TV Reviews

I am disappointed with the picture setting menu and the factory automatic reset feature, in particular. Why would contrast be set at 100% in stead of mid range. I find it necessary to continually adjust color, tint etc.as I move through channels. I have three other tv sets and none of them ever require fussing with the picture controls. Once I finaly get a combination that seems to provide consistant quality among channels, the set automatically goes back to factory reset if I try to change color temperature or picture preference, (sports, standard, etc.)

This TV has both an excellent picture and excellent sound. Consumer Reports rated this TV very highly, and I believe they were right. I have a very good sound system which can be used in conjunction with this TV, but most of the time I leave it off and just use the TV's internal sound because it is so good. My previous TV was a Toshiba, and it lasted about 12 years. That experience and the Consumer Reports' recommendation of Toshiba leads me to expect a long life from this unit.

I had bought a Sony KV-32FS100 which got returned. This is the set that replaced it. It has none of the convergence problems the Sony had, and other than a slight trapezoid image (narrower on the right side - the Sony had this also) the geometry is quite good. Both the Sony I returned, and the Sony display model where I bought this set, had serious geometry problems ....

... I ended up getting the Avia Guide to Home Theater DVD (also highly recommended), and using that to adjust the picture settings - now the color looks great (hue is set to +20 - that's how far into red the standard setting is). My wife and I both prefer the (bluish) red phosphor that Toshiba uses to the (orangish) one Sony uses (we were both fans of Mitsubishis when they still made direct views). There is a downside to all of this - it shows how variable the quality of our cable signal is.

This set also doesn't make the huge "WHUNG..." sound the Sony made when you turned it on. And while the bezel around the screen is still too wide for my tastes (and silver to boot), it looks downright small next to the Sony, which was too wide AND too tall AND silver.

The only thing I wish this set had is the multiple user adjustable video settings that the Sony and other brands have. This set has only one user adjustable setting - the others (Standard, Movie, Sports) are locked in presets. In fact, if you make the mistake of trying to adjust one of the presets, it will automatically replace your user adjustable settings with the ones you are adjusting, so it's not a bad idea to write your settings down somewhere so you can recover them.

All in all, I'm very happy with the set. It's not perfect - as I mentioned in the review title, I'd give it a 4.5 if I could. But as the deficiencies have to do with features and configuration rather than performance, giving it a 4 would be damning it with faint praise, so 5 it is.

Overall, this has all of the features that I was looking for and was small and compact enough to fit into a wall unit that previously held a 26 inch set. The picture is very clear and accessing the various features is fairly simple once you read the instructions and play around with it for a few minutes.

Technology has been changing exponentially so I still spend weekends window-shopping. However, there are still some constants out there. PANASONIC and SONY still manufacture the best tube televisions as far as I can discern. When entering into the tube TV market (20 inches and above) your best bet for uniform picture quality and consistent performance is PANASONIC and SONY. Both of these manufactures still stake their reputations on this market. Both manufacturers also still have a loyal following of satisfied customers who return time and again to their Televisions. I used to sell audio and video products. A returning PANASONIC customer settles for nothing but another PANASONIC television. A returning SONY customer settles for nothing but another SONY television. That's the way it was. From my point of view PANASONIC and SONY still make the best television sets utilizing a conventional picture tube. Price range aside, my criteria for choosing a set is simply how well the picture looks to me. I look for picture definition, sharpness and color consistency. Personally I found SONY to have a slight edge over PANASONIC in picture definition and sharpness. PANASONIC televisions offer great definition with a slightly softer looking image than SONY. However, I do find that PANASONIC still has better control over color consistency. A color picture is made up of Red, Green and Blue signals. Reds are the hardest to reproduce and control because they have a tendency to over-saturate and "bleed." From the many sets that I have observed PANASONIC controls this "bleeding." PANASONIC keeps the Red signal at the same level and consistency of the Greens and Blues, which is more pleasing to the eye. In order to compare sets I always use the same video source, which is usually, a DVD player (I use the same player as well as the same software). My point is that I saw a discernable difference in the PANASONIC 32-inch sets compared to Sony's 32-inch sets. The Panasonic CT-32D32 32" TV is an incredible set. If you are not going to HDTV it's the best for my money.

I've been a longtime Sony user, but in my humble opinion, they've been going downhill the last few years. So I was determined to do my homework and research the best tv with the nice extras that wouldn't empty my wallet. I narrowed it down to a few different makes and models and read reviews on amazon as well as other websites and published reviews. Being from a smaller town, you usually don't get to see all the models, just what's on the showroom floor. So you either settle for what you see or make a leap of faith and order a tv without seeing the quality of the picture or conveinence of it's features. Well, as I browsed Best Buy, I was lucky enough to see the Panasonic CT-32D32. The picture alone almost totally sold me. The colors are deep and rich and almost as vivid as a film in the movie theatre if not just as good. The Panablack tube really delivers rock solids blacks with no glare that I could see. It just helps the picture to pop out at you. Add to this a PIP, just about every input you could ask for, a well laid out remote, and just plain superior design... you've got the makings of a real winner. DON'T pass this one by.. see for yourself and you might just be sold on it as well.

