4 comments about Philips 52PFL7403D/27 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV.

1. I just bought this tv and had it installed yesterday! I was unsure wheter my TV rack would hold it (it was build to hold a 42"), but it's doing just fine! This TV actually feel almost as heavy as my 2007 42", which I suppose is due to new materials used.
   
   The instalation is a breeze. It comes with a connections guide (in case you need one), and taking it out of the box couldn't be easier. You might think that getting a 52" tv out of the box might be something short of a suicidal thing, but it's actually very very easy! The whole box comes out from the top, leavint the TV sitting neatly on it's stand on the floor, ready to be picked up and be placed wherever.
   
   After you plug it in, a settings assistant comes up, and helps you set up the picture the way you like it, without messing with numbers or complicated settings. You just look at which of the 2 pictures shown you like better, and select it. Do this 5 times, and you're set. Off course, you can edit all the little details later.
   
   Installing all the channels took around 2-3 minutes, and I have about 200 channels, between digital and analog. No issues here.
   
   It's also nice and fast to change channels. Like that. Some TVs take a long time to change channels, don't know why.
   
   The picture is GREAT. If you've never seen the image of a 1080p 120hz TV before, check it out. Watching a HD movie on this is as good as it gets, and in my opinion, the quality beats other more expensive brands. Another nice feature is that the speakers are all in the back, so you don't see them, but they actually sound as good as if they were right there. Again, not sure how they do this.
   
   All and all, very happy with this TV. Recommend for anyone who wants a nice movie experience at home, or enjoy playing Tennis with their Wii, and always complain that 42" "just isn't enough" :)



2. I received the Philips 52" 120Hz LCD TV yesterday morning and I have to say I am very pleased with my purchase. It has loads of connectors for all your toys and was so simple to setup, the interface is very intuitive. I watched movies, TV and played games on it for 16 hours straight yesterday. I have my upconvert DVD player, Blueray, PS3 and PC connected to this TV and all I can say is WOW. Quality materials, beautiful design and the picture and sound are amazing! The hidden 4 speakers do a great job (I couldn't believe it). The picture quality is amazing, brings all my DVD's to the next level, blueray is out of this world, PS3 is a dream on this thing! Black levels are excellent, no artifacting during PC gameplay, this TV is fast enough to keep up and beyond!
   
   This TV is feature packed, unbelievable value for money, has fully adjustable settings, 2ms response, 33,000:1 contrast, 120 Hz, etc. I have absolutely no complaints, I couldn't be happier! If you are thinking of a 52" LCD and this is in your budget then don't think about it, buy it! You won't be sorry!



3. I am one of those that did all the research and reviews before buying. I must say this TV is great! The picture (in 1080i since my cable company does not yet support 1080p) is crisp and clear. The 120mhz really makes a huge difference when I did not believe it would. The refresh rate also stands out. I mounted it over the fireplace mantle and could not be happier. The only drawback I found at all when mounting it to the wall is that the connections are not easy to get to after it is mounted. My only suggestion to Philips would be to put the connections underneath.



4. I dont usually write too much reviews, unless I am really impressed. I did a lot of research to buy a big screen 52 inch LCD from a trusty Sony Trinitron. I first bought a Sharp 52 inch LCD 1080p (non 120hz) after research due to the style, the narrow bezel and frame, and good reviews of the picture quality from experts. However, I had to return 2 sets, one had a white line in the middle, and the second one had no picture after a few uses. Go figure. Then I researched bigger brands such as Sony, Samsung, but this one fit my budget. However, I hesitated, due to the brand Philips, which I was not familiar with. But, due to my budget, I bought it and was a great purchase so far. The set up was easy and I had no issues after installing it. During my research, I read articles by experts that 120hz does not make a big difference and may not be cost effective. However, WOW...I was impressed at the smooth movements it produced. I mean you can really notice it. The only issue I had, if you can even call it an issue, is that since the picture and movement is soooo clear, I felt that home movie theatre experience is now gone. The pictures are too clear and smooth unlike when you are in a theatre. Oh well, Im getting used to it and its super nice and I figure this is the wave of the future.
   
