Showing posts with label 55 inch tv. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 55 inch tv. Show all posts

3/05/2012

SONY KDF60XBR950 60-Inch LCD Projection TV Review

SONY KDF60XBR950 60-Inch LCD Projection TV
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I bought this Sony LCD over the Samsung DLP. The picture is sharper and brighter. Also, sony accepts 480 which almost all of the channels on cable support. The Samsung doesn't support 480, therefore you will see pixelation especially when you watch sports.
I saw the super bowl on the Sony and it was magnificent.

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Looking to expand beyond the limitations of a CRT TV without losing resolution or clarity? Check out the Sony KDF-60XBR950 60-inch LCD rear-projection TV, which features 3.28 million dots of resolution (1,092,168 for each of the three LCD panels) for a crisp, richly colored picture that looks terrific wherever you sit (if offers a 130-degree viewing angle). The TV includes an integrated ATSC tuner that receives high-definition content, along with a high-contrast, double-AR-coated screen designed for compatibility with the 16:9 enhanced aspect ratio. Unlike many projection TVs from the past, the screen and LCD panels ensure clear focus from the center to the corners, a flicker-free image, and no annoying phosphor burn-in.
The unit comes with Sony's proprietary WEGA engine, which is engineered to deliver a better picture, and employs Direct Digital II Circuitry (with an integrated 3D comb filter) for rich, natural-looking images from any source, along with the smoothing effect of Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction VI technology. Meanwhile, the TV's Multi-Image Driver (MID-X) and twin NTSC tuners let viewers watch two programs from different sources (480i, 480p, 1080i, or 720p) either side by side or in an inset window.
Other features unique to the KDF-60XBR950 include CineMotion reverse 3:2 pulldown, which automatically converts film content to the new TV source to deliver smoother-looking DVD images; enhanced Memory Stick playback, so users can view digital photos and MPEG movies and MP3 audio through the TV; and such convenient user features as a sleep timer, multilingual onscreen display, Speed Surf rapid channel scanning, auto channel programming, closed captioning, a two-event clock/timer, V-chip parental control, and favorite channel.
A movie's audio will sound particularly good through the KDF-60XBR950, which features a 30-watt speaker system (5 watts x 2, plus 20-watt subwoofer), along with your choice of Virtual Dolby (Pro Logic surround sound), TruSurround (adds a 3-D effect to stereo broadcasts), and simulated surround sound (delivers multichannel effect to mono programs). Viewers seeking the highest possible clarity from their movies can hook up their DVD players through the two component video inputs, while HD users can take advantage of the DVI-HDTV interface. The TV also includes one front and three rear S-video inputs, one front and three rear composite inputs, one front and five rear audio inputs, one front and two rear i.Link inputs, one optical output, one Control-S input and one output, one optical audio output, and one subwoofer output.
What's in the Box TV, remote control, two AA batteries, user's manual.

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2/10/2012

LG 55LHX 55-Inch LCD HDTV, Gloss Black Review

LG 55LHX 55-Inch LCD HDTV, Gloss Black
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The number one reason why I got this unit was for the size and the wireless HD capabilities.
I hang this unit over the fireplace with Sanus VMPL50B wallmount.
The TV is about 60lbs, so you will need a friend to help you hang it up on the wall.
The screws for wall mounting was already attach to the TV which was great.
Once I have on the wall and after I plug in the power behind the TV, NO MORE other wires are needed. I put the wireless media box which came with the set about 10 feet away with no direct line of sight and was able to show HD tv with great clarity WIRELESSly... this is a great feature.
I have wireless phone, internet and head sets which did not cause any interference with this TV.
The 55LHX's lg logo on the TV is where the TV's receiver is, so if you stand right in front, you will see some static or no picture as you are no blocking the signal. But, I will know to avoid to stand right in front of the TV :)
The viewing angle is good, I tilt it downwards about 12 degrees for less glare. The TV screen do not reflect much, but the black frame does.
Just a note, with the 240HZ True motion on, sports looks very life like; but on movies it looks 3D ish, so shut I had to shut it off. Now I know why a 240Hz tv can possibly view 3d movies.
I have a Pioneer plasma which still looks way better than this TV, but this TV is as good if not better than my sharp Aquos. So, maybe its a settings thing.
There are lots of settings, but I have yet to find the best one, so please leave me a comment if you know what the best settings are....GL.

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LG’s 55LHX uses a full array of LED backlights with local dimming technology for precise picture control—resulting in deeper blacks and a wide color gamut. And, because it’s wireless, the 55LHX allows for greater room design flexibility.

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11/26/2011

LG 60PG60 60-Inch 1080p Plasma Frameless Edge HDTV Review

LG 60PG60 60-Inch 1080p Plasma Frameless Edge HDTV
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I was originally considering a Panny 800u, but that's not due out til early fall and after reading about the CES award LG took and its stunning design elements, I decided to include it on my list.
My final decision came yesterday when a local sales manager called me to let me know he had gotten is 60PG60 shipment and was hanging his display unit. I asked him what he thought and he said, "OMG...you gotta come see this. I'm hanging it next to the Panny 750u for comparison"
So, I headed on over and his explanation was well founded. With an identical source, the LG was far crisper, brighter, and had deeper blacks. Still not as bright as the Sammy 650 LCD nearby, but that Sammy was more $, only 50", had far less features, and less dark blacks.
I said... "Wrap it up!"
Purchase Experience
I purchased my 60-PG60 at Brandsmart; if you are located in Georgia or Florida, I highly recommend them.
I opted for the 5 year warranty, which was deeply discounted as well.
Set Up and Use
This sucker is heavy; part of that weight is a very nice and sturdy stand that allows 20 degree movement in either direction; I am using the stand.
Beneath the stand are several rubber feat that make it darn near impossible to slide into place, so be sure you have someone to help you position it.
Out of the box, the color settings were fine for me, but I might opt for one of those calibration disks since the LG includes two custom expert settings. I'll need some advice on that from you guys.
The THX mode is kind of a mixed bag, it looks cool on some movies but not so good on others. Specifically, it looked great on Blu-ray "Night in the Museum," but kind of crappy on DVD The Matrix. I'm not sure if its been calibrated for HD or if the dark greenish nature of The Matrix made it a poor fit for this setting. The standard setting looked great.
The invisible speakers worked fine, but I find myself listening to things at a setting around 50 rather than about 15 on my Samsung, which means just about nothing, but I figured I'd include it for reference. UPDATE: The sound is definitely interesting. After a couple days use in a live environment, I've found myself really using a range of volume from about 25 to 75. My initial, and a bit stupid, reaction was, "Why do I have to turn it up so much to be able to hear well?" The reality is two fold. First, at the low volume range all was quiet, 2am everyone asleep kind of thing. At the 75 end, dishwasher going, kids yelling upstairs, a vacuum running, and a teenager mucking around with iMovie within earshot. Every other set I've owned get's very loud and somewhat distorted after about 40% of its max volume. I've taken the PG60 all the way up to 75 (or 75% of max) without any distortion. It has evidently been designed to use the full range of its volume capabilities. The main downside I see is that you will likely be adjusting this set's volume more frequently than others due to environment and it would be nice to have some presets to save a bit of time as the volume increments or decrements. A minor quibble since it really doesn't take much time.
Aesthetics
Obviously this is personal, so take it with a grain of salt, but I think the PG60 is one of the nicest looking sets ever.
It reminds me a lot of my iMac in that the glass is flush with a recessed matte. Unlike the 700/750 Panny, there are no doors to fold down and, for whatever reason, I just don't like fold down doors.
Everything is black except for the pivot point on the stand which a sort of brushed aluminum, thus creating even more iMac comparison.
Issues
The included manual is woeful. There is a better one available online, but it pretty much sucks too. I really wish manufacturers would create one manual per model and explain each feature...oh well.
The remote is a bit crappy too, mainly because it does not allow rapid access to some features by way of advanced buttons hidden behind a secondary door or some such. This is little more than a nuisance for me because I use a Harmony and can program many of those features directly from Logitech's site, however if the LG will be your primary remote, you might be a bit disappointed. For example, by remote alone, there is no way to go directly to a specific aspect ratio without cycling through them. One caveat, Logitech does not yet have the PG60s in their Harmony database so you'll need to go with last years 60" flagship. It works fine, but you lose access to new features like Just Scan until they get it updated, which should be soon. [UPDATE: Logitech's databases have now include the 60PG60 and you can directly access nearly all functions...yay!]
Someone had asked me to baseline this unit against others...here it is:
Here are my personal baselines for your 1-10 scale:
1) Insignia NS-PDP42
5) Samsung PN58A550
7) Panasonic Viera TH-58PZ750U
9) LG 60PG60
10) Pioneer Kuro PRO-150FD
My ratings do take into account aesthetics, features, and picture quality. The Pioneer's amazing inky blacks and uncompromising build quality/component selection pegs it as the best of the best IMHO. That said, my eyes are not as good as the instruments used by Elite engineers and my wallet is not as fat as those who might purchase that unit.
Picture quality aside, I think the LGs aesthetics and feature set surpasses that of the Kuro. Sacrilege, I know, but there you have it.
The Panny's glare reduction is a bit better than the LGs, but its feature set and picture quality are inferior. The new 850u might be a better comparison, but I haven't seen one in the wild. That said, pricing on the 850u looks to be significantly higher than for the PG60 in that I paid for the 60" what some major folks are charging for the 50" Panny.
Finally, I may be repeating myself a bit, but I cannot overstate the Aesthetics of this set. It really is "iMac-ish" in its form factor. I really like the frameless design and invisible speakers. That is completely subjective and personal though...

