Projectors Reviews, price and comparision

The REGZA 46SV670U is the flagship of Toshiba's LCD TV fleet and rightfully so. When it comes to picture quality artillery, this cruiser is armed with the big guns.

The LCD panel on this 240Hz 46" TV is backlit by an array of LEDs with Local Dimming. I know that sentence is full of techno-jargon, which I will explain later. For now, just understand that the local dimming feature can produce deeper blacks which makes colors seem richer and whites whiter.

The one item missing from the 46SV670U - and one I am coming to expect in Fall 2009 top of the line models - is Internet connectivity. This REGZA does not have a LAN port, which means that you cannot directly connect to the web and stream content.

Of course, for many of us traditionalists who just want a great looking TV to watch our favorite DVDs and broadcast programs, the 46SV670U fits the bill.

(Editor's Note: Toshiba also makes a 55" version of the SV670U series, the 55SV670U. Since both the 46" and 55" models have similar specifications, this review of the 46SV670U can apply to both.)

Performance: 5.0 If you prefer your picture deep and rich over snazzy and sharp, then this Toshiba 46SV670U with LED backlighting and local dimming deserves its 5 stars. The 4 star audio output from the integrated speakers simply does not compare with the picture quality. Features: 4.0 When it comes to features, this REGZA is almost a throwback to 2007 when TVs were TVs and not widget filled Internet connected devices. For the videophiles, Toshiba provides one of the best picture adjustment tool sets around. Ease of Use: 4.5 Since you don't need to worry about connecting the TV into your home network, setting up and operating the 46SV670U are much less complicated. Value: 4.5 Even though Toshiba lists the 46SV670U at $2299, I just cruised the Internet and found it at a number of retailers for around $1650. At that price for a 46" LCD, you are still paying a premium, but you are buying top of the line LED backlighting technology with local dimming. In my opinion, the step up in picture quality makes the added cost worth it. Ratings are relative to when the review was written. The obvious example is Value, what you could purchase for $2000 two years ago or even two months ago would seem like a bad value for that price now. We have given only a precious few 5 Star ratings, which we reserve for truly outstanding accomplishment.

The most distinctive design feature of this REGZA is the outer edge of the two and a half inch bezel. Toshiba depicts it poetically, "Inspired by nature, Deep Lagoon evokes the image of sand disappearing below the surface of calm shores."

Unlike most TVs with bezels that protrude slightly from the screen, the 46SV670U's front is covered edge-to-edge with a smooth surface. Toshiba describes it as anti-reflective, but I find it more reflective than a lot of LCDs that I have seen. Still, with the TV on, I really wasn't bothered by reflections.

If you do see a light staring back at you, turn it off or you can rotate the TV (about 30 degrees left or right) on its swivel stand. Considering the 46SV670U weighs almost 73 pounds, the ability to twist it gives you some effortless flexibility with viewing angles.

Toshiba parks its convenience panel of connections on the right edge of the TV just below the operational buttons. It contains one

HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio, and interactive controls on a single cable. It transmits all ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committe) HDTV standards and supports 8-channel digital audio. First product releases using HDMI occurred in 2003.">HDMI input, one Composite Video In with stereo Audio Ins, and a USB port for uploading JPEG photos, DIVX videos or MP3 songs. Also, on the side is an SD card slot where you can play JPEG photos but no music or video files.

For sending audio to external speakers or a receiver, an SPDIF (optical) digital Audio Out is provided next to analog L/R Stereo Outs (with fixed volume). Also back there is an IR Pass-Through Port to control source devices that may be hidden out of line of sight to a remote control.

Elsewhere on the back of the TV, the one RF antenna connector links to integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners. Since the tuner system is Clear QAM compatible, you can attach your cable TV signal directly into the RF connector and tune in unscrambled cable stations.

The interface for playing back photos, videos and music is pretty basic. For example, with photos, no transition options are available, though you can set the slide duration time to 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 or 90 seconds. In addition, you can't adjust the picture settings inside the photo menu. But it is a pleasure viewing your images on this LED backlit TV with local dimming.

You are also limited to one format each for video (DIVX) and music (MP3).

Since the 46SV670U does not offer a LAN port, I can skip a whole section about connecting to your home network and streaming content off the Internet. You simply can't do it directly through this REGZA. Now, I don't consider that as necessarily a demerit. Not having these features make the TV much simpler to setup and use.

The TV also does not include Picture-in-Picture functionality.

The important feature that this REGZA does possess is its LED Backlit with Local Dimming technology. If you are not familiar with these concepts, let me break them down.

First, LED backlight. The 46SV670U is an LCD TV and like all LCDs, the panel is backlit, normally with CCFLs (cold cathode fluorescent lights). With this REGZA, the CCFL backlights are replaced with LEDs (light emitting diodes).

This technique is fairly new with the first LED TVs appearing last year. Actually, designers of this type of display are placing the LEDs in two different locations. Right now, the more common method is to position the LEDs around the outer edge of the LCD, often called side light or edge-lit.

The second method and the one that Toshiba employs with the 46SV670U is to place an array of LEDs behind the LCD panel, often termed direct. The advantage of this orientation is that it allows local dimming, though not all direct LED backlit TVs enable local dimming.

One of the drawbacks of CCFL backlights is that they are a consistent even illumination. Ideally, if a part of the picture is dark, the TV could lower the brightness of the backlight accordingly. With the array of LED backlights, manufacturers are now able to locally dim the LEDs to match the image on the screen.