   Only cons: 1) when you choose your components using only the "source" button, the screen turns black while the source box disappears, and you have to repress the button for the source box to reappear, and so on (this causes an unnecessary lag). An easy fix is just scrowing down the source box with the arrow buttons, but I think it would be easy to just press and repress the source button for changing components. Not a big deal, but on the Sharp you can flick through the sources using only the source button rather quickly; 2) when you turn the tv on, its blue with the "Philips" logo and lags before the picture comes out (waste of time, and feels like a computer monitor not a tv); 3) when you turn the tv off, it goes black then blue before shutting off (ditto #2 - hey Philips, what for?); and 4) asthetically, I feel the Sharp, Sony, Samsung has better looks and packaging, although the Philips looks tough and heavy :(. It is thicker in depth too than Sharp. And whats with that clear plastic frame that borders the bezel. Does this serve a purpose??? Its not like it makes the tv look better asthetically or anything.
   
   All in all, this was a GREAT purchase for the mony and thats what counts! The picture is good and smooth and the unit seems to be reliable for now. I really hope it survives for a long time. I recommend this unit.

No comments about Samsung LN52A630 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color.

No comments about Optoma EP721 SVGA 2200-Lumens DLP Multimedia Data Projector.

5 comments about Samsung HL56A650 56-Inch 1080p Slim DLP HDTV.

1. I have been eyeing up a Sammy DLP set for quite some time. I initially planned on getting the Samsung HLT6187S for the 61 inch goodness and the LED light source. However, as I continued to procrastinate the price of those sets began to rise as they became harder and harder to find. At that point I thought I may as well jump up to the HL61A750 since it is the successor to my dream TV. Well, unfortunately my old lady voiced her opinion that the 61 inch was "too big" for our modest apartment, but said she backed up my decision either way. But me being the sensitive man I am I couldn't stand to make her unhappy and grudgingly started looking for a 56 incher.
   
   My searches would soon bring me face to face with the glorious glow of the Samsung HL56A650. Honestly, if they had a LED powered 56 incher in this series I would have gotten that one instead. I can imagine the reason for this was to lower the price to increase market saturation but I wish they could at least had both versions or a maybe an LED upgrade kit (does that even exist or did I just make that up?).I had a DLP projector a few years back and I've priced the lamps for the TV and they are MUCH cheaper than the ones for my old projector. Even so I was considering buying a replacement lamp and keeping it in the closet when the stock lamp eventually dies so 1) I can capitalize on the lower price while they are in abundance and 2) I won't be weeks without my pretty tv while I wait for the replacement to come in the mail.
   
   Alright enough babble, onto the actual TV itself, I order the TV the 16th, and received it on the 24th. CEVA only sent one person out with the TV so being the testosterone filled he-man that I am, I offered to help him bring it up to our 3rd floor apartment. After careful inspection of the unit and waiting for me to be satisfied, he took all the packaging to the garbage after I told him I didn't have space to store it in case of it being defective. The TV settings were so-so out of the box but after using the calibration disc we picked up previously Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics [Blu-ray] the picture was outstanding once we threw on a bluray disc.
   
   The television is very attractive even when its not turned on, with its stylish piano black finish and thin bezel. Any other 56 inch tv would overpower our living room but the design of the tv allows it to stay amazing low key. Then you turn the picture on and POW! Your eyeballs explode from resolution overload. The remote is pretty slick looking as well, with a piano black finish that matches the TV (and the PlayStation 3 80GB Motorstorm Pack).
   
   I actually thought I was going to be underwhelmed by the sound quality and want a home theater system immediately but I have been pleasantly surprized. Not that the speakers are that great, but they get the job enough that I can allow my wallet to recover the beating buying this behemoth has done before I invest in completing my home theater set up. One thing that kind of surprized me about this tv was that even though there are 3 hdmi hookups, there is only one antenna hook up which I forgot all about. I was actually anticipating hooking an antenna up to the second port to get some free high def channels.
   