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG 60PG60 60-Inch 1080p Plasma Frameless Edge HDTV

60" PDP 1080P HDTV, 1920 x 1080 Resolution, 30,000:1 Contrast Ratio, 1,000 cd/m2 Brightness, ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM- 1 Tuner, Dual XD Engine, SRS TruSurroundXT, 4 HDMI input, USB 2.0, Swivel Stand

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11/14/2011

Philips 60PW9363 60-Inch Widescreen HDTV-Ready Projection TV Review

Philips 60PW9363 60-Inch Widescreen HDTV-Ready Projection TV
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Where do I start! I bought this T.V. in december of 2003 for a family christmas present and it lasted 2 weeks before I lost the picture. I called the store and they replaced the t.v. which I thought was very nice but the screen had numerous scratches right out of the box. The manager saw them and said he would fax the order to get it fixed. A month later, a repairperson came to my house but he had the part to fix the picture and not the scratches. He had no knowledge of the scratches but he would place the order to get it fixed.
April rolled around and I lost the picture again on the new tv. I was a little discouraged considering this was not some 100.00 t.v. from Walmart, I paid a lot money for a television that was just not lasting, this was two t.v.'s in four months. I called Phillip's, thankfully I still had a warranty, but I found out they had closed there repair centers. They had a local repair shop come get the t.v. and I asked the Phillips rep. if they got the new screen yet. Now comes the battle!!!
Phillips said they would repair the t.v. but not the screen because they said they never recieved the order. The screens were only on warranty for 30 days and it was 3 months later. I explained to the phillips repair rep. that the store I bought it from faxed the order the same day. She told me that they closed their centers, here in florida, around that time so they do not have that information. Somehow this is my fault and I was told to call there customer service line. I called the number and I was told it was not their problem. I asked to speak to a supervisor, they refused to do it, then I asked for the number to Phillips headquarters which I found out does not exist but I could write a letter to them(still have not heard back from them) keep in mind this is the CUSTOMER SERVICE line. The customer service is based out of the carribean somewhere, I paid a couple thousand dollars for a t.v., had 2 different t.v.'s that could not last 5 months and Phillip's refused to help me.
The end result was I got the t.v. back a month and a half later,turns out it was a manufactures defect, the screen was fixed by the store that I bought the t.v. from because they could not get to Phillips either. It was the most frustrating time I have ever had and now I am going to purchase the extended warranty as I do not trust this t.v.
It is a great t.v. when it works, but I also have a Toshiba big screen that is not HDTV and in four years time I have never had a problem. So in closing I should caution"BUYER BEWARE"

Click Here to see more reviews about: Philips 60PW9363 60-Inch Widescreen HDTV-Ready Projection TV

With a size that will put the "theater" back in your notion of home theater, this 60-inch, high-definition projection television is capable of producing massive, detailed HDTV signals in all their glory: full 1080i resolution via a digital set-top box (not included). Progressive-scan DVD players are also prime source components for this set, which performs a wealth of picture-enhancing technologies. Display format up-conversion ensures that you're seeing the best image possible, regardless of the source.Designed to meet the demands of curved CRT faceplates, Philips' 35-point convergence brings with it the accuracy of digital technology for flawless convergence of red, green, and blue electron guns and a superb picture with no colored haloes.If a video image remains stationary, it can eventually burn a permanent after-image into the screen. Automatic Phosphor Aging Compensation (APAC) periodically shifts your television picture in increments that are tiny but still large enough to blur image retention. Active Control performs continuous picture analysis and maintains control of Automatic Digital Noise Reduction and auto sharpness. A three-line digital comb filter gives you Improved chroma/luminance separation over standard two-line glass comb filters for a difference you can really see.Eye Fidelity gives you a choice between two different scanning techniques: progressive and interlaced scanning. Progressive scanning doubles the number of visible picture lines per field by displaying all picture frame lines at once, eliminating line flicker. Interlaced mode reduces annoying motion artifacts and helps smooth jagged lines sometimes seen on images of curved and angled surfaces.The set's dual-tuner picture-in-picture lets you monitor one TV channel while simultaneously watching another. Its 10-watts-per-channel sound system offers both Virtual Dolby Surround and Incredible Surround, processing circuitry that produces the sensation of surround sound without the hassle of installing additional rear speakers. The set uses large, 4-by-6-inch stereo speakers and also features an auto volume limiter to minimize drastic level changes between, say, a TV program and its commercials.Connections include three each composite- and S-video inputs, two component-video inputs (one HD, one standard), and a DVI direct digital input for use with a compatible DTV set-top box or other DVI device. A set of audio/video outputs lets you integrate the set with your stereo or surround receiver, and a set of side-mounted AV inputs simplifies hookup of a camcorder, gaming console, or VCR.The 60PW9363's protective screen filter helps prevent accidental damage to the delicate front lenticular screen.What's in the Box TV, remote control, remote batteries, user's manual, and warranty/registration information.