If part of the image is in deep shadow or totally black, the dimming will reinforce the darkness. Basically, the TV can produce darker darks, which makes colors seem richer. And since Contrast is measured as a ratio of the screen's whitest white to its blackest black, if a TV can generate a true black, then the Contrast skyrockets beyond 1,000,000 to 1.

Of course, humans cannot perceive that wide range of contrast. I've read that its closer to 50,000 to 1. But since only a couple of years ago, LCD TVs were topping out at 10,000 to 1, you can see why people are excited about local dimming.

The non-backlit remote control is a handful, even for my oversized mitts. But the designers did add a groove in the middle of the bottom for your index finger to grip.

Most of the buttons on this multifunction remote are large with easy to read labels. The one oddity is that the three buttons around the navigation wheel serve two functions. For example, if you press the left side of the top button, it brings up the Favorites Browser. Click on the right side and the Setup Menu is revealed. I never had a problem using these controls.

The manual is clearly written, though I would have preferred a little more information on the Advanced Video settings. But I assume that many people will never venture into that section of the Picture Settings Menu.

The EPA is now publishing a list of ENERGY STAR qualified TVs. (You can find it here.) The Toshiba REGZA 46SV670U is on the list.

The EPA states that this Toshiba's On Mode Power is 135W and Standby Power Consumption is .03W. Based on the formula that the TV is on five hours a day and in Standby for the other 19, the Estimated Annual Energy Use is 248 kWh/year.

You need to check your electric bill to see how much you are paying for a kWh. The rate that I have been using in previous reviews is 10.4 cents. Doing the multiplication, at that rate, the yearly energy cost is $25.79.

Since manufacturers are not attaching those yellow ENERGY STAR tags that you find on air conditioners and refrigerators, you will have to study the ENERGY STAR list to see how the 46SV670U compares to other 46" TVs.

LED backlit TVs are gaining a reputation for their lower than average energy consumption. A quick overview of other 46" non-backlit LED TVs seem to substantiate that claim. For example, Toshiba has two 46" models on the list right next to this REGZA and they each consume about 50% more kWh than the 46SV670U.

To calibrate the TV, we use two discs, the Blu-ray version of the Digital Video Essentials DVD called HD Basics and the Spears & Munsil High Definition Benchmark Blu-ray DVD. We are playing the DVDs on the OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray player connected to the HDTV with an HDMI cable.

We use the test patterns to adjust black level, white level, and color bias. The player is set to output a 1080p signal, which is the Maximum Resolution.'>native resolution of the 46SV670U.

Before I start, let me say that this REGZA has some of the best fine tuning tools that I have encountered. For those who wish to tweak the dickens out of test patterns, this is a TV for you.

Now, if you just want to pull the TV out of the box, plug it in and watch the big game, then choose one of the default Picture modes. Toshiba offers six: AutoView, Sports, Standard, Movie, Games, and PC.

Even for football or futbol, I would avoid Sports because the picture is just too bright. The field looks overfertilized. I suggest Standard. For the cinephile in a darkened viewing room, definitely try Movie. Though you may want to bump up the Brightness a notch or two.

If you want to follow me into the trenches, I picked Standard as my jumping off point and went into the Advanced Picture Settings and turned everything like Dynamic Contrast to Off.

Next, I set the Color Temperature, which is in the Advanced Settings Menu. Even with this adjustment, you can begin to see the amount of control that Toshiba is giving you. Usually, the choices are Cool, Normal and Warm.

The 46SV670U offers a slider from 0 to 10. 0 being Warmest Warm and 10 being Coolest Blue. Standard mode defaults to 7. I pushed it to a neutral 5. As a reference, Movie mode defaults to 2.

I then went back to the first page of the Picture Settings menu and turned down the Backlight to 40 (out of 100). Lowering the Backlight saves electricity. Your number may vary depending on the lighting conditions in your room.

According to the test patterns, I notched Brightness up to 7. I dropped Contrast (Picture) to 70. I lowered Color (Saturation) to around -15, and Tint (Hue) ended up at 7.

The Sharpness scale runs from -50 (Min) to 50 (Max). When looking at a Safe Zone test pattern, I noticed the beginning of fringing at 0. Ultimately over-sharpness is in the eye of the beholder. I tend to prefer images that are not artificially sharp, therefore I went with -10.

I must admit that I have a bit of checkered history with this TV. I set it up a couple of weeks ago and didn't write the review because I had a number of technical questions that needed to be answered.

During that time, I watched a few programs and marveled at the deep blacks that the local dimming was producing. I then went to CEDIA, where I saw a great demonstration of this TV side-by-side an LCD that was not LED backlit.

Returning back to the office, I decided to recalibrate the TV just to check my settings. It was during that session that I started investigating some of the fine tuning features.

For example, in the appropriately labeled Expert Mode submenu, you can turn off the Red, Green or Blue components of the picture. Calibration DVDs usually come with a blue filter which helps you adjust the color of the display. You can achieve the same effect by disabling Red and Green in this menu. The one disadvantage to this tool is that it flips back to full color when you exit this menu.

Color Bars with Only Blue Enabled in Expert Mode

If you turn On the ColorMaster feature, you can then go into the Base Color Adjustment and set Hue, Saturation and Brightness for individual R, G, B, C, M, and Y colors. I found these sliders to be responsive.

I decided not to futz with the Backlight Adjustment Pro tool, mostly because the picture already looked good and partly because the manual gave minimal insight in how it worked.

