comb Filter
Multi-Image Driver (MID™ X) Circuitry
Flexible Twin-View™ 2-Tuner Picture-and-Picture (HD, NTSC)
Wide Modes (Normal, Full, Zoom, Wide Zoom)
Program Palette™ Presets

Specifications:
A/V Inputs --- Component Video(Y/Pb/Pr) Inputs: 2 Rear (1080i, 720p, 480p, 1480i) Composite Inputs: 1 Front/2 Rear S Video Inputs: 1 Front/2 Rear DVI-HDTV Interface: 1 Rear Audio Inputs: 1 Front/5 Rear Control S Out: 1 Rear
Subwoofer Out: 1 Rear
Power Requirements --- AC 120V 60Hz

Weights and Measures
Approx Dimensions (w/h/d) --- 47 1/4" x 32 1/4" x 14 1/2"
(1201 x 819 x 371 mm)
Approx Weights --- 100 lbs (45 kg)

Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Inputs --- 2 rear (1080i, 720p, 480p, 1480i)
Composite Inputs --- 1 Front/ 2 Rear
S Video Inputs --- 1 Front/ 2 reer
DVI-HDTV Interface --- 1 rear
Audio Inputs --- 1 front/ 5 rear
Control S out --- 1 rear
Subwoofer out --- 1 rear

Summary:
If you own a 32" to a 19" TV the SONY DVP-NS425P is more then adequate. However if you have a TV larger then 32" you needa high-grade component/dvi/coax cable to produce the clarity/color/contrast/hue necessary for a great theater quality picture. Sony does need to move the remote sensor from the upper right corner to the upper center.

After spending months looking at traditional big screens, plasmas and the Samsung DLP, we decided on this technology. I just wasn't impressed with what I saw from the DLP televisions. Few plasmas are true HD, and the DLP image seemed soft to me. The picture on the Sony Grand Wegas is crisp and clean, never soft (unless you want it that way - Sony provides several settings). One of the greatest things about this type of TV is that there's no burn-in issues, so I don't have to "zoom" all the traditional NTSC. I much prefer to have black bars on the left and right than have, everyone look fat. The 480p off a DVD is stunning - and I can't wait to get an HDTV tuner hooked up. The black levels are quite good, it works well in our sun-lit living room, and the viewing angle is very wide. Strangely, the viewing angle gets better after the TV has warmed up a bit. We happen to have a Sony digital camera, and with the memory stick feature, my wife can watch photo slideshows on the big screen - a bonus feature she really likes.

The Sony company should win an award for this HDTV it s the best picture I have ever seen. DVD's are super and HDTV for sports and PBS is fanstatic. BUY IT !!

The only downside was the wait for the stand, and the lack of space for components below.

I had it for more than 6 months with Digital TV decoder. It is perfect TV for the digital TV programs like major prime time dramas and many NFL games.

We've had this TV for a few months now, and the picture still blows us away. There are only a handfull of High Definition channels right now, but watching an HDTV broadcast, makes this set worth every penny. Watching sporting events in HD is like having a seat inside the stadium / arena(This set is a football lover's dream. ESPN HD is the coolest!). We looked at a bunch of different models, including some of the bigger screens, but this one is just the perfect size for us, and the Sony was the most highly recommended by salespeople(they always noted how busy repair guys were with some of the other models). A good store will have HD pumped in on all their TVs to help with deciding which unit has the best picture. The Sony was sharp, the sound was good, and the remote was easy to learn. Also, watching DVDs with the progressive scan is like going to the movies. With the different audio and video setups, multiple inputs(including a convenient front input), and universal remote(included), you'll be very pleased with this set, whether you're watching the latest movie on DVD, catching the playoffs, or watching your favorite show in HD. This one is a good choice.

We moved up from a 25 inch TV to this model. It was an easy decision after looking at all models by all manufactures. Picture is clear with great colors. Especially with satelitte hd recievers. Picture is best when used with component connections. My wife just rolled her eyes when it was delivered, but now watches movies non-stop!!

This is one of the best TVs money can buy! Everything about this set is exceptional!

PICTURE: I don't have an HDTV receiver, but the picture quality of cable (and even certain broadcast stations) is very nice. But if you're gonna buy a set like this, don't waste it on TV. This was made for Home Theater, and DVDs (connected via component video) look flawless on it!

SOUND: The set comes with two built-in speakers which have good sound and nice bass response. Though I would recommend getting a DD/DTS receiver and five speakers, if you have nothing else, these speakers do a decent job. And if you wanna save some money, you can use these speakers as the center-channel speaker in your audio setup.

EXTRAS: The remote control is great. It is illuminated, and the layout of the buttons is intuitive. Also, the on-screen menus are very easy to navigate, and can be accessed from the front panel (so you're not in trouble if you lose the remote). The set has two compononent video inputs, and three A/V and S-Video inputs, which should be plenty to hook up your video equipment. Finally, the set has wheels, so it is relatively easy to move around.