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11/09/2011

Mitsubishi WD-60735 60-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV Review

Mitsubishi WD-60735 60-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV
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My Brother owns the 73" version of this television, and I've been very impressed with that. Having slightly less room, I decided to go with the 60", in addition for cost reasons.
This type of Display is unique in that, if you go to a store and look at them in daylight, in a brightly lit store, with LCD's and Plazma's all around, you'll think nobody would want a TV like this. It's not as bright, it's 'softer'. Once you get one of these in your home, and don't have these other overly bright displays clouding your judgement, you'll find viewing on a DLP VASTLY superior to a flickery LCD or HotWax looking Plazma. The picture is so natural and smooth, it's incredible. Colors are so spot on, it's amazing. And, I think, while a DLP isn't as bright, it does a lot nicer job in dark passages than will an LCD.
I do not notice any shimmering on this TV as I do on LCD. I'm a bit sensitive to that and watching one of my own BRay movies at a friends house on a 52" LCD with a PS3 player, I can honestly say, any hint of buyers remorse vanished when I saw his new display. (which cost more than twice as much btw). Tonight in fact, his PS3 is coming to play back on my TV so we'll see how that works out. I'm interested to see if there's jitter on my TV with it. I use a Home Theater PC for playback and DVI-HDMI for video. I have no issues whatsoever. I think I prefer the color representation from the PC better than standalone players.
Long term (marathon movie sessions) on this display are not fatiguing at all to my eyes, like other much brighter displays. Very short periods of looking at an LCD give me serious eye fatigue. Not to mention, they're so small! With Plazma especially, I find myself spending more time watching the TV, than I do the movie that's being played on it. With the DLP, it's like after the first few seconds, the TV isn't there and all you see is the picture. I think of it more like being IN the movie, rather than outside it. It's hard to explain and you won't see this in a store.
Cons:
This sort of display has reduced angle viewing vs a LCD or Plazma. It is not a great choice for brightly lit rooms or severe off angle viewing. It's also sensitive to vertical angle changes, even more so than side to side. Height is critical when viewing this sort of display if you intend to be very close, which I am in my setup. I view from only 9-10 feet. Even at that distance, I can clearly see brightness change when sitting vs standing. This isn't an issue to me because I just don't care. I like my big screen.
If my 9-10feet seems too close, it isn't. I know that I could easily enjoy a 100" screen at this distance. The TV is not too large.
As long as you're distant from the TV, viewing height will not be an issue. As a theater piece, it will be important to set the height correctly for your viewing position if you want the most vibrant picture. The 735 series has no front HDMI, though I don't care in my situation. If that's a must for you, go to the 736 or higher.
As a PC display, I like this TV, but, there are some handicaps that must be addresed with video card drivers if you are really fussy about filling in the edges of the screen perfectly. Some setup is required. It's not troublesome, but, is a bit tricky unless you visit some forums and ask folks how to set things up. This isn't a TV issue really. As for PC Monitor use, really, I don't think any display is perfect. For reading small text, it's just not likely that anyone will use their LCD, DLP or Plazma for this purpose. Not and like it anyhow. The TV is just too far away for text viewing. I run 120DPI in windows, and also 150% text in browser. Like that, it's useable. I still would not say ideal for long term everyday use.
Other Thoughts:
PC / Console Gaming on this thing is simply outstanding. Don't forget, with a DLP, you get to purchase the wireless LCD Glasses and play games like Call of Duty4 in 3D. These are not the red/blue filter glasses, these are active and actually have an interface to the television. This is a major plus on Samsung and Mitsubishi DLP Televisions. Also, the fact that DLP does not "Burn In" is another plus.
Running an all black desktop in Windows I'm told is an issue because that is sending all the lamp power to the light dump instead of to the screen. I'm not sure if that causes a heat issue or not, but I tend to keep mine displaying a light color all the time, so as to keep the heat to a minimum.
Since I am primarily a movie watcher, PC gamer, all other aspects of the TV are pretty much secondary to me. For those people who complain about the possibility of needing a new bulb, or that it will become a cost issue over time, I say this. First, at this time, straight from Mits, a new bulb is less than 100 bucks. If I bought 10 spares today, I'd still have less money in my TV than my friend has in his LCD that's almost a foot smaller. Also, I genuinly like mine better. Bulbs for these are not the $250 they were for units years ago. My brother had his last projection TV for 10 years and never put a bulb in. His unit now is over 2000 hours and still looks like new. If it costs me $100 a year to keep this TV refreshed and looking new, then so be it. Keeping a spare bulb on hand is probably a good idea if missing a few days viewing might be a problem.
Final thought. If I were to be forced to choose a different display and display type to replace this unit right now, it would be a DLP Front Projector. I am so pleased with this television, I almost secretly hope it dies shortly out of warranty, just so I can justify getting a projector. Even if it does not, I'll also have a projector within the next 2 years. I would never have guessed that after a month of viewing, this TV would look small enough that I wish for something 4 times this big. Especially in the rather small house, and small rooms I've got to view in. In 25 years of making household purchases, I have never been so happy with a consumer electronics purchase, as I am with this one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mitsubishi WD-60735 60-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV

The Mitsubishi experience is brought to life through timeless design, a pursuit for quality and commitment to innovation while never losing sight of what matters most to our customers. This is the Mitsubishi philosophy, evident in our 735 Series

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10/15/2011

Z-Line Designs Madrid Flat Panel TV Stand Review

Z-Line Designs Madrid Flat Panel TV Stand
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I was looking for a stand to mount my new 52" Sony LCD, and this item from Amazon looked sharp and had a good price.
A tip of my hat to the reviewer who assembled this in 1 hour - it took me closer to 3, but admittedly I am no handyman.
It did take two people to mount the TV once the stand was mostly assembled, but I guess with some imagination a person could do it alone. I would not want to risk damaging my new $1500 TV.
Since I know my limitations, I took my time, read the directions carefully, with very few missteps. The extra hardware included would make it possible to mount virtually any kind of flat panel TV; LCD or plasma. I've seen it advertised for a mount for a 46" TV, but my 52" looks great, and this stand is heavy and solid enough to support a TV several inches larger.
The metal and fiberboard top is pained a shiny black, and the finish really does look like it could be on a piano. The glass shelves offer plenty of room and sturdiness for any components you might want to add, and the horizontal swivel is a big plus.
There are of a variety of mounting heights. The bottom of my TV is the minimum 24" off the floor, but it could have gone about a foot higher.
The price does fluctuate. I paid closer to 2 Bens than 3, and I would recommend watching it until it hits that price point, with free shipping.
This item is made in China.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Z-Line Designs Madrid Flat Panel TV Stand

Mount a flat-panel plasma or LCD television in contemporary style on this sleek, sturdy TV stand from the innovative minds at Z-Line Designs. Crafted from metal and fiberboard, the stand features integrated mounts to support televisions with screens of up to 50 inches and weight up to 150 pounds. A swivel design lets users adjust the angle of the screen for optimum viewing. Below the screen mount area, the stand includes three shelves in 5mm tempered glass for holding DVD/BluRay players, video game systems, stereo components, and more. An open-air design allows air to circulate through the shelves and around electronic components to keep temps down and increase safety. A handsome piano black finish adorns the frame and top shelf, while the lower shelves are clear with black borders. Cable management slots complete the design.
For home assembly, the TV stand comes equipped with a universal hardware mounting kit and detailed instructions. The screen can mount at varying heights to best meet personal home entertainment needs. Made in China, the stand measures 44 inches wide by 18 inches deep by 50 inches high when fully assembled and weighs 72-2/5 pounds. Z Designs includes a limited lifetime warranty.