   Other than those couple of gripes I really have nothing bad to say about the television. The main reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the lack of an LED light source or even an option for one in the 56 inch model. But don't let that be a deal breaker, this is a great tv that gives you more picture for buck than LCD or plasma.



2. They call you cracker jack when you are very good or the best. My ratings are on a scale of 1-10.
   
   9-Color/Viewing Angles: May need a little adjustment for individual preference. Flesh tones and such were a little off until adjusted. Blacks are good. View angles are really good. Excels in a dark room as well as with most of the shades up.
   
   10-Size: The TV great for big room(16ft x 26ft). Quick access buttons to size choices of picture 16.9, 4.3, zoom 1x & 2x etc.
   
   10-Hookup: Lots of different hookups. Everything form PC hookups to plenty of HDMI hookups for your Blu-Ray players. Perfect for the techy, but may be confusing for some people not accustom to having so many choices, but the manual explains it fairly well for any questions you may have.
   
   10-Interface: The interface is very user-friendly and it does take long to adapt to. Actual selection menus are used and navigated with the arrow keys instead of just button clicks, and we also like the sound notifications of it when it's turned it off.
   
   We really can't say anything bad about the TV works great, has plenty of connections for just about anything you can imagine, and has a great picture.
   
   Shipping service was a little slow, probably due to the holiday during the delivery cycle, but the TV was handled very well. Shipping was free, so we can't complain. This is our first large order like this from Amazon, so we were a little nervous but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again after the experience with them this time.



3. Vann's had a good selection and I found the TV I wanted.
   Delivery happened 6 days after I ordered.
   Great TV and the price was right. Thanks. I love it!



4. I have been very happy with the quality of this TV as well as the price and service from amazon.com. The shipping was included (with Prime) and the guys set it up and took away the trash. They were also very flexible with my schedule, coming by after 5pm so that I could be home from work.
   
   The TV looks great with my PS3 and the Blu-Ray movies I own. If you have a PS3, get one of these and NOT A PLASMA!!! Plasmas are not meant for games and you risk image burn in. The LCD and DLP TVs are less likely to develop screen retention (which is great for laptops also!).
   
   Well worth the price.



5. The most bang for your buck. Great picture, colors, sounds. A TV this that looks this good, with this size screen, and the price, awesomeness galore! It's almost intoxicating how great this picture is on this thing.

5 comments about Sony Bravia Z-Series KDL-40Z4100/S 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV, Silver.

1. Let me start by saying that I own a fair bit of Sony product--and have been a fan of their TV's (muchless HDTV's) for a long time.
   Thus, I was willing to pay the retail price premium for this unit. It had what I wanted--and with the Xross Media Bar, Ethernet port, 10-bit processing, 1080p/60hz, 24-frame cinema-mode, et al, it seemed ideal.
   That said, I'm a very unhappy shopper when it comes to this unit.
   There is a big white cloud in the center of what should be a very dark and very contrast-happy LCD screen in any shaded or gray to black sequences, and the digital sparkles I'm seeing on screen constantly, across all uses of all types of HDMI inputs from 1.0 to 1.3b cables (from low cost to crazy cost--and TiVo to deep color 60 Gig PS3) are killing the value of the digital inputs.
   This series has a problem. I recommend that even should you want one--I'd wait to see a revision of the unit before purchase.
   My KDL-40Z4100/B is not a good moment for Sony or for this Sony fan. Skip it.



2. I've only had this tv for a week, but I haven't had any problem at all with a white cloud or sparkles. I think it's too expensive, but I also wanted many of the features that it offers and that I haven't seen from any other maker in this size and with a picture this realistic. I've had three Trinitrons over the years and quite a few other Sony products. Except for one experience with a telephone that only lasted a year, I've never had a problem. This is my first HDTV and I'm still working through trying out all of the features. I'll write more when I've had more experience with it.