Basically, you will have to experiment with tools like Dynalight and Static Gamma to see if they suit your eye. I left them alone. I did take a clue from the Movie default and set Dynamic Contrast to 3.

Finally, the 46SV670U sports a 240Hz LCD panel. Toshiba uses backlight scanning to jump from 120 Hz to 240. VIZIO employs the same technique and I have discussed the technology in detail in my review of the VIZIO SV471XVT. Please read it if you need a refresher.

I want to talk about two settings that influence how this Toshiba deals with interpolation and backlight scanning. Both are fairly straightforward.

The ClearScan 240 setting is either Off or On. Turn it Off and the TV interpolates the original 60 frames to make 120, but backlight scanning to 240 is disabled. Turn it On and backlight scanning is enabled.

The Film Stabilization feature effects 24p content. When turned to Standard, the display simply repeats a frame five times to reach 120Hz. In Smooth, the MEMC (motion estimation, motion compensation) technology interpolates to reach 120Hz.

I honestly did not see much difference between ClearScan On or Off or Film Stabilization set to Standard or Smooth. None of the settings caused any annoying artifacts.

Experiment with the different combinations to see which you prefer.

I'm a devotee of deep blacks, which is why I'm rooting for plasmas to survive. LED backlit TVs with local dimming are quickly approaching black levels that previously only plasmas could produce.

A picture with deep blacks is not always as flashy as a super bright, super sharp screen. In fact, when I first was watching this Toshiba, the deep black sensation snuck up on me.

I think I was viewing something as visually mundane as Jeopardy (broadcast over-the-air) when I noticed the rich colors.

Then everywhere I turned, I started appreciating the wide range of contrast. (Toshiba states an astounding 2,000,000:1 Dynamic Full On/Off contrast measures the ratio of the light output of an all white image (full on) and the light output of an all black (full off) image. 2) ANSI contrast is measured with a pattern of 16 alternating black and white rectangles. The average light output from the white rectangles is divided by the average light output of the black rectangles to determine the ANSI contrast ratio. When comparing the contrast ratio of video devices make sure you are comparing the same type of contrast. Full On/Off contrast will always be a larger number than ANSI contrast for the same video device.">Contrast ratio for the 46SV670U, which is way beyond my visual capabilities.)

What I can perceive are luscious colors in content like Dreamgirls and the Earth Blu-ray DVD. Before I go to ga-ga, I realize that this type of picture might not be the cat's meow for everyone. Some may prefer the almost 3D-like clarity that I have seen in other 240Hz LCDs.

I am not as enthusiastic about the audio performance. It's fair, good enough for everyday TV viewing. But as deep as the picture is, the audio lacks the punch in the low registers. It tends to be too bright and brassy.

The Advanced Sound Features did add depth and breadth to the audio, but to match the picture quality, you need to spring for a dedicated audio system.

The Toshiba REGZA 46SV670U showcases state-of-the-art LCD technology with a 240Hz LED backlit panel with local dimming, which produces deep blacks and rich colors. The TV is not Internet connected.

Panasonic VIERA TC-37LZ85 Review

Most of Panasonic's HDTV lineup are plasmas. The company does not produce many LCD models. In fact, currently, the TC-37LZ85 is only one of two 37" Panasonic VIERA LCDs. The other is the more expensive TC-37LZ800.

But don't think of the TC-37LZ85 as the poor cousin because it includes all the features and performance that you would expect from the 2008 class of 37" 1080p LCD HDTVs.

(Editor's Note: We have been trying to rope this Panasonic into our roundup of 37" LCD HDTVs from different manufacturers. Even though it came in late, we still believe that it belongs in the herd. We have reviewed seven others individually. This Panasonic VIERA is the eighth and final one in the corral.

You can read the other reviews here: LG 37LG50, Samsung LN37A550, Toshiba REGZA 37RV530U, and VIZIO VO37L, AOC Envision L37W861, Sony BRAVIA 37XBR6 and Sharp AQUOS LC-37D64U.)

Performance: 4.5 I found that once I tuned the TC-37LZ85, I was comfortable enough with its consistently excellent video performance that I could sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Like almost all the other 37" LCDs in the roundup, the audio, though decent, did not match the video quality.Features: 4.5 With three

HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio, and interactive controls on a single cable. It transmits all ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committe) HDTV standards and supports 8-channel digital audio. First product releases using HDMI occurred in 2003.">HDMI inputs and an SD card reader for playing back photos, about the only major feature missing is picture-in-picture. The connection panel does not provide a VGA input and the picture control tool set will not satisfy the tweakers. If any of these are important, then start subtracting half points. Ease of Use: 4.5 With the default Picture Mode settings supplying a good starting point, setup for most people will be a matter of making a handful of minor adjustments. And if you have questions, Panasonic's Concierge Service is free. Value: 4.5 I have seen the street price of the VIERA TC-37LZ85 below $1000. Considering its picture quality and attractive features, this 37" 1080p LCD becomes a value contender.Ratings are relative to when the review was written. The obvious example is Value, what you could purchase for $2000 two years ago or even two months ago would seem like a bad value for that price now. We have given only a precious few 5 Star ratings, which we reserve for truly outstanding accomplishment.

The thick 2" high gloss piano black bezel is so retro - harkening back to late 2007 - that the front of the VIERA TC-37LZ85 looks fresh and fulsome next to the wispy and willowy narrow frames that are in vogue.