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8/25/2011

Sony BRAVIA EX 500 Series 55-Inch LCD TV, Black Review

Sony BRAVIA EX 500 Series 55-Inch LCD TV, Black
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This Sony was sold to me directly from Sony in exchange for a 5 year old 60" Sony that had an 'optic block' problem that would require an expensive fix. Sony had been repairing this problem for free but I had no way to know that until mine went bad and then talking to Sony they had switched to an exchange program where the customer would pay about slightly less than half the retail price. If you have a slightly older Sony that is putting either a blue color on the screen or a green one you might start directly with the Sony Style website and contact their support help to see what they may offer you. On one hand I was very sad to see my 5 year Sony develop a problem but on the other hand I have to give Sony credit for standing up to the known problem.
The largest TV offered in the exchange program was this 55" model or I certainly would have gone for the 60" because I prefer that size. That said this model has a better and more vibrant picture than my older Sony which was a premium model that I had paid over $4,000 for. So the bottom line for me is that this new Sony has a better picture for less than the old one even if you pay retail. My old Sony weighed 113lbs and this new one is around 65lbs so it is easier to handle. The remote is better and more intuitive. We watch this in a very bright room filled with natural sunlight during the day and this TV handles that very well with no glare. The speakers are nothing to write home about and probably not as good as my old Sony but we tend to watch movies with the sound coming from a quality sound system anyway. My old Sony was 1080i and this one is full 1080p which is an excellent picture. We get our signal from Dish Net which broadcasts almost exclusively in 1080i anyway. For movies we use a Samsung Blu-Ray player which works beautifully with this TV. In fact there is a type of automatic setting that the Samsung and the Sony have where when you turn on the Samsung the TV also turns on and then goes directly to the input from the Samsung. Very cool. Truthfully I can barely tell the difference from a good blu-ray picture and a good standard DVD. We tend to use Netflix a lot and always order Blu-Ray when available.
I thought the set up was easy and the available HDMI connections are excellent as my old Sony only had two HDMI inputs and this one has 4. We actually use all 4 with a DVD recorder, Dish Net, HD camcorder, and the blu-ray.
I would have no problem recommending this Sony LCD TV and in fact when I looked in the stores I thought the new LED LCDs seemed a little too bright. I do miss the 60" size but everyone who has looked at this picture has been in the 'wow' camp with it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony BRAVIA EX 500 Series 55-Inch LCD TV, Black


An impressive centerpiece to any entertainment system, this 55-inch BRAVIA EX500 Series HDTV (model KDL-55EX500) combines a clean design with cutting-edge features. You'll enjoy Full HD 1080p picture quality as well as exceptionally smooth motion in fast-action sports scenes, movies and games thanks to integrated Motionflow 120Hz refresh rate technology. Plus, Ambient Sensor and LightSensor technologies automatically adjust the color and brightness based on your room's lighting to ensure you'll always get the best possible picture.
The BRAVIA EX500 Series HDTV with Full HD 1080p picture quality.

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8/24/2011

LG INFINIA 55LE8500 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz Full LED Slim LCD HDTV with Internet Applications Review

LG INFINIA 55LE8500 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz Full LED Slim LCD HDTV with Internet Applications
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First, I just received my second set from Amazon today. The first set had an issue on the inside of the GLOSSY glass screen. I couldn't tell if it was a thread or a small crack in the screen. It obviously wasn't supposed to be there, and Amazon swapped it out for me. I'm on my first couple hours on the second set, but I haven't see the same issue with the second set yet. This does support a couple other reviewers suggesting quality control may be an issue with these sets. This contradicts the weight of the TV suggesting it should be very well built.
The TV is stunningly simple to look at. There isn't a lot of extra bezel or showy manufacturer's name plates. I love this, as I'm usually driven nuts at having to look at a constant advertisment of a product I've already purchased. The "LG" that lights up at the bottom when the TV is turned on, can be set to be off when the set is on. This effectively means in a dark room (as mine is), the ONLY thing you see on this TV is the picture...exactly as it should be. The only exception is a small set of lights along the bottom that are only powered during power on and off to inform the viewer of this.
My general impression on the picture quality is mostly very impressed. I'm not a display expert so I'll only state what I notice as a slightly more "techy" than average viewer. These sets do seem to have a screen uniformity issue. Large and bright, white or very light colored sections of the screen will show light horizontal bands. These bands are light, but can be distracting depending on the viewer. It seemed to get better with more hours on the first set, but it could have been the firmware issue. Either way, know that if you watch a lot of content containing mostly white screens, you may want to look at another TV. Some people claim to not be able to see this. Others state they see even more of it during panning scenes. Perhaps there is some difference from one panel to the next. Either way, I have seen it on two sets, so anyone looking at purchasing the set should expect it, unless there is an update (software or hardware) to the set at some time.
I looked at a backlit/local dimmed set like this for one big reason though...CONTRAST. Buying this set to watch solid bright screens would seem to be a waste. Where this particular set really shows it stuff is in the black level it can achieve. Movies are beautiful. I thought my old RPTV had a nice picture, but the sharpness and clarity of the 55LE8500 really put my old set to shame. As mentioned above, when you turn off the LG logo, all you see is the picture. Even if there is letterboxing, you will only see the picture. The rest of the screen will be as black as the bezel, and in a dark room, you won't notice it as letterboxing at all.
Colors are vivid and natural looking. The settings from the factory are pretty decent, but count on using the two extra ISF settings that can be customized to your liking. Having a knowledgable Tech to come over to properly set up the TV would be wise if you can afford it, but it's not neccesary to achieve a nice picture. There is even a built-in menu system to aid you in doing so.
Summing it up
Pros:
Awesome blacklevel
Sharp picture
Great colors
No flashy labels or lights to be bothersome
Automatic updates if you connect it to the internet
Tons of access to change viewing settings
discrete codes for most anything you might want for a customized remote.
Cons:
screen has uniformity issues
possible quality control issues
maybe a bit too heavy
screen is a bit too glossy
no 3D support
Overall, this is probably the best 2D TV released in 2010. If you can control the lighting in your room, and you don't watch lots of source material with large patches of very light scenes, this is the TV for you. Amazon is a great source for the set, but know the wireless media kit was offered free with the set last week, and the price has been changing dramatically (down and up and back down again). I gave it 4 stars because it could have been a bit better, and probably should have been.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG INFINIA 55LE8500 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz Full LED Slim LCD HDTV with Internet Applications


This HDTV is Internet-ready. To view Internet apps on this TV, you may also need:

Broadband Internet service
A router
Cabling
A Wi-Fi adapter (if there is not one built in)
A PC for subscriptions or payments

To learn more about Internet-ready HDTVs, visit Internet-Ready TV 101.
Combining a slim design and thin bezel with enhanced connectivity, the 55-inch LG INFINIA 55LE8500 Full LED Slim LCD HDTV features energy-saving LED backlighting, 1080p Full HD resolution for crystal-clear detail, and TruMotion 240Hz technology for virtually no motion blur. It's also a great choice for watching sports and movies with fast action thanks to its incredible 1ms (millisecond) response time.
Recognized with a CES 2010 Innovations Award, LG's Full LED Slim technology elevates picture quality with a slim LED structure that supports detailed local dimming, resulting in an HDTV that provides the deeper black levels and uniform picture quality which typically could not be achieved on an ultra-thin set.



Additionally, this unique technology used in this LG Full LED Slim HDTV helped it achieve picture quality worthy of THX Display Certification--the industry standard for having the correct gamma, luminance, and color temperature. This certification demonstrates that this HDTV can recreate the cinema experience at home, making the picture resemble movie theatre quality. This HDTV also includes a THX Bright Room setting, which optimizes the contrast, gamma and other settings for watching movies in rooms with a lot of ambient light.

With LG's NetCast, you get access to TV shows, movies and more, streamed directly from the Internet to your television screen. And the LE5400 series also provides compatibility with Wireless 1080p Connectivity (wireless media kit required and sold separately).

Other features include a jaw-dropping 9,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for more stunning colors and deeper blacks, two USB ports for connecting external drives for playing back MP3 audio, JPEG photo and DivX HD video files, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, and four HDMI inputs.



NetCast Entertainment Access NetCast Entertainment Access brings the best Internet services direct to your TV--no computer required. Instantly access movies and TV shows, news and weather and the world's largest library of HD movies in 1080p. (Note: Internet connection & subscriptions required and sold separately.)




Key Features
Key Specifications


LG 2010 HDTV Comparison


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7/30/2011

Mitsubishi LT-55154 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED Edge-Lit LCD HDTV Review

Mitsubishi LT-55154 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED Edge-Lit LCD HDTV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This tv has one of the most amazing pictures I've ever seen - and being in the business I've seen alot, so much so I've decided to keep it in spite of the annoying glitch of rebooting it everytime I put a dvd in it!The input seems to crash every time I start my sony blu ray or regular dvd player.

