TV Reviews

I found a universal remote that works the LME 15S1, Symphonic VCR and Lasonic DVD player. It is a GE RM24927 at OfficeMax, TV code 046 under Sampo.

Go to this site and get everything you need for SAMPO :

http://www.area450.com/

A six stars website for SAMPO.

Go to this site and get everything you need for SAMPO :

http://www.area450.com/

A 6 stars website!

This tv is perfect for the kind of person who doesn't watch a lot of tv but wants to watch dvds and/or play games in 480p (progressive scan). Out of the box the tv needs to be calibrated to look its best (everything is set too high). Once adjustments are made you have a crystal clear digital picture - you just won't believe how good it is for this price. With 2 sets of component video inputs you can easily hook up a digital cable receiver and set it to output in 480p and you've essentially got an hdtv for much less money. Excellent quality. I don't know about the speakers as I use my surround sound system for that. A word of caution though some tvs of this model have poor power supplies but most are fine. If you are getting a poor picture or flicker exchange it for the same model (I had to do this). If you are getting an unbelievable crystal clear picture you've got a good one, don't settle for one of the duds. There's a hidden service menu that lets you adjust the picture quality further and fix geometry.. accessing this menu is a must just search online and you'll find out how.

This has to be the best deal currently going on ED/HDTV. I've had this set for almost two months and I love it. Out of the box, you might be unhappy with it, but if you search online, you'll find a message board full of good instructions on how to make the proper adjustments from within the service menu -- including a few settings that give the TV video/audio abilities it's not advertised to have. Get a calibration disc such as Video Essentials to help you make the adjustments. The 480p image, straight up from DVDs or digitally enhanced over-the-air, is gorgeous, with incredible clarity for a non-HD picture.

Very good definition. A good alternative to the higher price HD offerings. If you need a TV now this is a good choice. I am going to wait until the dust settles to buy the HD or Plasma.

I bought the Philips 17pf9936 because the slightly higher spec model (17pf9945) was no longer available. I use it for watching DVDs and as a game console screen (using the HDTV component video input) and as a computer monitor.

Overall, I'm happy with this TV. Picture quality is good, bright, and contrasty. My only complaint is that the backlighting seems strong -- blacks are never really 100% black, but always a little lighter. It's not very noticable, but once you do, it bugs you a bit.

As a computer monitor it is very good -- except I cannot figure out how to get it into WXGA mode (1280x768). Philips web site claimed it was possible, as does the spec sheet on Amazon, but the manual only lists 1024x768 (4:3), 1280x960 (4:3), or 1280x1024 (5:4) (which all work).

Three things keep me from giving it a full five star rating: Not having got it to work in WXGA mode yet, the not-quite-black-blacks, and the quality of the remote control, which feels cheap and is confusing.

This is an excellent LCD Tv with HDTV. Its amazing how many inputs the TV has and all tucked nicely behind the speakers. Has inputs for componet, VGA, s video and FM. Any combination of connections are easliy possible for input and out put. The reamote is very easy to use. I had seen only one pixel defict dot .Its very sleek and goes well on kitchen counter top or for bedroom or bathroom. I connected to Sony HD receiver with directv and pictures are awesome. Awaiting for a model similar to this in little bigger size 23-26 inches in prize range of 1500-2000. I have always been fan of sony and have all my sytems in sony and Bose. However this Tv was an exception and deserves five starts truely

First and foremost; To quote the words of Chandler Bing (of FRIENDS fame), Amazon.com - "You're swell...". Outstanding service, awesome pricing (saved 2 Benjamins), and complimentary delivery upgrades, sets you guys apart from the rest(worlds apart!).

Now to the review of this state-of-the-art LCD TV from Philips. One word can describe this piece of work, GREAT... Here's my positives.

1. Packed to withstand the rigors of traveling over 5,000 miles (From Kentucky to Hawaii) with UPS Ground and Air. Not a scratch.

2. Well written documentation, with 3 manuals and hookup diagrams for 3 different langauges (overkill maybe).

3. Connectivity and hookup - self explanatory (labelled ports and plugins, easy, simple, alot. A monkey can hook this thing up, blind folded, with one arm tied behind its back.

4. Operation - easy, many options on remote.

5. Picture and Sound - Clear ans ambient sound, crisp picture - TV and PC. Widescreen, awesome. Wish I had an HD receiver.

6. Price - Will never buy major electronic purchases from the local businesses again. They mark up everything. Then mark up mark up prices.

In summary, if your looking for a Philips 17PF9936 17" Widescreen Flat Panel HD Ready LCD TV by Philips, buy this Philips 17PF9936 17" Widescreen Flat Panel HD Ready LCD TV by Philips. You will be making a wise purchase. Thank you.