To observe the most distinguishing feature on the face of this TV, you need to step up close and look down from above. The speaker enclosure subtly sweeps out in an arc between the non-glare IPS screen and the non-swivel stand. The curvature is punctuated by its silvery mirrored surface.

This almost 49 pound TV (with stand) is one of the heaviest 37" LCDs that we have reviewed. Though at three feet wide, it still is manageable for one able body.

Next to the pad of operational buttons on the back right edge is the side connection panel, which provides an HDMI input, a Composite input with matching stereo Audio Ins and a headphone minijack.

Literally inches away on the back and facing out, the larger panel furnishes two more HDMI inputs, two Component inputs (YPbPr) with matching stereo Audio Ins, one S-Video, and one Composite input.

Also on the rear panel are a digital Audio Out (optical), a stereo analog Audio Out, and an RF connector that links to integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners. Since the tuner system is Clear QAM compatible, you can attach your cable TV signal directly into the RF connector and tune in unscrambled cable stations.

For those concerned about the DTV transition coming up, the ATSC tuner is the key. With the proper antenna, you will be able to tune in digital signals broadcast over the air.

Conspicuous by its absence is a VGA (15 pin D-Sub) used to connect your PC to your TV and have it substitute as a computer monitor. If you have that in mind for the TC-37LZ85, then your computer's video card will need an HDMI or It can also carry an analog signal and comes as DVI-I (integrated - analog and digital), DVI-D (digital only) and DVI-A (analog only). Dual link DVI connections add additional resolution capabilities. Digital cable lengths should not exceed 15 feet. Specifications on DVI are available at www.ddwg.org. Click for more details on DVI.">DVI out that you can link to one of the TV's HDMI ins.

The VIERA, like all the other 37" TVs in the roundup, does not provide an Ethernet port to connect to your home computer network or the Internet. Nor does it have a picture-in-picture capability.

More importantly for photographers, behind a swinging door on the right side of this HDTV is an SD card reader, which allows you to upload JPEG photos from SD cards.

If your digital still camera uses compact flash cards, it is a bit of a nuisance to transfer your photos to an SD card, but seeing your images in full HD is worth the trouble.

The Photo Viewer software gives you a choice of display times, 1 - 10 seconds, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 and manual. But the only transition between slides is a quick Wipe down.

The non-backlit remote control is ungainly but functional, with big square buttons. As always, I would have preferred separate input buttons for the video sources.

Our process of measuring the power consumption of our review units is straightforward. We plug the TV into a watt meter, called Watts up? Pro, and take a simple sampling of readings during the playback of a full screen video clip.

The first measurement is at the TV's default picture setting, which is often some form of Vivid. This TC-37LZ85 review unit arrived at my door with the Picture Mode already set to Custom, though I assume this is not the normal new-out-of-the-box default setting.

Whatever it might be, I still decided to take a reading at the TV's Vivid setting. The meter ranged from about 181 to 187W. Panasonic's manual states maximum power consumption at 222W.

At the Standard default, the reading dropped to 151 to 153 watts. If you pick the Cinema default, power drops dramatically to 95W.

We also take a reading after we adjust the picture to our preference, which is a much less bright image than Vivid. The power consumption lowered to 114 to 117W. Of course, depending on how you like to set up your TV, your mileage may vary.

Finally, we turn off the TV and measure how much power it is using. With the TC-37LZ85, the meter sank to 0. Panasonic states the Standby consumption as less than .2W.

The start up time from Standby was a reasonable 7 to 8 seconds.

To calibrate the monitor, we use the the Blu-ray version of the Digital Video Essentials DVD called HD Basics. We are playing the DVD on a Pioneer BDP-94HD Blu-ray player connected to the HDTV with an HDMI cable.

We use the test patterns to adjust black level, white level, and color bias. The player is set to output a 1080p signal, which is the Maximum Resolution.'>native resolution of the TC-37LZ85.

The Picture menu provides the basic adjustments, Picture (Contrast), Brightness, Color (Saturation), Tint (Hue), Sharpness, and Backlight.

Panasonic offers five Picture Modes: Vivid, Standard, Cinema, Game and Custom.

I chose Custom, then moved to the Color Temperature settings, which range from Cool (the bluish end) to Warm (the reddish). I opted for Normal. Next, I turned down the Backlight to fit my dim, light-controlled room.

The two minor changes that I made from the default settings were Color, which I dropped a few notches, and Tint.

Tint, (sometimes labeled Hue on other TVs), was the real wild card. Depending on my source material, I would push it towards Green or with other content, towards Red.

I see this fluctuation as a characteristic of the DVD players and programs and not a flaw with the TV. As a matter of fact, this VIERA responded well to my tweaks and produced very good picture quality.

Now, if you really want to get down to the nitty gritty of subtle adjustments of specific colors, this is not the TV for you. The TC-37LZ85 simply does not have a expanded toolset of advanced picture adjustment controls, which I don't mind if the settings available do the job. And they do.

On a side note, I'm usually not a big fan of the Cinema preset Picture Mode. It's often a bit too muted and warm for me. To my surprise, after I adjusted Custom to my preference, I clicked over to Cinema and it was very similar. I could live with Cinema, though I would probably have to switch the Color Temp from Warm to Normal.

Since this HDTV arrived late, I didn't have a chance to compare it to other 37" TVs that were in the roundup. Therefore I must rely on my notes and visual memory.

To begin, I just went back and replayed some of my reference DVDs, on the TC-37LZ85. When it comes to high definition DVDs, the VIERA performs admirably. The video is clean, sharp and colorful, with good flesh tones.