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Creating an entertainment environment that captures your imagination with vivid imagery and enveloping audio, the 55-inch Mitsubishi Unisen LT-55154 1080p HDTV provides concert quality sound in your home without the clutter of separate home theater components. Mitsubishi's innovative Immersive Sound Technology features 12 speakers built into the bottom of the front bezel directs perfectly balanced audio waves to reproduce 5.1 surround sound.
This LCD HDTV features an Edge-Lit LED backlighting for a sharper brighter image, and its True120Hz anti-blur technology doubles the standard LCD frame rate to produce a more fluid, natural motion--making it a great choice for watching sports and fast action movies. Other features include StreamTV Internet Media (with access to the VUDU HD movie rental site and more), four HDMI inputs, USB port for viewing photos and listening to music, and wireless Internet capabilities (using optional adapter).

Key Features
55-inch LCD panel with Edge Lit LED backlighting bends and diffuses light for a sharper, brighter image. An added bonus: The arrangement of the LEDs along the edge of the screen makes an ultra-thin profile possible. LED-lit TVs are also more energy efficient than conventional CCFL backlit LCD TVs.
1080p Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
StreamTV Internet Media access provides instant access to an extensive library of high-quality entertainment and social media content. Grab your remote and choose from over 100 different streaming applications, including VUDU HD movie rentals, Pandora, Flickr, Picasa, Facebook, Twitter, Associated Press, The New York Times and more. VUDU Movies features the world's largest catalog of HD movies with more than 3,000 movies, and its HDX video format is the only streaming 1080p HD video with high resolution 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus surround sound available directly on Internet-connected televisions.
Plush1080p 5G 12-Bit video processing converts lower-resolution signals to 1080p to eliminate jagged pixelated imagery.
True120Hz technology for more fluid, natural motion from fast-moving video such as sports, action movies, and more.
6-Color Processor takes the three primary colors (red, green, and blue) of the video signal and extracts three secondary colors (cyan, yellow, magenta) in order to individually process each color for greater accuracy.

Immersive Sound Technology with 12 intelligent speakers (producing 24 total watts of power) that direct perfectly balanced audio waves beside and behind the user to reproduce 5.1 surround sound and create an unparalleled entertainment experience. Through the use of an advanced algorithm, the sound technology delays the sound beams and projects them independently from the 12 speakers at varying intervals, to create fully immersive surround sound.
Dolby Digital 5.1 sound processing
Video modes: Brilliant, Bright, Natural, Game
Integrated HDTV tuner receives both over-the-air HDTV broadcasts (received via an antenna) and non-scrambled digital cable broadcasts, including non-scrambled HDTV cable programming.
HDMI Control (CEC): HDMI devices with Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) capabilities may be compatible with the TV's HDMI Control feature. Compatible devices can receive control signals through the HDMI connection, allowing the TV's remote control to operate some functions of these devices.
Easy Connect function automatically recognizes when you plug in a device and prompts you to assign a name to it. The TV ignores any unused inputs, so the result is an uncluttered menu where you can easily find and select connected devices by name.
Two USB ports enable you to play MP3 music and JPEG photo slideshows on this HDTV (one port provides accessory power only).
Wired networking via Ethernet port
Wireless Internet ready (802.11b/g/n connectivity with optional adapter)
Energy Star 4.0 qualified


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6/19/2011

Samsung UN55C8000 55" 1080p 3D LED TV, 1080p Resolution, 3D Technology, 3D HyperReal Picture Engine, Touch of Color Design, Kit Includes 2 Pairs of 3D Glasses, BD-C6900 1080p 3D Blu-ray DVD Player, 3 Xtreme 3D 1.4v HDMI Cab Review

Samsung UN55C8000 55 1080p 3D LED TV, 1080p Resolution, 3D Technology, 3D HyperReal Picture Engine, Touch of Color Design, Kit Includes 2 Pairs of 3D Glasses, BD-C6900 1080p 3D Blu-ray DVD Player, 3 Xtreme 3D 1.4v HDMI Cab
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I recently bought this TV and couldn't be happier. The picture quality is phenomial and the 3D, while nothing I was interested in, is pretty cool and my kids like it. The wireless setup flat out sucks but I was able to get around that and just go through the Blue Ray and all is well with the world in that respect. If I was going to buy again, I'd get the same thing. Very nice piece!! Setup was pretty easy except for the wireless. Samsung knows there is a problem with this but can't seem to get it right. Aside from the wireless issue, this is a home run!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung UN55C8000 55" 1080p 3D LED TV, 1080p Resolution, 3D Technology, 3D HyperReal Picture Engine, Touch of Color Design, Kit Includes 2 Pairs of 3D Glasses, BD-C6900 1080p 3D Blu-ray DVD Player, 3 Xtreme 3D 1.4v HDMI Cab

Kit Includes:Samsung PN55C8000 - 50" 3D 1080p 240hz LED HDTVBD-C6900 1080p 3D Blu-ray DVD PlayerSSG-P2100T 3D Starter Kit Glasses and Blu RayDigpro HDMI Audio/Video Cable for HDTV 6 Feet (1.8m)

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6/17/2011

LG 55LX9500 55" 1080p 480Hz 3D LED LCD HDTV Review

LG 55LX9500 55 1080p 480Hz 3D LED LCD HDTV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
When noticed this product was advertised at Fry's for $1499, I had to call and make sure it wasn't a miss print or some kind of administrative error. To my surprise, it was advertised accurately so I picked it up the same day. This TV is AMAZING, and the detail that I can see in comparison to my 47inch LCD 120Hz is amazing. The picture setup is easy, and you'll be watching TV with clarity and detail you have never experienced before. I kept my old TV connected and did a side by side comparison watching the same movie through a Blu-ray player and the difference is very noticable, even my wife points out details that she didn't see before. The sound is spectacular, and the voice clarity system ensures that the music/background noise doesn't drown out voices.
I have not tried to use the 3D mode yet due to lack of interest in wearing glasses while watching TV, but if you look at the CNET review for this TV, it says that it has one of the best 2D pictures in TV's reviewed this year.

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LG 55LX9500 55" 1080p 400Hz 3D LED LCD HDTV

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6/10/2011

Samsung UN55B8500 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LED HDTV Review