3. The 10-bit Z series 40" Sony LCDs are the absolute best. This TV sends XBR down a notch. Digital source material will jump out at you like never before. Gorgous color and contrast. The best yet.
   
   1080i TV broadcast looks about 90% as good as Blu-ray on this panel. The delivery of non-HD DVD movies is wonderful and the picture using Blu Ray is absolutely stunning! (I rarely use the word "stunning")
   
   Also, it's very future-proof with lots of (4) HDMI inputs and a LAN connection and USB. I've had the KDL 40Z4100 for about 2 weeks now and the ranking of picture quality goes as follows: Blu Ray (late release)movies, Digital HD television broadcast or HD digital cable, standard def (480 or 720) movies from a good quality "upscaling" player, and finally - standard def TV broadcast. The 120hz motion control and 24p pull-down work well on older standard def movies. My only advice is to not scrimp on the DVD player. You're going to see your old flicks look better than you have seen them...ever - with a good upscalling player.
   
   Even video sources from my computer look near HD. I've connected my computers 8800GT graphics card's DVI out to the Sony's HDMI input and the look of some of my games is just as good, if not better, than my 22'' Samsung monitor.
   This is Sony's best so far, in my humble opinion. Go for it!



4. This TV was literally the perfect "fit" for us. The slim design just fits our built-in cabinet with about 1/2 inch to spare on width. This means we can not access the few side mounted inputs and control buttons - but with 4 HDMI inputs in total + component inputs in the back, we have more than enough accessible inputs and the remote does all we need it to. We also found it on sale for $1699.00 - making the price more competitive with other similarly configured TVs - the picture is amazing - we have been watching the Olympics in HD but have not yet tried a DVD - on Vivid setting the picture is extremely bright and sharp - maybe too bright; there are custom controls for the picture that we have not tried yet. The only problem we have had was the included TV stand - the TV attaches quite easily with 4 included screws - but when we mounted the TV - it was tilted forward at the top - there is no way to adjust tilt, and we determined that an L shaped metal component of the stand that holds the TV was bent - I talked Fry's into just swapping the stand as the TV worked great; the new stand solved the problem.
   
   The action sports from the Olympics look great - no doubt helped by the 120 Hz processor.
   
   We also have not noticed any cloud or sparkle artifacts
   
   So if you are tight on space - this is a great "fit."



5. Was time to replace my 36" Sony XBR tube with a new HDTV set but had a specific space limitation due to the existing TV cabinet - had to fit something inside just over 39". Looked at the Samsung 650 and was leaning heavily that way but was concerned that the size was just too tight for my opening (even with some adjustments) and the glossy screen was a concern given lots of natural light in the room.
   
   Was then looking to the "W" series when I found the "Z" - a bit more, but it was definately smaller (the exact same width as my 36" XBR tube set) and I liked the DLNA options.
   
   The reason for 4 vs 5 stars is the fact that using the DLNA feature has not been easy thus far. There are little to no instructions with the set for this and I've tried three DLNA-compatible Media Servers (four if you count Windows Media Player). I finally was able to access pics from my PC by using the SimpleCenter media center but I've not been able to get the TV to realize that audio is also being shared by SimpleCenter. Sony's on-line & e-mail help were not very helpful so I'm going to have to spend some time on the phone with their support line - hopefully that will prove more helpful and I can get access to my music as well.
   
   I have not experienced the "sparkling" effect mentioned by another reviewer - hopefully that's a limited issue that will not crop up after further burn-in.
   
   Overall the set looks great - the S-Video connection from my non-HD DirecTV receiver looks better than on another smaller HDTV set I have (Insignia - BestBuy's house brand). Interesting the Insignia seemed to do a bit better in pulling in the off-air signal than the Sony (with weaker signals - we live quite a ways away from any transmitters) until I went and purchaed a new antenna signal amplifer (I think the one I had had gone, or was starting to go, bad) but now I get great HDTV picture off the air and when connected to a Sony upconverting DVD player my existing CDs look great.
   