If you really want to test your HDTV, you should feed it an occasional B&W classic like Josef von Sternberg's sumptous Scarlet Empress starring Marlene Dietrich.

The black levels on this Viera could be deeper, but they compare well to the other 37" LCDs. None of them can match the deep, smooth blacks of a good plasma TV. And none can transmute standard definition lead into high definition gold.

A non-scientific indicator of a TV's performance is my twitch level when watching content. When I am critically viewing for factors like color balance and contrast, if I spy some flaw in the image, my thumb begins to twitch for a tweak on the remote control.

When I can go through scene after scene without a twitch, that's good. And when I find myself relaxing and simply enjoying the movie, that's very good. With this Panasonic, more often than not, I was in my comfort zone. Even Dr. Phil in HD didn't knock me out of it.

Since the TC-37LZ85 does not supply a VGA input, I connected the TV to my desktop PC with a DVI to HDMI cable (DVI out of the video card to HDMI into the TV). From the TV's menu, you can assign one of the Audio Ins associated with the Composite or Component inputs to serve as the audio source for this HDMI input.

I set the video card to output 1920 x 1080 and the result made me want to designate this VIERA my dedicated computer monitor, especially since I have added a Blu-ray player into the box. Internet pages and word documents were easy to read, even from a distance. At 37", editing images in Photoshop becomes much more efficient.

As for the audio emanating from the pair of 10W speakers, it's good for TV audio, but it won't be confused for the depth and differentiation of sound that you will hear from a dedicated audio system.

The Audio Menu supplies the basic Treble and Bass controls, and a few advanced features like Surround and Bass Boost, but no Equalizer. I find that with stereo speakers activating Surround tends to muffle dialog.

I also noticed that if I chose PCM audio out on the concert Blu-ray DVD of Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds performing Live at Radio City that I couldn't turn the Volume past half before the speakers started to shake and distort. If I switched to Dolby Digital 5.1 output, the audio levels dropped and I had more range in the Volume control.

Still, I recommend bypassing these integrated speakers, especially for audio fidelity critical content.

The Panasonic VIERA TC-37LZ85 pumps out first-rate picture quality that stands up well to the other 37" LCDs in our roundup. If you are an avid videophile who likes to fine tune your TVs, then the limited picture adjustment toolset is not for you.

VIZIO P42 HDTV Review
Dick De Jong, March 28, 2006
HDTV Solutions

With VIZIO's P42 High Definition Plasma Television, I have glimpsed the future of HDTVs and it looks mighty familiar. This nuts and bolts model typifies the maturation of the HDTV industry. In the recent past, when you went shopping for a flat screen TV, the choices could be confusing, HD Ready, HD Compatible, or HD Maybe-if-the-Moon-is-Full. Now, with models like the VIZIO P42, it's back to the good old days when you could buy a television without worrying that it was missing some basic feature. The P42 reminds me of an old fashioned TV - which is not a bad thing. It has all the tuners and connections and comb filters that you need in the HDTV world and everything you should expect in a TV.

Considering the stunning picture the P42 can deliver, it's rather a very good state of affairs that HDTVs like this one are becoming more common. Unplugged, it may not be the handsomest beau at the cotillion. It doesn't sport an elegant black glass screen that other more expensive models flaunt. But the P42's unadorned minimalist mien reflects VIZIO's tagline: Where Vision Meets Value. I realize that comparing an $1899 42-inch plasma high definition monitor to the old 21" cathode ray tube set that you have demoted to the guest bedroom might be a stretch. But I bet that in four or five years, we will see a lot of these wide screen beauties relegated to second or third TV status. Then we'll know that HDTV's future has arrived.

Before we go any further, it should be stated that the VIZIO P42's resolution is 1024 x 768. I know, for you by-the-numbers guys, this doesn't pass HDTV muster, and it automatically crosses this model off your must-have list. But I don't judge the quality of the TV image by counting pixels. When you see how the P42 handles HD signals, you might reconsider. And if you need numbers to assuage you, how about a stated 10,000:1 maximum Full On/Off contrast measures the ratio of the light output of an all white image (full on) and the light output of an all black (full off) image. 2) ANSI contrast is measured with a pattern of 16 alternating black and white rectangles. The average light output from the white rectangles is divided by the average light output of the black rectangles to determine the ANSI contrast ratio. When comparing the contrast ratio of video devices make sure you are comparing the same type of contrast. Full On/Off contrast will always be a larger number than ANSI contrast for the same video device.">contrast ratio or a 231 billion color capacity?

Out of the Box
If you read my review of the Olevia LT42Hvi, you know that I value easy-to-use TVs. I call it plop-ability - how quickly can you pluck the TV from the box, plop it down, plug it in, and plop yourself on your favorite couch to enjoy it. Weighing a mere 85 pounds (with its included stand), the plucking is much easier than some heavier 42" HDTVs. And with a depth of four inches, finding a place to plop it is fairly simple.