In conclusion, this television is near-perfect, and would make a great center-piece for your home theater system. However, there are two reasons why you SHOULDN'T get this set: 1) 55" isn't the right size for your viewing room. In that case, Toshiba offers 43" and 61" versions of this model. 2) You want a widescreen television. In that case, try the 56H80, which is the widescreen version of this model. (The reason I chose the 55H70 over the 56H80 is b/c I don't feel the widescreen dimensions are worth the extra $$)

First the size floored us,but the detail of this set also took us by suprise.The only thing I don't like about the set,is you can't change the factory defaults of the SPORTS,STANDARD or MOVIE settings,But you do have a PREFERENCE setting you can change and save. We have yet to buy a HDTV tuner so I can't talk about HDTV yet, but I can tell you about the Line Doubler that upconverts all 480i signals to 480p,It works very well on DVD, Laserdisc, Satalite and Cable, I would Highly recomend this set to anybody thinking of Upgrading to a HDTV Ready set.Now the only problem we have is "is 55"big enough?"

This little sucker is almost too good to be true. Specs don't do justice to the LP130's size; you have to see it in person to appreciate just how tiny it is. Until then, just trust me... it's so small, it's kinda ridiculous.

But you don't seem to sacrifice anything for the light weight. It's just as bright and sharp as the other InFocus projectors I've used (I believe LP435z is the model), which is to say, plenty good enough for anything but hard-core videophiles.

Alright, there is one thing; the LP130 isn't cheap. But it certainly isn't unreasonable compared to other native XGA, 1K lumen ultraportables. Sure, it has the same black-level limitations as all DLP projectors. And it runs pretty hot, almost too hot to touch sometimes.

Those are minor niggles. Overall, this is the best projector I've seen.

I have owned an LP130 for over two years and the performance is outstanding. It is very portable, very powerful and very easy to travel with. Remember that InFocus projectors ship with the brightness set to 50% and that's normally all you need. Turn up the brightness up and you can project really large images. I am impressed with the simplicity of operation. Turn it on, it starts, turn it off it stops. People are blown away by the compactness and brightness. The performance has been exceptional and it has traveled all over the country, to Europe and Asia without a flaw.

I wish I owned the LP130. I've seen it in action and must admit it makes a major impression. But I'm lucky because I have a good friend who allows me to borrow this expensive business essential. Its small, light (three pounds), simple to operate, easy to travel with and can throw one heck of an image. The zoom lens will knock your socks off and the remote control allows whoever is giving the pitch to move about without restrictions. Be careful with it...it gets hot but this baby is worth it...it doesn't get much better than this when it comes to a light weight quality projector for professionals. If you need an edge...this is it. It oozes confidence.

In addition to having an exceptional picture this is an excellent Projection TV in the 4 by 3 aspect ratio. Bear in mind that term: 4 by 3. Don't pass this one up! Instead manufacturers are moving toward the 16 by 9 aspect ratio. For conventional (4 by 3) antenna, cable or satellite TV broadcasts and VHS playback this is the one of a handful of the best Projection sets available. Get them while they are still around, 4 by 3 aspect ratios that is. Many people going with the 16 by 9 sets are not happy because there are very few HD signals out there at least for the next 4 or 5 years the way things look. 4 by 3 is the way to go right now. People are complaining because when viewing a widescreen program on a 4 by 3 set you get black bars on the top and bottom. On 16 by 9 sets you get black bars on the left and right sides of the screen all the time unless you watch a wide screen program! That means that you are going to get black bars on the sides for over 90 percent of what you are going to be watching for the next 5 or 6 years. Apparently, the FCC, the major Broadcasting Networks and Cable companies still can't agree on how they are going to broadcast High Definition Television signals. And that decision does not look like it is gong to be made any time soon! Stay with the 4 by 3 aspect ratio like this Projection set has. You can't go wrong and you will be much happier. Many people are returning currently purchased 16 by 9 projection sets according to an area dealer because they dislike the black bars on the right and left. A good one by Mitsubishi!

The current television market is in a state of flux. We keep hearing about HDTV or High Definition Television but what does it all mean to you? High Definition Television refers to a complete product and/or system with the vertical display of 1080i (interlaced) or higher lines of resolution. The aspect ratio has to be capable of displaying a 16:9 image at the minimum resolution level. (All HDTV is in the 16:9 image). The current standard for color television in the United States is called NTSC (National Television System Committee). It is based on 525 horizontal scanning lines capable of displaying a 4:3 image. Many cable companies are resisting the change to HDTV and want to carry only the NTSC standard. The FCC wants the networks to start broadcasting HDTV but they are now also resisting because they can't settle on a conversion system. Currently satellites are carrying a few HDTV signals, but they are far and few in number and show little signs of increasing. Don't forget HDTV signals have to be converted so you can watch them. Then you have Television manufactures who are getting way ahead of themselves. Many are pushing the HDTV formatted screen on most of their projection sets, which is 16:9. If you are still watching cable TV, VHS videos and Laserdiscs you are in big trouble. You are only going to get a picture in the center of your 16:9 set with big black bars on the sides. The best way to go is with a 4:3 projection set, like this one, which is going to give you the full frame. You are going to get the entire screen you paid for.