Note: I am not being paid for this endorsement.

The $2999.00 sale price at Fry's Electronics made this one hard to resist. We knew that some reviews mentioned on the Internet stated that there were red hue problems in the flesh tones. Those concerns turned out to be true. Faces were way too red, making news anchor-people look like they had been out in the sun too long. We really did not want to return it for the price was great compared to others we had seen in this size range. We just could not tolerate it considering the amount of money demanded for this type of television, so it was returned.

I'm no expert on Televisions, but I've read enough about them to write a useful review for you. First off, as stated by another reviewer, the response time (16 milliseconds) is one of the fastest available and should be a big selling point for this screen. Similar screens by other companies such as Dell for example have response times of 20 or 25 milliseconds. The higher the number, the more "lag" or "ghosts" will be seen while watching movies. Be sure to ask about response times of any LCD screens you look at. I bought this TV over amazon.com and overall I'm very satisfied. I mainly view DVD's, video games and surf the internet with mine. I don't watch television much so I can't give you a review of that. From what I've read, LCD screens are not the greatest for regular television viewing; however, HDTV will look awesome as soon as it becomes the standard.

Here is the equipment I'm using: I have a samsung HDTV dvd upconverter player. It's a newer dvd player that enhances standard dvd's up to minimum HDTV standards (720p or 1080i). I used the DVI connection via a $100 monster cable which can be found on amazon. It doesn't pay to own this TV if you plan on viewing anything with composite (S-video) connections. The component video is extremely better especially hooked up to a progressive scan dvd player (480p). When viewing DVD's through my player, there wasn't much difference between picture quality using the DVI input (720p or 1080i) or the progressive scan component connection (480p). This is only true because of the DVD player I'm using; DVI is still the best connection you can get for any TV. The DVI input for this TV should be a major selling point because it will be used for any HDTV signal.

I rate movie viewing 4 stars because of a few flaws. The flaws can be seen while watching older dvds. Most movies looked great from start to finish except during certain scenes: I watched "Good morning vietnam" in (480p) and the picture experienced some lag. The actors lips were not moving along to the audio; the picture was trying to catch up to the dialogue - very annoying. The same thing was experience while watching a newer dvd entitled "Cabin fever" in (720p). Whenever a movie had fog or rain or mist in the foreground around the actors like in "Master and Commander", the image would get somewhat grainy in (720p); however, the rest of the movie looked great. Aside from that, other movies seemed to look great from begining to end. All three Lord of the Rings movies looked stunning in (720p) - hardly any flaws; the same was true with all three matrix movies. Overall, it is a good set to watch movies on, but it depends upon the quality of your player, the connections and the quality of the DVD. Older dvd's experienced alot of lag along with a few newer ones. But, a majority of newer dvd's (from the last 5-7 years) looked great. They looked better than a CRT model - using my set up.

I feel that the real great thing about this TV is the ability to hook it up your computer. You no longer have to sit in front of a little 15, 17 or whatever sized screen. You can sit on your couch, put the keyboard in your lap, and surf the net on a 32" just like you were watching TV. If you use a computer often for the net or typing or even PC gaming, this is definatly the TV to buy. The computer image was flawless. I play simcity4 and it looks amazing. Again, the equipment you hook up can play a big difference in the results you get. I have a 2.4ghz Dell 4600 with a DVI output. I haven't hooked up the PC via component connection yet and I don't know if you can. This is more than just a TV, it's a huge computer monitor and this was the main selling point for me. Highly recommended for PC use.

Lastly, video games look amazing as well. I have my Xbox hooked up through a high definition pack via a component connection. Games such as Halo, Tigerwoods 2004, Unreal Championship, Splinter cell etc. look crisper and cleaner than on any CRT that I've seen. I've played xbox on a samsung 30" HDTV CRT with the high definition pack and this LCD screen still looks better.

Overall, This is a good buy. I have a few complaints about some movies, but most have no problem with lag. This could have something to do with the player I'm using so don't let that discourage you from buying this. One thing to keep in mind is that as time goes on, dvds will increase in picture quality up until high definition dvds comes out. As soon as that happens, this TV shouldn't experience any lag at all - hopefully.

Purchased this TV at Amazon.com after fiasco with an un-named online retialer. The TV is great. I spent about 3 months researching the field before I made my decision. I made at least 7 trips to Best Buy (not to confuse with bestbuyplasma.com grrrr...) looking at all the Sonys, Samsungs, Sharps, Hitachis, etc. I have no clue how Best Buy can sell so many TVs these days. Prices are SO MUCH higher there than on Amazon. People either don't do research or too affraid of online purchases. I did pick up Samsung HD DVD player there though, only $20 more than online. I don't remember DVD model, the one that does 720p up-convert and has DVI out.