These tv's have a great picture with excellent reception. Great for road trips with the kids. With 4 boys, I enjoy it while I am waiting in the van to pick up the kids up at after school activities!

I am 13 years old.I just received this wonderful handheld tv for a birthday present,and I love it!!!It is so lightweight that I take it almost everywhere with me.And I have wanted this item for a long time now, because my bigger brother and sister are always hogging the tv, and I never get a chance to watch what I want.I was so releived when I got this for my birthday.Now I can just run up to my room and grab my tiny tv.And unlike most other hanheld tv's, it has perfectly clear color picture.I am very glad my parents discovered Amazon.com , its there source for all are gifts.

I have one of these TV's and they are amazing, perfect picture and good reception. Also they are very resonably priced and, the small size lets it go just about anywhere. A great buy!

I really enjoy my little TV.I also have the 888 model from Citizen.they are very simialar although this one has a radio.I find the speaker a little to small and tinny but it's tolorable.I get really good reception on both the TV and the radio.A fun way to kill some time,when your on the go.

This is a great little TV! The picture is better than most of my larger TVs, and it's small enough to fit in a tote or briefcase. It also has an AM/FM radio. I would recommend this product highly!

This works great!!! I have 4 for my family!!

Be Warned: There are 2 different disney TV models: the 1300C and the 1350C. Target sells both (although some stores have one or the other). The 1350C is newer, slightly different design and is "compatible with the DVD player". The 1300C only has one audio input (white) and not the red one. You can tell from the front. My store's display had the 1300 with the DVD, so we got it. Few days later, we had to exchange for the 1350. OF course, the problem with the 1350 is that it does not stack as well as the 1300 (there are divits on top of the DVD for the TV). It comes with a little plastic strap to secure it, but the strap does not reach the TV. !! So, we put them side by side (safer anyways). Otherwise, my 3yr old loves this, he finds the remotes easy to use. The 1350 differs from the 1300 in that the TV shell is a little slimmer, the speakers are much slimmer, comes in a mickey box (1300 is donald) and the remote is different too. Good luck!

We bought this TV for our 4 year old. All the kids loved it. We bought a cheap DVD, and we bought a couple games that you can plug into the front of the TV, and our child has no trouble using the remote control.

My daughters received the Disney Princess television as a Christmas gift & it has been working just fine. We are pleased with the product & of course are the little ones (for it is Disney Princess). They also have the alarm clock which has also been a happy purchase. We are still waiting to purchase the dvd but after reading the comments from other dissapointed parents we are happy that it has been discontinued. We hope to have Disney team up with a better electrnic carrier like Sony.

Very good picture and sound and easy to operate, and a bargain for the price. Color and image detail are excellent, including when playing back VHS tapes. The simulated surround sound effect is pretty subtle, but does seem to have the effect of appearing to bring the sound closer to your ears. And while you will still want to hook your system up to an audio receiver and speakers if you are a fanatic about hi fi sound for music and concert videos, as I am, the sound from the TV speakers is clear, rich and above average for built in TV speakers--it's quite fine for my needs when watching movies or TV shows.

In addition to the usual RCA video input, the set does have an S-video input if you're into DVD--which I'm not--but does *not* have inputs for more than one video component at a time--so if you're going to hook up both a VCR and DVD, and perhaps a gaming system as well, you'll need one of those adapter boxes of the sort Radio Shack sells for around 40 bucks that allow you to plug multiple components into one set of inputs.

Very good set for the value, though, especially considering the high reputation of JVC.

We purchased this JVC television to replace a 10 year old RCA. We were a bit unsure, as we have never had a JVC product before. Guess what? We love it! It was very simple to set up with the HCT (Home Communications Terminal supplied by our local cable TV company). The VCR was a snap to connect. We didn't even have to use the manual to do any of the set up. The picture is fantasic quality and the sound is wonderful. We are very pleased with our purchase.

I have had my JVC now for over 2 years and the picture is still beautiful. This is the first tv that - out of the box - all of the picture settings are perfect on. I didn't tweak the contrast or color level at all. My model has S-video in and the picture is spectacular, but mine only has one jack - I have a dvd and echostar that both have s-video out - my echostar lost :-)

All in all, for the money, you won't find a better television.

This t.v. is pretty good the colors aren't as bright as i would like them to be (sony trinitron), but i think i can mess with the controls a little bit. The sound is good. If you want more pronounced colors get a sony.

This is a great TV. The front and rear A/V inputs are real handy. This TV also has an S-Video cable input--I am using an gold plated S-Video cable, and I get an awesome picture on my DVD! The remote is real easy to use, and you can control your VCR, DVD, Stereo, and many other stereo equipment with it. The picture quality is great, and I am using an antenna, so I can only imagine what cable/Direct TV would be like. This TV also has picture in a picture, which is real handy during football season. I am real happy with this TV, I got my money's worth and then some!

I am a big fan of this television. I read a review that said that the S-video wasn't any good, but I have to disagree. I am using a gold plated S-video cable, and I don't have any complaints. Picture quality is great. Panasonic is a great brand, so what are you waiting for? Go buy it!