I bought the original Mitsubishi model 7000 in 1991. It was our first projection set and became the centerpiece of our home theater. I bought the extended 3 year warranty, as I figured anyone in the TV repair business who spots one of these behemoths out of warranty is booking cruise tickets as soon as he pulls out of your driveway. Anyway, the 7000 series has been improved in many ways (better screen, better connectability, now 2 tuner P-I-P, etc), but I wanted to let you know that in these 10 years, it has *NEVER* needed a repair of any kind! It still looks great and gives me no good excuse to buy a new one. Enjoy!

I was quite pleased and proud of my purchase.There was a little confusion about the delivery,at first even after paying the delivery fee to have it delivered properly and because I live on a hill, on the first attempt to my dissapointment the men actually took the tv back,after they asked me if I had anyone to take it up the hill and into the house,one call to Amazon took care of that. For the most part I get a beautiful picture.The surround sound is great,all instructions and help were clear and precise enclosed.The set was setup in the room of my choice and I was given a chance to refuse it or return it. Sometimes I get a sort of fade out , fade in which last about 2 seconds and as yet I have not identified the reason. Over all I really like the set.

I bought this projection TV when it first arrived on the shelves and have absolutly loved it ever since. I would strongly recomend it to anyone who enjoys watching movies. If you want to get the full effect on what this TV has to offer than I would strongly suggest that you buy a surrond sound system to go with it. When having a combo like this it really adds to the effect that you are at movie theater.

I've had my philips big screen tv for about 2 mounths now, and I love it. I shopped around first to check prices and also picture quality and you can't beat the picture quality you get with this tv. If you don't want to spend alot of money and you want the quility of the higher priced tv's than this is the one for you. I promise you won't be disappointed. I have to say it was worth every penny. Thanks philips for making a great tv.

I shopped around for a TV that was 46" and rear projection for a long time. I found that brand recognition was not as bad as I initiatially had thought that it was. I've had a small "Toshib",and I call it that 'cause the letter fell off quite some time ago, but the fact that this tv still goes on is amazing. This TV has been in my house for at least 12 plus years. So, I think that this brand is invariably outstanding. My "Toshib" still plays,while my "Toshib" has lines across the top of the screen. I admit, there are a few set out there that beat this Toshiba, but my new Toshiba Widescreen TV is really nice!!!!!!!!!! and all the worth of a dollar spent.

We bought this TV about a month ago or so, and at the time weren't even looking at a TV or did we even need one. For some reason we got a wild hair in us and went to the store to look at actually originally a different TV. The one we were looking at was really nice too, but the sales guy told us this one had the best review in Consumer Reports and it would be the best bet. We decided to listen to him, and so glad we did! We love this TV, it looks really nice too, especially with the matchng stand to go with it. We do have a HDTV digital cable box, and it is amazing the way things look on this TV!! We are now waiting for movies to come out on DVD rather than the theater because it is so fun to watch movies on this TV!!! I would definetely recommend it!

We did alot of research on rear-projectors and found that Toshiba really had the best reviews. We just got our Toshiba a few days ago. Right now we do not even have a high def signal coming into it, but the picture is still amazing. DVDs that we have watched numerous times are like new pictures to us. There is scenary that you never would have noticed on a 4:3 screen.

There are alot of great functions with the tv, including different Picture sizes that will let you 'stretch' regular broadcasts into a widescreen viewing area. The TV does need tweaked for your viewing environment (brightness, contrast,etc) but this was very easy to do with the remote and the manual.

There are plenty of video inputs to use. We only need one because we run everything through a high end Audio/Video receiver with Component Video Cables. I would recommend spending a little more on the cables, it is worth it.

All in all, the 3 days I have spent with my new tv has been great!!! I can't wait to see how fabulous the picture is once I get the high definition source and receiver.

This set has a great feature set and a wonderful picture. What I really like about it is it's mutiple component, S-video, and analog inputs. I have connected to this set at the same time a Sat tuner, DVD recorder, combined VHS/DVD player and it all outputs to a 6.1 channel receiver.

You really need a large living room to place the unit in since it is rather large. You need to be seated a minimum of 12 feet from the screen to get a great picture. Off angel viewing is good as well. The cabinate sits on rollers so it is easy to move. It also offers automatic convergence as well as multiple picture settings for sports, movies, TV etc. Colors are crisp and the picture is sharp (minimum viewing distance required).

I got it for a great price and the only thing I need to add is a HDTV tuner.

Overall a great television, takes some time to get used to the picture because the screen is so big. Becareful, because you need a big living room to put this bad boy in, cause there is a minimum distance you need to be able to watch it clearly without your eyes hurting. I first had the couch too close and my eyes started to hurt but if you pull back the distance, the pictures are great and definetly worth the $ for the big size. Perfect for DVDs. Buyers should purchase a warranty plan because all Projections will go bad no matter what!!!! The projecter will eventually lose focus after 2-3 years and pictures are distorted so must consider when purchasing "PROJECTION TVs."

This is an excellent High Definition TV. It gives an absolutely perfect HD picture. It has all the inputs you could want. The only thing lacking is the ability to switch audio when in PIP.