   UPDATE: After no help from Sony Support, I have finally determined / realize that Music/MP3s are not supported over DLNA. To Sony's credit, the manual does not claim music support of MP3 - only refers to photos - but the fact that you can play music from USB seems to be it a bit ambigious - perhaps I just wanted this to funciton like the Samsung 7 series that allows music streaming as well as the RSS feeds and more - oh well.... at least I have pics working - still keeping it at 4 stars due to the poor level of Sony's support in helping me clearly realize this basic fact (after using Chat, e-mail and phone support).
   
   UPDATE 2: Having issues getting the "built-in" TV Guide to let me select channels I want displayed and keep those without it hiding ones I select or adding ones I don't want - once again a couple of rounds with Sony support has not provide much support.... granted these features are the "extras" and don't affect the TV viewing quality - which is excellent - just frustrating things when you purchase something with this bit of a premium against the similar class competitors....

5 comments about Magnavox 19MD357B 19-Inch LCD HDTV with Built In DVD Player.

1. I actually won this TV during a party about 2 months ago. I was initially wary that the people who bought it probably got it as a bargain deal, but after looking at other sets I decided to stick with this one, and I was glad I did. At first, I was using a 5 year old 25' coaxial cable to hook up the TV to my cable, and received 74 analog channels, which was what I expected. However, I was out shopping the next day and noticed a coax cable that was "optimized for HD TV's." Again, I was wary of anything that looked high quality but would end up being worse than that cable I had. However, after shelling out 15 bucks for the cable, the effect was immediate on the TV. Every channel was clear, and it now picked up 57 digital channels, including HD versions of ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and about 30 digital music channels. The best part is that the QUAM and ASTC tuners are so sensitive that the TV picks up On Demand signals from neighboring houses when autoprogrammed at the right time (I am not saying that this will work for everyone, but it is pretty cool.) The DVD player is of standard quality. Truthfully, if I would have actually bought the TV, I wouldn't have let the DVD player influence my buying decision. That is what standalone DVD players are for, and they would give a higher quality signal anyway with and HDMI cable. I have not had any troubles getting the DVD player to read any DVD's, even a DVDR- that was burned from my computer. It is true that the ratio appears to be 16:10 instead of 16:9, though there are multiple settings that alleviate the problem. The stretch is unnoticeable at most times, and when it is I change the video settings (This cannot be done on HD channels, however.) Overall, I give the TV five stars because although there is a slight stretch on HD channels, the TV is of superb quality otherwise. Screen resolution, colors, and sound are all of great or excellent quality. The TV is perfect for a dorm, bedroom, or kitchen. I would not let the DVD player influence your purchasing decision, because the primary purpose of the TV is to be a TV, and it does that job admirably.



2. I too had problems with this TV. It would never play any of my DVD's even new ones. After about 3 months, the picture just suddenly died. I can still get sound but no picture. I would never buy another Magnavox.



3. Purchase the newest model "/37" and you'll find vast improvements over previous model. Best quality/components by far for price range for this combo style. Shop around for pricing as this model is being agressively marketed by some "big" retailers this Christmas season.



4. I purchased this Magnavox TV/DVD 6 months ago and am pleased with the picture and sound quality. I'm using a roof top antenna and pickup several HD channels and many more digital channels. It's great...except the screen size. It's not 16:9 as HD TV is broadcast, but 16:10. The picture is stretched to 10" high instead of the 9" it should be, so everyone is tall and thin. Magnavox should offer a software upgrade to correct this problem or offer replacement TVs. I would not have bought this TV if I was aware of this design problem.