Although it takes a while to deal with the technicalities of all the channels and options, this is a better value over cable, especially if you live in an area where the cable selection (...). Be sure you ask the installation company what your cost, if any, will be. You may get charged extras, and you know "Free" doesn't alway apply 100%. But, all in all, it is a better value if you can afford the initial investment.

I have purchased 3 different DirecTV systems over the years. ALL have been RCA. Why? Price and performance. All boxes still work. Over the years , I have upgraded from a basic system to a deluxe with the oval dish. I plan on getting a HDTV receiver or the Directivo this fall.

I have the model with the Caller ID display. Now when I'm watching TV, I don't have to get up to see who's calling. When I don't want to talk, I lett VM pick up. If it's for my spouse, she has to pick up the phone. No more message taking or screening other peoples calls. The oval dish allows for subscription to Para Todos programming, HDTV (2 channels now and more to come)and some locals!!!

I haven't had cable in over three years, and I don't miss it either!!!!

I bought DirecTV in August of 2000 and I have been the happiest subscriber since. DirecTV's picture quality is the best you can get. Compared to cable, DirecTV can give you 200+ channels of 100% digital service, whereas cable gets you 30 channels of analog service. And now that I can recieve my local channels from DirecTV, I can't see why anybody wouldn't want it. If you are sick of looking through the newspaper to find whats on, and to suffer from bad picture quality, then One-Click this system now, because the sooner you buy it, the sooner you can start enjoying the great service provided by DirecTV.

Recieved our 57H82 Toshiba monitor on approx March 7. Great picture quality! very crisp, clear images. Very good sound quality for a television. Unfortunately the set broke after only 2 hours.

The tuner and convergence modules both went out. Two month later the television is still broken. Numerous calls to Toshiba Product Support has been of little help. Although, they are very polite on the phone, the product support personel have acutually have done very little to fix the problem. When I pressed one supervisor if six weeks (six weeks at the time of the call) to fix a big screen repair was acceptable, he stated that "The television will be fixed as per our warranty. But, our warranty does not specify how long it will take".

Currently:
*The set is still broken.

*One part is still on backorder - they can make new sets but can't get me a replacement part for mine.

*The price has dropped [$$$]since I bought it.

*20% of the warranty has now been used waiting for Toshiba to fix the problem

*I'm missing the basketball playoffs and will probably miss the Championships

Great picture quality, very good sound. But you play Russian roulette if your need product support.

The set arrived on time but was delivered by a company that Eagle had sub-contracted. Getting it to our Family Room was a nightmare as the 2 guys(both elderly)who brought it in had NO idea what they were delivering! We helped but they damaged our walls getting it downstairs.
We LOVE the TV and it's great for DVD's (the sound quality is great). We don't have HDTV available in our area yet but can't wait because that will improve the picture quality. My husband loves the SPLIT SCREEN feature (he can watch 2 ball-games at once)! We like that feature much better than a PIP.
The size is great and easy to roll around and on top has room for DVD, VCR, Cable box, etc.
We shopped for TV's and chose this one because of it's size, price and split screen feature. The only bad thing is: Now, my husband rarely leaves the house!!!

I did some homework before I bought this TV and I am very happy with it. The picture is super clear with directv satellite. For this price with such size, I highly recommend it.

The television picture is gourgeous. The DVD features are wonderfull. I taped a program on the VCR and the re-play was virtually DVD quality. However, it is a very low price for a flat screen TV. And I think the low cost is mostly in the TV console. It seems to be tin and plastic. And it does not travel well. My set arrived with a couple of dings in the console. Then I notice there was a spot where it was cracked and compressed as if from being dropped.

Therefore I give the Toshiba MW20FN1 20" Flat Screen TV-DVD-VCR Combo 5 stars for quality at that price. Exceptional. - 2 Stars for ruggedness and shippability.

Like another reviewer, I received the unit with some dents in the frame along the bottom, front-right side. The box and packing materials were in good shape, so this appears to be a Toshiba quality control issue, unrelated to the retailer or shipper. On the positive side, it was very easy to connect and configure. The user guide is adequate, reasonably easy to understand, and well illustrated. If you have special connectivity requirements, you won't find any of the necessary cables in the box. Picture quality on the flat screen is excellent, and the sound quality is also very good, better still passed through my bookshelf hi-fi system. This was true for cable TV, VHS and DVD playback. I chose an old tape for VCR testing purposes, and I was very happy with the color, sharpness, and audio. I picked a "difficult" DVD disk -- i.e., dual-layer, "funky" color/surface/reflectivity factor -- and was surprised that it played flawlessly, first try. This "killer" disk has defeated a number of other players, so I've decided to keep the unit I received, dents and all. Like they say, handsome is as handsome does.

3-25-2004
I got this tv yesterday and it is great... but I noticed that it had wavy,bloby colors around the sides on dvd,vhs,and tv on all channels and a tiny crack in the corner. So I just emailed Amazon to ship me another one and pick up the broken one at the same time. They emailed back and said they would.I haven't receid it yet.