Component Video                     Audio            Video            Audio            Audio  Out      Cable/Ant   

But, hooking the P42 up is a different story. Since VIZIO decided to place the audio and video connections horizontally and facing down on the bottom of the back of the monitor, plugging can be a pain. Unless you have the flexibility of a Bikram Yoga master, I would suggest plopping the set high up on a table when you are connecting the wires. Even then, you may need a flashlight, magnifying glass and a mirror to see the location and orientation of the plugs. If you are only doing this once, this can be a minor annoyance. But with only one

HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio, and interactive controls on a single cable. It transmits all ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committe) HDTV standards and supports 8-channel digital audio. First product releases using HDMI occurred in 2003.">HDMI input, I had to get behind there all too often to disconnect and reconnect my HDTV Dish receiver and my It can also carry an analog signal and comes as DVI-I (integrated - analog and digital), DVI-D (digital only) and DVI-A (analog only). Dual link DVI connections add additional resolution capabilities. Digital cable lengths should not exceed 15 feet. Specifications on DVI are available at www.ddwg.org. Click for more details on DVI.">DVI enabled OPPO DVD player. It reaffirmed my appreciation of TVs that are side mounting their connectors and those with two HDMI inputs.

Video        Audio          S-Video                   Service    HDMI     DVI Audio       PC RGB       

While VIZIO does package one three-prong AV cable and a useful screen cleaning cloth, once again, an HDMI cable was not included in the box. I may be howling at the moon, but would it be so expensive to bundle in one 6' HDMI cable?

Hallelujah. A well-written 60-page manual. In addition, VIZIO has included poster-size, (I'm not kidding, 22 x 32"), highly graphic, informative, step-by-step, installation and programming instructions. It even has a color-coded chart for all the possible AV connections [HDMI, DTV, RGB PC, AV 1, 2, & 3 (S Video), TV, DTV Audio Out (Optical), and Audio Out]. A handy feature not always found in more expensive models, the DTV Audio Out allows you to route audio from a digital signal (the TV is receiving through an antenna or cable source) out to a separate speaker system instead of using the passable 10W built-in speakers. Now, if only they had been so thoughtful as to provide a second HDMI input.

The ATSC off air tuner worked as it should, scanning the signal from my rabbit ears antenna and building a program guide of all the available digital channels. Perhaps surprisingly for this meat-and-potatoes TV, a clear QAM digital cable tuner is included. I'm not a big advocate for the necessity of a QAM tuner, though I see from the forums that many people are more fervent about the topic. Of course, the P42 has most of the other features that you have come to expect in a TV: parental controls, PIP (picture in picture), POP (picture-by-picture), and audio reverb settings (e.g. Concert and Arena).

About the remote control - I realize that with any remote, over time, you become familiar with the layout of the buttons - but for as long as I tested the P42, I was constantly fumbling with the dang thing. It didn't help that it was not backlit and that the buttons are (what seems to be an industry standard) small size.

I know that hard-to-reach connections and small buttons are not huge obstacles to overcome. The question is why do you have to deal with them at all? It definitely plummets the plop-and-use rating.

Setup
As usual, to calibrate the monitor, I attached an Oppo OPDV971H DVD player to the HDMI input on the VIZIO and used the Digital Video Essentials DVD test patterns to adjust black level, white level, gray scale purity, color bias, and linearity. Though out of the box, the image was definitely acceptable; the default settings, (in what seems to be another industry standard), were too bright, too saturated and too contrasty.

Next came the woeful (for me) task of tweaking settings. The P42's On-Screen Picture Adjust menu made the chore yet more stultifyingly Sisyphean (yes, that bad). You would think that when you are adjusting the picture, you would want to be able to monitor your fine-tuning. But the VIZIO's On Screen Display takes its title to heart. It literally covers the middle half of the screen with a bright blue background and it doesn't disappear when you are setting the controls. If you have ever tried to calibrate color by looking at a color bar test pattern through a blue plastic filter, you know why they suggest you do it in a darkened room. But when the On Screen menu almost completely covers the test pattern, the job jumps from foolish to frustrating. You have to turn on the menu to make your adjustment and then turn it off to see the results. Let's just say the use of the menu could have been designed more intelligently. And if you are a tweaker by nature, you may be disappointed by the lack of a wider range of controls.

Setting those annoyances aside, the test patterns from the HDMI source calibrated quite well. After turning down the brightness, color and contrast settings, the colors were true and consistent across the screen. The grays looked neutral. The image did overscan about 5% on the bottom and 3% on the top and sides.

Each input has its own picture adjustments settings. Of note, the RGB PC menu includes a Color Temperature option and H-Size, H-Position and V-Position controls that are not available for the other inputs. Also, the manual suggests that for best picture quality, you set your PC timing mode to VESA 1024 x 768 at 60Hz.

Performance
Despite the inconveniences, the P42 sure produces a pretty picture. Of course, I'm talking about an HD image piped in through the HDMI input. (As I was surfing around my Dish Network standard definition channels, I came across a Bulls game on WGN that looked so horrible that not even the station manager's mother could love it. And the P42's high quality reproduction just accentuated the ugliness.) But switch to SportsCenter on ESPNHD and that Technicolor set of saturated primary colors reaches out and grabs you by the eyeballs. On CBS, the sharpness of the March Madness HD broadcasts can be startling. And some of the DiscoveryHD programs can be mesmerizing. Of course, in comparison, regular NTSC broadcasts are ho-hum at best. Repeat after me, HDTVs are made to view HD sources. More HD channels cannot come soon enough.

One of the selling points of a plasma TV is its contrast ratio and the VIZIO did not disappoint when it came to producing subtle differences in shading. Though to obtain a true black, it seems the adjustment causes you to lose some of that wide contrast range. As far as the stated 170 degree viewing angle is concerned, I would never advise sitting so far off center. But if you are sent to the peanut gallery, the picture degradation is not significant.