5. This LCD TV looks like a good deal price wise, but the model I bought (not from Amazon, but the same model) had a lot of defects, and after ~100 days, past the brief 90-day warranty it had broke. TV started to turn on and off randomly for no apparent reason while getting interrupted by the (basic) built-in DVD player. It could not hold a signal to the TV. It may cut off TV signal to black or the audio would mute, pop, or it could also reset randomly. And it blasted a high-frequency tone each time at maximum when it cut off the picture, and then continues the loop over and over (the volume blasting will make you jump in your seat). The TV's ATSC/Qam tuner must of broke, and after a week of tolerating its problems, of turning on and off and blasting, it was thrown out.

2 comments about Epson V11H257220 MovieMate72 720p Home Theater Projector with Built In DVD Player.

1. This is a wonderful all-in-one projector. Wonderfully intuitive controls, fantastic sound (especially with an Epson subwoofer), tremendous picture quality with upconverting DVD player. At first use, the image seems a bit dark (lamp is rated up to 1200+ lumens), but then we figured out the brightness control on the remote, and it is more than adequate (with 4 levels) for most situations. The enclosed CD .pdf manual answered all our questions once we got beyond the no-brainer quick start guide. I did not print out this extensive manual, but can find what I need to know quickly on my computer on those rare occasions when it is not obvious from the wonderful design of this projector
   
   We got this for use in our church, for both movies for family and youth gatherings, and also for documentaries and educational situations. Ease of use, portability, and wonderful close to HD quality from upconverted DVDs make this a wonderful improvement to our old TV style video presentations. If one were to show an image to an entire church gathering (100+ people) then a brighter projector might be in order, but you will lose the ease and simplicity of this great design! And while the sound is superb, in such a case one might wish to use the church sound system for great reach.
   
   This projector is a wonderful way to get high quality theatre presentations without a lot of wires and hookups. I would heartily recommend it for families at home, or small to medium sized groups in organizations. I would recommend the Epson subwoofer (or similar) for that added "oomph" with newer films, and a screen for the brightest of presentations, though a white wall would be fine in a pinch! Highly recommended!



2. I was nervous about spending a thousand dollars on an item I didn't know much about, but now that I've had this projector for a month I consider it worth every penny.
   
   The picture is great, and the projector offers every control and setting in an intuitive fashion. The only thing I don't understand is why it has the swivel base, that seems like a useless feature, but hey, one extra feature is better than one too few.
   
   I've used the projector with game systems, my computer, and of course just in DVD mode. All were set up in less than a minute (the DVD in seconds). I think even grandma and grandpa could get this thing working without the instruction book.
   
   I use it to play movies on my wall at home and the video and audio quality is great, and it's amazing to have a big screen right there in the living room or bedroom just by having moved some pictures around.
   
   The only think I caution you on is to make sure you get the "US" version, there is an international version floating around that apparently has a 90 hour "demo" bulb rather than the standard 3000 hour bulb. Also the warranty is 90 days rather than a year.

2 comments about Sony VPL-AW10 BRAVIA® 720p high-definition LCD projector.

1. This is a very nice projector for the money. However, there are some shortcomings:
   
   1. No veritical or horizontal lense shift. This makes it a PITA to get perfectly aligned on the screen.
   
   2. It has vertical keystone adjustment. However, it is very close to staight vertical line on both sides, but close attention will show some curve.
   
   3. There is considerable display "bleeding" at the bottom of the screen. Below the screen there is light, but no picture. It isn't too distracting, I'm just a perfectionist.
   
   Overall a good buy for the money. No great, but a good buy.



2. I originally purchased the Mitsubishi HC1500 DLP projector, but had some problems with it. Ordered this one from amazon and put them side by side. This isn't a review so much as a comparison between 3 Chip LCD and SINGLE CHIP DLP (which tend to be in the same price range). I actually liked the HC1500 a lot, but ended up keeping this SONY VLPAW10 for a number of reasons. It's not perfect, and in some areas underperforms the DLP. Here's the comparison.
   
