3 comments about VIZIO Gallevia 42" 1080p LCD HDTV.

1. I bought this tv from costco. As i started watching tv I was very happy with the picture quality. Unfortunately when I turned off the tv and it wouldnt stop clicking. I got tired of the clicking noise coming from the back of the tv and returned it for another one. I set up the new one and was happy that there was no clicking. Then I lost the sound. I looked in the back and the sound cables had come unplugged. I plugged them back in but they kept sliding out.I tried the cables on another tv and the cables were fine. I had to return the tv AGAIN.



2. The above poster's review is somewhat misleading since the GV42LF 1080P is NOT sold in Costco. The Costco unit being sold is the VU42LF. There are minor differences in the style, the GV offers both a detachable stand as well as detachable speakers. The speakers are NOT detachable on the VU unit. The more important differences are the resolution outputs on the tv. Just google for the differences.
   
   Alas, Vizio does not make great quality tv's. I want to love this unit but can't! My unit is only 1 month old and it's given me 2 headaches. The 1st time, the unit would not turn off via any remote input or the power button on the side of the unit. I had to physically pull the plug and plug it back. I tested the remotes after pulling the plug and the tv worked fine. Maybe a heat related issue? I had only been watching tv for 3 hours when this happened.
   
   The 2nd time, I barely had the tv on for 30 seconds, when the tv made a large buzzing, hissing, clicking, zapping sound as if the tv was ready to explode and I noticed I had the same problem turning of the tv as the 1st time which I've mentioned above. I had to pull the plug again to turn off the tv. I waited a minute or 2 and then turned the tv back on and noticed that it seemed fine. I say it SEEMED fine as the top half of the tv now looks lighter while the bottom half of the tv seems darker. I have the DCR off and the backlight set at 0 so I don't understand why this would be. I also have slight bleeding in all 4 corners (and this is with the backlight at 0). The backlight is defaulted at 90 and this is why too bright as the backlight bleeds into the colors when watching anything.
   
   Fortunately, not only am I under warranty still (if I could take it back, I would for a new unit before giving up on it totally) but I also made sure to purchase a 3 year extended warranty from [...].
   
   If you purchase this unit, be sure to purchase an extended warranty as you will most likely need it. Vizio is still a great bang for the buck but be mindful that the quality of the unit is still far from even being considered "decent."
   
   The black level is also not true. It is a very dark charcoal grey and not a true deep wet black but I am okay with the color level for the price I paid for the unit. <-- This is an important thing to consider because if you are looking for the truest and deepest colors then you will need to be willing to pay the extra cost to go with Samsung, Panasonic, Sharp, Pioneer.
   
   Also, check out the TX series Westy's because I just saw a 42" TX Westinghouse at worstbuy and it looked much mucH muCH mUCH MUCH better than the Vizio GV42LF! I think it was only $[...] more than the Vizio which seems reasonable to me!
   
   Again, I'm keeping my unit and will be documenting all issues/problems so I can have the tech fix/address/resolve these issues (that's why I paid for the extra warranty!). Also be aware that Vizio (for whatever reason) does not seem to be really keen on putting out firmware updates. Firmware updates would fix some of these minor issues but they don't seem intent on releasing any. <--This is an indication of what their customer support is like.
   
   I'll update to see if this tv maybe gets better within a couple of months -- I have heard that some tv's have cloudiness that goes away or gets better with more usage. Maybe these problems will go away the longer I use this tv. One can only hope!



3. We have had this TV for a couple months now and couldn't be happier. We purchased it because it was $1000 less than the one we really wanted and yet, looking at them side by side, the pictures were very, very comparable. So far we have not had any problems with any hissing or crackling or power issues. I have never noticed it over-heating at all. The picture quality is amazing with BlueRay. Very sharp, clear, and beautiful color. We highly recommend this tv over the pricier ones.

No comments about Hannspree New York Yankees 15" LCD TV.

5 comments about Pioneer PDP-5080HD 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV.