Conclusion
As I reread this critique, it sounds like a thumbs-down review. To the contrary, I came to fall into really-like (not quite true love) with the P42. Yes, it definitely could be easier to use and VIZIO could add another HDMI input. But the often-exhilarating experience of viewing HD sources can make you forget those shortcomings. And I appreciate what VIZIO is trying to do with this model, which is to offer a cost conscious product that delivers where it counts - on screen.

The KDL-37XBR6 is the latest incarnation in Sony's vaunted top of the line BRAVIA series. True to its bloodline, this 37" 1080p LCD delivers outstanding video and audio performance.

We are swinging the gate closed on our roundup of 37" LCD HDTVs from different manufacturers. We are reviewing each individually and then will aggregate our opinions in a comparison article. This Sony BRAVIA is the sixth one in the corral. (You can read the other reviews here: LG 37LG50, Samsung LN37A550, Toshiba REGZA 37RV530U, and VIZIO VO37L and AOC Envision L37W861.)

Performance: 4.5 The 37XBR6 is definitely one of the highest performing HDTVs in our 37" LCD roundup. I rarely, if ever, can write that the audio quality matches the video, but this BRAVIA compels me to make that claim. Why then do I not give it a 5? There's always room for improvement, like with the black level, which is very good but could be better.Features: 4.5 This Sony has most of the basics covered, four HDMIs, PIP, a good picture adjustment tool set. They even throw in an on-screen program guide from TV Guide. With their DMeX connection, you can add on their Internet Video Link now and in the future, tap into more cool features.

I would prefer that a USB Photo Viewer was built in. It is not. And if you want 120Hz playback, you will need to supersize to the bigger XBR6 models.

Ease of Use: 4.5 If you choose the Standard Picture Mode as a starting point, setup can be a breeze. I'm sure that many people love the Xross Media Bar, Sony's on-screen menu system, but I still find it a bit unwieldy.Value: 4.5 Priced at the top end of the 37" 1080p LCDs in our roundup, the BRAVIA better bring home the bacon. Indeed, you get the whole hog, superior video and audio performance.Ratings are relative to when the review was written. The obvious example is Value, what you could purchase for $2000 two years ago or even two months ago would seem like a bad value for that price now. We have given only a precious few 5 Star ratings, which we reserve for truly outstanding accomplishment.

At a certain angle, when you first look at the front of this Sony BRAVIA, it appears as if you can stick your finger right through the space below the SONY logo. Then you catch the reflection and you realize that the opening contains a piece of glass. And on closer inspection, you discover that the Power, Standby and Timer indicators as well as the the IR sensor are all floating on the right end of the glass.

Cupping the glass below is a rather robust speaker system. Its matte black textured grille offsets the more traditional glossy piano black bezel that surrounds the screen.

At 47 pounds (with its non-swivel stand) and 4 3/8 inch deep (without the stand), this BRAVIA has not followed the same slimming regime that most of the other 37" LCDs in the roundup have. In fact, it is the heaviest of the lot. Therefore, I would prefer that you could twist it on its stand, which would make access to its back connection panel easier.

Of course, if you only have one

HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio, and interactive controls on a single cable. It transmits all ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committe) HDTV standards and supports 8-channel digital audio. First product releases using HDMI occurred in 2003.">HDMI cable to plug in, then the smaller side panel, just around the back left edge, is easier to reach. This panel contains an HDMI Input and a Composite Input with matching stereo Audio Ins.

Right next to this mini-panel on the back and facing out, the larger panel supplies three more HDMI inputs, (one with matching stereo Audio Ins), two Component inputs (YPbPr) with matching stereo Audio Ins, one VGA (15 pin D-Sub) with a minijack Audio In, one S-Video, two Composite (with Audio), a digital Audio Out (optical) and a stereo analog Audio Out.

The one RF antenna input connects to integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners. Since the tuner system is Clear QAM compatible, you can attach your cable TV signal directly into the RF connector and tune in unscrambled cable stations.

In addition, in the upper right corner of the connection panel is a USB port labeled Sony's Digital Media Extender (DMeX). DMeX allows users to connect optional expansion modules such as the BRAVIA DVD Link, the BRAVIA Wireless link, the BRAVIA Input Link, which will ship later this year, and the currently available BRAVIA Internet Video Link.

I have the Internet Video Link that I will cover in more detail in a separate mini-review. For now, let me just say that this $299 add-on plugs into your Internet connection and provide an interface that allows you to watch - directly on your BRAVIA - videos from Sony's numerous content partners like YouTube and Yahoo.

As much as I like the Video Link, I also yearn for a USB port that would accept photos and music files. If this Photo Viewer feature is important to you, you can either wait for the XBR7 series or look at Sony's current Z4100 series that furnishes it.

Now, if you are a picture-in-picture fan, you'll be glad to note that the 37XBR6 includes both P&P (picture next to picture) and PIP (a smaller picture inset over a larger one).

As is becoming usual, the choices are fairly limited. In either P&P or PIP, the sub-window has to be a TV channel coming from the Antenna/Cable input. For P&P, the main window source can be either from the Component or HDMI inputs.

If you want to work on your PC while keeping tabs on your ball game, you can plug your computer into the BRAVIA and use it as your main window source in a PIP setup with the game as the inset.

As a nice extra, Sony includes the TV Guide On Screen Guide, which is handy if you are watching over-the-air broadcast TV.

The remote control is not backlit, but most of the major buttons are good-sized with easy to read labels. I like that some of the buttons, such as Options, are shortcuts to menus that are nested within the TV Home Menu, which Sony dubs the XMB (XrossMediaBar).