This TV is cheapest you can find in 32" 720p category that offers tremendous bang for the buck. Some reviews mentioned over-saturated red color, some mentioned flaws in picture quality. This is not true, plain and simple. This TV requires some tunning when unpacked from the box. Duhh... It took me about an hour to go through calibration and tuning. The results are amazing. Use DVI. Use DVI. Can I say it again? DVI is digital connection. Throw away all your fancy Monster Cables. It is unfortunate and makes me feel sad when people say how great DVI Monster cables are. I understand that analog Monster Cables are of high quality while perhaps being too pricey. With digital connection you either have a picture or you don't. There is no "in-between": no noise, no color change, no blurring is even possible. I am yet to see a DVI cable that would not transmit 0 and 1. $15 cable from Menards(!) worked just beautifully. Any and all DVI cables are equal.

I went with gold plated S-video cable ($10 from Menards) for my older satellite dish that does not have DVI output (waiting for my HD pack now :) S-video is analog signal and requires some care, hence gold.

Now bad things (not enough to reduce to 4 stars though):

1. Only one DVI input. I will have to buy DVI switch box.
2. Setup: it takes some time to figure out correct set of modes(menus) for true digital (DVI) connection. The trick that helped me resolve the problem was connecting TV via old-fashioned composite cable along with DVI. This allowed for tracking menus even when no pitcure can be seen on DVI input.
3. Speakers: I am not a great fan of elephant ears in TVs. TV looks much cleaner without them, fits very well in my not very large room. Combined with ($600) Infinity Total Solutions(TM) 6-Speaker System (TSS-750PLT) this TV is a peice of art in a frame. The downside was that I still had to pay for speakers that now sit in my garage.

(...)

neither this model nor any 27" samsung has a DVI port! A transcoder from DVI to componet jack is about $150.00.

I am very satisfied with this buy. The overall value seemed to best. Samsung has been rapidly improving their products especially in this area to make them affordable and high-quality. The TXN2798HF is loaded with all the available features in the Tantus category. CRTs last much longer than plasma screens and currently have one of the best and most accurate color reproduction. The TV was much heavier than I thought, however, so care should be taken with moving and placing the TV. There are plenty of connections though the single S-video input on the side may cause problems to some.

I believe the TV automatically converts 480i video signals to 480p. I found, surprisingly, that image quality was better with progressive scanning on my Panasonic DVD player turned OFF rather than ON. The TV does an excellent job of processing video signals.

I ordered from Amazon despite many reviewers bad experiences with ordering TVs. It is true that you cannot return TVs over 27-inches ONCE you've opened it but you can and should refuse to recieve the TV from the shipper if the box or other evidence shows that it is damaged (this is actually what Amazon recommends doing). The shipping cost did not really bother me as I would have paid nearly the same amount of money for taxes if not ordered online.

I purchased this television primarily to enjoy my DVDs and Xbox in progressive scan mode. It has good features at an affordable price point. I'm not yet ready to invest in a high cost plasma or LCD unit as I believe those technologies will come down significantly in price within the next few years. A CRT based system was the reasonable choice for me.

It is a 4x3 CRT television, but the 16x9 widescreen squeeze works quite well and about equivalent to a 24" widescreen.

The picture is extremely clear at 480p and has the clarity of a computer monitor at 1080i. It does not have the ability to produce 720p, which is the only negative I have for this model. However, all OTA signals I've received and other digital sources, 1080i has always been supported.

I went ahead and bought a Samsung STB (T351) to enjoy "off the air" DTV signals as well. It does require a Set Top Box or some other digital source since it does not have a built in tuner. You can't expect a set in this price range to include this, nor is it really necessary if you are just wanted progressive scan ability.

If you're looking to purchase a CRT based television these days, there is no reason not to purchase an HDTV ready-set. This will extend it's usefulness as we approach the 2006 HDTV roll-out here in the U.S.

I've been very happy with this television and have a new found respect for Samsung. Only wish I had purchased it sooner. The DVDs are so vibrant and much improved in quality. The Xbox is wonderful in 480p.

Also, just to clarify an issue from another reviewer, this does indeed have a DVI-D input on it. It's in the PDF manual and its definitely on the set itself. Be sure to read the PDF link to learn more.

The picture is as clear as they come, but had I known that the sound was as bad as it is I would have bought a different tv. Other than the sound the tv is a decent buy.

I've owned this TV for a few months and I really like it. The picture quality is very good (after some adjustment from factory settings) and the set itself looks really nice. Its build quality appears to be better than that of other televisions in its price range and it has a fair number of video/audio inputs (3) to allow for moderate expandability.