1. Best tubeavision ever. This thing rocks byeond all belief. It also made my girlfriend happy and that is a first. Awesome



2. I read all the other Amazon and CNet reviews on HDTV's and chose the Pioneer 5080 primarily because of the wealth of positive feedback it received as well as the fact that I had some co-workers who attested to it's quality. Frankly, I was more concerned about the delivery and the status of the item once it was received. The delivery man couldn't have been more helpful. I would have liked to have been able to turn it on before he left to make sure it would actually work, but he recommended that I wait 5-6 hours before it was turned on - due to the fact that it had been stored in an unheated warehouse and truck before it settled in my basement. A sudden change in temperature could've cracked the glass, so the wait gave it time to adjust to the room temperature. Once I did turn it on, feeding it the Dicovery HD channel, I was amazed at the picture quality. Even though I had seen the TV at retailer's displays, it certainly looked better in my dim basement environment. My wife says that the picture looks better than real life and I agree. At this point I have not fed any higher resolution than 1080i into the set. Eventually, I would like to purchase a Blu-Ray DVD player to see if the 1080p input is even better, but I can't imagine the picture getting much better. Setup was easy - I have two HDMI inputs - HD cable and the HD-DVD and my son's Wii is connected through the side component inputs. The audio outs are fed into my standard stereo receiver (some day, I will add an HDMI-switching 5.1 surround sound home theater system), but the internal speakers and "virtual" surround sound is very good. I met a gentleman a few days back who is a general manager at one of the major electronic retailers and we discussed the best available HDTV's on the market today. When I told him what I purchased and the price, he agreed that this was the best choice. Unless you can afford Pioneer's elite series, this is the way to go.



3. I am not going to describe the technical aspects, you can find it almost anywhere and have been often repeated. I have owned this model for over a year now, and there is not another television that produces a better picture. Simply, No Comparison!



4. My son bought this TV months ago right before the upgraded 1080 hit BestBuy stores. He paid $3,400 for it. I just bought it at BestBuy this week for $2,199. I have never gone crazy over any electronic gadget until my son got this TV. I already have a Samsung DLP 42" TV I paid $3K for in 2004. I really liked my TV until my son got this Pioneer Plasma. Now I am so spoiled and I cannot get his TV out of my mind. It's mind blowing. Watching everything/anything is enjoyable on it -- the grandkids playing games; movies that are boring as heck (Pirates of the Caribean 3) but visually mesmerizing on this TV. So, wait until you see Planet Earth on this TV in your own home. You'll never be the same. Again, I'm grandparent age. I don't go crazy over electronic devices --until this! Mine is on its way.



5. What has been written about this TV here and on other sites is absolutely true! The picture quality is amazing! What really makes it is the contrast and color are far superior to other brands. We compared to 1080P sets and couldn't see a difference in sharpness at all but the Pioneer shined against all others in tonality and contrast.
   
   We happen to own a 42" Panasonic Plasma and we set them up on the same channels and then with Blue Ray DVDs and it wasn't even close. Everyone just said "WOW!" when they looked at the Panasonic and then looked at the Pioneer. The speakers are also significantly better as well on the Pioneer.
   
   So why only 4 star and not 5? Well the picture merits 5 stars for sure, especially with Blue Ray and HD TV. Normal analog TV still has a ways to go. But the remote is not as user-friendly as the Panasonic remote. It also feels cheap. It is clear that the components used to make the TV are top notch but they skimped when it came to the remote. Don't get me wrong, it won't keep me from strongly recommending the TV. It is just not a complete execution, like forgetting to dot your "i" and crossing your "t"s on a well written resume.

1 comments about Philips 32PF5321D 32-Inch Widescreen LCD HDTV.

1. I haven't written a review before, but in case there were others like me who were thinking about buying their first HDTV, don't be fooled by the low price. This is a great TV! The colors are magnificent, bright and bold, but best of all, true, and true throughout the screen. The contrast amazes me. The blacks are really black while somehow delivering really bold, bright colors. In automatic mode, the TV always subtly changes the picture size for watching standard broadcast or HD programs. You never have to adjust anything yourself. Pictures also look great using my regular DVD player, but my best movie experience is always watching HBOHD. The sound is great too, but I've connected my home theater sound system, and now TV watching is a breath-taking experience! Watching sports is the best experience. The wide format allows you to see more of the game, and the sharp detail allows you to see things you missed before. Hockey has always been hard to enjoy on regular TV, so if you love hockey, you have to get HD. Finally you can follow the puck, and the cameras don't have to move so much because of the wide screen. You will love watching sports on this TV! I used to do other things while watching TV, but now it commands my attention. This is a great set for watching within 10 feet, so if you have a cozy area for gathering around the set, or say in the bedroom, it's more than enough size. It only weighs about 40 lbs, so it's really light, easy for one person to get a grip on it and move it around. If you're worried about such a low price for an HDTV, don't, not with this set. It's highly rated by the editors at [...], and highly rated by me, too! I'm really loving this TV!