Samsung UN55B8500 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LED HDTV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
To clarify I own this tv and am not just basing this review on time spent in a store browsing. This tv has been hard to come by and the only place I could find that had it in stock was my local Best Buy with a Magnolia section.
Design: Samsung is noted for their sleek design and this tv is no exception. Samsung says it has a charcoal touch of color but I really didn't notice any color in the bezel. It is black and goes to clear at the outer edge. It sits on a metal stand with a clear neck holding the tv. At the bottom middle of the tv below where it says Samsung is a blue light which can be turned off. I noticed the light flickers ever so slightly when a command is sent from the remote you are using. The tv is VERY slim. Only 1.6" at it's fattest point. This is amazing considering this tv is a fully backlit LED unit with local dimming. Truly amazing and a design that will have your friends jealous.
Picture Quality: This is the best looking LCD tv made today. I have viewed many other LCD tv's including the Sony XBR8 and the Samsung A950 from last year and this one is the best looking I have seen. From a picture quality perspective the XBR8 is closest but not quite up to par with the 8500. Realistically if you had either of these sets in your house they would look spectacular. The blacks on the 8500 are so dark it approaches the level of blacks in the best Plasma tv's. In a dark room I could not tell where the tv screen ended and the bezel began because the screen was so dark. The colors are superb and can be tweaked any number of ways to your liking. I prefer the "Natural" mode for everyday use and the "Movie" mode for watching blu-ray movies. The 240hz refresh is nice but the best thing is that you can independantly control Blue and Judder settings. Cranking up the 240hz tends to produce what some call the "soap opera" effect but this can easily be eliminated by tweaking. There is also a Game mode which I use when gaming on my PS3.
One interesting thing I found out was that the Movie mode using the Warm 2 setting is pretty much spot on from a calibration perspective right out of the box. I say that because I have a Spears & Munsil calibration blu-ray disc and when I ran the tv through the calibration process using Movie mode on Warm 2 I literally only had to tweak one setting by one or two points. I could see many people just flipping back and forth between Natural and Movie modes, depending on what they are watching, and not bothering to calibrate the tv as it looks great pretty much out of the box.
I also wanted to mention that standard def looks good on this tv. It doesn't look nearly as good as HD but it is totally acceptable in my opinion.
Sound: Having such a think profile I expected the sound to be horrible. Surprisingly it was quite acceptable. While I would recommend a surround sound system I never felt like the tv speakers were all that bad. My wife has never mentioned anything and I have never been watching a tv show and thought, "oh the sound stinks". I would say it's about average which is ok to me considering the tiny amount of space Samsung had to work with. While audio-philes may not like the tv speakers/sound I think a lot of people would be totally fine with it.
Viewing Angle: I sit about 9' to 10' away from the screen and have not noticed any real issues with the viewing angle. Of course no LED LCD will have a viewing angle as good as a plasma but unless you are sitting at an extreme angle you probably won't have to worry too much about this. I think this is more of a personal preference...sure the best picture is right in the center of the screen but I don't think sitting to the right or left a few feet makes the picture dramatically different. Maybe a video-phile would notice but my wife doesn't notice and has never said a thing.
Reflection: Be aware that this is NOT a matte screen, it is a reflective screen. If you have windows directly facing the tv then make sure you have curtains or blinds that can block out the light enough not to bother you. I don't think it's anymore reflective than other Samsung tv's but coming from a matte screen prior to this it was a big change for me.
Widgets: The tv comes with internet connectivity for Yahoo Widgets, You Tube, Twitter, USA Today Sports and several others. You can either buy a Samsung USB wireless stick to connect the tv wirelessly to your network or you can plug an ethernet cable directly into the back of your tv. I have an ethernet cable plugged directly into the back of it. First things first, the widgets do not load fast. I'm not sure why but even using a direct internet cable into the tv they still do not load fast. No idea why but they are slooow. Slow enough for me to be annoyed and not use them much. It's odd because when I went to the You Tube widget and looked up a video it played quickly and was smooth. Hopefully Samsung will have a software update to allow the widgets to load faster. Right now I would say they are just a novelty. If they can decrease the load times and add more apps such as Facebook, then I think this has potential. But people are not buying this tv because of the widgets, they are buying it for the picture.
Overall I think this is an excellent tv. Is it expensive, yes. Does it have the best picture of any LCD available, yes. If you have the money this is a great tv. I use a Harmony One remote and it works flawlessly with this tv. PS3 games and blu-ray movies look incredible. The only quibble I have with the tv is the screen reflectivity and that is more a result of my room setup than the tv itself. Whether I'm watching HD football, playing a PS3 game, watching a blu-ray movie or watching The Office I have been blown away by the picture this tv can deliver.
UPDATE:
I wanted to clarify something that seems to be a bit confusing. I refer to this tv as an LCD tv which it is. Samsung refers to this as an LED tv. Basically this tv uses an LCD panel (thus it is an LCD tv) but it uses LED backlighting (as opposed to typical CCFL backlighting). Samsung marketing has had great success with the term "LED tv" but in reality it is still an LCD tv but with LED used for backlighting purposes. Just wanted to make sure nobody is confused when Samsung refers to it as an LED tv and I am calling it LCD....in a way they are both right but this can be confusing for a consumer.
I also wanted to comment that I have now had this tv for almost 5 months and it has performed wonderfully. I did have an occurance of what some people had called "Crop Circles" but this was remedied with a firmware update so no issues since. Overall I am still blown away on a daily basis by this tv. Whether it's watching the super bowl, the olympics or Lost this tv has been spectacular.
UPDATE 2 Aug 23, 2010:
I am now approaching 11 months of ownership and I have not had a single problem with this tv. Picture quality is as great as the first day I bought it. I know this tv is hard to come by these days but it is worth your time and money if you find one for a good price. I don't believe Samsung has a replacement for this set yet. There are many 2010 model Samsungs that are LED edge lit but I do not believe there is a true LED backlit tv for 2010 yet which would be the true successor to the 8500.
FINAL UPDATE Dec 14, 2010:
Having now owned this tv for well over a year I can say it has been the best tv I have ever owned. I have not had any problems with the tv at all. It has handled HD broadcasts, PS3 game playing, Blu-Ray movies and everything else I can throw at it. This will probably be my final update as this tv appears to be no longer available which is a shame but understandable as tv manufacturers always have to bring something new to the table every year. In my opinion this is still the best tv on the market, even better than the new Samsungs which all appear to be edge-lit LED. Of course I am a little biased! To this day people still comment on how incredible the picture is, and this is coming from others who own HD tv's also. This is about the only electronics product I have ever owned where I am not envious a year later when a new version comes out. I would pit this tv against ANY other tv currently in the market.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung UN55B8500 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LED HDTV

Picture performance, advanced connectivity, and an eco-friendly and stunning design come together to form Samsung LED TV 8500. For the image connoisseur, our highest 240Hz motion blur reduction technology, our highest 7,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio that displays incredibly deep blacks and pristine whites, and enriched color processing deliver outstanding video. Samsung Internet@TV has web TV widgets from Yahoo, Flicker, Ebay and others to entertain, inform and connect you to specially designed web content right on your LED TV. This Ultra Slim 1.6” depth set is the ideal complement for your room and your life.innovative digital technology. Powerful LED technology offers the most impressive contrast and color you have ever seen on a 55-inch screen; innovative 240Hz technology renders four times the frames per second compared to standard HDTVs, for motion that’s truly lifelike and smooth. A pre-loaded Content Library puts countless hours of information and entertainment at your fingertips. The Medi@2.0 feature brings online content – such as video, stocks, photo sharing and more – straight to your HDTV, with downloadable, customizable widgets that are easily controlled via the remote. The Ultra Slim Design is only 1.2 inches deep, and that’s including the tuner! Another visual highlight is the striking Touch of Color accented bezel. And with the photo frame wall mount, you can bring the elegant brilliance of this inches from the wall – in virtually any room. And with the same passion we have for delivering groundbreaking HD excitement and style, Samsung is dedicated to preserving the environment with LED TVs, through reduced power consumption (up to 40% savings versus 2008 Samsung conventional LCD TVs) and eco-friendly manufacturing techniques.