I can think of three minor things I do not like about this set. First, the DVD component input and the S-video input share their audio input, so that you can not conveniently connect devices to both inputs simultaneously. Second, it seems that when a device is connected to the side A/V terminals, the DVD sound will not play in component input mode (I'm not sure if the problem exists in S-video mode). This is a minor annoyance as I have to disconnect my nintendo in order to watch DVDs. Finally, the remote control seems cheaply made -- more appropriate for a TV half the price of this one.

Overall, I am very happy with the TV. Samsung could have done a little more debugging and spent a few more dollars on a second set of audio inputs and one of their better remotes, so I will give it only 4 stars.

This is a product that has given me no buyers remorse. I have buyers remorse for any large purchase I make.(I know you may be laughing at the fact that this is a large purchase for me.) I have had this TV for 2 years and have had no problems with it. My only minor complaint is that I wish the a/v jacks on the side of the TV were in the back, but a lot of people may find it more convienient this way, for all I know. Either way, I would whole-heartedly recommend this product to anyone.

The unique texture of this product caught my eye and persuaded me to seek more. After doing my "research" I dealt myself to buy one and drifted towards a new unit. When received in the mail, I assembled the unit and after 24 hours, only 50 pounds of force, the unit collapsed. Now, feeling that this must be an unknown error, I returned it and received another unit. The same thing happened, yet again.

So, this may just be a "luck of the darn draw", but it sure was some bad luck.

Becareful when you unpack the shelving materials. There are 8 circular styrofoam spacers on two square sheets of styrofoam that look like packing material. You could easily damage the styrofoam if you don't notice them. Other than that, the table was very easy to assemble. It looks great and seems to be very strong.

Very easy to assemble, has very classic lines, lets stereo equipment have plenty of ventilation, hard to find add-on shelf in maple. Holds a lot of equipment.

I am from cyprus,and i am interested about panasonic 32' my questionis,i can order one pcs(tv,panasocic 32')and how many days they need to coming in cyprus,also how i pay.

Thanks Sophocles eliades

This TV has everything you can expect from a tv in this price range, and more. I purchased this TV after doing research on the competitive brands and found this to offer the most for the money. You get multiple audio/video inputs, along with component video which is hard to find on tv's in this price range. Component video mosty comes on tv's with a much higher price range. With the component video inputs you will get almost 1.5 times better picture than with the standard s-video. That rocks. If you buy this tv you won't have any regrets, just do your research!

I just got my TV delivered last week. I totally love it! The picture is very sharp, and although I am admittedly no audiophile, I think the sound is fine too. I do have it hooked up to DISH Network Statellite system. I had DISH hooked up to my previous TV too, but the picture is much better with this TV.

I have no complaints at all, and would recommend it to anyone who wants a 32" TV at a great price.

I currently own several Panasonic TV's and TV/VCR Combo's and they have been for the most part trouble free. In September 2001 I bought a 27" flat screen TV (CT-27SX11) from Panasonic and it has been nothing but trouble as of April 2002.

The major problem has been with support. Yes, I own a good deal of A/V gear including some Pro A/V gear, but the support problem has been with the warranty periods offered by Panasonic on large heavy screen TV's. Don't be fooled by the warranty you see here or at a retail store. The labor is only for 90 days, and they'll charge you big time for labor.

Almost everything I have from Panasonic has been trouble-free, but if you do have a problem, be prepared to throw away and re-purchase because it would cost less than the labor charges.

Reasonably priced, hassle free entertainment system that works well if you're not hooked on DVD. The sound and picture are relatively good, the FM stereo is an added bonus. The VCR is basically idiot proof. As a moderately sized screen TV it fits the bill as a unit that won't dominate too much space in your living room.

if you're really not into "huge" screens for your TV viewing, this might be for you. The VCR is very nice, playback looks great, and so does programs you record. Great picture, sound could be a little better, but for a TV/VCR, it ain't too bad. It has many features. Video games look great on it. My only complaint, it's not multi-standard!

Simple to hookup. UPN and WB comes in crystal clear. PBS and PAX comes in fuzzy, but clear enough to see what's going on. NBC and CBS does not come in at all.

Better than nothing and for the price, I guess I can do without CBS and NBC.

Not the most impressive antenna in the world, but it can't be beat for the price. Overall, a great value.

I own this antenna and I have to say that it is much better than I expected. For the price I didn't expect much in terms of good tv reception. All local tv stations do come in relatively well and the adjustments allow you fine tune the channels. Another great feature is the double RF outputs. You can connect the antenna to 2 video sources and skip the cable routing. The overall design is excellent and I can definitely see this antenna last for years to come.