No comments about Toshiba TDP-TW300U XGA Wireless Projector.

No comments about Toshiba REGZA 37" 1080p LCD HDTV & Nintendo Wii Package w/ $100 Rebate.

5 comments about Samsung LN-S4095D 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV.

1. I agree with all the previous comments; this TV has a great picture.
   
   However, I have some negative remarks:
   
   Within 5 hours of delivery, it started smelling hot and one of the audio channels blew. Samsung service was fine. Within a day or two they had a guy at my house. Within a week or so he had the part and had fixed the problem.
   
   Now, 6 months after purchase, the screen has died. There is no picture at all and again, the set smells hot. I've called in the problem. Hopefully their service will again be good.
   
   The two Sony TVs I've owned both lasted well over a decade with absolutely no problems. Two major problems in 6 months,,, I think this Samsung set's reliability is very low. Make sure you buy from a reputable dealer with a real manufacturer's warranty.
   
   Regarding the audio, the builtin speaker design is pretty poor. I suspect that Samsung expects all users to connect external speakers. The builtin ones do not provide clear reproduction; spoken word is hard to understand, particularly at low volumes. I suggest you listen to this set before buying if you plan to use the builtin speakers.
   
   The set has a nice set of features to enlarge letter-boxed images to fill the screen. However, it only works with the S-video signal from my satellite receiver. It does not work with the HDMI output of my DVD player; it stretches the image horizontally but not vertically. Weird that they would support stretching both directions for S-video but not HDMI.



2. I bought the TV in March 2007, it worked well for a few months and then the screen went blank from Aug.-Sept. Called the customer service and they assigned me a repair shop, who took the TV back for over a month but didn't do anything except leaving scratches all over the places on both the back cover and the bezel (the beautiful black shining frame I loved most). I called Samsung customer service and they assigned me another service shop, which quickly identified the problem with the LCD panel. The service will order a new LCD panel, but Samsung refused to do anything to fix the plastic over and the bezel. I called Samsung customer services many times but they just do not care.
   
   Now the TV has been bad for two months and I am still waiting for it to be repaired, and they just do not want to do anything for the damaged bezel. My TV is only a few months old and is still covered by manufacturer's warranty.
   
   I thought this expensive TV as a reliable product and with good customer service, but obviously I was wrong for both. I will never buy any Samsung product again.



3. Samsung LN-S4095D 40" 1080p LCD HDTV
   We have had this TV for 11 months and we have loved it. We also have the same TV in the 32" model. The picture is great quality and the sound is very good. However, the first time the TV was delivered, it would not turn on. The delivery technician took it back and we had to reorder through Amazon. The second worked fine until today. The picture turns to black, but you can hear the sound. The same happens within 2 minutes of turning on or unplugging and plugging in the TV. I called Samsung and they immediately said it sounds like the lamp is going bad. According to Samsung, this is a very common problem with all LCD and Plasma TVs and it is not surprising to happen in less than a year from purchase. The rep said that it is the reason they have a 15 month warranty. They have set up a repair technician, but since they work with ONLY ONE company in all of Houston, it will take 5 days to get out to our house. Then they will have to order the part (another week, if in stock, per customer service) and then they will have to set another time to install the new lamp. She said we should expect to be without a TV for a couple of weeks or so. I think that is astounding given the fact that they know this is an issue. Why would you only have one service company under contract in a city the size of Houston and why wouldn't they have lamps available if it is a known issue with this typt of TV. This is a big disappointment since we have really liked this TV and have recommended it to others. I hope they can work out this issue



4. I couldn't be happier unless I could afford a larger screen I am a direct TV customer and the picture is great in HD. Now I really want to upgrade the rest of my stuff.



5. I have had this TV for over a year now and could not be happier. The HD picture is incredible, and human tones look 100% accurate. Ive seen a lot of TVs since making this purchace and the quality of the LN-S4095 is second to none.
   
   Recently, I noticed a black line that ran horizantally accross the screen about a quarter of the way down. I called Samsung customer service, and they told me that I was a week out of warranty, but not to worry, because they typically extend warranty repairs by two months, so I was completely covered. This is huge because it turned out that the entire panel needed to be replaced ($1500). Everything was repaired at no cost to me and Samsumg could not have been more accomidating.
   
   I will never by another brand.