Even after using this remote for a couple of weeks, I still find the XMB more complicated then I would prefer. Therefore, anything that allows me to bypass it I appreciate.

We have begun to measure the power consumption of our review units. Our process is straightforward. We plug the TV into a watt meter, called Watts up? Pro, and take a simple sampling of readings during the playback of a full screen video clip.

The first measurement is at the TV's default picture settings, which are often some form of Vivid. And indeed, Vivid is exactly this BRAVIA's default Picture Mode. This reading is usually a high number because it takes more power to maintain a bright picture.

Our measurement at Vivid was about 180 watts. Sony's manual states power consumption at 200W.

We also take a reading after we adjust the picture to our preference, which is a much less bright image. The power consumption dropped into the 110 to 111W range. Of course, depending on how you like to set up your TV, your mileage may vary.

Finally, we turn off the TV and measure how much power it is using. Many older TVs still suck a lot of electricity even when they are switched off. When we turned off the 37XBR6, the meter lingered for a minute or so at around 22W. Then it dropped off to 0 on our meter. Sony states the Standby consumption as less than .1W.

Also, this HDTV had one of the quickest start up times from Standby of about four seconds.

To calibrate the monitor, we use the the Blu-ray version of the Digital Video Essentials DVD called HD Basics. We are playing the DVD on a Pioneer BDP-94HD Blu-ray player connected to the HDTV with an HDMI cable.

We use the test patterns to adjust black level, white level, and color bias. The player is set to output a 1080p signal, which is the Maximum Resolution.'>native resolution of the 37XBR6.

The Picture menu provides the basic adjustments, Contrast, Brightness, Color (Saturation), Hue (Tint), Sharpness, and Backlight. Also, you have the common Picture Mode presets labeled Vivid, Standard, Cinema, and Custom.

Then Sony adds in another category called Photo, with Photo-Vivid, Photo-Standard, Photo-Original and Photo-Custom. Finally, if the input is a source with PC timing, then the choices are Video and Text.

My usual procedure is to pick the Custom mode, choose a Neutral Color Temperature, turn down the Backlight and proceed from that starting point. But as much as I tweaked and twiddled, poked and prodded, I never could match up the colors with my test patterns. More importantly, I was never satisfied with how the picture looked.

So, on to Plan B. I switched to the Cinema mode and the colors were almost right on at the default values. But as much as I love to watch movies in a big theater and as often as I am told that Cinema is the closest to how the moviemakers visualize the original, I still don't feel comfortable with my TV set at Cinema, even when I turn the Color Temp to Normal. I'm a barbarian.

Plan C - and I know this is a desperate step for many of you alpha males out there - I read the manual. And there it was, "Standard - Recommended for home entertainment." I flipped to Standard and the defaults, with a little fine tuning, gave me that "AHA, now, this is HD!" moment. I was contented.

In the Standard Picture Mode, the default setting for Advanced C.E. (Contrast Enhancer) is Medium. I usually like to turn these advanced settings off, but I found that this one did consistently improve the picture. You should experiment with it and the other Advanced Picture settings.

Also, Sharpness was turned up about half way, which is usually higher than I like, but it does produce that slight edge that often makes the HD image seem more three dimensional. Setting Sharpness is a balancing act that I will leave to your particular equilibrium.

If you do have a TV room with variable lighting during the day, Sony does provide a Light Sensor feature, which measures the room brightness and adjusts the brightness of the Backlight automatically. You need to dig down to the General Setup menu to locate the control.

I must admit that it took me a day or two to shake off my initial setup impressions. But once I cleared my head and allowed my eyes to refocus, I was able to appreciate the picture quality of this BRAVIA.

As always, HD content looked wonderful. And all that high end video technology that is crammed into this Sony BRAVIA makes standard definition programs presentable - just don't expect miracles.

I even thought that this LCD had a bit deeper black at its picture base that enriched the colors. For example, the Technicolor neighborhood in Edward Scissorhands had an extra level of vibrancy. Even at fairly wide viewing angles the picture didn't wash out.

I connected my laptop through the VGA Out to the TV's VGA In. I was able to set the laptop's video card to 1920 x 1080 resolution without any problem. As I said, this HDTV has two PC Picture Modes, Text and Video.

If you look at the settings, you will see that the big difference is that the Backlight in Text is 3. For Video, it jumps up to 8, which is too bright for me. If you plan on browsing the Internet, then take the hint and switch to Text.

Let me simply say that I could definitely get spoiled using the 37XBR6 as my computer monitor. Text on the Internet was comfortable to read and images in Photoshop blown up to 37" were delightful.

The audio performance from the muscular pair of integrated 10W speakers was another pleasurable experience. Considering the poor quality of a lot of TV sound systems, I'm usually glad just to hear something respectable.

This BRAVIA's aural quality was way beyond respectable. I could actually start to distinguish a separation of tones within the full bodied sound. Even the S-Force Front Surround feature lived up to its name.

And if you want to be like a young Christian Slater and pump up the volume, the speakers handle maximum even if your neighbors don't. If that's not enough, you can toggle on Sound Booster.

With all those kudos, let me remind you that this is a two speaker system that will never be able to match a dedicated 5.1 audio setup. But if you don't have the desire or the space for speakers peppered around your room, then the 37XBR6's audio will be dandy.

The KDL-37XBR6 maintains the Sony BRAVIA's well-earned reputation for top-notch performance. I was especially impressed by the audio quality from its integrated speakers.