   Single chip DLP projectors create images by having a "chip" filled with thousands of tiny mirrors (1 per pixel on the screen) that can tilt up and down. When they tilt, they send light to the screen, when they don't tilt, the light stays in the projector. This ends up creating wonderfully bright and brilliant images. The only problem with this setup is that there's no color (just the white light is being directed) so the color needs to be introduced by spinning a color wheel in front of the chip. (in this case it's a 7 segment red-green-blue-white-red-green-blue wheel. The problem is that the colors are therefore being created via an optical illusion, which for some people creates a "rainbow" effect where they see color rainbows in the white areas of the image. It's very pronounced when there are credit rolls at the end of movies, or any other times there are high contrast black/white (or light/dark) areas. In a certain percentage of cases, the rainbow effect causes headaches and eyestrain It did so for me. (google "DLP rainbow effect" if you don't believe me. There are such things as 3 chip DLP projectors that don't need the color wheels and don't create this effect, but they aren't even close to being in the sub $[...] price range (they start at SEVERAL thousand dollars)
   
   Three chip LCD screens actually have 3 panels (red green and blue) so they don't need the spinning color wheel, they just project the light through the panels, and the colors line up on the screen if calibrated properly. They are not as bright and brilliant as the DLP images because the light is going through the panels, and not being reflected by mirrors which create more direct light. The LCD projectors also need more space between the pixels than DLP, and this ends up giving you a more visible "screen door"effect where you can actually see the faint black lines of the pixel grid if you sit close enough to the screen (as if you were looking through a door or window with an insect screen on it, hence the term "screen door".
   
   So that's the background, here are the results of my side by side tests (accompanied by the media manager for a major lecture hall at an Ivy League university) who is a specialist in these kinds of things (I myself teach video production, so have some expertise here as well).
   
   The Mitsubishi HC-1500 (1 chip DLP)
   
   Advantages
   
   + about half the physical size of the SONY.
   + Image is brighter
   + colors are more saturated
   + no need for air filter
   + less screen door effect
   
   Disadvantages
   
   - potential for rainbow effect
   - noisy (the spinning wheel makes a high pitched whine which is louder and more annoying than the fan)
   - If you have a small room, you may not be able to fill a large projector screen with an image because this projector cannot throw a large image from as short a distance as the sony
   
   The SONY VLPAW-10 (3 chip LCD)
   
   Advantages
   
   + no rainbow effect
   + quieter
   + can throw larger image from shorter distance
   
   Disadvantages
   
   - Much larger than the mitsubishi
   - Bulb not as bright, need darker room
   - colors are less saturated
   - has an air filter than needs to be changed periodically
   - more screen door effect
   - HDMI input on the rear has a bezel around it that will make it impossible for some of the cables with thicker ends to fit in. I had to change cables to get this to work
   
   
   CONCLUSION
   
   I went with the SONY. It's not perfect, but for my needs it beats the Mitsubishi. I know there are a lot of die hard fans of the HC1500 and I'm sorry - but this is a fair assessment of my needs.
   
   Some ways to mitigate the SONY's disadvantages:
   
   Neither tv will perform great in a bright room, so both of these are really best suited for rooms where you can control the light.
   
   In terms of the saturation, if you're watching DVD movies, then I think you'll prefer the LCD since it creates more natural colors. The DLP is better for watching HDTV shows where the colors really pop (like CSI Miami). I use it mostly to watch movies, so don't mind the less saturated and brilliant colors.
   
   In terms of the "screen door" effect, I find this is minimized by defocusing the image just a hair. Yes the image is more soft, but this looks more like a projected image in a movie theater, and this is the effect I'm going for when watching movies on my projector, so it works great. It does not work as well to watch sports or news or other material that has lots of CG text up on the screen.
   
   
   One last note, if you decide to buy it, the price of the sony does fluctuate on Amazon wildly ($[...] yesterday, $[...] today !!!). But I see it go up and down on an almost weekly basis. So time your purchase carefully!

No comments about V VIZIO VX20L - 20" LCD TV - widescreen - 720p - HDTV.

3 comments about LG 42LG50 - 42" LCD TV - widescreen - 1080p (FullHD) - HDTV - gloss piano black.