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5/31/2011

VIZIO XVT3D554SV 55-inch 1080p 480Hz 3D LED HDTV with Full Array TruLED, Smart Dimming and VIZIO Internet Apps Review

VIZIO XVT3D554SV 55-inch 1080p 480Hz 3D LED HDTV with  Full Array TruLED, Smart Dimming and VIZIO Internet Apps
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The 2D image here is extremely sharp, almost shockingly so. Remember when you first moved from SD to HD and all the TV shows suddenly seemed kind of... shabby? As if the sets just weren't up to HD scrutiny? The image here is so clear, the colors so deep and the contrast so high, that you can have that experience over again. Sometimes it even feels like the 2D images are 3D. Compared to my earlier sets, it's actually disorienting.
I've made some changes to the review to address questions and discoveries.
Calibration
As usual, the out of the box settings tend to favor a brightness that could give you a tan. However, the default "movie" mode tones things down a lot (and looks very much like what I got after spending hours on calibration, so you may want to spare the effort and just make that quick selection, assuming all these things emerge from the box equal). Technically, the out of the box modes all seem to run a little to the "warm" side, so you'll need to cool the image down a bit if you want the textbook values, but I find myself liking the warmer image a bit better. Somehow (even though I know better) it looks more lifelike.
Screen glossiness
The screen is glossy. Yup. I've found that it doesn't cause a problem during the day because the set's inherent brightness shrugs off evenly distributed lighting from reflected sources (I don't get direct sun on the set, but that would be inadvisable for most sets). And naturally, the set looks great in a dim room. However, if you're sitting down and have some lamps in front of it at night, they can be reflected. Some reflections even give a scattered, prismatic effect that can be distracting. It's not a big deal. It doesn't take on the mirror-like appearance of some screens. But it is noticeable and may require that you rearrange your set position or lighting.
Remote
The slide-out keyboard remote works fairly well, but it has a list of problems. First off, it's not backlit, and on a remote this complex that's a real problem if you expect to use it to replace your cable box or DVD remotes. You'll find lots of small buttons, many almost flush with the case, that you can't make out by touch. The slide-out alpha keyboard is fine for entering information needed to access Netflix or search for clips, but a Tweet is about the longest thing that can be typed comfortably. The handling of multiple devices is both clever and irritating. The remote associates a device with each input to the TV. So if you tell it that HDMI-1 is your satellite box and HDMI-2 is your blueray player it will (after correct setup) switch the remote function to the appropriate device when you switch input. However, getting it to control a different device -without- changing the input (if, for example, you have all your devices running through a receiver) is much less neatly handled.
3D
Initially, I was having trouble getting DirectTV to recognize this set as 3D and kept getting the "Your 3D TV does not support this resolution." This appears to have been resolved, and I can now watch soccer re-runs and old tennis games while waiting for more 3D content along with everyone else. The depth of the 3d is good -- equal to the apparent depth on the Samsung X500, which is the best I've seen. However, there is no apparent way to use the 3D effect on 2D images which, while a gimmick, is a handy gimmick when you don't feel like watching "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" for the 20th time just to see some 3D.
USB
I've been unable to view any video off USB ports. I have a downloaded 3D clip saved to a flash drive which was provided as a test of the Samsung. Though there are 3 USB ports, none of them seem to recognize the clip (or actually, to even respond to inserting the flash drive)
2D Image quality
I'm still very taken with the 2D image. Even neighbors who were unimpressed with previous Vizio sets are excited by this one. Very deep blacks, color saturation nice (initial setup is slightly on the warm side... but I find that I rather like it). Brightness and contrast have a wide range and will go right up to the "torch" level that many stores seem to like. If you think it looks good on the shelf at Megamart, it looks even better on the wall at home.
I've upped my rating a star after two weeks of owning the set. I still wish it came with an improved remote, but now that it's all calibrated and connected to my system, I have little else to complain about.

Click Here to see more reviews about: VIZIO XVT3D554SV 55-inch 1080p 480Hz 3D LED HDTV with Full Array TruLED, Smart Dimming and VIZIO Internet Apps


VIZIO's 54.64-inch XVT3D554SV brings cutting-edge, high-definition, superior 3D technology to your home in VIZIO's sleek signature style. Immersive 3D delivers an amazing viewing experience, and this high-performance HD 3D TV combines advanced picture quality, virtual high definition sound and premium wireless internet connectivity.
Cutting-edge, high-definition, superior 3D technology. Click here for a larger image

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5/14/2011

LG 55LD520 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV Review

LG 55LD520 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
First off...I have no gripes with the Samsung 55" LN55B6xx series screens (2009 models) but it's the newer ones the C630, etc. (2010) I've gotten 4 people to buy the LN55B6xx models and loved them so I figured it's my turn to upgrade to this. I originally got the Samsung LN55C630 and a few things I don't like about it compared to this LG are the following. #1 - input lag. If you don't know what this is search it on wikipedia. Basically this LG has very minimal lag. It's a fast panel with equal color reproduction as the Samsung. #2 - frame interpolation (the smooth thing on the 120Hz+ panels) is much more natural on the LG (whereas the Samsung looks fake). Both TVs offer customization for it in Blur and Jitter correction. I use the TV for HD content off a home theater PC, DirecTV, and Xbox360 action. I found both TV's give issues with videos looking "jerky" with the frame interpolation turned on unlike my old 60Hz TV but simply dropping the PC's refresh rate to 24Hz (film is shot 23.976) made the 5:5 pull up perfect! The dealbreaker which makes the LG work is for gaming. The Samsung flat out you CANNOT play games on it with the input lag being so terrible. The Samsung was around 130-160 ms in lag whereas for me the LG is around the 50-65 ms range. Much more tolerable! Oh and this one's cheaper!
Your best bet is to go and look at a TV before you buy it (along with reading reviews). I walked into the store (Best Buy) with my laptop and an HDMI cable in hand and started playing with all their big panels. This is the best one for the money. I took a chance on this one being there's really no reviews on this new model but I can't regret it one bit.
BUY BUY BUY!!!

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Great for sports and fast action, the 55-inch LG 55LD520 LCD HDTV offers 1080p Full HD resolution for crystal-clear detail, TruMotion 120Hz technology for virtually no motion blur, and a super-quick response time of 2.4ms (milliseconds). Other features include an amazing 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for more stunning colors and deeper blacks, capability to play MP3 audio files and JPEG photo slideshows from a USB drive, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, and three HDMI inputs.


Key Features
Key Specifications


LG 2010 HDTV Comparison


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5/13/2011

VIZIO XVT553SV 55-Inch Class Full Array TruLED with Smart Dimming LCD HDTV 240 Hz SPS with VIZIO Internet Apps Review

VIZIO XVT553SV 55-Inch Class Full Array TruLED with Smart Dimming LCD HDTV 240 Hz SPS with VIZIO Internet Apps
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
We have had this TV for three weeks. It replaces a Vizio 50" Plasma purchased 4 years ago that died.
- Picture quality is outstanding. Very dark black with no visible back-lighting. NFL games and fast-action video work great. Side-angle viewing is good with this TV.
- Tons of inputs.
- Vizio Support answers the phone promptly. They're helpful and courteous.
- Excellent matte screen surface with little to no glare from lamps, windows, and doors. Because of the matte finish, we opted to move our TV location perpendicular to a an 8ft sliding glass door out to the pool. We have had no problems with light or glare degrading picture quality. In contrast, this door would have caused extreme glare on the slick surface of the plasma, while also washing out the picture.
- Internet Aps are handy. Neflix is the one we use primarily. Because the TV is now the sound source, an Optical Cable is needed for connection to the Receiver. Once setup, sound and picture quality are outstanding. Getting to a list of movies with the VIA button on the remote takes only a couple of clicks. The NetFlix ap works so well, we barely use our media computer hooked up to the system.
- Remote Control and TV Setup menus on the unit are intuitive, easy to use, and graphically well done. The TV picture quality was great for us out of the box, requiring no adjustments. Remote control setup via the on-screen configuration automatically tries codes and only requires the user to click "worked" / "didn't work" in order to cycle through and find the right code. Best remote setup I've ever seen.
- Remote Control itself is nearly perfect. Well-spaced buttons that are easy to read and arranged logically and in similar locations to other DVR's. Physical size is ideal, Not too long like many remotes. Keyboard flip out is a fantastic addition.
- TV mounts to a wall without any problems. (We used the Vizio XMA 1200--worst user manual I've ever encountered) The unit is surprisingly light, given the TV's size. Still best to have two people when hanging the unit on the wall.
- Because our previous Vizio died after only 4 years, we bought a 4-year Square Trade warranty from Amazon (STAY AWAY FROM ALL WARRANTIES BY THE COMPANY "NEW"). Our Sams Club warranty was through NEW. A month of being hassled resulted in our TV being picked up and taken to a local shop. After another 10 days NEW gave us an undetermined ETA on Parts for the repair. We called SAMS CLUB and explained our warranty nightmare. Sams Club Manager told me to bring in the TV. NEW Refused to give the TV back. I found a phone number to the shop they contracted out and was able to get a address, then go pickup the TV myself. Sams Club gave us a full-refund! Avoid NEW (read reviews here on Amazon of New Warranties). Vizio also offers a similarly priced warranty extension. There is paperwork in the box for purchasing this product from Vizio.
- We're very happy with the TV.