5 comments about Toshiba 23HLV86 23-Inch LCD HDTV with DVD Player.

1. I ordered the Toshiba 23HLV86 for x-mas. It came on time and all was as advertised. I like having the DVD as part of the TV as it saves space and minimizes cords etc. Only negative is the delay as you switch station to station - it takes longer then my old TV to switch.



2. TV and DVD player work great. Picture is clear and sound is good. I ordered a good bracket to hang it on the wall. When you order a bracket make sure you buy a good one so it hol;ds the TV level.



3. This is a perfect space saving bedroom tv. The DVD player is awesome and plays any disk you put in it - Divx, jpegs, mp3s, etc. Awesome for playing all those torrent downloads on something other than the computer! Sure the channel changing takes a little bit of time, but no more than most other lcd/hdtvs. I haven't noticed the heat being an issue - I have it wall mounted on a tilt mount - it does get a little warm, but it's not melting paint or anything!



4. This is the perfect TV for my small den (approx. 9' x 12'). It fits inside a bookcase so it does not intrude on the room. Picture is great for both TV and the DVDs. This item is exactly as advertised - no complaints from me.



5. We had high hopes for this combination TV/DVD player and it gets very light use in my daughter's room. Unfortunately, it has had problems over the past 3 months, not turning on at all, and after several weeks of "sometimes" working, it no longer powers on at all.
   
   Save your money and buy a Sharp or Sony.

No comments about XG-PH70X XGA Projector, XG-PH70X, Desktop Multimedia Projectors.

5 comments about Sharp Aquos LC-26D6U 26" HD-Ready LCD Flat-Panel TV.

1. I ordered this television with high hopes, knowing that despite reports of firmware problems and other defects that I would luck out and save a bundle. But you get what you pay for. Every Sharp Aquos LCD TV manufactured before April 1, 2006 shipped with bad firmware. What does this mean to you?
   
   For me, it meant that 15 minutes after unpacking the TV and turning it on, it turned itself off and never turned back on again. Resets, system resets, power cycling, unplugging components didn't help. My TV was completely bricked. A search turned up threads on websites like AVS Forum with other owners of Sharp TVs in the D4U and D6U series all reporting similar power management problems almost immediately after purchase. For them, the fix was a visit to a Sharp authorized service center to either have the firmware replaced or a physical replacement of boards inside the TV. I say a "visit" because Sharp does not cover in-house technician visits for TVs under 32", a fact they could have informed me of before letting me wait 1 week for a tech visit that would ultimately be canceled.
   
   So here I am, 10 days later and hundreds of dollars poorer with no TV to show for it. Instead, it sits at the authorized service center (because Sharp obviously does not vet its service centers to make sure you get good service from them either).
   
   I'm willing to bet all of the inventory of D6Us that TigerDirect is selling at fire sale prices were produced before 4/1/2006. Check the serial number on your TV if you do order one. If it begins with a 501-512, 601, 602 or 603, immediately demand a firmware upgrade from Sharp (1-800-BE-SHARP), regardless of whether or not you're experiencing these issues; you will eventually, and hopefully while Sharp's warranty is still in effect for you.



2. I bought this TV Oct 18th as a refurb from 2nd Act. 2 mos later, haven't watched it yet. It arrived broken (turns on & off continually). 2nd Act totally uninterested. Only Sharp warranty repair in/near Austin is ET Television, which got lowest possible rating on Austin City Search. I couldn't agree more. In shop for 1 month, got it home & still broken. Sharp customer Service has been a nightmare. No response, people on phone keep saying they are sorry, nothing they can do.



3. When it (works most of the time) it has a very good picture. However there have been many times that it was frustrating when the set malfunctions to have to unplug the set for ten seconds or more then plug it back in to get it reset. I have some backround in machine design; It seems that the microcontroller can get into an undefined state and there is no watchdog circuit built in to get the set back into operation without user intervention. Sharp's recommended service shop and factory technical support failed to address this problem.



4. I have owned this TV fo 6 Months now. It worked perfectly from day one with no problems. It has a superb picture even in SDTV mode. I don't understand all the problems the other reviewers report. Sometimes reading the instruction book really helps.



5. TV sound quit working after 13 months. Had problems with set turning on randomly. Sharp will not help since TV set warranty was only 12 months. Local bench charges are minimum of $80.00 just to look at it and boards average a few hundred dollars. Sharp Customer Service services and protects Sharp only.