1. I've had this TV for a week. Hooked it up to a Comcast HD/DVR via HDMI. HD channels are spectacular as you would expect. Seems to do a good job with SD channels. Black levels seem perfectly fine to me. Overall design is very attractive with hidden speakers and a simple thin chrome strip across the bottom and a light that glows red when in standby and blue when on. Sound quality is very good for a TV. Picture quality was pretty good out of the box. I did reduce the backlighting and red a bit. Liked that it has both a USB and VGA input in this price range. Got it for $1215. Photo viewing is good. Can play background music and slide shows from folders on the USB drive. The remote says its universal, but I cannot get it to work with the Comcast box or my Toshiba DVD. Did get my Comcast remote to work with the TV so not really a problem. No regrets. Would buy this again.



2. I just purchased this TV from Circuit City on sale yesterday for $1099. Right out of the box, the picture was fantastic. I did tweak it a little--brought the brightness up a bit and the color down at bit, and it looks really good now. I have Time-Warner HD service connected via an HDMI cable--it's awesome. The black levels seem very good to me, and the clarity of the picture is excellent. The non-HD channels are very clear too, but obviously not as good as HD. I have the audio runnning via a digital optical cable to my Sony receiver. I did test the speakers on the TV itself--OK sound--not gonna rumble your living room, but that doesn't matter to me because I will never use them.
   So, in conclusion, LG has a fine product here--look at this one compared to Sony or Samsung--it is just as good or maybe even better in my opinion, because you'll save yourself $300-$500 over the price of those models.



3. I own a Panasonic 50 inch plasma TV - just can't rave about that TV. So, when I needed a 42 inch TV to attach to a PS3 - I was wavering between a plasma (yet again) and LCD tv (the first try). I know Panasonic Plasmas rock - but then again getting PC connectivity was very important consideration, Panasonic Plasma's didn't have a PC port (s-video ports are poor substitute for pc connectivity as picture quality is very very bad). For PC connectivity - you can't beat LCDs.
   
   Made my mind to buy Toshiba Regza 42 inch lcd TV based on Reviews- Looked TVs at Circuit City, then again looked at Best Buy with my family. This LG set seemed to beat Toshiba both in clarity, and picture details in every one's opinion. Panasonic 42 inch (and 50 inch) 1080P plasma's (picture and) sound quality will blow any thing in 42-50 inch TVs and there is no doubt about it. This LG TV looks great - picture with PS3 in 1080P are stunningly beautiful, the set looks very nice and sound quality is good (and crisp) (but volume doesn't go very high as I would have liked too and is only about half of comparable Panasonic's 42 inch plasma set.). The sound output could have been a bit better for a 1200 dollar set - not so here. Overall, this is a good set for bedrooms, basements and for playing games and watching Blueray movies. After having the set for two weeks, I can say that HDTV reception is awesome and unbelievably good, and as good as it gets on any thing. The SD TV reception (via comcast box) is quite good - but a notch below than my Panasonic plasma TV's SD picture where picture has more feel and warmth and colors are much sharper (that is more to do with LCD versus Plasma than this particular set's weekness in my opinion). If you buy this set- you won't regret it. This set looks very good and performs very well. I would very much recommend it. Here is short summary:
   
   HD Picture Quality - 5***** Superb, Fantastic
   SD Picture Quality - 4**** Very Good but not as sharp as equivalent Panasonic Plsama's
   Sound Quality - 4**** Sound Quality is Good, and Crisp, Bass is a bit lacking when compared to Pany Plasma.
   Sound Volume - 4*** (More than enough for daily use, but not loud enough for occasional Party blasts of music Videos. I would recommend external speaker or a home theater system. ).
   TV Set look and Feel - 5***** Excellent, Beautiful
   
   Connectivity: Has 3 HDMI ports. One more HDMI would have been good as every thing is moving in that direction. Plenty of other ports. RGB port and USB Port for laptop connectivity. Audio (optical/ coax, streao) output for home theater conenctions.