Click Here to see more reviews about: VIZIO XVT553SV 55-Inch Class Full Array TruLED with Smart Dimming LCD HDTV 240 Hz SPS with VIZIO Internet Apps


VIZIO's XVT553SV 55" TruLED LCD HDTV with VIZIO Internet Apps delivers theultimate HDTV experience. Packed with the latest technology, thishigh performance HDTV combines advanced picture quality, immersivevirtual high definition sound and premium wireless Internet connectivitywith built-in Wi-Fi 802.11n dual-band so you can enjoy the convenienceof on-demand movies, TV shows, social networking, music, photos andmore with just the push of a button on the premium Bluetooth QWERTYkeyboard universal remote.
Backlit LED blocks turn on and offbased on the real-time content.

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5/10/2011

Sony BRAVIA KDL55EX710 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV, Black Review

Sony BRAVIA KDL55EX710 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV, Black
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I spent hours researching and comparing "LED" LCD TV's in the 55" size category. I finally narrowed it down to two "edge-lit" LED TV's (the Sony Bravia 55" EX710 and the Samsung 55" LED 6300 series) based on price/performance, overall image quality, image contrast, refreshing rates (for sports), ease of use and customer service.
I've owned both Sony and Samsung in the past and was satisfied in general with their performance and customer service so I felt comfortable with either TV from a reliability and customer service perspective.
In terms of image, watching the TV's side by side for well over 10 hours, I can say I could not distinguish between the two TV's. The shape of the Sony is a bit different (slightly taller and narrower) than the Samsung, giving you the impression that the Samsung is bigger, but it's not.
Both the Sony and Samsung TV's provide excellent color resolution and contrast, deep dark colors and vibrant lighter colors as well.
I did find the Samsung 6300 series tv image on "non-HD" tv programs to be slightly better than the Sony, but the difference was marginal.
As for sports, both have 120hz. and relatively fast refreshing rates, so sports viewing on either TV is excellent.
For ease of use and set up, I found the Sony 55" to be very good. Sony provides the user manual as an item on the TV menu instead of a written one, which may not be to everyone's liking. But then again, with it installed on the TV, you're never wondering "where the heck did I put that user manual!"
In the end, given the overall similarity in quality and performance between the Sony 55"EX710 and the Samsung 6300 series LED/LCD TV's, I boiled it down to price and that's where the Sony won out! I paid $1499 for the Sony while the best price I could find for the Samsung was $1750. I put the price savings towards a 5 year extended warranty for the Sony!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony BRAVIA KDL55EX710 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV, Black

Blending a stylish design with astonishing picture quality, this slim, 55-inch Edge LED backlit BRAVIA EX710 Series HDTV (model KDL55EX710) delivers an amazing Full HD experience. Go beyond your scheduled programming and connect to the internet to instantly stream a wide variety of movies, TV shows, videos and music from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker and more. You can even add a Wi-Fi adapter (sold separately) to wirelessly connect to your home network and access the internet without the mess of unsightly wires. The Edge LED backlit BRAVIA EX710 Series HDTV.

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4/07/2011

LG 55LE5400 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Internet Applications Review

LG 55LE5400 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Internet Applications
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've had this TV for just over 24 hours and so far I'm pleased. I chose the LG 5400 after visiting the local blue and yellow store as they were changing over their 2009 models to the 2010s. I was initially impressed by the Samsung LED LCDs and was getting close to buying the Samsung 7100 (7000 everywhere else with a red ToC vs. Grey at this store) when on my third trip to the store, they had just put the LG up on the wall. The picture stood out right away from the Samsungs and the Panasonic Plasma above it. The other decidng factor over the Samsung was the matte screen on the LG. The Samsungs have a high gloss screen just like a Plasma which is a problem for the room that I planned to put the TV in. It has multiple windows and lots of light so a high gloss screen would reflect way too much. As for the Pro's and Cons, here's what I have noticed so far:
Pro's: Picture quality with deep blacks and sharp contrast, picture adjustment wizard and ability to tweak it to the Nth degree including judder, sleek case appearance, internet widgets (haven't played with these too much yet so they might just be toys to brag about but, not too useful), Solid build
Cons: missing some features that others in the price range have like local dimming LEDs, PIP/POP, room light sensing, and a universal remote, 120hz instead of 240hz (not that I've noticed a problem yet).
Lastly, a note about mounting this TV on a wall; all of the permanent hook-ups are on the back surface (i.e not recessed into the case) so if you plan to use a low profile mount, you'll need right angle adapters for everything (HDMI, Component Video, VGA, etc). You'll need at least 1.75" of clearance from the back of the TV to the wall to get all your connections made. You'll also need to use a recessed outlet. I ended up scrapping the low profile mount and using a tilting mount that gave me 2.5" of clearance. Made life alot easier at the sacrifice of some sleekness on the wall. This shouldn't have been a big surprise given how thin the TV is but, I made the mistake. Oh well. After I've lived with this TV for a while longer I'll post an update but, so far so good.
UPDATE 1-11-11:
I've had this TV for about 10 months now and I'm still very pleased with it. I should note that I made a mistake in my original review under CONS wich was that this TV does NOT have room light sensing to dim the backlight. To the contrary, this TV DOES HAVE ROOM LIGHT SENSING. My mistake which I didn't notice until recently. There are only two observations that I can add since my original review and later comments: 1. One of the infrequent software updates seemed to have erased my custom picture and sound settings. 2. Occasionally the room light sensor gets tripped up in a dark room and ramps up the brightness then back to normal. The first observation was more of an annoyance and had only happened with one update. The second observation may be due to a software update or possibly something on my component stand below the TV throwing it off. I really don't know yet what causes this to happen but, it is infrequent and did not start to happen until several months after purchasing the TV. Otherwise, I'm still very happy with it and expect it to last a long time.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG 55LE5400 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Internet Applications


This HDTV is Internet-ready. To view Internet apps on this TV, you may also need:

Broadband Internet service
A router
Cabling
A Wi-Fi adapter (if there is not one built in)
A PC for subscriptions or payments

To learn more about Internet-ready HDTVs, visit Internet-Ready TV 101.
Offering energy-saving LED backlighting, 1080p Full HD resolution for crystal-clear detail, and TruMotion 120Hz technology for virtually no motion blur, the 55-inch LG 55LE5400 LED LCD HDTV is also great for watching sports and movies with fast action thanks to its 2.6ms (millisecond) response time. The latest in HDTV technology, LED delivers deep blacks, bright colors and crisp images to rival any display category, and are the slimmest, most energy efficient televisions available. Improved motion capture allows smooth, natural pictures, even with fast paced action.
With LG's NetCast, you get access to TV shows, movies and more, streamed directly from the Internet to your television screen. And the LE5400 series also provides compatibility with Wireless 1080p Connectivity (wireless media kit required and sold separately).

Other features include an incredible 4,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for more stunning colors and deeper blacks, two USB ports for connecting external drives for playing back MP3 audio, JPEG photo and DivX HD video files, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, and four HDMI inputs.



NetCast Entertainment Access NetCast Entertainment Access brings the best Internet services direct to your TV--no computer required. Instantly access movies and TV shows, news and weather and the world's largest library of HD movies in 1080p. (Note: Internet connection & subscriptions required and sold separately.)




Key Features
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LG 2010 HDTV Comparison


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Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

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